Five years ago today, I set off on my first independent trip: a recent high school graduate, it was me, my best friend, our backpacks, and Europe. We spent exactly three weeks traveling around Ireland, Northern Ireland, and England. It was the trip of a lifetime! It made me love England more than I thought… Read More A Reflection On 5 Years of Independent Travel
Venice’s reputation as one of the most beautiful, romantic cities in the world has landed it onto the list of the “greats” in Europe. For my first ever visit to Italy, I spent just over a day in Venice, wandering the canals of the city built on a lagoon and seeing the sites. While I… Read More 5 Things You Must Do In Venice
Rounded onion domes, fairytale palaces, the place that has espoused both tsars and communist leaders… Russia is a country like no other. Two years ago, I lived out one of my greatest dreams and finally visited Russia, a country that has fascinated me all my life. While frustrating visa processes may deter many travelers from… Read More 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Russia
Saving the money is undoubtedly one of the hardest parts of traveling. No matter how long your trip is or where you’re going, unless you’re seriously ballin’ you’ll have to spend some time working hard to save up in the first place. I’m all about budgeting, pinching pennies, and stretching my money to last the… Read More 10 Little Ways to Save Money For Travel
On my most recent trip to the Balkans, I spent a lot of time getting from one place to the next. There were surprises, random detours, many “I wish I had known!” moments—and all of it required a lot of patience. While undoubtedly some of this advice will apply to the other southeastern European countries… Read More Planes, Trains (Coach Buses, Minibuses, Ferries), and Automobiles: Transportation in the Western Balkans
Sintra is a town located west of the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. The town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to its many important (and beautiful!) structures and buildings. But more importantly, Sintra is home to a shocking number of palaces that beg to be explored! While Sintra is one of Lisbon’s most… Read More 5 Tips For A Palace Daytrip To Sintra
The capital of Ireland, Dublin has a special place in my heart. Not only was it the first location of my first independent trip to Europe (accompanied by my best friend), but after six trips there, it is a city where I always want to keep returning. Ireland has completely stolen my heart, and Dublin… Read More A Weekend In Dublin
All aboard! Nothing quite makes for a better story than taking the night train through Central-Eastern Europe. In order to save time and get a cheap fare, I took the 22:25 train from Budapest, Hungary, to Belgrade, Serbia. While this wasn’t the first time I’d traveled by night train in this part of the world… Read More Taking the Budapest-Belgrade Night Train
The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland’s biggest tourist attractions. It brings in a staggering number of tourists—well over 250,000 a year, and almost 2,500 visitors a day in the busy month of August! So while the Rock is famous and obviously worth a visit, it is frequently only a stop on a coach… Read More Why You Should Stay In Cashel
Kilkenny is a popular destination in southeast Ireland. I don’t know if it was the beautiful weather I had during my visit, the excitement of going to a new place in Ireland, or the mixture of the two, but I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Kilkenny! The town all too often gets skimmed over on… Read More A Day In Kilkenny
My first visit to Lisbon absolutely blew me away. The title might be misleading since you could easily spend more than just a weekend here—as one day of my three was sacrificed to the hangover gods, I felt like I left with a lot undone. While there are lots of reasons to go to Lisbon,… Read More How To Spend A Weekend In Lisbon
For my first ever trip to Portugal, I headed for a few days to the capital: Lisbon. Bright, warm, and lots of fun, Lisbon has a charm that really makes you kind of just want to stay forever. Thinking about heading to Lisbon? This is the sign that you should go! Here are 5 reasons… Read More 5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Lisbon
I have no idea how it took me so long to visit Berlin: the German capital is just so COOL! And while it was an incredible city to visit, it was also shockingly affordable for Western Europe. In addition to the ever-useful student discount, there’s lots to do in the city that is completely free!… Read More The Top 8 Free Things To Do In Berlin
Nottingham is a city with great nightlife. Having lived in Nottingham for a year, and spent a few weeks in the city over the last couple of months, I’ve been working on my bucket list of Notts bars. In the name of research, I’ve been busy checking out some of the best bars and seeing… Read More Where to Drink in Nottingham: My Top 10 Favorite Bars
Accommodation is one of the things that can make or break a trip. For me, staying at Jollyboys in Livingstone made a fantastic trip even better! If you’re looking for accommodation in Livingstone, this hostel has it all. Here is my full review! Location: The location was ideal for exploring both Livingstone and Victoria Falls.… Read More Hostel Review: Jollyboys Backpackers Lodge and Camp, Livingstone
Lusaka is the chaotic, bustling capital of Zambia, a land-locked country in southeastern Africa. As my first trip to any city on the African continent, Lusaka surprised, intrigued, and overwhelmed me all at the same time. I hope to travel more in Africa and see how it all compares! I don’t have very many pictures… Read More What To Do In The Zambian Capital, Lusaka
This has to be the best thing I’ve done on my travels to date: flying over Victoria Falls in a microlight. This was the first thing I did in Livingstone, so it was the first time I ever saw the falls—by flying over them! The flight starts by meeting your pilot and getting strapped in.… Read More Flying Over Victoria Falls in a Microlight
Victoria Falls, the largest waterfall in the world, lies on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it should be on the top of any “must-see” list in southeastern Africa! Victoria Falls’ original name is Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means “the smoke that thunders.” One trip and you’ll see why! There is so… Read More Victoria Falls: The Smoke That Thunders
Lake Kariba is the largest man-made lake in the world, and it forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a perfect daytrip from Lusaka, the Zambian capital! The biggest attraction is undoubtedly the Kariba Dam, a hydroelectric dam which is the source of most of Zambia’s power. Lake Kariba and Siavonga, the town… Read More Visiting Lake Kariba and Siavonga: A Perfect Lusaka Daytrip
My visit to the Zambian capital, Lusaka, has been off to an incredible start. Zambia is the first country on the African continent I have ever visited—everything is so different from what I’m used to. Wondering what it’s like in Lusaka? Here’s an insight into what I’ve been experiencing the last few days! These are… Read More 5 Things You Should Know About Lusaka, Zambia
