When you travel the world, you discover all kinds of new things: new dishes, new festivals, new cultures, new friends. The list is endless—it’s a parade of new things. Include sweet treats! Sure, over the years I’ve found my favorite signature dishes that I will forever love thanks to sampling them in a new country—some …
When traveling in India, you have to be aware of the scams and avoid them at all costs. Many times, the scam starts off as a delightful opportunity to dive into the local culture—perhaps someone offers a chance to learn more about a cultural practice, or invites you to lunch. Sometimes, they’re offering a lot …
The spicy mingling of scents when you first step foot into India is among my favorite memories of my months in South Asia. Before traveling across India on my round the world trip, I had backpacked through Southeast Asia. India offers hundreds of traditional dishes, and all vary from north to south. Each region has its …
In the months and years since I took a ten-day Vipassana Meditation course in Nepal, friends and readers have asked me to share my thoughts, now that I have distance from the experience. I jotted a few sparse notes during the course, and journaled on Day Eleven to chronicle my ten-days in a Vipassana course. Those entries …
I landed in Italy after six months of traveling in developing countries, and it was a shock to the senses in some regards. I remember having culture shock when I landed in Bangkok all those months ago. I didn’t expect the reverse culture shock of landing back in the Western world. Having my bestie Jenn …
Traveling in developing countries necessitates a distinct rhythm to life. It’s both the little moments and the big ons that create a consistency of experience. It eclipses the life I used to know and becomes the new norm. Traveling in developing countries is simply different compared to other travel destinations. After landing in Bangkok, …
Over the past few months, the timeline of stories is disjointed because of the nature of my internet access and the number of power outages in Nepal, which limited my ability to do anything except for my online work. But it’s been an incredible four months backpacking through South Asia. I started in Mumbai in …
Royal Chitwan National Park is a crowning jewel of Nepal, and it’s also one of the country’s most successful conservation projects. It’s notably a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and therefore under international protection. During my month of volunteering outside of Kathmandu, I had only heard good things about Chitwan from the young monks; I was …