Drumroll for the second annual Year-End Recap. Last year, I was lucky enough to visit 24 countries in 2024, and unsurprisingly, I did NOT beat that this year. 2025 was my first year working full-time after finishing my master’s, so I was honestly shocked to realize I still managed to visit 17 countries, 12 of…
Journal
How An Oceanian Solo Trip Can Stretch Your Birthday into the Best 40-Hour Celebration You Didn’t Know You Needed
About a month ago, I celebrated my birthday with a casual gathering of friends—no flights, no passport stamps. There was a joke amongst my friends about how unusual it was that I wasn’t spending it at a random destination. In their defense, over the years, my birthdays have doubled as travel excuses with trips ranging…
The Best Day Trip From Dhaka: Sonargaon and Panam Nagar’s Ghost Town
One of the main reasons I started this blog was to shine a light on underrated travel destinations. In my last post, I shared some fun ways I spent time in Bangladesh’s chaotic capital, Dhaka. But honestly, the best reason to base yourself in Dhaka is so you can take a day trip to the…
How I Fell into a Lake and Accidentally Stole a Blanket in Kazakhstan
There’s a unique kind of joy in traveling solo—navigating new cultures, making spontaneous connections, and, of course, discovering new ways to embarrass yourself on an international stage. My contribution to this tradition was falling into a freezing lake in Kazakhstan. During my senior year of college, I spent my final semester wandering through South America…
24 Countries I Visited in 2024: Year Recap (Part 2)
While the first half of my 2024 travels started in Africa, the second half was where Africa truly shone. This leg of my journey included some of the most breathtaking landscapes, immersive cultural experiences, and, of course, my unforgettable birthday trip. Traveling across Southern and West Africa, as well as making stops in North America…
24 Countries I Visited in 2024: Year Recap (Part 1)
This post is coming a little late—it’s already late January—but since this entire blog is retrospective, nothing is ever truly “too late.” 2024 was another incredible year of travel. What set it apart from previous years was that I took relatively fewer solo trips. I visited 24 countries in total, 20 of them new, and…
My Global Good Samaritan Encounters That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity (Part 3)
Welcome back to the third installment of my feel-good travel stories! If you haven’t already, check out Part 1 and Part 2. I started this series to highlight the unexpected kindness I’ve encountered while traveling, especially in places that might have mixed reputations. Often, we’re advised to be overly cautious in new destinations, but my…
How I Ended Up on National News During America Day in Moldova
No, you won’t find my face plastered across the front page of any Moldovan newspaper with a wild headline—haha! My brief moment of fame lasted all of five seconds as B-roll footage on Europa Libera‘s coverage of America Day in Chisinau, back in May 2023 (see screenshot for proof). It all started when I was in…
My Global Good Samaritan Encounters That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity (Part 2)
I started this thread of posts to share feel-good encounters I’ve experienced while traveling (If you haven’t already, check out Part 1). Often, people are overly cautious and on edge when visiting new destinations, especially places with a mixed reputation. However, I’ve been fortunate to meet several amazing strangers during my travels, and I cherish…
My Flight from Cusco to Lima That Didn’t Exist
My first extended solo trip, which was in South America during my senior year of college, began in Peru. I started by spending a week visiting Machu Picchu, exploring Cusco, and taking day trips around the Peruvian Andes. Everything had gone smoothly, and I naively believed the rest of my journey would follow suit. However,…
