On my trip to Belgium, I based myself in the capital city, Brussels. I spent just about 2 days exploring Brussels out of the 4 days of my trip! (The other days I went to Antwerp and Bruges/Ghent.) There are lots of famous landmarks and well-known things to do in Brussels. But instead of a… Read More 8 Unique Things to Do in Brussels
One of the things I love most about living in Yorkshire are the outdoor opportunities everywhere you look. It is so easy to find beautiful hiking trails! I’m trying to make an effort to share more of my hiking adventures on the blog, as it has become such a passion of mine. Starting the Hike… Read More Walking From Whitby to Robin Hood’s Bay: One of My Favorite Walks in Yorkshire
Time is flying by this year already! I can’t believe it’s already March. This has been a very, very busy month for me! I’ve started two new jobs, visited two other countries besides the UK (including a new country for me!), and have tried to manage traveling a lot with working a lot to pay… Read More March 2018 Recap
Dublin is a city that I love visiting. My first trip here was as a wide-eyed 18-year-old, on my first independent adventure. My most recent trip was celebrating my 2nd wedding anniversary! There are so many amazing ways to spend a weekend in Dublin. But how much does it cost? A huge goal of this… Read More How Much Does It Cost To Spend A Weekend In Dublin?
This month, it will have been 8 years since I took my first proper international trip. Even though I went to Sweden when I was 5 with my family, I don’t really count it—I was just a kid! And I barely remember it. But in March 2010, I set off on a Spanish class trip… Read More 8 Years Since I Caught the Travel Bug: Reflections On Spain
There are so many logistics and things to sort out and organize when you go abroad long-term. Whether you’re studying abroad for a semester, taking a gap year, or moving abroad on a permanent basis, it takes a LOT of preparation! Itineraries, cities you’ll visit, budgets, flights, what clothes to bring, etc. But there is… Read More The Stuff No One Talks About When You Go Abroad: Birth Control, Student Loans, and More
London is one of the most-visited cities in the world, and with good reason. There is so much to see in just one city—like these 25 places! I visited London for a weekend in December (just before Christmas) both this year and last year. There are a lot of special places you should visit to… Read More 10 Places You Must See In London At Christmas
For my third year of college, I participated in a study abroad program for an academic year in Nottingham, England. Despite it being the most formative and decisive years of my life, I realized I’ve barely written about my experience on the blog! My study abroad experience changed me. My year living in England and… Read More 10 Reasons To Study Abroad
What a whirlwind! While I feel like January dragged forever, February seemed to have flown by in an instant. I spent all of the month in the UK, although I did make it to another country and visit Wales! Here’s what I got up to in February. Where I Went York, Hull, Richmond, Middleham, Congleton,… Read More February 2018 Recap
One of the hardest things about moving abroad is switching currencies. If you’ve spent most of your life earning money in one currency, what do you do when you no longer earn or want money in that currency? Or worse, what do you do when you earn money in one currency, but have bills and… Read More Transferwise: The Best Way to Transfer Money Online
For any long-time readers of the blog, I don’t think it’ll come as any surprise that Peterborough Cathedral is one of my favorite places in all of England. I know I’m a huge fan of the Katherine of Aragon Festival that takes place in the beautiful Norman cathedral every year. But there are lots of… Read More 9 Reasons To Visit Peterborough Cathedral
One of my goals since moving to England in 2016 was to explore the area I live in—Yorkshire. And the Yorkshire Dales National Park is one of the places I’ve really enjoyed visiting this last October! I loved my day hiking in Malham in February last year. Ingleton is a small village in the Yorkshire… Read More Waterfalls, Caves, and More: Exploring Ingleton in the Yorkshire Dales
Happy 2-year “blog-a-versary” to me! Away With Maja has officially turned 2, meaning I’ve been blogging here for TWO full years! Can you believe it?! Since starting blogging here, I’ve written a lot about my reflections after 6 months of blogging, 1 year of blogging, and 1.5 years of blogging. So I only thought it… Read More 2 Years of Away With Maja: Reflections on Blogging and Next Steps
Since I started traveling internationally and independently nearly 7 years ago now, my preferred accommodation has always been hostels. They’re much cheaper than hotels, have a better social atmosphere, and are a great way to meet people on the road. I have stayed in countless hostels around the world and while I know they’re not… Read More What To Pack For Hostels
I can’t believe it’s been nearly 5 months since my last trip to the Lake District! The Lake District National Park is one of my favorite places in all of England. And I realized I still haven’t written about one of my favorite hikes—up to the top of Helvellyn! Helvellyn is one of the most… Read More Hiking Up Helvellyn In The Lake District
Here you have it: a full, complete guide for budget travel and how to travel on the cheap. I’ve been a budget traveler for as long as I can remember, and have learned a lot in 7+ years worth of trips. I love traveling on a shoestring, as it means that my money lasts longer:… Read More The Budget Travel Bible: 101 Tips For Cheap Travel
The first monthly recap of the new year! I’ve had a lot of rough patches in January, and to be honest, I’m happy to see this month go and start fresh with February. A lot of things went wrong this month, most of which I had no control over. However, I did get to start… Read More January 2018 Recap
UPDATED FEBRUARY 2021! Having lived in York for over a year four years now (!), I really know this city – every nook and cranny, every snickelway, every street and every stone. York may be a small city geographically, but it is absolutely full of things to see and do. So much of York’s charm… Read More 18 Hidden Gems to See in York
This fall, I visited an entirely new region of the world for me: the South of France. There are so many places to see in the Mid-Occitanie region, including Toulouse and Carcassonne! I had never been to France outside of Paris, and was so excited to explore! However, there are a lot of things I… Read More 10 Tips For Traveling In Southern France
Anyone traveling on a budget in Europe will be familiar with the many European budget airlines and their intrigues. Ryanair, EasyJet, Jet2, FlyBe, WizzAir, etc. have all made their fortunes by offering dirt cheap basic airline fares, and charging for anything and everything else. Successfully traveling on budget airlines is an art—an art that may… Read More 12 Tips For Flying European Budget Airlines
