Thinking about traveling to Cuba? Here are my complicated feelings on the country — as well as my one-week itinerary, budget, tips, and recommendations.
My Complicated Feelings About Cuba (Plus Travel Tips)
Postcards
I May Have Been a Zapotec in a Past Life
The only thing better than an infinity pool might, perhaps, be a natural infinity pool. Who knew they existed? And in Mexico? I sure didn’t until this past weekend, when I visited Hierve El Agua. Although it’s famous for its petrified waterfall, I found the natural pools to far more enticing. (I’ve never been much […]
So I Moved… To Mexico!
Tacos on every corner. Music in the streets. Colors everywhere: the houses, the mountains, the markets. Yes, I’ve moved. To a new place, a new place I’m quickly falling in love with: Oaxaca, Mexico. Why I’m Back on the Road Two deeply-connected reasons: I missed traveling, and I wanted to work for myself again. Remember […]
How Much I Spent During 3 Weeks in New Zealand
I’m not gonna lie: I was nervous to travel to New Zealand. Not because of any inherent threats — it’s one of the safest countries for women to travel in, and has no dangerous wildlife — but because of the cost. I’m able to travel so much because I visit cheap destinations: countries where beers are a dollar and […]
The One Spot in NZ Every Kiwi Told Me to Visit
During my first week in New Zealand, I made it a habit to ask every Kiwi the following question: “If you could only recommend one place in your country, what would it be?” The answer by a long shot? Milford Sound. Of the dozen or so people I asked, maybe 10 of them recommended this […]
27 Inspirational Projects & Quotes from WDS 2014
If you’re subscribed to my newsletter (you are, right?!), you’ll know I recently attended the World Domination Summit (WDS) in Portland, Oregon. This amazing conference is spearheaded by Chris Guillebeau, who traveled to every single country in the world (before the age of 35!) and wrote The Art of Non-Conformity (one of my favorite books ever). WDS is based on three […]
Meet the Adorable Snow Monkeys of Japan
We crunched up the snowy path. It was freezing outside; we could see our breath and barely feel our toes. But we knew something magical awaited us at the top, so we kept going. Then, we saw one. It darted across our path to go prostrate itself on a heating pipe. It was small, greyish […]
Lessons on Fear and Travel from Zion National Park
I looked over the edge of the canyon. It was a steep 200-foot drop down a red wall. One of the members of our group threw a rock over the edge, and we didn’t hear a crash for what seemed like a really long time. “We’re supposed to rappel down… that?” I asked. “Yup! It’ll […]
Getting My Mind Blown in Las Vegas
I still remember the first time I heard of Cirque du Soleil. I was probably 12 years old, and I was sitting in the kitchen with my mom. I was doing homework while she cooked and watched TV. Usually, she was watching something boring, like the news or a gardening show. But this was different. […]
How to Spend a Week in Paradise
The short answer is: beach, food, booze, repeat. But if you’re like me, and want to mix a few activities in there, here’s how I spent my week in Lahaina (on the Hawaiian island of Maui). Learn from what I did right (and wrong) by reading reviews of the activities, restaurants, bars, and accommodations I […]