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…
travel fumble
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,…
My Global Good Samaritan Encounters That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity (Part 1)
As a solo female traveler, I’ve learned to navigate the world with a healthy dose of caution. Yet, time and again, I’ve been humbled by the kindness and generosity of strangers. In a world often overshadowed by negativity, these encounters serve as reminders of the inherent goodness that exists among us. In this post, I…
How Family Mart Saved Me from Sleeping on the Streets of Kaohsiung, Taiwan
I must confess, this story is largely the result of my lack of foresight. But in my defense, my arrival in Taiwan coincided with a looming deadline for my master’s program, so cut me some slack. My journey into Kaohsiung from Korea was prompted mainly by the allure of the cheapest flight into Taiwan—duh. Plus,…
