• 6 Ways to Deal with Tour Groups as a Solo Traveler

    When I’m planning my next trip, I always imagine myself peacefully wandering down medieval streets, getting personal glimpses into the lives of locals, marveling at the intricate details of a palace or cathedral, setting up my camera…

  • 11 Favorite Moments in Southeast Asia

    It started snowing here again in Kiev, despite the fact that it’s April and yesterday I was sure we had finally broken upon spring. Nope, today it’s back to hot mulled wine and cold feet. It made…

  • Nomadic Life, Month Five (and Four and Three)

    Nomadic Life posts are personal recaps of what life is really like when you live like a moving target. From personal challenges and triumphs to upcoming travel plans, here’s an insider look into my life out of a…

  • Natural Vang Vieng — No Tube Required

    There’s a lot to say about Vang Vieng. It’s been a backpacker magnet since the early 2000s, pulling in a party crowd that created a pressure cooker of tourism, money, and vices. And while yes, we went…

  • 25 Postcards From Bali

    While I was off having my first grown-up vacation in Bali (where I didn’t spend one night in a hostel), I wasn’t spending too much time thinking about blogging. Over the last six months I’ve been trying to…

  • Affordable Luxury in Bali

    There are some places that seem unattainable to me. No matter how I try to work it, my dream trip in an overwater bungalow in the Maldives just never seems to come together. Mongolia is an experience…