Today has been one of those sullen days when I have no motivation, no spark, no zest for this beautiful life. It is not only the attacks in Paris last night, the estimated 120+ dead, the sorrow imbued, but also for the hatred, the ignorance, and the misunderstanding that plagues the world and its inhabitants' … Continue reading For Paris, For Islam, For the World
I'm very excited to present to you Travel Addict Ruminations, in which I interview various passionate, brave people who dare to travel in eccentric ways. My first guest is Joshua, who has traveled throughout five countries with his dog, Nero- on one bicycle. He is originally from the UK, and has plans to take his … Continue reading Nero and Me: A Man and a Dog, Cycling through Wanderlust
Inspiration is one of those intangible things that make this chaotic, and sometimes mundane, life a bit more magical. Whether it comes from art, music, deep conversation, nature, or exposure to something new, inspiration cracks our minds open, revealing fresh possibilities and realms unknown. This inexplicably beautiful experience brings creativity, motivation, and ingenuity to human … Continue reading Who, Me? The Very Inspiring Blogger Award
A few weeks after I returned from Southeast Asia, I went to a Travel Massive event in San Francisco. Heading on the train to my favorite city, I was in much need of a travel fix. I had spent the majority of my time after returning to the U.S. at my parents' house, scouring the internet for … Continue reading A Year in Spain: Anything is Possible
Stark Street Blues "Romancing the Stone" = Romanticizing the Zone I don't really remember that movie, but I do recall how much I wanted to be here. How much I wanted to go there how I worked and worked and saved and sacrificed money and time and friends and jobs and careers and family and … Continue reading Stark Street Blues
Admittedly, the beginning of 2013 was quite a dreary one. As I wrote in the past, the months of February and March meant the end of an engagement, but also the beginning of a completely new life for me. I realized what it truly meant to love myself, and what I had been giving up in a futile attempt to … Continue reading 13 Unforgettable Moments in 2013
The thought of international travel seemed a wicked, impossible taunt just months ago. My passport lay abandoned and forlorn in my nightstand drawer, gathering dust as I struggled to crack the mold of weariness that enveloped me. I had spent over a month in LA working and visiting old friends, rearranging my life's unrecognizably morphed puzzle … Continue reading Taiwan: The Call of Liberation
This past summer, one of my best friends and I set on a road trip in my car, whom I affectionately call "Betsey". I'd been wanting to take this trip for years. I'd done the south-bound trip on the I-5 in California far too many times, and wanted something different. With the windows rolled down, the … Continue reading Seattle’s Fremont Troll
Addiction. It's a strong word. It is also very, very much overused and, in my opinion, not taken seriously enough anymore. People commonly refer to themselves playfully as "shopaholics", "chocoholics", and so on. "I'm so addicted to that show!" "I'm totally addicted to cat memes!" "OMG, I have a major shoe addiction!" Sure. You like something- … Continue reading The Truth about Travel Addiction
Stir-crazy I sit here Wanting to be there, anywhere, everywhere I’m a caged lioness A stadium-raged bull A wasp in a jar An alien in the womb An elephant in a plastic swimming pool I am A voice unheard A word unwritten A breath unreleased A future untold A trip not taken- A moment ready … Continue reading Boxes are not My Reality
Chronicles of a Travel Addict 