Welcome to My Travel Journal
For as long as I can remember, I have loved waking up on Thanksgiving morning to watch the Macy’s Parade. Though the holiday itself is problematic and rooted in issues that have been glossed over for years, the parade continues to be a source of nostalgia and joy for me every fourth Thursday of November….
Life has been a bit hectic lately. Over the summer, my partner and I were discussing plans for a trip during the week of Thanksgiving. Last year we spent the holiday in Scotland and Ireland, and this year I imagined relaxing on a warm beach with my toes in the sand. However, a visit to…
You don’t have to travel far to find a little wonder. As the evenings grow darker, I find comfort in walking among twinkling lights and finding quiet in the glow. Usually, that magic only appears around the winter holidays, but every October, the Denver Botanic Gardens lights up the night with their Glow at the…
I love documenting my travels, but taking photos of myself? That’s another story. I find it challenging to take good photos of myself on trips that aren’t selfies. While selfies can be fun and quick, there’s something about getting more than just my face and shoulders in a photo to show to my friends and…
I got the inspiration to hike the Lost Coast Trail from social media. I had already done two other backpacking trips and I wanted to try a hike near the ocean, and I thought it would be fun. While I am the planner in my relationship overall, my partner, Nate, is very much the hiking…
In 2019, I spent 2 weeks in Europe for work. It was an amazing experience learning about myself, other cultures, and I took a lot of trains. I loved trains and I got to take one in all four countries I traveled to. On one of those train rides, I was traveling with a co-worker…
Hot take: I didn’t love Rome or Vatican City and it was mostly due to the heat. I visited both as part of an EF tour during record-breaking heat in July 2023 so when I say it was hot, I mean I was sweating from places I didn’t even know could sweat. This was our…
One of my favorite outdoor activities is hiking. You can hike for one mile, or ten miles. You can power through the entire hike, or stop to eat snacks and take in the view. There are trails for beginners, families, advanced hikers, backpackers; you name it. If you want to walk in nature, there’s a…
Joy is still possible even when the path looks different than expected. I never expected to get a chronic illness; I don’t think anyone does unless there’s a history of it in their family. Not so lucky for me, no one in my family had these issues (that I know of) so when I suddenly…
When I set out on my first ever solo trip, I never intended it to be a thing. I desperately needed a break from work and my crumbling marriage so I planned a trip. Hiking had been a fun, stress-free activity for me and I wanted to go to more National Parks since I had…