Money, Power, and Capitalism in Cuba
Our tour bus bounced through the streets of a small Cuban city, and our national guide craned his neck to look out the window. “I can tell you,” he said, “just by looking at the houses, who…
What You Need to Know about Cuba People-to-People Tours
It was day four or five of our people-to-people tour, and we were grilling our Cuban national guide with some of the harder-hitting questions, seeing how much we could get out of him. I had just asked…
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…
9 Under-the-Radar Travel Snapchatters Jet-Setting Around the Globe
I had this one student in New York who was always on Snapchat, and I just didn’t get it. I swore up and down that I was too old to pick up yet another social media and that Snapchat…
Why Luang Prabang is the Place for 30-Somethings to Party in Laos
When we left Vang Vieng, I felt a bit relieved. We had only been there for three nights, but I already had a sense of the complicated relationship between Laos and tourism. I know the tourist dollars…
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…
What Happens When You Don’t Do Your Travel Research
When you fly in from one country at 1 AM and out for another at 1 pm, you don’t get a lot of time for turnaround. A smart person does all their travel research before both trips…
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…
