You guys know me: I plan all my own trips, possibly even to a fault. I read, research, and ask questions. I keep detailed notes in Google Docs and keep reading until I’m all-consumed with information overload. It’s not that I think I know every destination better than the experts, just that I’m a little […]
When are Group Tours a Good Idea? Here are 8 Trips to Look Into Read More »
Truth be told, I went to Maria Island National Park in hopes of seeing kangaroos. I knew all about the Tasmania Painted Cliffs, but I figured they were wouldn’t be that impressive in person. We weren’t going at the right time of day for ideal lighting to bring out the colors and I thought they’d
The Tasmania Painted Cliffs on Maria Island are Spectacular Read More »
Planning Nanjing was an exercise in patience. Since it’s not as popular as other Chinese cities, there aren’t as many articles about it (and fewer still on the actual coordination of visiting, rather than just inspiration). But if I can do it, so can you — especially since I’m about to share how to spend
One Day in Nanjing (The Nitty Gritty Specifics!) Read More »
Just north of Hong Kong Island is the Kowloon peninsula: a densely populated area with a plethora of markets. Along with modern shopping malls selling almost any product imaginable, there are traditional street markets unlike anything you’ll find back home. Spend an afternoon touring the best of Kowloon’s markets and get your camera ready…you never
I originally wrote a version of this post in 2013, but surprise-surprise! Sometimes things change (and sometimes they don’t). When I first started traveling, I was either really bad at guessing the types of things I like. Or maybe I was in denial? Or easily influenced by others? Who knows the actual reason, but it
Unpopular Opinion: 7 Places I Have No Desire to Go Back To Read More »
When I’m on the road, wi-fi hotspots are essential to my work and they’re relatively easy to find. However, these hotspots are horrifically insecure unless you use a VPN. Most people know they shouldn’t log into their bank accounts or transmit personal information over public internet connections, but frankly that’s only half the battle. Simply checking your
For the most part, it feels like Americans don’t ever consider Tasmania holidays, instead spending all their time in more well-known Australian destinations like Sydney, Melbourne, or Cairns. But for the right person, Tasmania may just be the greatest state you can visit; it certainly blew me away. After spending only a week there, I
Unless you have unlimited time, you’ll want to rent a car in Sri Lanka. We aren’t backpackers, so the idea of every journey taking 50% longer when you head by bus or train didn’t sound like an efficient use of our limited vacation time. We quickly realized that a private car was the way to
How to Rent a Car in Sri Lanka with Driver (and Why You Should!) Read More »
Imagine being woken up at 5:30 in the morning because a marching band is outside your window, the sound of cymbals and sousaphones clanging in your ear. Only three and a half hours earlier, I had been outside, painstakingly helping my neighbors prepare an intricately designed alfombra, or “carpet” for the street. It was Semana Santa —
Have I told you about the time I almost fell for the tea house scam in Shanghai? No? Well, settle in because it wasn’t pretty. I didn’t expect Shanghai would be the city that threw me. Of everywhere I went in China, it’s the one that’s most conducive to tourists. After five days of communication
I Was *ThisClose* to Falling for a Shanghai Tea House Scam Read More »
