Neuenrade, Germany is a small, hilly town in the Sauerland region of North Rhine-Westphalia with a population of over 12,000. It’s about an hour and a half drive from Cologne and Dusseldorf and an hour drive from Wuppertal and Dortmund. It’s also where my mother grew up. I was fortunate enough to be able to …
My first time in Texas’ Big Bend National Park was also my first time backpacking. I knew the 6-day backpacking expedition would be extremely challenging, but I didn’t understand how challenging until I did it. Still, the naturally diverse desert of Big Bend was worth the effort. Here is my day-by-day account of backpacking in …
It was my first time in El Paso, or the state of Texas in general, and I was pleasantly surprised. El Paso is full of rich Mexican-American history, culture, nature, and kind people. Located in West Texas right near the border with Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, its population is about 83% Mexican. Culturally, the mix of …
Header photo by Assefash Makonnen I stayed in Jávea, Spain for 5 days and 4 nights for the inaugural Las Morenas de España (LMDES) Getaway. (Read more about my LMDES Getaway experience here.) Jávea, or Xábia in Valencian, is a small town in the Alicante province and part of the Costa Blanca, which runs up the …
When deciding where I wanted to travel next, I knew I wanted to refresh my rusty Spanish in Latin America. I decided to take a multi-city trip to Colombia, starting in the capital city of Bogotá. With seven days to immerse myself in this big city, here’s what I found when exploring Bogotá, Colombia. Is …
Cartagena was my last stop on a city-hopping solo trip through Colombia. The laid back Caribbean coast city was the perfect place to end the trip, even though I wished it didn’t have to end at all. I kept most of my days unstructured, knowing the tropical climate would slow me down and force me …
Even though I only had a day to spend in Valencia, I knew I didn’t just want to pass through. The third-largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona, Valencia offers a combination of city life, beaches, architecture, history, and culture. Here are the top ways to spend a day in Valencia. Vermut and Montaditos …
Whether you’re in a new destination where you don’t know anyone or just looking for something new to do in your own city, there are many ways to get to know the area better. I’ve listed my top 7 ways to explore a new city. Facebook Events Even if you don’t log onto Facebook regularly, …
There are lots of good reasons to travel alone. My first solo trip happened because a friend had to drop out of our travel plans. But I’d had the travel bug for a while, so instead of waiting for a time that worked for us both, I decided to go on my own. To be …
Cambridge, Maryland is on the state’s Eastern Shore in Dorchester County. On a quick weekend trip to the town, I loosely planned out some activities – this isn’t a place to be in a rush. Here are a few ways to spend a weekend escape in Cambridge. Downtown Cambridge is small and quaint, with brick streets …
