Earlier this month, drinking a freshly brewed iced Vietnamese coffee, I took in the sounds of Hanoi and marveled at the traffic that I’ve heard about so many times. I take another sip of super sweet caffeine and watch the city from the confines of quarantine. This is armchair travel: want to visit Vietnam today?
When To Take the Road More Traveled
We want that road less travelled, that “authentic” experience. But when we have only a few weeks a year to see the world, is choosing the road less traveled worth the trouble? Or should we try the road more traveled?
What To Do When You Hate Your Destination
Shame. Pressure. Guilt. These aren’t words we normally associate with travel. But what happens when you aren’t happy on vacation? What happens when you and your dreamed-of travel destination just don’t “click”? It’s an awful feeling. It feels like a waste and all kinds of guilt and pressure wash over you. Who are you to […]
Top Ten Travel Lessons Learned the Hard Way
Making mistakes while traveling is inevitable. No amount of preparation will save you from the fact that if it can go wrong, it eventually will. You’ll definitely get lost, end up in the wrong place, and miss your train. You’ll accidentally make a crude gesture, or end up saying something wildly offensive. I am speaking […]
How I Afford to Travel Without a Trust Fund
I don’t have any data to back this up, but I’m pretty sure that one of the most asked things on travel is how to afford it. Travel seems like a luxury for many reasons, but often, that’s because travel can be SO expensive. Between flights, hotels and visas, paying for an international trip can […]
City Guide: Three days in Barcelona
Barcelona seems to be synonymous with European vacations and tours. It’s one of the major cities to see. So while I’d visited Spain a while ago, without having seen Barcelona, I didn’t quite feel like I’d gotten to know Spain or, for that matter, Catalonia at all. There were so many places to see, there […]
Why Solo Travel is Worth Trying
I started traveling solo out of sheer necessity. I didn’t want to – it sounded lonely and I figured it would be boring. But I found that it isn’t lonely or inferior in any way. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to truly soak a place in. It’s just you and your destination. You make amazing connections because you’re more open, and you have exceptional freedom because you’re totally in charge. This is a choose-your-own-adventure situation with plenty of good, bad and unexpected along the way.
Surviving Long Haul Flights and My Travel Curse
I may have traveled extensively, but my experience has not translated into smooth trips. In fact, my travels are regularly a complete mess, if I’m being honest. At this point, I’m completely convinced that I’ve been cursed. But this curse has led me to being very prepared. My carry-on bag is now basically an emergency kit. I am sharing this list/survival guide by request of my dear friend, who’s about to travel aaaall the way to Ghana!
City Guide: Amman (72 Hours in Jordan’s Capital)
Amman, while not exactly beautiful at face value, offers so much to visitors who are willing to explore this strange, kind, chaotic city. Do yourself a favor and be sure you spend at least three days in Amman. Here’s how to spend those 72 hours in Jordan’s capital.
City Guide: Tel Aviv (72 Hours in Israel)
Before I went to Israel, the country was a huge question mark on my mental map. What’s over there? With my few days there, I learned as much as I could, ate more than I could, and truly enjoyed my time. If you’re like me, with no clear grasp on what Israel means as a tourist, here’s how to have a fascinating 72 hours in the capital of Tel Aviv.