The food in Taiwan is amazing. Playing host to delicious corner shop dumplings, the original Din Tai Fung, and a robust café scene, the country is truly a dream for anyone who wants to eat extravagantly well on a reasonable budget. So read on for my top picks in Taipei and nearby Jiufen.
Read MoreCoron boasts jaw-dropping limestone formations, turquoise ocean waters, jade-green lakes, and a handful of lovely beaches. Having been the site of various battles during WWII, it’s also home to dozens of shipwrecks lurking just beneath the water’s surface.
Read MoreI think it’s safe to say I didn’t think I’d ever feel the need to write this blog post. And yet, on day 41 of my self-quarantine from COVID-19, here we are. The travel industry has ground to an unprecedented halt in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is absolutely as it should be — the only way we’re going to get this situation under control is by staying home, social distancing, and, well, not traveling.
Read MoreVisiting Victoria falls was a lesson in almost incomprehensible beauty — from within and without. As one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Victoria Falls is stunning, and yet somehow, it took my breath away.
Read MoreWhen I first told people I was moving to Kuala Lumpur, the first thing people said was always about food. About how I’d be living in a foodie’s paradise, filled with mouthwatering laksa and perfectly seasoned satay. What I actually found during my two years in Kuala Lumpur was a bit different – most Malaysian food and I didn’t get along particularly well — but there were certainly a few exceptions. I spent most of my “eating” time in the city at coffee shops, but were also a few standout restaurants and street stalls that I love to recommend to visitors.
Read MoreThe 36 hours I spent in Budapest were the best 36 hours of my 2019 – from start to finish, my visit was flawless, and I can’t wait to go back! Budapest packs a lot of punch into an extremely walkable city – it’s easy to understand why people flock here year-round. I visited in March 2019 with one of my closest friends, Stephanie, and the whole weekend felt like a massive recharging scheme.
Read MoreEqual parts big city and small town, Hanoi is one of my favorite places in Southeast Asia. My aunt and uncle live in Hanoi, as well, so I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lovely place to stay every time I’ve visited. Hanoi is more approachable, calm, and cold than Saigon… and I love it. And yet I’ve never spent more than 36 hours in Hanoi at a time, so I know for sure that you can do all the things I’ve listed in a single weekend visit. Enjoy!
Read MoreAfter visiting Etosha National Park in Namibia, Caroline and I thought we’d seen everything the Animal Kingdom had to offer us. Enter, Chobe National Park. The two nights we spent in Kasane, at the entrance to Chobe National Park, played host to some of the best moments of our whole monthlong trip through Southern Africa. And while we could have stayed far longer, the reality is that you really only need a single day to see the best that Chobe has to offer – first by land, and then by water.
Read MoreEtosha National Park is the quintessential African safari experience – and it’s in peak form when you’re doing it on your own. Etosha is a vast park with a salt pan at its core, and its most wonderful quality is the way that animals literally come to you, instead of you having to go search for them. All you need to do is park your car next to one of the park’s many watering holes, open up a bag of popcorn, and wait for the Animal Kingdom to come to life before your eyes.
Read MoreThe main thing to keep in mind when doing a self-drive safari in Southern Africa is comfort. You’re going to be driving in the car almost every day, so don’t pack a bunch of jeans so tight they’ll constantly make you want to pee, or shoes that you’d be sad to get dusty.
Read MoreI did less research on hotels for the Botswana and Zimbabwe parts of our trip, but we still ended up finding lovely places by following word-of-mouth recommendations of fellow travelers.
Read MoreI did a lot of research in the months leading up to our trip about where we should stop and stay along the way – and it paid off. Throughout Namibia, Caroline and I were blessed with some truly amazing campsites, including Quiver Tree Camp, Windpomp 14, Madisa Camp, Hoada Camp, Okaukuejo Camp, and others.
Read MoreCaroline and I spent 20 nights and 21 days in our beloved rooftop tent truck, Wildebeest (nicknamed “Wildee”) as we traversed 5 different countries throughout Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa). Here’s where we stopped along the way.
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