At the end of each year, I always make it a point to write a post about the places I've been to as a way to reflect and look back. 2016 has been a crazy year of travel for me as I traveled to 21 countries (16 are new to me) on five continents. It's clear that becoming a mother has not stopped me fr[...]
Traveling South Kyrgyzstan — Highlights of the Region Kyrgyzstan is known for its dramatic mountainous landscapes and rolling summer pastures (jailoos). It has been dubbed the Switzerland of Central Asia for good reasons. But most of these alpine landscapes are found in North Kyrgyzstan, and[...]
Wispy clouds hang low over the choppy dark indigo waters as the howling winds create ripples on the water surface. Backdropped by tall and mighty Tien Shan mountains, the water stretches into the horizon, far beyond where the eye can see. If I didn't know better, I would have thought this was a sea.[...]
Georgia — a name associated more with the southern state of US than the country itself, is often overlooked by travellers as a tiny landlocked country hidden in the shadows of its ex-Soviet past. For the uninitiated, Georgia is a relatively small country in the Caucasus, midway between Europe and[...]
Want to pursue a career in travel blogging? Here are my secret tips on how to grow your travel blog and turn it into a business. In 2008, I started this travel blog. Then in 2010, I took the plunge and became a full-time travel blogger. It’s been six glorious years and I haven’t looked back sin[...]
Want to go local and contribute to local communities in West Africa? Here are some eco tourism destinations in West Africa that are well worth visiting. West Africa is the stuff of dreams. It's packed with long-standing slavery history, remote and untouched landscapes, world-renown music[...]
Of all the questions I get asked as a travel blogger, this is probably the most popular one: “What’s your favorite place in the world?” For me, it’s also the hardest question to answer. Having traveled to 143 countries (and counting…), I’ve had my fair share of amazing experiences in f[...]
If you're dreaming of seeing a puffin in the wild, go to Mykines. You're guaranteed to see puffins around their breeding grounds on the westernmost island in the Faroes. I hold my breathe and keep still. The wind is howling and whipping at my face, which has turned red from the wind and sun. My nos[...]
Next week marks the 15-year anniversary of the day I left Singapore. I can’t believe it’s been this long. In that time, I’ve lived in six countries, and traveled to more than 120 countries across all seven continents. I’ve taken on plenty of odd jobs abroad to fund my travels, before finally[...]
Are you thinking of traveling Jamaica with kids? We recently went on a two-week trip Jamaica family vacation and absolutely loved it. Here's why. For the longest time, Alberto and I dreamt of traveling Jamaica. He’s always been a reggae fan, and I’ve wanted to be a Rastafarian hippie since h[...]
Dreaming of making a living from travel? This step-by-step guide will show you how to start a travel blog and make money. How to Start a Travel Blog When I first started this travel blog in 2008, I didn’t know where it would lead me. This travel blog changed my life, in every sense of the word.[...]
Ever wondered if traveling with a baby is possible? As a mother, I've brought my baby to 10 countries in 15 months and I also travel solo from time to time. Don't clip your travel wings just because you had a baby. Here's why. Since I became a mother, I’ve been receiving lots of emails from fellow[...]
Have you ever lost your luggage? I’ve just returned from a fun weekend in Budapest traveling with no luggage. Here’s how it went. With over 13 years of travel to 100+ countries under my belt, I’ve become quite an expert at packing light. I always travel with just a small carry-on backpack —[...]
To celebrate my 8th bloggiversary, I’ll be sharing some behind-the-scene secrets about my life as a travel blogger, with details on how I get paid to travel. If you had told me eight years ago that I would be traveling the world for a living, I would have laughed at the thought of it. Never in a[...]
One of the things that drew me to West Africa was its slave history. Here's my experience learning about history and retracing slavery in Ghana. Crumbling colonial buildings and half-built concrete blocks jostle for space alongside congested and pockmarked sidewalks. Corrugated-roofed slums and hun[...]
Voodoo culture is still very much alive today in West Africa, specifically Benin, where the religion was born. Here's a look at how voodoo culture is practised these days. Voodoo Culture in Benin Mention the word ‘voodoo’ and most people conjure images of dolls riddled with nails, and spoo[...]
For a long time, travel to West Africa was restricted — due to civil wars, tribal conflicts, terrorism and the ebola outbreak. Today, this is the world's poorest region, with many countries here occupying the lowest positions in the UN Human Development Index. A large percentage of p[...]
Last month, we celebrated the momentous event of Kaleya turning one year old. (I know! How did one year pass just like that???) In the past month, Baby Kaleya has blossomed into a toddler. Having taken her first steps at 10 months old, she’s now waddling her way all over the place and loving this[...]
10 Best Winter Experiences While writing my previous post on polar travel, memories of my epic winter trips came flooding in. I recall the time I sat on the snow in Antarctica and watched one penguin after another waddle past me. That time I looked a polar bear in the eye when it was just[...]
There is complete silence except for the occasional mountain wind blowing or ravens circling overhead. It's like Narnia out here! Frozen icicles hang from granite rock cliffs, the light bouncing off the snow is blinding me, and the sounds of ravens flying above are echoing through the ensemble of t[...]
From fairy tale castles to magic mountains, Transylvania is a region in Europe that's often overlooked by travelers. Here are some 0f the coolest things to do in Transylvania. It all began when I was a little girl. As a child, my favourite book was Bram Stoker's Dracula; I must have been read it a[...]
40 Photos of Cape Verde that will make you want to go there now Not many people have heard of Cape Verde. Since reading about it in a magazine a few years ago, I've been absolutely intrigued by it. How did a small archipelago nation with so little natural resources become one of the most econo[...]
As you can tell from this blog, we love taking photos when we travel. We've shot photos from all over the world - from Antarctica to Zimbabwe - but we're embarrassed to admit that there are barely any decent photos of us together. Since Baby Kaleya came into our lives, it's become even more im[...]
Hip and free-spirited, Palm Springs is a quirky oasis in the desert of California. Here's a look at some of the awesome things to do in Palm Springs - for all types of traveler. On our recent trip to California, we made quirky Palm Springs our first stop. We were eager to explore the desert and b[...]
It comes as a surprise to many that winter might just be the best time to visit the Norwegian capital, Oslo. Here are just some of the awesome things to do in Oslo on your winter break. My first visit to Oslo was almost eight years ago. I fell in love with the edgy yet down-to-earth capital of Norw[...]
Winter In Cyprus: What It's Like When planning our recent trip to Cyprus, we were a bit hesitant about traveling in winter. We knew winter in Cyprus would be warmer than elsewhere in Europe, but we weren't quite sure if it would be the best time to visit. Would it be cold and gloomy? Or would r[...]
At the end of each year, I always make it a point to write a post about the places I've been to over the year as a way to look back at the miles I've traveled and reflect on the lessons I've learned. 2015 has been a very special year for me: Alberto and I welcomed Baby Kaleya into our lives and[...]
My Best Photos of Cyprus from Ancient Ruins to Stunning Beaches. Cyprus is known to many as a sun-kissed beach destination — but few of us know its history or culture. Armed with a curiosity to learn about this island, we headed to Cyprus last week to find out what this country is all about.[...]
How Will Cuba Change? With the recent strengthening of ties between the US and Cuba, many are questioning if the time-warped nation will ultimately lose its charm. We check in with the Cubans to find out. Since the US trade embargo was implemented almost 50 years ago, Cuba has been kept in a 1950s[...]
One of the best places to visit in Cuba is the colonial town of Trinidad. But don't trust me on that, ask anyone and they'll surely tell you the same. Trinidad is the Cuba that many people imagine: rambling cobbled streets replete with cigar-smoking men playing dominos, hat-wearing guitar-wielding[...]