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
After seven solo international trips, I decided to spill my guts on what it’s like to travel solo. As an introvert, I rarely mind being alone. I’m also fiercely independent, good with navigation, and a cross between MacGyver and Nancy Drew when it comes to figuring stuff out on the go. Basically, I was born …
I’ll admit, I am not a foodie by ANY stretch of the imagination. In my everyday life, I tend to keep it pretty basic—as in, I rarely spend money eating out, and if a recipe has more than 5 ingredients, I start to lose interest. Not exaggerating. Now, I will say that travel me is …
Continue reading Best Local Foods to Try in Australia & New Zealand
It’s common knowledge that people leave love locks in Paris. People, as in couples. Of course, I only seem to visit Paris when I’m single and solo—but I haven’t let that stop me from leaving a love lock each time. I may be fiercely independent, but I’m also a hopeful romantic. While I refuse to …
Continue reading Why I Left Two Love Locks in Paris When I Was Single
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 …
A lot of people ask me why I travel solo. And, I’ve probably partially answered this question in past blog posts. But here’s the complete answer. All in one post. First, the obvious. I'm single. I decided not to wait till there’s a guy in my life to see the world. Would I love to …
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
Do you ever want to go all Secret Life of Walter Mitty and step right into photos? I do. Basically, all the time. And I don’t just dream about all the places in the photographs. I add them to my bucket list and plan to actually GO—which is exactly how I wound up visiting the Amalfi Coast. …
Continue reading Best Tips for a Non Touristy Experience Traveling to the Amalfi Coast
I am a planner. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love the spontaneous moments of life! It’s just that the planning comes naturally. It’s instinctual. So, you better believe I plan for trips—especially those international ones! I go all travel agent and even put together a full itinerary by day. BUT, before you start thinking, …
Continue reading 7 Tips on How to Be a More Spontaneous Traveler
Sometimes, I just don’t feel like adventuring. Whaaaaaaa??? Did I really just say that? Yeah. I really did. Sometimes… some days… I’d maybe rather take a nap or just veg out than go for a nature walk or catch a sunset at the beach. And, ya know, sometimes that’s okay. I’m all about listening to …
adventure and the girl 