About Us and Sand In My Suitcase
Welcome to Sand In My Suitcase! We’re humbled you want to know more about us and our blog.
We’re George and Janice Mucalov – former lawyers, now travel writers and blog publishers – much more fun, don’t you think?
If you’re ready to jump in, start here.
Our award-winning blog is about luxury travel – sometimes splurge-worthy, sometimes surprisingly affordable.
We share the wonder of exploring exotic places (and uncovering hidden gems closer to home), discovering different cultures, savoring global flavors and, of course, dreaming where to go next.
All interwoven with a twist of adventure!
Who we are
Passionate travelers, we’ve been roaming the globe ever since we were young.
George was born in Romania and grew up in Germany. Janice was born in England and raised in Australia. We met while working at the same law firm in Calgary, Canada, moved to Vancouver a few years later and now live in Victoria, BC.
Shortly after we married, Janice made the leap into freelance travel writing, contributing to leading print magazines and newspapers like USA Today, the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, South China Morning Post, Vancouver Sun, enRoute, TravelAge West and AAA Carolinas GO.
In 2012, when the Internet began reshaping the way we search for and read information, Janice launched this luxury adventure travel blog, with George helping as a research and editorial partner.
Today, Sand In My Suitcase is a top-ranked source of trusted travel content, with thousands of loyal e-newsletter subscribers.
Janice Mucalov
Founder and Chief Luxury Writer
Driven by wanderlust and an unapologetic taste for traveling in style, Janice is perpetually on the hunt for bucket-list places and experiences to write about. She’s the planner. And the worrywart. Her happy place? Paddling a SUP board.
George Mucalov
Editor and Co-Publisher
George is Janice’s travel companion, researcher, editor and more. Curious about the world, he’s a history and culture buff, stoked to learn about the people and places they visit. He’s said to sound Irish, though he’s never been to Ireland. Yet.
Best travel blog awards!
Top travel blog
Sand In My Suitcase won 1st Place for Best Travel Blog in the 2017 Society of American Travel Writers (Can. chapter) annual awards!
We’re tickled that we’ve won many more travel writing and blogging awards too, including:
- Best Travel Column/Blog – Finalist (TMAC 2018 Awards)
- Best Blog Post – 3rd Place (SATW 2018 Awards)
- Best Independent Travel Blog – Silver (NATJA 2015 Awards)
Our travel style
We confess – we’re luxury lovers.
Yes, that includes swank villa resorts with private pool suites.
But we also love discovering affordable boutique inns oozing charm and character.
Where we like to travel
Sunny winter escapes
Like many people, we can’t wait to escape the cold in winter and head to warm sunny places.
We’ve visited Mexico (especially Los Cabos) so many times, it’s almost like our second home. (For more Los Cabos goodness, see our Cabo Visitor blog.)
Hawaii and Caribbean spots, like the island of St. Martin/St. Maarten, also top our list of favorite winter getaways.
Europe
Our joint love affair with Europe started when we first explored Portugal together as newlyweds.
And, LOL (though it wasn’t funny at the time!), everything got stolen from our rental car – yes, even our passports and money. We were left with just the swimsuits we were wearing!
Anyway, we think we’re somewhat savvier travelers now. And come spring and fall, we love getting our culture fix (and sharing our insights) by visiting Mallorca, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, unique Greek islands and more.
George has family in Germany, so that’s another reason to keep returning to Europe.
British Columbia
When summer arrives, we’re happy just to stay put, exploring our home province of British Columbia. There’s always something new to discover here!
Exotic adventures
Every now and then, we get the urge to venture somewhere truly exotic.
We’ve stayed in some stunning overwater villas in Bora Bora, wandered through Stone Town in Zanzibar and uncovered the wonders of Sri Lanka. Between the two of us, we’ve visited all seven continents, including Antarctica!
Cruises
Oh, we should mention we also have a crush on cruising – especially small ship and river cruises that allow for a more intimate experience.
What we like to do when traveling
When we travel, you’ll find us hiking, snorkeling and bicycling.
Sussing out cool museums. Gaping at UNESCO sites. Strolling city streets from end to end (poking our heads into this and that).
And having fun!
Ethnic cuisine and good wine? Losing ourselves in long conversations with local guides and people? Also a big part of the enjoyment of our travels.
Travel writing memberships
We’re both members of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC).
Janice is also a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA).
Meaningful travel
While we enjoy traveling well, we’re not totally hedonistic :-).
We try to travel responsibly. And if possible, we prefer to write about hotels, cruises, tours and experiences that help in some way to make this world a better place.
We also donate to Doctors Without Borders.
We write what we honestly think
All views and opinions expressed in our travel articles and posts are our own. We dish on the good – and tell you about the not-so-good.
We adhere to the codes of ethics for professional travel media set by SATW, TMAC and NATJA.
See our editorial and disclosure policy for more, including how we create and write content.
Discover our travel blog
Okay, enough about us. Maybe you’d like to now take a peek at our travel posts?
Start here! This will take you to our destination travel guides, most popular posts and more…
Our top travel tips and resources
General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, offering loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.
Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy! (You may prefer Expedia for booking hotels in the U.S. or Mexico.)
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Flights: For the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets are often non-refundable. If you want more flexibility, it’s usually worth booking directly with the airline, even if it costs a bit more.)
Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car is often a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the lowest rates.
eSIMS: Stay connected affordably with Airalo eSIMS covering 200+ countries and trusted by 10 million+ users, including us! (No more huge roaming bills!)
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
If you make a booking or purchase through our site, we may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks!
About the authors