I once drove forty minutes out of my way in County Clare because a bartender in Ennis wouldn’t stop talking about a small restaurant in Lisdoonvarna. I almost didn’t bother, figuring a detour that long for dinner was more effort…
I once canceled a hotel reservation in Killarney the night before check in because a friend sent me a listing for a stone cottage outside Sneem instead. I’ve never regretted a last minute decision more in the right direction. There’s…
I landed in Arusha assuming I had a rough idea of what Tanzania would be like, mostly built from documentaries and a handful of photos friends had shown me over the years. I pictured wide open plains, maybe a few…
There’s a moment that happens on almost every big trip. You round a corner, or step off a boat, or open the curtains in a new hotel room, and the view just stops you. I’ve had that moment in a…
The first long haul flight I ever took taught me an important lesson. I packed the obvious things like my passport, charger, and a few snacks, but I gave very little thought to staying comfortable during the journey itself. A…
Packing a carry on used to be something I rushed through just before leaving for the airport. I would toss in a few basics, zip up the bag, and assume I had everything I needed. As long as I had…
My first trip to Italy followed the exact same route everyone tells you to take, Rome, Florence, Venice, checked off in order like a list rather than a country I was actually exploring. It wasn’t until a second trip, when…
My first trip to Italy was a masterclass in doing almost everything the hard way, the kind of trip where every small decision seemed to backfire in its own unique way, one after another. I booked the wrong train tickets…
Road trips across the United States have a way of turning simple travel plans into unforgettable memories. I’ve always loved how one drive can take you from busy cities to quiet coastal roads, mountain curves, and small towns you’d never…
Everyone plans an Italy trip around the same five cities, and I did too on my first visit, ticking off Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan like a checklist. It wasn’t until a friend dragged me to a tiny hilltop town…