living proof of God's grace & living free to share hope, encouragement & adventures
I never thought I'd visit Bosnia. It wasn't a destination on my bucket list, I'll be honest. My familiarity with Bosnian culture consisted of references to the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics and bleak news broadcasts about its status as a war-torn country in the 90s. Yet, there I was in 2019, planning a solo roadtrip through …
Continue reading My Solo Trip to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
I'll never know for sure if they were angels. I'm talking about two men who seemingly came out of nowhere to help me with car trouble in Croatia. But, let's back up. My one night in Zagreb, Croatia This was November 2019. My last solo international trip. My longest solo international trip. After visiting five …
Yes. A poop story. Y'all. I waited five years to tell this story. Five years to share about an incomprehensible peace that I experienced on a solo trip to Barcelona in May 2017. Literally, a peace in God that surpassed my understanding. And I waited because, to tell it would mean talking about poop. One …
Continue reading Peace That Surpasses Understanding: A Poop Story
Croatia is one of those up-and-coming countries. Gaining popularity, but still not as touristed (yup, it’s a word) as Italy and other nearby European nations. At least, not yet. And that, my friends, is why I’m urging you to add Croatia to your travel bucket list ASAP if it’s not already penciled in. Better yet, …
Continue reading Is Croatia on Your Bucket List? 5 Reasons You Must Visit
Solo travel is a polarizing topic. You've either done it / want to do it / applaud folks who do. OR, you think they're crazy. And if you're in the latter group, I'm not mad. In fact, I think it does take some level of crazy to embark on a trip by yourself. Especially an …
Continue reading Why My Travel Personality Isn’t for Everyone
I love Brussels. The sprouts and the city. Brussels sprouts can be a polarizing topic, though, so I’m gonna stick with Belgium’s capital. Whenever I visit a new city, I’m curious to find an underlying element that sets it apart from any other place I’ve experienced. What struck me about Brussels is its juxtaposition of …
Since my previous travel bloopers were so well-received, I thought, Why not compile a list of top bloopers from some of my previous trips? So, I did. I think we all can relate to things not going as planned in life—and especially in travel because it puts us out of our comfort zones and daily …
If you’ve ever thought: Gee, I’d like to visit several countries in a week! ...this post is for you. One thing I’ve learned from my solo travels is how much I can see in just one day. All it takes is an eagerness to explore and the stamina to stay in GO mode. Multiply that …
Continue reading One Week in Europe? How to Create an Itinerary for Four Countries
It may not be Christmas when you're reading this, but it's never a bad time to talk European Christmas markets. When a $434 roundtrip flight to Brussels popped up in my inbox (thanks to Scott’s Cheap Flights) I could not pass it up. Initially, (to save up more moolah) I wanted to book the latest …
Continue reading Best Things About European Christmas Markets
2018 exceeded my expectations. After three solo trips to Europe in 2017, I hoped to at least match that level of travel in 2018. And God gave me MORE. He went beyond my dreams. I’m learning, more and more, He tends to do that when we surrender to Him. Now, God knows I love travel …
Continue reading When God Gives You Abundantly More: A 2018 Recap
adventure and the girl 