When I was living in Bali, my mailbox was flooded with emails from friends and acquaintances planning a trip to the Island of Gods, asking me which spots to hit. I probably should have written a standard answer to copy-paste in every reply, but just thinking about these places got
Exactly ten years ago today, I embarked on my first independent trip. By “independent,†I mean a journey not organised or sponsored by parents, school, or any other organisation. It was the first time I travelled on my own dime, in my own time. I was 19 when a friend
Rwanda: A Refreshing Take on Africa, But Not for Everyone Rwanda is a tiny African country nestled between some of East and Central Africa’s biggest players: Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its landlocked position, turbulent recent past, and modest size might raise a few eyebrows when it
Bologna is often referred to as the culinary capital of Italy. Because of its abundance and variety of high-quality cuisine, the city earned the nickname la grassa—literally, the fat one—back in the Middle Ages. It was that little fact that had me browsing flights and checking my calendar. Since I’m
When I travel solo while being in a relationship, I often get questions like: “Oh… you have a boyfriend? Where is he?â€â€œHe lets you travel all by yourself? WTF?†And then come the looks of disbelief and suspicion. There seems to be this odd misconception that only single women travel
Portugal in 5 Days: A Whirlwind Taste of Tiles, Trams & Tawny Port One of my favourite things about living in Europe is how easy it is to change environments in the blink of an eye. If I’m ever in need of foreign food, unfamiliar faces or just a fresh
Is Macau Worth the Splurge? After a quick calculation, I realized that a day trip to Macau from Hong Kong would set us back roughly €85—just in transport costs for two. Whoops… this was supposed to be a budget trip! As often happens, I was torn between saving money and
Even after spending hours browsing stunning pictures and reading up on all things Hong Kong, the city still managed to catch me off guard in the best (and weirdest) ways. Here are ten things that surprised me: 1. Dim sum heaven For someone who didn’t even like dim sum, I
29 Trips Around the Sun: Birthday Moments from Around the World For the past seven years, I’ve been lucky enough to celebrate my birthday abroad—either doing something wild or lazing in the shade of a coconut tree. Since this year was a little different (read: no palm trees or plane
There’s a widespread misconception that Bali is just another tourist mecca full of beautiful clichés. Granted, there is a fair amount of mass tourism, but the island has so much more to offer. Finding authenticity is a walk in the park, and going off the beaten track is just as
The Canchánchara…My favourite cocktail—born in the colonial town of Trinidad, Cuba. Spend a day wandering the old town and let it transport you to another era. An era of cobbled streets, horse-drawn carriages, and grand 19th-century Spanish mansions. Add a few slightly rum-intoxicated mulattos swinging their hips to rhythmic conga
When some friends told me about their upcoming months-long trip to Nepal, I was instantly transported back to its colourful streets, thick with incense. The moment I got home, I dove into my photo archive to relive my Nepalese journey. I could almost feel the crisp mountain air filling my
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