For many people, the word “hostel” instills fear. Visions of the movie Taken flash across people’s eyes, especially Americans since we don’t have a strong hostel culture in our country. But, hostels are a great place for people of all ages. When you’re traveling on a tight budget, hostels are where you’re going to spend most of your sleeping hours. …
Travel Safe with Chase Fraud Protection
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chase. All opinions are 100% mine. Raise your hand if you have a credit card in your wallet? Seven in every 10 Americans have at least one credit card in their wallet today. There’s a good chance that you do, too. I have multiple credit cards because I have …
10 Things I’m Tired of Hearing as an American Female Solo Traveler
There is no right or wrong way to travel. However, everyone will have an opinion on how you travel. My travel preference is solo travel. I’m not one to wait around for someone to say “hell yes” to when I find a crazy flight deal to Europe or book a long weekend in Mexico City just because I got my …
Dealing with Homesickness and Emotional Exhaustion
After over four months on the road it finally happened. I’m a bit homesick. I loved being on the road constantly moving from one place to the next. The museums, the history, the art, the adventures – it kept me excited daily. Now that I’m in one place, I’m starting to feel a bit burned out. I miss HOME. The …
Why I Travel: In Remembrance of my Mom
People always like to ask me why I travel. I travel for a lot of reasons. To expand my knowledge. To experience new cultures. New foods. New landscapes. To grow as a human being. To meet new people. The list could go on and on. But, the real reason I travel is… because of my mom. March 24, 2009 forever …
A Long Goodbye to Maine
Dear Maine, Goodbye Maine…. It’s not you. It’s me. I know, I know. That’s a totally overused excuse. But, you truly are amazing. I feel extremely blessed to have been born and raised in such a beautiful state. From your dramatic rocky coastlines to pine-covered mountain peaks to quiet lakes surrounded by small camps that have been in families for generations, …
I’m Moving to….. The Great Escape 2016
I’ve been waiting to write this post for years now… For the past 2+ years I have been slaving away at various jobs to put myself in a financially stable position to travel for an extended time. I’ve created an emergency fund, paid down a large chunk or my student loan debt, and stashed away thousands of dollars to travel …
New Year’s Eve Getaways Around the World
The New Year is a special time, where we celebrate the close of an old year and all the possibilities that await us in the one to come. What better way is there to bring in this wonderful occasion than somewhere fun, thrilling, and exotic, where you can spend quality time with the one you love, or your closest family …
How to Find Cheap Flights
Many people, especially Americans, believe vacations are expensive. A 2013 American Express survey revealed that the average cost per person for a summer vacation within the United States is $1,145. And that’s just within the United States. That cost alone is probably what a plane ticket to Europe will cost during the summer months. With the evolution of community sharing …
Dangerous Countries That I Want to Visit in My Lifetime
Last year I met Chris Guillebeau when he was promoting his new book, The Happiness of Pursuit, in Portland. Chris is an entrepreneur at heart who has traveled to all 193 United Nations recognized countries before the age of 35. While I have never set out the goal to see every country in the world, I certainly plan on seeing …
48 Hours in Budapest
Budapest was never on my original travel itinerary. Originally I was going to fly from Athens to Paris, but I couldn’t find a good flight deal. That’s how I decided to go to Budapest and I couldn’t have been happier with my decision. As soon as I set foot in Budapest I knew I was going to love the city. …
Budapest at Night: The Hungarian Parliament Building
After 10 fabulous days in Greece it was finally time to leave my new favorite country and head north to Budapest, Hungary. My first Ryanair flight was uneventful. Although I’m still confused by the perfume sales…. Who buys perfume on an airplane? I arrived at the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in the late afternoon and took the public bus …