Asia
Guide: How to choose where to go in Southeast & South Asia
Vietnam – 7th stop on my gap year, Sept 2022
- Days 1-2: beginnings in Hanoi + spontaneous trip decision
- Days 3-7: iconic Hà Giang motorbike loop
- Days 8-10: overnight cruise in Halong Bay
- Days 11-13: countryside Disneyland in Ninh Bình / Tam Cốc
- Days 14-15: famous coastal motorbike drive on Hai Van Pass (Hue to Hoi An)
- Days 16-18: falling in love with beautiful & quaint Hoi An
- Days 19-21: the rare feeling of “getting stuck” in Hoi An
- Days 22-25: exploring the Da Lat highlands + canyoning tour
- Days 26-27: sand dunes and beach time in Mui Ne
- Days 28-29: last days in Ho Chi Minh City + Vietnam reflection
Malaysia – 6th stop on my gap year, Aug 2022
- Days 1-3: sightseeing in modern Kuala Lumpur
- Days 4-6: eating my way through culinary capital, Penang
- Days 7-12: beach life and local community in Langkawi Island + my 29th birthday!
Indonesia – 5th stop on my gap year, Jul-Aug 2022
- Days 1-3: beginnings in jungle village Bukit Lawang, Sumatra
- Days 4-6: overnight camping & spotting wild orangutans in Sumatra’s jungle
- Days 7-9: Berastagi highlands + sunrise hike at Sibayak Volcano
- Days 10-12: scooter adventure around Samosir Island, Lake Toba (part 1)
- Days 13-16: scooter adventure around Samosir Island, Lake Toba (part 2)
- Days 17-19: authentic beach village life on Nias Island
- Days 20-23: last days in Nias island + day trip to megalith ruins & swimming hole + trip reflection
India – 4th stop on my gap year, Apr-May 2022
- Days 1-3: first days in holy city of Pushkar + Savitri Temple hike + camel safari
- Days 4-7: meeting Aloo Baba + day trip to Ajmer + marble dumping yard
- Days 8-12: fairytale Indian wedding in Jaipur
- Days 13-15: new chapter in Manali / the Himalayas + new gig at a hostel + day trip to Koksar
- Days 16-19: exploring Old Manali + Nasogi village life + sulfur hot springs + change of plans
- Days 20-25: day trip to Solang Valley + waterfall hike + hostel life and duties
- Days 26-28: weekend in stoner town of Kasol + visiting Malana Village
- Days 29-33: high season hostel life + favorite activities in Manali + day trip to Sissu
- Days 34-39: final days in Manali + Jogini waterfall + Hadimba Goddess festival + trip reflection
- A day in the life volunteering at a hostel in Manali, India
Sri Lanka – 3rd stop on my gap year, Mar-Apr 2022
- Days 1-2: Beginnings in bustling beach town of Negombo
- Days 3-5: culture capital of Kandy + Buddhist ceremonies + cultural dance show
- Days 6-7: Kandy botanical garden + herbal remedies at spice garden + Udawattakele park
- Days 8-10: iconic train ride + tea country hills of Nuwara Eliya + Horton Plains National Park
- Days 11-15: Nuwara Eliya continued + waterfalls, hikes, and gardens galore + tea plantation tour
- Days 16-21: vacation mode in southern beach town of Mirissa + Joe is here!
- Days 22-24: lively mountain town of Ella + Sri Lanka’s economic crisis
- Days 25-28: last days in Ella + more motorbiking adventures + trip reflection
Cambodia – 2nd stop on my gap year, Feb-Mar 2022
- Days 1-5: beginnings in Siem Reap + magical Angkor Wat
- Days 6-9: Battambang + Cambodia’s dark history + village visits
- Days 10-14: rugged hippie village of M’Pai Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem
- Days 15-19: same island, different vibes in Saracen Bay, Koh Rong Sanloem
- Days 20-23: Lively Kampot + salt & pepper farms + countryside by motorbike
- Days 24-26: spooky Bokor Mountain + riverside chilling in Kampot + feeling like a regular
- Days 27-30: final days in Kampot & Phnom Penh + day trip to Kep + trip reflection
Singapore – 1st stop on my gap year, Feb 2022
- Days 1-2: Gardens by the Bay + Chinatown + neighborhood exploring + hawker meals
- Days 3-4: Katong/Joo Chiat + Supertree Grove light show + Botanical Garden + cat cafe
Philippines – 2 week solo trip, May 2019
- Days 1-4: Roadtripping Cebu on a motorbike + hidden waterfalls + locals in rural villages
- Days 5-7: Countryside and jungle vibes in Bohol
- Days 8-12: Tao tour in remote islands of Palawan
- Days 12-14: Last chapter in El Nido
- Philippines Solo Trip Reflection
Thailand – 3 week solo trip, May 2018
- Days 1-3: beginnings in Chiang Mai + trekking adventure in the North
- Days 4-8: last of Chiang Mai + Pai: my hippie backpacking dream
- Days 9-10: Khao Sok National Park
- Days 11-14: Open water scuba diving course in Koh Tao + a growing experience
- Days 15-18: Last days relaxing in Koh Tao + short leg in Bangkok
- Things I learned from solo traveling
Africa
Kenya – 2 week solo trip, November 2019
- Day 1: Beginnings in Nairobi + whole new world
- Days 2-4: Masai Mara Safari + keeping it real
- Days 5-6: Nakuru safari + biking through Hell’s Gate National Park + hitting my stride at Naivasha
- Days 7-10: bustling beautiful Mombasa + difficulties as a solo female traveler
- Days 11-13: local experiences and relaxing in Kilifi + ending on high note
Latin America
Mexico
- One month as digital nomads in Sayulita (2nd time) + San Pancho – July 2021
- Sayulita (1st time): Surfing and active trip in Sayulita, Mexico – Jan 2020
- Puerto Vallarta: Girl’s trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Nov 2018
- Tulum and Cancun: Girl’s trip to Mexico: Tulum + Cancun – May 2018
Nicaragua
- Surf camp in Nicaragua + my 26th birthday! – Aug 2019
Guatemala – 1 week solo trip, Nov 2018
- Days 1-2: Exploring colorful Antigua + epic hike up Acatenango Volcano
- Days 3-5: Hippie vibes and restoration in Lake Atitlan
Colombia – 2 week solo trip, Oct 2018
- Days 1-2: beginnings in Bogota + finally feeling ready
- Days 3-6: dream come true in the Amazon + spontaneous detour
- Days 7-9: deep appreciation in Medellin + paragliding!
- Days 10-12: coffee, hiking & horses in Salento + can’t believe I made it
- Life and reflection after Colombia
Costa Rica – 1 week with Michelle, Mar 2016
- Day 1: white water rafting + almost homeless
- Days 2-3: hiking Manual Antonio + BUNGEE JUMPING! + Monteverde cloud forest
- Days 4-5: 3 hikes in 1 day in La Fortuna + canyoning/cliff diving adventure
- Days 6-7: beach days + snorkeling + pura vida!
- Costa Rica video!
Puerto Rico – 1 week with Michelle, Mar 2014
Europe
Iceland – 10 days with Christine, Aug 2016
- Days 1-2: waterfalls + glacier hike + an evening of bumps
- Days 3-5: driving, driving, and more driving
- Days 6-7: Reykjavik + MY BIRTHDAY!!
England, Germany, Greece, Italy & France – Backpacking the summer after college with Michelle. This trip completely changed my life and planted the travel bug in me! Jul 2015
Portugal & Ireland – Worked on a bamboo farm and small organic farm through WWOOF, incredible experience. Jun 2015
United States
RV road trip through the Southern U.S. – Oct ’22-Mar ’23
- Two weeks in DFW, Texas + settling into trailer life
- Deep-south charm of Louisiana feat. New Orleans
- Coastal hikes, forts, and semi boon-docking in Pensacola, Florida
- 3 theme parks + 1 rocket launch in Orlando, Florida
- Live rocket launches and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral
- Thanksgiving in Everglades National Park
- West Texas + underrated Albuquerque feat. my brother visiting!
- Week in Palm Springs, California + quick drive through Arizona
Hawaii
- Maui – May 2022
- Big Island – May 2021
- Days 1-3: waterfalls and hiking in Hilo + unplugging in an off-grid yurt
- Days 4-5: botanical garden + exploring Puna district + Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Days 6-7: farm stay in Waimea + magical Waipi’o Valley
- Days 8-11: surf, relaxation, kava and coffee in Kona
- Days 12-15: last chapter in Kona with the girls joining
California
- Northern California
- RV camping weekend in Carmel – Jun 2022
- Valentine’s Day weekend in Carmel – Feb 2021
- Group trip to Clearlake: underrated sleepy lake town – Oct 2020
- Birthday weekend in Yosemite National Park – Aug 2020
- Cozy, outdoorsy weekend getaway in Mendocino – Nov 2019
- Spiritual healing retreat in Northern California – Aug 2019
- Backpacking in the Sierras: Mammoth Lakes – Aug 2018
- Girl’s weekend “glamp-ing” in a yurt – Jun 2018
- Thanksgiving weekend in Santa Cruz – Nov 2017
- Southern California
- Laid back trip to Los Angeles – Nov 2020
- Desert & winter vibes at Joshua Tree National Park – Nov 2020
- Surf week in San Diego + road trip down California’s Pacific Coast Highway – Jul 2020
- Girl’s weekend in Malibu – Aug 2019
- Active weekend in Catalina Island – Jan 2019
- Lake Tahoe
- Ski trip to Squaw Valley + review of ski resorts during COVID – Jan 2021
- Weekend in Nevada side of Lake Tahoe – Jun 2020
- Ski weekend at North Star + a video! – Feb 2020
- Ski weekend in Squaw Valley – Mar 2019
- Spontaneous, snowy, ski weekend in Tahoe – Feb 2019
- Lake Tahoe weekend without the lake – Sept 2018
- Water and cabin fun in North Lake Tahoe – Jul 2018
- Spontaneous ski trip to Tahoe – Feb 2018
- Snow Globe Music Festival (including a video!) – Dec 2017
- July 4th weekend in Lake Tahoe – Jul 2017
- Cross-California road trips
Colorado
- Crested Butte – Jun 2022
- Denver + Keystone – Dec 2016
East Coast
- Road trip through coastal Maine – Sept 2021
- 2 weeks with my brother in Pittsburgh + surprise visit with our parents! – Dec 2020
- Work week in Chicago + weekend in Boston feat. lots of breweries – Aug 2018
- East coast tour – Dec 2017
- Snowy week in Boston/Cambridge – Feb 2017
- Weekend in the Catskills, New York – Jul 2016
- 11 year friendiversary in Cape May, NJ + video – May 2016
Other South
- Meeting Joe’s family + exploring Dallas – Oct 2021
- Wedding weekend in Texas – Nov 2017
- July 4th weekend in MIAMI! – Jul 2016
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