After a year in Australia, it was finally time to leave. My visa was up on April 3rd, and that meant I needed to leave my adopted country or else I faced some serious fines. It’s hard to believe that my Great Escape is almost over! I should have spent my final day in Australia exploring the highlights of Sydney, …
Hostel Review: Hostal Antigua
From the infamous party hostel, Jungle Party Hostal, to the eco-friendly, Home Earth Lodge, backpackers have a huge range of hostels to choose from in the colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala. Hostal Antigua is either of those hostels. During my travels through Guatemala during winter 2016, I stayed at two different hostels. I loved my stay at El Hostal and …
8 Things to Do in Antigua, Guatemala
Most backpackers and travelers skip Guatemala City and head straight to the colonial city of Antigua. With its cobblestone streets, colorful and often decaying buildings, leafy plazas, and surrounding volcanos, how can you not spend a few days in Antigua? Whether you only spend 48 hours or several months, there are tons of things to do in Antigua, Guatemala. Located …
WHV Australia Interview: Claire’s Footsteps
Welcome to my new guest post series, WHV Australia Interview, on real travelers from around the globe who have decided to come to Australia on their working holiday visa (WHV). I just finished up my year in Australia and it had a huge impact on my life and future life choices. As an American, taking a gap year, or career …
Great Escape Monthly Review: March 2017
They say March is “in like a lion and out like a lamb.” While that might be true back home in Maine, my March was a little different in Australia. You could say it went a little something like “in like my 20s and out like my 30s.” On March 8th, I turned the ripe old age of 30. My …
On the Beer Trail From Charlotte to Asheville
From Maine to Washington, craft beer is all the rage. I’m lucky that Portland, Maine, has some of the best breweries in the world, but Maine isn’t the only state with awesome beers. North Carolina is the hub for craft breweries in the South. With over 132 craft breweries across the Tar Heel State, North Carolina is the perfect state …
Should You Hold a Koala in Australia?
Disclaimer: Since apparently I have angered Aussies who don’t understand SEO, I must point out that koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are not bears thus calling them “koala bears” is incorrect. Koalas are part of the marsupial family. When writing this post, I made the intentional choice of using the term “koala bear” as that’s what many Americans commonly call them. And, …
Great Escape Monthly Review: February 2017
My year in Australia is quickly coming to an end. During February, I finished up my 15 weeks working on the horse farm and began my travels up the East Coast of Australia. It was a bittersweet month as I was truly sad to leave the horse farm but excited to return to my nomadic life on the road. Even …
My Secret Goal: 30 Countries By 30 Conquered
Today is my birthday. I’m now officially 30 years old. I still can’t believe it. I swear I just graduated high school yesterday. As a child, I remember the summer school holidays lasting for months. But, now as an adult, I blink and a month is gone. My 20s were filled with lots of up and downs, but I can’t …
Hostel Review: Bounce Hostel – Sydney, Australia
As Australia’s largest city, Sydney offers a wide variety of hostel options. Whether you prefer a party hostel, a quiet hostel, or one in between, you’ll find a hostel for you. I’ve stayed at several hostels in Sydney and my favorite so far as been Bounce Hostel. With a modern and fun design, great location near Central Station, and a …
Great Escape Monthly Review: January 2017
As a child, I remember summer vacation lasting forever, but as an adult, a month is gone with just the snap of my fingers. 2016 came and went in a flash of passport stamps, currencies, and sleepless nights. I welcomed 2017 in with a few strangers I met at my hostel at some cheap club in Newcastle, Australia. Personally, I …
All-American Fun in Arlington, Texas
It doesn’t get more all-American than the city of Arlington, Texas. Home to General Motors, Six Flags, the Texas Rangers, and the Dallas Cowboys, Arlington is known as the American Dream City. This small city of nearly 400,000 residents is home to diverse neighborhoods with world-class educational institutions, iconic sports venues, and heaps of fun stuff to do only 20 …