The start of hiking the Camino de Santiago

I'm excited to introduce you to David Cox, the creator behind the travel blog Newby2ExpertTraveler.com. David specializes in demystifying the world of points-based travel, sharing practical strategies for travel hacking, and offering a behind-the-scenes look at his own adventures around the globe.

Please follow David on Bluesky and enjoy his interview!

What is maybe a little different about my blog is that it's a travel blog, but we're not experienced travelers. I grew up in a family that didn't travel at all, and Jenn, my wife, grew up in a family that liked to travel but did so on a budget. They liked to camp, and her favorite childhood memory was a two-week camping trip to Colorado. After we got married, we would go on vacations that were limited by our budget, mostly camping or renting an Airbnb within a one-day driving distance. But our travel style changed with a promise to my daughter that we would take her to Europe when she graduated from high school. In a desperate effort to keep that trip's cost down, I turned to points and miles, and it changed our lives. Once we realized that we could eliminate most of the cost of flying, that made destinations I had only dreamed of visiting within our reach.

I went from being a 47-year-old man who had only left the country once (and of course it was Cancun), to a 49-year-old man who had visited 13 countries with four more to visit this year. The best part of this for me is sharing the world with my kids at a time when they can appreciate it. They are now 16 and 20 and are a lot of fun to travel with. We only have a few years before their own family and job responsibilities limit their ability to travel with us.

I started my blog Newby2Experttraveler.com as a nod to the fact that I am new to travel and hope to become an expert. We are generally budget travelers who are more concerned with experiencing the world than staying in a luxury hotel or flying in business class. Our recent trip to Spain and Portugal to hike the Camino de Santiago solidified my belief that you can truly enjoy amazing trips on a limited budget.

What’s a destination you think is completely underrated and deserves more love?

Last March, we went on a day hike at The Blue Falls of Costa Rica. Based on the size of the parking lot and the number of hikers we came across, it's not a very popular destination. That might be because it's about a two-hour drive from San Jose. It's a property where, if you are ambitious, you can visit eight waterfalls in one day. These waterfalls are an almost impossibly beautiful aquamarine color caused by a high concentration of aluminum sulfate in the water. It's an outstanding hike and well worth the drive.

Can you describe a travel moment that completely changed your perspective on life?

On our first trip to Europe, on the fifth day of the trip, we were walking around Munich near Marienplatz. I noticed that I was relaxed, more relaxed than I could ever remember being. At that moment, I realized how stressful it is to live in the US. The noise, the traffic, and the fear of crime all combine to make a walk in any American city stressful. Here we were in the middle of Munich, and it was oddly quiet, despite the thousands of people walking, dining, and shopping in the area. It was the first time I can remember being in such a public place and feeling relaxed. It made me understand how your environment affects your psychological well-being. Since that time, I've spent a lot of time thinking about where I wanted to live in my retirement years.

What’s the most unexpected place you’ve ever fallen in love with, and why?

Porto. I had seen pictures of Porto and frankly wasn't that impressed, and it wasn't on my radar of places that I wanted to visit. It was, however, the closest major airport to where we wanted to start the Portuguese route of the Camino de Santiago. We spent a day there before the hike, and I was just blown away. There is a vibe in Porto that I can't describe. There is this amazing blend of gritty and gorgeous. There are decaying buildings and graffiti, but there are also amazing cathedrals, mosaic stone sidewalks and streets, and gorgeous houses with tile siding. The food was great, and the people are unbelievably patient and kind. Pictures will never do Porto justice, it's just something you need to experience for yourself.

Have you ever had a “what am I doing here?” moment on a trip? How did it turn out?

Jumping in the Eisbach in the English Garden in Munich. We were walking through the English Garden in Munich on a hot day, and we noticed a bunch of people floating down the Eisbach. The Eisbach is a channeled branch of the Isar River. It's fast-moving and is famous for having rock formations that form surfable waves. Two areas along the Eisbach are suitable for surfing, and people float between those two areas. None of this is legal, but it's not enforced. I had a couple of German lagers in me and thought it looked fun, so I stripped down to my shorts and jumped in. It didn't take me long to remember that I'm not a strong swimmer, and I especially struggle with floating. I thought that I would be able to swim to the sides and climb out whenever I wanted, but that wasn't the case. Struggling a little, I was able to keep my head above water until I reached a cable that crosses the river. The cable is there to allow people to get out of the water, and I was able to maneuver myself to the edge and climb out. I found out later that between 2007 and 2017, eight people had drowned in that river. It was dangerous and stupid, but I'll do it again.

What’s the most unforgettable food experience you’ve had while traveling?

I was at a conference in San Antonio, Texas, and for dinner one night, I went to a brewpub called Dos Sirenos Brewing. They had an item on the menu with parmesan grits, tomatillo succotash, pork belly, and salsa macha. Being a northerner, I was not familiar with grits. Tomatillo succotash sounded interesting, and I had no idea what salsa macha was. The only thing I was familiar with was pork belly. I told the bartender that it sounded too weird not to try, and he said it was the chef's favorite dish. It was amazing. The grits were rich and creamy, the succotash was tangy and bright, the salsa added a perfect amount of spice, and the pork belly was just the right amount of fat to balance it all out. Since that time, I've tried to recreate that dish a few times at home, and it's always been good, but not as good as the original.

What’s one cultural experience or traditional event that really stuck with you?

We stumbled into Zuri Fest, which was completely unexpected. The first time we went to Europe, we landed in Zurich and had booked a couple of nights at the Marriott in Zurich. We took a nap to shake off the jet lag and then headed out in the late afternoon. We walked into the middle of town along the Limmat River, and we started to notice carnival rides and food trucks. We realized that we were obviously in the middle of some kind of festival, and I thought we could just walk past it and enjoy Zurich while allowing the Swiss to enjoy their festival. What I didn't realize was that this was a massive festival called Zuri Fest that takes place every three years. This festival was stretched out for miles along the Limmat River and then wrapped around both sides of Lake Zurich. There must have been at least a dozen live music stages, playing mostly techno music. There were more than 2 million visitors to this festival, so many in fact, that I honestly don't know how we got a hotel room. We decided to embrace it, and we had a great time enjoying the music, food, and drinks at the festival. We considered going back, but unfortunately, the promoters decided that they were done hosting the festival. Hopefully, they can bring it back someday, It was a great time.

Get Inspired: By Newby 2 Expert Traveler