When I first embarked on my solo travels in 2012, I landed in Bangkok and five days later, boarded a train and headed straight to Siem Reap. The temples, thanks to Tomb Raider, had long enchanted me and it just seemed right to see them with my own eyes. Cambodia ended up being my favorite […]
Diving Raja Ampat: An Underwater Paradise
“How will you ever find the words to describe this place?” asked Jack, a fellow diver on the liveaboard. Though a valid question, I was more preoccupied with two even bigger problems: which island out of the thousands in Raja Ampat I’d live out a hypothetical Robinson Crusoe life, and whether or not I really […]
Tips From the Banker: The Real Cost of Travel in Thailand
2018 update: I originally wrote this post in 2013, traveling in Thailand on a shoestring. I returned this year with a bigger budget, spending more on accommodation and transport, though some categories, like food, have remained the same. You’ll see both options in this post. I’ve now spent five months traveling in Thailand, making it […]
Koh Yao Noi: Paradise Found
Wading into the coolness, the temperate and refreshing water rippling in waves of periwinkle as I went, I floated into a perfect little bay, surrounded by those iconic Thai rocks that jut up dramatically, perfectly framing the little beach cove. Islets of various sizes and shapes are scattered along the horizon, like a giant walked […]
Tips From the Banker: The True Cost of Travel in the Philippines
I knew that I had completely blown my typical Southeast Asia budget when traveling through the Philippines. I tried to mentally tally each day, quietly ignoring the fact that yes, I was over-spending way past my first year of traveling’s goal of $30/day (which I did pretty well at!). When I finally added up all […]