Full Day Cooking Class at Asia Scenic Thai Cooking School in Chiang Mai

Posted on by Krystal
One of the most popular things to do in Chiang Mai is take a cooking class and learn how to make some of the regions most famous dishes. It's so popular that there is an abundance of cooking schools to choose from in and around the city center. I did a lot of research and weighed out the pros and cons of what each school had to offer. After collecting enough information, I chose the...more
woman with elephant at chiang mai elephant sanctuary

Spending Two Nights in the Jungle at the Best Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai

Posted on by Krystal
Being able to spend time with elephants was one of, if not the main reason for my trip to Thailand. Along with participating in the Chiang Mai lantern festival, visiting an elephant sanctuary was what sparked my interest in the country from the very beginning. Trying to find the best elephant sanctuary can be hard, so I want to tell you all the reasons I loved the one I chose. I wanted to see elephants...more
slow boats docked on mekong river

Everything You Need to Know About Traveling By Slow Boat from Thailand to Luang Prabang

Posted on by Krystal
Before I started really planning a trip to Southeast Asia, I only knew a few things I definitely wanted to do on my first trip: go to the Lantern Festival, eat spicy noodles, see elephants up close for the first time in my life, and travel by slow boat to Luang Prabang from Thailand. Although a slow boat down the Mekong river isn't the quickest way to travel from Thailand to Laos, it is cheap...more
colorful alley in chiang mai

What to Do in Chiang Mai and Why It Is One of My Favorite Cities in the World

Posted on by Krystal
I arrived in Chiang Mai after a few rough days in Bangkok, feeling gun shy, reserved, and only slightly hopeful. Climbing into a songthaew from the train station, I crossed my fingers to avoid any similar conflicts I had in Southern Thailand. I had so many things on my list of what to do in Chiang Mai, I had to keep a positive attitude. The first experience we had with a songthaew left me feeling...more
lanterns floating over temple in chiang mai

The Cheapest and Easiest Way to Celebrate the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival (Including a Pro/Con List)

Posted on by Krystal
When I first began planning my trip to Southeast Asia, it all revolved around two things. Seeing elephants up close for the first time and experiencing the Chiang Mai Lantern Festival. I, just like hundreds of thousands of other people, saw the photos and videos captured of countless paper lanterns ascending into the sky and thought I want to be a part of that. I began rummaging the Internet for information. How, when and where...more

Small Town Charm and Traveling to South Carolina with my Best Friend

Posted on by Krystal
Welcome to the South, where the grass is [actually] greener, the humidity is high and the people are as sweet as their iced tea. I just spent four days going from my best friend’s hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina to Charleston and back again. A short trip filled with good food, great people, charming sights, and beautiful landscapes. A lot of people asked me when I told them where I was going on vacation this...more

Pennsylvania Countryside: I remember thinking ‘I could do this, I could live here.’

Posted on by Krystal
I love New York City, I really do. Just passing my three-year anniversary living here I can say with confidence that I have no intention of leaving anytime soon. But last summer was particularly hard for me to spend anytime in the city. It was miserably hot (probably the worst summer I have ever experienced), I was getting very limited hours at the bar I work which was leading to a lot of financial stress,...more

Visiting the Magical Place that is Sintra, Portugal.

Posted on by Krystal
One of the best things about open-ended traveling is winding up in places that you didn't know existed. Or being pleasantly surprised that a destination highly exceeds your expectations, like Sintra. When I decided to start my 14-week trip off in Portugal, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was conveniently located as one of the closest countries to fly into from the United States. I knew it was relatively affordable, and I...more

Budget Advice: How to Save Enough Money to Quit Your Job and Travel

Posted on by Krystal
I'm writing this from the back of the bar I work in.  Staring down the row of empty bar stools, wishing I could enjoy the mild February temperatures that have graced New York this week. If you can believe it, I actually wore sandals. Most New Yorkers are out enjoying the weather and not sitting inside a dark bar. So as I sit here thinking about the little amount of money I stand to make today,...more

All About the Time I Hiked the Italian Coast in Cinque Terre

Posted on by Krystal
On my first long backpacking trip to Europe, my travel partner and I were terrible planners most of the time. To missed trains, running after buses, and not checking in for our Ryanair flight before we got to the airport, we were the target of most rookie travel mistakes. But sometimes terrible planning worked out better than we could ever have imagined. Like the time we got on a much later train than expected from...more