Kameri Larson, Author at Beyond These Borders

Racing Through New Zealand’s South Island in 7 Days

February 4, 2017 by Kameri 2 Comments

My mom and I had 13 days available to explore New Zealand. Two islands (North and South) make up the country and we wanted to see both. The South holds so many amazing destinations and we had only 7 days here… so we found ourselves racing through New Zealand’s South Island. Was it fast paced? Yes. A bit exhausting? Absolutely…. But I’m thankful we didn’t skip any of it! Day 1: We arrived at Christchurch airport in the middle of the night, caught a cab and crashed at our Airbnb. When we …

Ayers Rock: The good, the bad, and the ugly.

November 27, 2016 by Kameri 1 Comment

While spending a few days in the outback, we encountered the good, the bad, and the ugly of Ayers Rock, but mostly good. The good. Seeing Ayers Rock for yourself is incredible. Our rental car carried us into the national park that contains Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta. Before you even enter the gate, the sight of a giant Ayers Rock greets you. Around 6 pm we claimed a parking spot in the sunset viewing lot. Here, the setting sun shines directly on the side of this massive structure causing …

Shuffle off to Buffalo…. North Dakota

October 18, 2016 by Kameri Leave a Comment

Want to experience a small town with historic buildings, a saloon, and a splash of wine? Shuffle off to Buffalo, ND and check it out! Buffalo is a small, charming, town of about 200 residents that was established in 1884. It sits a half hour drive west of Fargo and there is one main street where the majority of businesses reside. The community is largely a farming community, growing corn, soybeans, sunflowers, and wheat. And the businesses around town are locally owned. The rest of the …

Discover Turtles and Cenotes in the Riviera Maya, Mexico

September 17, 2016 by Kameri 1 Comment

I enjoyed a quick trip to the Riviera Maya in Mexico this summer to meet up with friends who I met many years ago back in college. We rented a fantastic beach house and spent most of our time relaxing by the pool. However, we did plan a couple excursions. I recommend to anyone traveling to the area to discover some cenotes and sea turtles! We booked the “Turtles and Cenotes” tour with Ocean Tours. The company offers free pickup at any hotel in the Riviera Maya. (Transport to and from Cancun …

Cliff Jumping in Cuba

August 15, 2016 by Kameri Leave a Comment

Jumping off a cliff at Javira Waterfall wasn’t originally part of my travel plans, but this oasis was my favorite place in Cuba! A few Austrians I met in Trinidad invited me to tag along on a day trip to a waterfall. We couldn’t find the waterfall they had planned to visit, so we opted for a closer one. The night before, they had met a local man who was selling drinks by the stairs outside Casa de la Musica. He recommended they visit Javira Waterfall in Parque El Cubano. We found the …

5 Reasons You Will Love Cuba!

July 29, 2016 by Kameri 3 Comments

1: You Step back in Time! One of the first things you will notice in cities like Havana, is diverse historical architecture. Spanish Colonial, art deco, art nouveau, the Revolutionary Era, neoclassicism, and many others surround you. It's as if you have walked off the plane into a past era. What really struck me was seeing buildings that although a bit weathered, have withstood the years so well. And right next to them would be a crumbling structure, showing a dramatic difference in the …