You may remember back in November, I participated in BootsnAll’s 30 Days of Indie Travel Challenge. I almost made it through the entire month, posting once a day based on the prompt for that day. Well, BootsnAll has started a new project – the 2012 Indie Travel Challenge, which involves writing one post each week […]
Indie Travel Challenge 2012: Week 1 – My 2012 Travel List Read More »
No one really knows when the first crosses started appearing on this small hill just outside of the city of Siauliai in Lithuania, but some trace them back to uprisings against Russian rule in 1831 or 1863. Over the years, it has been a place for Lithuanians to pray for peace and their country and
The Hill of Crosses Read More »
Coming from Russia, Riga was a breath of fresh air – love at first sight. While I only had a week there, I found a lot to love about the capital of Latvia. 1. Old Town. Not surprisingly, I adored Riga’s Old Town. I loved wandering the streets and stumbling upon different squares or
Five Favorite Things in Riga Read More »
I haven’t had many crazy sightseeing days on this trip yet – mainly because I have been traveling relatively slowly, giving me the luxury of just checking out one or two sites each day. But when the Vilnius Tourist Information Centre offered me a free 72-hour Vilnius City Card, I decided to make the most
Vilnius in 72 Hours Read More »
Back in September I wrote a post that I never published about letting go of what I feel I “should” do. I was sitting in a guesthouse in Kuressaare, Estonia trying to decide whether I should stay in my room and relax like I really wanted to or brave less-than-ideal weather to see the island
Traveling on My Terms Read More »
Greetings from Warsaw, Poland! New Year’s Eve will mark four months on the road for me – and it feels like it is going by way too fast! Normally I would do a four-month review post, but since it is the end of the year, I’m going to look back at all of
2011 In Review: Looking Back and Looking Ahead Read More »
I awoke early on my second to last day in Riga and peeked outside to see cloudy, but dry, skies. It didn’t appear ideal for a day trip to nearby Sigulda but I didn’t have much choice if I wanted to make it there before I left Latvia. So around 9:00 a.m., I headed for
The Day I Spent in a Snowstorm in Sigulda Read More »
As I approached Arena Riga, the home of Dinamo Riga, the city’s professional hockey team, I wondered if it would feel the same as a game back home. I have only been to one professional hockey game in my life, but I grew up going to high school hockey games in Minnesota and I’ve been
A Night of Hockey in Riga Read More »
Arriving in Riga after three months in Russia was kind of like meeting a new guy right after getting out of a rocky relationship. Absolutely everything about the city was amazing in comparison. It’s not that Russia was horrible, but it was difficult at times and I had quite a bit of not-so-great mixed in
Riga: The Perfect Rebound Read More »
Traveling along the Trans-Siberian Railway was definitely the highlight of my three months in Russia. While I loved St. Petersburg, my train journey gave me the unique opportunity to see more of Russia in one month than most Russians will probably see in their lifetimes. I outlined my itinerary before I began and now I
Summing Up the Trans-Siberian Read More »
