We drove along in the rental car, fellow locals surprised when they saw that Greg was in the driver’s seat, switching from a bewildered facial expression to surprise and joy. Greg was decked out in traditional Hawaiian regalia and I was wearing a lei he’d made from a giant leaf. It’s for good luck, and […]
How to Have an Awesome Solo Trip in Maui
When I was in high school, someone I knew took a trip to Hawaii by himself and I remember feeling really bad for him, because a solo trip to such a romantic destination must be terrible, right? That was before I had experienced the benefits of solo traveling firsthand, and after years of doing it, I […]
How to Cook Great Meals in Hostel Kitchens
Most long-term travelers know that a hostel kitchen can be a total hit or miss. Some (okay, most) hostels will have working appliances and a decent selection of pots, pans, and other kitchen utensils, but some will have an oven from 1985 and one rusty knife for the entire kitchen. You don’t need to stick […]
10 Cool Alternative Things to Do in Berlin
Berlin is the kid in high school art class who always wears black and manages to look so effortlessly cool, you kind of wonder if you can sit at the same table (but you can because you’re cool too, damnit). There are so many layers to this city and if you spend any measure of […]
Valparaíso, Chile: The Most Artistic City in the World?
The light breeze makes my walk along German Street in Valparaíso, a port city on the Chilean coast, a little more bearable in the afternoon sun as I walk along admiring the colorful houses and ocean view. There are kids sitting along curbs everywhere sketching. I can’t figure out if it’s a class assignment, or […]