It turns out that kayaking for 12 dollars included a few other things in Vang Vieng. We started by going through a cave. Not just your ordinary cave, it’s kind of hard to explain. We got in mini tubes and entered the cave floating on water. We pulled ourselves through the cave using rope that … Continued
Among the people who planted trees, Costa Rica A woman is working for an international organization in Geneva and married to a great scientist based at CERN. She feels happy, living a dream. One day waking up she learns that the marriage is over. There is a suitcase at the door and another woman taking … Continued
“What colors do you want your room painted?” my dad asked me when I was in 5th grade. I could have picked pink or gray or anything in between, but I’m just going to assume I was colorblind back then because I responded with green and purple, noting that I have a peach colored carpet. … Continued
They told me to stay connected, to be there, always online. They said I have to check all my accounts every day, mutiple times a day. And I listened. Then they told me I could find everything I needed there, staying in my house, on the bed, scrolling. All I had to do was to … Continued
With one step off the jetliner, this California Golden Boy became a foreigner for the first time. Rolling green hills covered in golden poppies, fields upon fields of vegetables or fluffy white cotton, and multi-lane interstates stretching over the horizon – they do not exist here. This was the jungle. The Belizean air was heavy … Continued
The bright orange pumpkin in front of an unlit house would read, “Please only take one,” and I did, always. When the speed limit said 55mph, I drove 53mph. The stakes, big or small, were rules, and rules were meant to be followed. There were times I wondered what was off the beaten path, but I … Continued
Even with the protective wet suit I paid extra for, I got stung. Red jellyfish regularly roam the waters where I grew up and my first jellyfish sting was half a world away in Cairns, Australia, on a boat tour of The Great Barrier Reef. Inside my hand it felt like my nerves were slowly … Continued
BRAVERY: “DON’T GO INTO THE WOODS” How many times had I dived my whole being into something, or someone wanting it to become a success? This is how I felt exactly about my personal life’s journey; but, I didn’t want to go there. I didn’t want to go into the woods. Then, a time … Continued
The Merlions are coming to Singapore On a humid summer evening in 2005, I stood outside the door of my service apartment in the heart of Singapore, panic swelling in my chest. I valiantly attempted once more to open the door, and failed. I was surrounded by my three suitcases, which appeared to stare … Continued
Hostels. They help you save money, give you an excuse to make new friends, and introduce you to new smells. That experience was exactly what I was heading to while on the train from Newcastle to Scotland. Many people say they would love to travel, if only they had the money. Truth is, even with … Continued