2015 in Review
My blog might not reflect it, but 2015 has been a crazy, intense, and wonderful year filled with new adventures, new challenges, and lots of travel. Thailand I’ve managed to end up in Thailand every year since Brent and I first visited in 2012. This time, my visit was part of a preview trip for the TBEX Asia conference in Bangkok. It was a whirlwind one-week trip, which involved a visit to a new part of the country (Trang, which, it’s worth mentioning, has some insanely beautiful beaches and distinctive Thai Muslim cuisine). Thailand has a...
read moreAlone on Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres represented a lot of “firsts” for me. It was my first big assignment for my new job, my first time traveling to Mexico, and my first time traveling to a romantic beach destination alone. I arrived in Mexico as I arrive in most new countries: Sweaty, hair matted from dozing against the headrest during the flight, and furiously determined not to let some fast-talking cab driver grab my bags and hustle me into his taxi before negotiating a rate. For the first time (yet another first), I was going to be reimbursed for my...
read moreWhy I’m Going Back to Milwaukee
Spend five minutes Googling Milwaukee and you’ll realize that every blogger and writer covering the city is trying to let readers in on the same secret: Milwaukee is amazing but not many people seem to realize it. I was fortunate enough to spend four days in Wisconsin’s capital for BlogHouse in June, and here are just a few reasons why I’m already plotting my return to this underrated city. So. Much. Cheese. I’ve always loved cheese. I’ve been known to decline a proper dinner in favour of big hunks of brie stacked on crackers or smoothed over...
read moreNew Job, New Home, and Where I’m Going in 2015
It’s no secret (if for no other reason than my infrequent posting over the last few months) that 2015 got off to a slow start for me. Brent and I were dealing with the fall-out from our house sit in Spain, our resulting abrupt return to Canada, and trying to figure out what was next. I’m sure we came across as even more erratic than usual as friends, family, and acquaintances continually asked us what was next and our answers varied each time – sometimes it was Germany; other times Guatemala or Ecuador – because the truth was that we...
read moreWhere I’ve Been and What Really Happened During Our Housesit
I’ve wanted to write this story for three months now. It’s the reason I haven’t written anything on this blog since November. It blurred my thoughts and drained my creativity, so I waited – unable, or perhaps just unwilling, to write about anything else in the meantime. The story finally has a conclusion, which means it’s time to write it down and then let it go. This is a bit of a novel (by blogging standards anyway), so settle in. Here’s what really happened during our housesit in Spain. *** “My house.” The woman motioned...
read moreHow to Freelance Online and Work Anywhere in the World
Transitioning to full-time freelancing has easily been the most challenging thing I’ve done since I first worked up the courage to leave Canada and travel long-term. Last week marked my one-year anniversary as a freelance writer. I was still teaching in Japan when I decided to start aggressively and consistently seeking out freelance projects. Teaching English and participating in work exchanges were (and still are) fantastic ways to travel slowly and steadily without breaking the bank, but I knew I wanted the independence of working for...
read moreSunday Snapshot: Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Today’s Sunday Snapshot comes from Andrea Affinati, a 23-year-old Italian girl living in Milan. She blogs at Green and Turquoise, mostly writing about places, people, culture and beauty around the world. Her main goal is to inspire people, push them to break free from their comfort zones, and experience some of the many wonders the world has to offer! “The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the largest mosque in the UAE and the seventh largest mosque in the world. It features 82 domes, 24 carat gold chandeliers, the world’s largest hand...
read moreWhy You Need to Travel Solo (Even Though You Might Not Have To)
I don’t get to write about solo female travel very often. It isn’t really my niche. If you read my blog regularly or even skim my About page, you know that I travel with my partner, Brent, about 95% of the time. When I do travel alone, I find myself approaching each new solo trip like a wobbly-kneed calf taking its first steps. By the end of the trip, however, I always feel intoxicatingly empowered, filled with more faith in myself than ever before. Here’s why I carve out some time each year to travel alone (even though I don’t have to) and...
read more6 Months of Freelancing: How It’s Going Now
A few days ago, Brent and I handed over the keys to our apartment in Chiang Mai and said farewell to Asia permanently after more than 2.5 years. That means it has been almost 5 months since I wrote this post filling you in on our first month as full-time freelancers. I think it’s about time for another update, wouldn’t you say? I’m Still Here Before I started freelance writing full-time, I read the warnings of others bloggers and online entrepreneurs advising would-be digital nomads that this lifestyle isn’t all typing up romantic travel...
read moreSunday Snapshot: Puffins on the Isle of Mull
Today’s Sunday Snapshot comes from Rebecca Pattee, a 30-something who lives in Seattle and blogs at awayfromtheoffice.com, which is aimed at inspiring office workers to explore the world. “I booked a tour of the Treshnish Isles, departing from Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull. Our first stop of the day was Lunga, home to thousands of puffins and other sea birds. I squealed like a kid when I glimpsed a puffin flying over the ocean. Once on land, I climbed up a steep cliff and saw hundreds of puffins flying, building nests and just...
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