WHY DO I WRITE?​

In this blog, I collect experiences on my days on, and off-- on my journeys around the world to inspire myself and others to go beyond the screen, drop it, and JUST GET GOING!
I work as a full-time NICU night shift nurse, and I am here to prove that working full time should not stop you from living life. I am the expert at gathering and managing my time off in order to allow me to not let life escape me.

rh yountville: the wine country treat for all your senses!

TRAVEL / /  SEPT 2019

​Yountville has been known to be the culinary capital of Napa Valley. Numerous well-known Michelin-star restaurants such as the French Laundry, Bouchon, Bottega, Ad Hoc, and many more, hold residence in this small town, thus, placing itself as one of the giants on the culinary map of America.
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But upon walking though the row of famous Michelin-star studded row  of restaurants in Yountville, you cannot help but stop and at least take photo of THIS beauty-- Restoration Hardware.​
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10 HACKS TO MAKE TRAVELING WITH FAMILY/IN GROUPS EASIER!

TRAVEL / / SEPT 2019

I find it quite funny that my family is made up of a bunch of travel enthusiasts, but very rarely do we travel TOGETHER. And as much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE my family, traveling with family is one of those things that that can be super stressful, especially if you are the only one organizing it. Trying to reconcile a dozen different interests in one whole trip that will suit everyone’s different travel styles sounds absolutely absurd, but it’s doable! With plenty of time and careful consideration, it CAN BE DONE!

THE MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE SPOTS IN SANTORINI

                                                 TRAVEL / / AUG 2019

The island of Santorini itself is one of the most beautiful places in the world. 
I mean, if you want to go on a romantic getaway with your camera, or your partner (haha), then this is the place to go! With it's beauty that just lures you in from just photos you see online, it's no wonder flocks of people come in daily by the ferry boat to see the white washed cave houses that just glow under the Greek sun, against the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea.

With that being said, Santorini can also be one of the most difficult places to get the perfectly unobstructed photos while traveling! With it's many narrow alleys, steep walkways, and a gazillion travelers and locals alike, it can be quite overwhelming to find that perfect place for the perfect view for your shot! And with the little time you might have to spend out there, you'll have to be quite the efficient photographer/ So here's my little guide on some of the most instagrammable spots in Santorini :)

THE NURSE WAY TO VACAY: THE PTO-FREE 6-10 DAY VACATIONS!

                                  TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE / / AUGUST 2019
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As a nurse, I have been blessed with a career that gives me the ability to have a flexible schedule. I cannot count how many times my friends who work 9-5 jobs, 5x a week say they envy my schedule. I mean, it DOES come with a price to pay!
Think about it, the hospital NEVER closes. it is literally open 24/7...which means, there are nurses 24/7--holidays, weekends, times people are asleep, times people are awake, times people partying on the weekends/holidays. I mean, you get it that there is ALWAYS a nurse watching over someone's life, or just making them comfortable. And as you can imagine, it is FAR from being easy.
So this means, yes, we should only work 3-4x a week as full time. Yes, we do get BURNT OUT. And yes, it does give us the luxury of the ability to have long days off in between shifts to de-stress, gather ourselves, and even EXPLORE :)
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aTHENS, GREECE: 36 HOURS IN THE ANCIENT CITY WHERE HIP and history intertwine

                                               TRAVEL / / JULY 2019
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I have always been in such awe of the resilience of Athens. Battling many adversities since the ancient times, it has stood strong, and  to this day has proven it’s glory to the rest of the world.
As THE birthplace of Western civilization philosophy, drama, and art, Athens has blossomed into becoming a popular destination for historical enthusiasts, and contemporary folk alike.

Milos, Greece: THe unspoiled
​ cycladic island you'll want to visit...fast!

                                                TRAVEL / / JULY 2019
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While it still remains unspoiled by chain hotels and restaurants, this is the place that should be on top of your bucket list! Often overlooked by tourists who visit its more popular neighbors of Mykonos and Santorini, this island is as pristine as it was many many years ago... And as selfish as it may sound, all the better for those who are able to spend some private time in its white washed beaches and turquoise bays!

So if you are looking for a nice, relaxing holiday, free of tour buses, hoards of ferries unloading loads and loads of photo-snapping tourists making their way through another stop in their Euro-trip, free of fist-pumping, heart-thumping beats of the nightclubs, and the chance to be able say you've stayed in an island with unworldly beaches with the bluest waters you're eyes will ever see.. then THIS IS FOR YOU!

So you ask yourself "How am I only hearing about it now?!"
Don't worry, I'll tell you more :)
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JOSHUA TREE: THE CALIFORNIA DESERT THAT WILL TAKE YOU STRAIGHT INTO A DR. SEUSS' BOOK!

                                                   TRAVEL / / JUNE 2019                     

Joshua Tree National Park is one of the most photogenic desert oases I’ve been to!Known for its whimsical trees and fascinating boulders, Joshua tree is just like taking a page out of a Dr. Seuss book!
Spanning about 800,000 acres, Joshua Tree National Park  is where two desert ecosystems meet—the Mojave and the Colorado.
The Mojave is considered the high desert, sitting at above 3,000ft in elevation, this is where you can it’s iconic giant Joshua trees and massive rock piles that are just absolutely photogenic to say the least!

MY 11 FOOL-PROOF TIPS TO REDUCE TRAVEL ANXIETY

                                                   TRAVEL / / JUNE 2019

As much as I love to travel, one thing people don’t really know, is that I actually dread it as well. Yup. The traveler has travel anxiety. 
​Statistically, we know that flying is the safest form on transportation. Hence the reason as to why there is such much taboo about this topic. And it is something I’ve been quite hesitant to write about, but then I thought to myself “Heck, you experience this EVERY TIME you travel, why not talk about it?”

So I am here to break those barriers for those who do experience this, just like I do. Or if you don’t, hopefully to help open your mind in ways to understand those who do experience this fear and how to help.

Florence, Italy:
​The heart of tuscany that will always have my heart

                                                TRAVEL / / MAY 2019

​Italy, the Tuscan region, specifically, has a special place in my heart. Not only was it the place where we got married, but it was also my first mini solo trip!

As the capital city of the Tuscan region, Florence cannot be any better situated as the center of dreamiest rolling hills on earth.
Florence is the birthplace and symbol of the Renaissance. Home to some of the world’s greatest pieces of art and architecture, Florence itself is a large piece of artwork; and it is just a treat walking down the streets of this walking city!

STRATEGIC LUXURY: PUTTING YOUR MONEY WHERE IT'S WORTH IT WHEN TRAVELING

                                                    TRAVEL / / MAY 2019
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They say traveling is the only thing you can buy that will make you richer.
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I, hands down, agree with this in all ways possible. Thinking back at all my memories, most of the most special moments had nothing to do with anything materialistic. And I have to remind myself of this from time to time.
​I feel like James and I are pretty frugal when it comes to how we are to spend our money, with a strict budget when we are at home, and putting money away every paycheck for traveling. We usually will save on several aspects of the trip, and then select a certain experience to spend a little more on.
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trip planning 101: your ultimate planning guide to any trip!

TRAVEL / / APRIL 2019
For most people, one of the most dreadful things of going on a trip is making the itinerary. And I totally get it— going into a different country to try to experience all it has to offer in such a short period of time can sound pretty stressful. This, I can totally say is one of my favorite parts of it!! Weird, I know. Researching and finding inspiration as to why we booked the place in the first place is what I love love love about creating our itineraries for our trips.

We’re getting down to the nitty gritty!
Here's a step-by-step guide to how I plan my trips.

the biggest lessons i've learned after ONE year of being married

LIFESTYLE / / APRIL 2019

​It’s true what they say that after the wedding, and the marriage starts, time will fly. And it has… like nobody’s business! The last year has been quite the whirlwind for James and I.From the wedding, to buying our home, to both of us switching jobs, and now just getting home from our honeymoon, and now just going back to normal. And I can say that through this, did we learn so many lessons not only about each other, but ourselves as well.
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baros, Maldives:
​Inside the world's most romantic resort

TRAVEL / / APRIL 2019

​James and I have been eyeing this slice of heaven for the longest time, and are so happy to say that we’ve finally been able to experience it ourselves. After our wedding in Italy in April of 2018, we decided to wait a bit for our honeymoon in order to recover and settle in our home, which was a bit difficult since we were on the wedding high, but let me tell you... it was the sweetest wait ever!
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Cappadocia:
The Land of Fairy Chimneys

TRAVEL / / APRIL 2019

​If there was one word I’d use to describe this place, it would undoubtedly be “magical.” Turkey would not be on top of everyone’s “magical destination” list, but let me tell you— IT SHOULD BE!
From the moment of sun up, when we saw the hundred  hot air balloons dancing in the sky, we felt like we were in a movie! It was just unbelievable. One of the feelings I wish I will never forget in this lifetime.
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Ahlan, Giza!

TRAVEL / / AUG 14, 2018

Yes!! We finally got the opportunity to see Egypt!
Egypt had always been on our bucket list, but we never really came through until we planned a trip to visit Jordan. Cairo, only being an hour and a half plane ride from Amman, we figured this was the perfect time to make our ancient Egyptian dreams come true!
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Hallo, Amsterdam!

TRAVEL   / /  AUG 5, 2018

​It is without a doubt that one of my favorite European cities is AMSTERDAM. This is one of mine and J's favorite places in the world. This is actually where our love of travel together first started. This place is what opened our minds to the completely different world outside of our comfort zone, which is why  I'm writing this as my first post :) 
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Welcome to my journey

​lifestyle //  aug 1, 2018

Hello fellow travel enthusiasts, nurses, and passers-by!
You must wonder how in the world a full-time nurse who has two jobs has the time or even energy to travel, let alone write about it?
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ABOUT ME

Hi there, Czarina Adams here!
I'm a NICU nurse by profession, with a strong admiration for exploration. 
​ On my days on, I take care of the smallest fighters, and when I'm not, I'm somewhere weaving around the world.  

Why do I write?
In this blog, I collect experiences on my days on, and off-- on my journeys around the world to inspire myself and others to go beyond the screen, drop it, and JUST GET GOING!