Before my sister, Stormy, began college at UCSD, I thought it imperative that she have an adventure. So for the summer, I flew her to Antalya, Turkey, where I had been living. For her 18th …
November 5, 2012
Backpacking adventures
Demre, Turkey: The Sea is Free
Oz's West Coast – and the Unexpected
When you think of a national park, your mind rarely conjures up images of people falling in love. The classic boy-meets-girl scenario is usually left to Hollywood's far-fetched romantic comedies. But here’s a story about …
November 1, 2012
Adventure (via Scooter) in Ubud, Bali
When my cousin Natalie and I left the Monkey Forest Inn villas in Ubud to stay in a different villa for her birthday, I had no idea the adventure I was in for – as …
October 18, 2012
Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia: The Untold Story
On a recent vagabonding extravaganza, I took a recess from Western society for 10 months to explore the world. During this rebellion, I found myself enticed by the Indonesian archipelago, and of course, the ever-alluring …
September 17, 2012
Omiš, Croatia
Maya, my three-year-old Border collie mix, and I had been traveling through Europe. We had started in Athens, and now we were in Split, Croatia, at a dog-friendly B&B. The owners said that almost anything …
August 24, 2012
Cahuita: Caribbean Costa Rica
I gave the taxi driver a $20. He looked at me in disappointment. I'd arrived in Cahuita, Costa Rica, poorer than I’d expected. Having to chase a bus down with a taxi from Limón put …
August 9, 2012
Rolling the Dice in Laos
I found myself in a unique situation 8,000 miles away in remote Laos. After taking a leap of faith, which involved quitting my cushy consultant job here in San Diego, I bought a one-way ticket …
July 28, 2012
Beer in Bruges
At first glance, Bruges in Belgium doesn’t have a lot going on. It’s small. Tourists often outnumber locals in the summer. And in recent years it’s most famous for a quote from Colin Farrell in …
July 3, 2012
The Pirate Streets of Koh Phi Phi
After riding elephants in Krabi, Thailand, it was time to leave that madness behind. So I hopped a ferry for the island of Koh Phi Phi. Midway though the hour-and-a-half-long ferry trip, ominous clouds could …
June 15, 2012
Enchanting Chiang Mai, Thailand
The Thai rainy season greeted me in the form of monks in flowing orange robes holding little umbrellas. Their smiles beamed at me through the thick mist as I sauntered through the old section of …
June 2, 2012
Biking in Laos
When I arrived in Laos, I was delighted to find that bicycles are cheap, easy to rent, and can ride anywhere. Finding a bike was as simple as saying to my guesthouse owner, "Bike?" The …
February 1, 2012