Month 4 was my first full month spent within SE Asia and between just two countries. I spent the majority of the month touring Myanmar (Burma) for 3 weeks. May is Myanmar’s hottest month and it ‘disappoint’ in that, whew! Never thought I would be happy to see 95°, but after too many days over […]
Archive | Planning
Throwing down for the Thrillogy: Bungy Jumping New Zealand
I learned fairly early on during my trip throughout New Zealand, that this country fit my personality perfectly. Beautiful scenery with amazing mountains, heaps of hiking, gorgeous beaches, and plenty of activities to get your heart racing! After doing a 16,000’ sky dive at Fox Glacier, I wasn’t sure anything could top that adrenaline rush. […]
South Pacific Escape, Part 2: Aitutaki, Cook Islands
My trip to the Cook Islands was a beautiful escape from touring around New Zealand and just what I needed in order to recharge my batteries. In Part 1 of my South Pacific adventures, I highlighted my time spent on the island of Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands. In this post, I will share how […]
Trekking through time in Myanmar
In 2010, 300,000 tourists journeyed to explore the newly opened country of Myanmar. Fast forward three years…in 2013, there was just over 2 million tourists visiting Myanmar – a monumental increase from 2010. The country is working rapidly to keep up the tourism and you will notice this in every major city. New hotels are […]
Month Three Summary: April 2014
Month 3 wrapped up my time in Australia and brought me to start my journey through SE Asia, in Thailand. It brought a slower pace of travel which is what I really needed. It is quite exhausting moving every few days, and even more expensive. I ended up having my longest stay to date in […]
Elephant Nature Park: An Alternative to Riding Elephants in Thailand
Like so many tourists who visit Thailand every year, I imagined sitting atop a majestic Asian elephant wandering through a forest would be an epic, once-in-a-lifetime experience. I began researching elephant riding and quickly realized that there is a side that few tourists are aware of, but are beginning to discover. I chose not to […]
Travel Sacrifices: Leaving my Best Friend
A life of travel does not come without its sacrifices. I gave up a lot in order to fulfill my dream of traveling around the world. I resigned from my job I held for 9 year, sold my home I owned for 6.5 years, and sold all of my possessions. None of these decisions were […]
South Pacific Escape, Part 1: Rarotonga, Cook Islands
After spending a few weeks in New Zealand, traveling by bus, staying in hostels, I found myself taking my first real break in Auckland. I had originally intended on staying with some friends for a couple days to recharge my batteries and then resume my backpacker bus trip. As I was enjoying some downtime, I […]
Month Two Summary: March 2014
With two months under my belt, I was starting to get the hang of this long term traveling thing! I KNEW this month was going to be expensive and likely the MOST expensive of this trip. There were too many amazing experiences that all seemed to cost a pretty penny! This month’s expenses will include […]
Fox Glacier: Taking a 16,000’ Leap of Faith
Let me be honest for a minute here….I have never been one to shy away from risky, adrenaline pumping activities. I’m more of a moth to fire when it comes to things that push my limits and challenge my rational fears. New Zealand is the perfect place to have the opportunity to be thrown beyond […]