Language barriers

I have a confession. I always write about how you can travel, how it’s more about overcoming our comfort-zone limits than actually figuring out how to travel. But I gotta tell you. It’s hard when you don’t speak the language. Granted, it adds a bit of a fun twist as life becomes a constant game…

Panecillo – a Quito, Ecuador landmark

Aaah, the Panecillo. It’s one of the trademark views of Quito — and yet personally, one of my least favorite things to actually see. A weird statue of some version of Mary stomping on a dragon with a chain, it always struck a more creepy chord for me than beautiful. However, if you want to…

You’re not lost

“…and if you do take a wrong turn, it’s just an adventure. You’re not lost.”– overheard from man at counter over there at this clinic Beautifully said, sir. A perspective I want to keep in life.

Iguazu Falls

My current mission in life is to tell everyone how amazing Iguazu Falls is. Because they don’t know. Or maybe I want to keep it silent because that was part of the beauty, the surprise and wonder of one of the most breathtaking experiences of my life having very little hype around it before I…

Consider your stuff

Here are 7 tips that relate to buying travel-effective stuff that can add to your safety: Get good stuff, I love the Travelon backpack and purse Have copies of important info in different places. Have money in different places. Anything you carry could get stolen. Just have that mindset. Don’t show your stuff or money….

The Quito, Ecuador bucket list: sights edition

Alright, I’ll start with the famous ones and then go into a few personal favorites that won’t make normal lists. La Basílica La Ronda El Panecillo La Plaza Grande El Teleférico Amy’s additional stops: Parque Carolina, especially the boats Quicentro Norte Plaza Foch during the day El Mercado Artesenal El Estadio for a game or…

Fruterías in Quito, Ecuador

I forgot about the wonder of the frutería. Being from Wisconsin, we have lots of good food. Cheese curds, ice cream, steak, some corn and apples that are out of this world. However, some other parts of the planet have got a leg up on a few tropical fruits — not to mention fruits I…

Chicken strips and thoughts

There’s times I love being alone. There’s times (99% of the time) that I love being with people. I’ve found in solo travel you get to spend your time with countless people, even more so than when you travel with a buddy or a group. But you know, sometimes you’ll be alone when you didn’t…

4 reasons solo travel is for extroverts too

I am absolutely in love with solo travel. And I never thought I’d say that. I always pictured solo travel being very introverted, maybe a lot of time for reflection, but all around… lonely. I had come to accept that some of our adventures in life we have to experience alone. But I was so…

10 ways to meet people while traveling alone

As you may know, I love solo travel. I never thought I would like it until I tried it, and realized – you never actually have to be alone. In fact, I see solo travel as a kind of extrovert’s paradise where you basically get to make a bunch of new friends all the time…