Over the last month, I’ve read quite a few lists of the so-called best places to visit in 2013. These lists come out every year and every year there seem to be a couple destinations that show up on list after list: Jordan has been a big one in the past; Myanmar seems to be […]
The Pros & Cons of Booking a Private Tour in Turkmenistan Read More »
Remember when I wrote back in November about feeling unsettled and longing for my old life? Well, I realized my old life isn’t really what I want. If you’ve been following along since I first left Chicago in August 2011 to travel for a year, you may recall I was ready to go. My life
Launching a New Life in Chicago Read More »
I walked out of the office and down to the street, trying to sort out my emotions. I should have been ecstatic; I should have been flying high with excitement. It was October 26, just one month and one day after I landed back in Chicago after a thirteen month career break that took me
Why I Turned Down My Dream Job Read More »
Thinking about the past year leaves me with very mixed emotions. After being back in the United States for over three months now, it sometimes feels like the nine months before that didn’t even happen. Not being settled in a single place and spending all my time job hunting and doing freelance work means I
Reviewing 2012: Did That All Really Happen? Read More »
As 2012 winds down, I thought I would take a look back at some of the most memorable places I visited over the last year. From ancient castles and ruined churches to mountain villages and charming cities, my favorite destinations had a little of everything – and were each unique in their own way. Some
My 12 Favorite Places in 2012 Read More »
On a Saturday afternoon in mid-October, I nervously sat down on a black leather chair in a hair salon on the outskirts of Moscow and held my breath. I had been on the road for nearly two months and I was feeling like an ugly duckling in the fashion conscious capital of Russia. When my
The Great Haircut Smackdown: USA vs. the World Read More »
How much does it cost to travel around the world for 13 months? Obviously, this answer will differ for everyone. Costs vary based on where you go, what you do and the level of comfort you seek on the road, so everyone’s travel budget will be different. I chose to spend most of
13 Months in the Former Soviet Union: The Final Budget Breakdown Read More »
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Central Asia was supposed to be cheap. I was supposed to stay in yurts and with local families and eat cheap street food. The money I saved in the ‘Stans was supposed to make up for the expense of Russia and my splurges in adding Italy and Turkey
How I Blew My Budget in Central Asia Read More »
When I visited Barcelona for the first time back in 2003, I had just two days to explore the city, but I made it to most of the major sites, including the forever-under-construction cathedral known officially as the Basilica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia – or Sagrada Familia for short. While I marveled
Sagrada Familia in Photos Read More »
Last year at this time, I was hanging out in Irkutsk, Russia. My Thanksgiving dinner consisted of chicken tacos from a fast food wannabe Tex-Mex joint across the street from where I was staying – my attempt at eating something sort of “American” in honor of the holiday. Last Thanksgiving, I wrote about being thankful
Thankful for the Kindness of Strangers Read More »
