I am not a shopper. I will (and have) spend thousands of dollars on experiences, but even if you added up all my souvenir purchases from past trips, it would barely add up to the cost of a single flight. Material things just don’t do it for me, which is why it’s so surprising to […]
After 8 Years of Travel, Here Are My Favorite Souvenirs Read More »
Last week, I booked and cancelled a flight to El Salvador a total of five times while I was deciding whether to go. In the end, I cancelled on my husband’s request. Although I honestly believe El Salvador is a safe place to visit if you take proper precautions, Mike’s nervousness got the best of me. Not because
A year or two ago, I craved travel to an insatiable degree. Simply put, I was in a dark place and chose travel as my distraction of choice. I lived, breathed, and dreamt travel, partially for a true love of world exploration and partially to escape my reality. Even in my miserable state, I realized I needed
As much as I love traveling solo, it’s not always a picnic. I struggled when I arrived on the Atlantic coast of Guatemala. I had spent the past two weeks or so traveling through the country, first with my husband and then with my mom. We had great experiences, funny stories, and lots of memories.
Sometimes Solo Travel Sucks: Lonely in Livingston and Rio Dulce Guatemala Read More »
What a year! 2014 was full of ups and downs for me. To be perfectly honest, I’m ready to bid adieu to this bipolar year — but I’ll admit the amount of travel I did was a highlight. I have no intention of keeping up this pace of travel ever again. I had ~150 days
If I told you I was going to spend four weeks traveling with someone I barely knew, what would you say? High off the excitement from my Competitours trip through Europe, I was beyond shocked the group leader emailed me to ask if I’d like to head to Asia with him this fall. My initial
When I first moved to Richmond, I was diligent about spending my weekends exploring the area. I went to local museums, asked around for suggestions on what to do, and took roadtrips around the state. Some of my visits were genuine hits while others were just okay. Not only did I explore my own state, but
Before this year, the last group tour I went on was a trip to Ecuador back in 2005. I was brand new to international travel — or to be honest, travel without my family — and so an escorted tour seemed like the perfect fit. Even though I had a fantastic time, my next trips naturally migrated
Early in a September morning, the Celebrity Millennium docked in Skagway. The year was 2009 and I was having the absolute time of my life cruising through Alaska. I was traveling solo — a rarity on cruise ships — but the trip was already the best vacation I’d ever taken, and I was only halfway through the sailing. Even though
I remember my first solo trip fondly: I joined a 10-day cruise to Alaska and tacked on a few extra days in Seattle and Vancouver for a tremendous getaway. Before I went, I was incredibly nervous. Would I be safe? Would I be lonely? Would I be able to have fun? Everything worked out perfectly,
