When it comes to travel in Southeast Asia, I always try to keep my expectations in check. Every once in awhile, that gets challenged. My friends, Lisi and Pat, flew out to Vietnam to spend my birthday with me, and we all decided to book a Halong Bay overnight cruise. We were shown an elaborate […]
Bali Cheat Sheet for First Time Visitors
I’d met several people who claimed they didn’t like Indonesia, but when I told people I’d be spending most of my time in Bali, their eyes lit up. It was as if I was talking about a different country. In Bali, the people are Hindu, they speak Balinese, and they have their own local cuisine. […]
Thailand Backpacking Budget with Cost Breakdowns
Thailand is one of the countries where it’s easy for me to live on a $30 a day budget. In January, I spent 18 days in Northern Thailand, but I knew I wanted to go back and explore the south. The second time I stayed for just under 4 weeks (27 days), and managed to stick […]
The Best Restaurants in Nusa Lembongan on a Budget
My mom and I decided to visit Nusa Lembongan after looking at a map of Bali for hours. We originally confused the small island with one of the Gili’s, but once we realized it was a different place we began to do some research. There was little information out there about the island since it’s […]
Taking a Balinese Cooking Class in Ubud
If you follow my blog, then you know that I like to take a cooking class in every country I visit. Truth is, I’m a terrible cook. The great thing about cooking exotic food for friends back home is that they have no idea if you’ve messed up. This has given me a little more […]
Exploring the Mondulkiri Elephant Sanctuary & Town
For some reason, southern Cambodia just wasn’t calling my name. Koh Rong, Kampot, and Sihanoukville were seeing monsoon season full force. I had no intention of venturing away from Phnom Penh until I met an awesome girl from Denmark who happened to be interning at the Mondulkiri Elephant Sanctuary. I know what you’re thinking…dream job. […]
Cambodia Backpacking Budget with Breakdowns
If you’re coming from a western country, you’ll think Cambodia is cheap. However, if you’re coming from another country in Southeast Asia, you’ll find it surprisingly expensive. While beautiful hotels are cheap, food and tourism is on the pricey side. My Cambodia backpacking budget was for $30 a day, but I ended up going over […]
Visiting Bali GEO Coffee Plantation in Ubud
The second someone mentioned a coffee plantation in Ubud, I knew I’d be going. I’d previously had a blast learning everything there was to know about making tea in India, so I would not pass up a chance to learn about my other favorite beverage. We arrived at Bali GEO Coffee Plantation in Ubud where […]
Taking a Khmer Cooking Class in Phnom Penh
I think it’s good to challenge ourselves every day. For me, cooking is always a challenge. Taking a class in each country I visit is always interesting, and taking a cooking class in Phnom Penh was no different.. I wasn’t really sure what Khmer (Cambodian) food was before I got here. Even after being here […]
Mount Rinjani Trekking: What to Expect in 3D & 2N
I decided to rearrange my schedule to go Mount Rinjani trekking after hearing several people say it was their favorite part of visiting Indonesia. When everyone agrees that one thing was his or her favorite, it’s a no brainer. I’d been told that the trek was extremely difficult and not everyone would summit. This idea […]