Best of the Year

2016 was the year that my reading habits changed significantly. Casual reading no longer satisfies me. These days, a book either needs to feature excellent writing or teach me something new, or it won’t hold my interest. I used to need to alternate between heavier books and lighter reads; now I enjoy going from heavy to heavy. This

It’s time for everyone’s favorite post of the year — my worst travel moments! And I love writing this post every year. I think it’s important to reflect the not-so-pleasant times along with the happier moments, and I think that reflects in my coverage here. In 2012, I drove my car into a ditch in

2016 was rough for lots of us, and I’m no exception. Between global events and personal setbacks, it was a very tough year for me. More than I’ve let on here. I have my health and security, which are the most important things, and I didn’t go through any significant personal losses, but this year was a lot rougher

Every December, I put together a list of my favorite destinations of the year. I love picking out the places that made my heart beat the fastest! Last year, the big winner was Nicaragua. In 2014, Finland was a memorable standout. In 2013, Japan hit the hardest. In 2012, I loved the Faroe Islands. This year was far lighter

You can’t have the bad without the good! Every year (and every month!) I like to write about the bad moments along with the good ones because I think it’s important to show that travel is not a prescription for a happy life. Even if you travel all the time, plenty of bad things happen

Every year, I like to take stock of the best travel moments of the year. This year had PLENTY! I visited 21 countries in total, a number I doubt to repeat anytime in the near future, and I had some of the happiest moments in my travel days. What makes a great travel moment? They’re

Challenge complete! Late in 2014, I decided to take on PopSugar’s 2015 Book Challenge, requiring me to read 52 books in 50 different genres. The result? This is probably the most I’ve read in a single year, and by far the most diverse array of literature. I also made a secondary goal this year of reading