I’m one of those people that always thinks the grass is greener on the other side. That’s why, even after FINALLY figuring out a rental car strategy for my travels, I had to check out the new player in town. Turo car rental is a peer-to-peer car rental service — essentially Airbnb for cars. I took the …
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 »
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 »
I’m just going to come right out and say it: the best beaches in the country are along the Gulf coast. I’ll take either of the most popular Alabama beaches — Gulf Shores and Orange Beach — over anything on the Atlantic seaboard. The sand is softer, the waves are gentler, and the sunsets …
Orange Beach vs Gulf Shores: Both are Great but Which is Better? 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 …
What is a VPN (and Which VPN is Best for Travelers?) Read More »
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 »
Resurrecting this story in honor of Easter. Enjoy! * * * 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 …
Personally Experiencing Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala Read More »
It’s hard to narrow down what made me love Antigua so much. There were volcano hikes, colonial architecture, and cheap Spanish classes. And there’s the food. So much of it, from traditional meals to street food to high-end entrees that would cost a fortune at home. Over the course of multiple visits, I’ve spent more …
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 »
