The bar might have been bathed in neon turquoise light, but I still noticed Monica’s nails. Long, lovingly cared for, perfectly squared off, and resplendent in layer upon layer of cherry-red lacquer, topped with a few coats of red glitter. Christmas nails. So festive, yet not garish or obvious. Her nails weren’t made to look like mini […]
On Christmas in New York Read More »
In the past, I’ve started the New Year with at least the first six months booked solid. For once, this isn’t the case — I’m excited at the novelty of the flexibility in my future. I’ve got nothing officially scheduled past March. This is great! Even with the travel plans that I do have in my pipeline, they’re different from
Where I’m Going (I Think!) in 2015 Read More »
Here’s one thing I will never do in New York: run around like mad trying to see as many sights as humanly possible. I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m never going to see everything that I want to see — so I don’t try. I move at a leisurely pace and know that I’ll
New in New York — The Latest Edition Read More »
My time in Galle was far too short — but it was more than enough for me to declare it my favorite place in Sri Lanka. Galle is a Dutch colonial town on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast anchored by a World Heritage-listed fort. The architecture gives it a feeling like nowhere else in the country. What
Strolling Through Galle, Sri Lanka Read More »
Image: alq666 “Kate, can I come traveling with you?” It’s one of the questions I get the most, and I’m happy to share that the time is finally now. Leif from The Runaway Guide and I are running a tour to El Salvador and Guatemala this March! Run Away to Central America With Us The
Join Our Tour in El Salvador and Guatemala this March! Read More »
It’s the last monthly recap of the year! December 2014 took me to three countries and a few of the world’s most iconic cities. Because I’ve been doing lots of recapping to celebrate the end of the year and you’ve already heard many of these stories already, I’ll keep this one brief. Destinations Visited Hikkaduwa and Colombo, Sri
AK Monthly Recap: December 2014 Read More »
On this, the last day of 2014, I wanted to give a special thank you to my friends. More than anything, 2014 was a year of friendship. The second half of 2014 was one of the darkest and most difficult periods of my life, and I wouldn’t have gotten through it without the unconditional support of
The Lessons My Friends Taught Me in 2014 Read More »
I think I’ve ruined myself for life. Before this December, I had never stayed at a hotel in New York before. Not just in Manhattan — no hotel anywhere in or near the city. I’ve got a lot of friends and family in New York; they kindly let me crash with them as needed. But now I’ve
An Epic Stay at New York’s Hippest Hotel Read More »
I recently had the opportunity to do something that I hadn’t even thought about before — visiting the White House during Christmas. I visited Washington, DC to take part in the White House’s first ever Travel Blogger Summit, focusing on making study abroad accessible to more students. While the summit itself was an exciting, inspiring event
Visiting the White House During Christmas Read More »
You’ve got to take the good with the bad. And just because I’m on the road most of the time, it doesn’t mean I’m immune to bad times. Far from it. No matter how much you travel, it can often be challenging and stressful. I really enjoy writing about the crappy times on the road —
My Worst Travel Moments of 2014 Read More »