My first major excursion in Japan was to (of course) see Mt. Fuji. I love hiking and backpacking, so I was bummed to learn that the main climbing season had just ended due to monsoons. It normally lasts from mid-July to mid-September, so try to …
Blue Waters of Desolation Wilderness, California
I backpacked a 30 mile loop in Desolation Wilderness with some friends. We found some absolutely GORGEOUS lakes, part of what the wilderness area is well known for. The sit in granite basins carved out from the last ice age. When we were ready to …
7 Things Not to Miss Out on in Nepal
1. Trekking in the Himalayas View of the Annapurna Mountains from Poon Hill, shortly after sunrise This one’s obvious. I trekked in the Annapurna Mountain Range. If you do, definitely try the Poon Hill sunrise trek from Ghorepani, to watch sunlight literally wash over a Himalayan panorama. …
Blunders Navigating the Tokyo Subway
My most recent big trip was to check out Japan for the first time. My boyfriend Alec spent a full month there, and I was able to swing two weeks away from my office job to join him. It was his fourth time in Tokyo …
5 Reasons Why You Should Camp in a Jungle
So I love camping just about anywhere! When I was growing up, my Dad would take my brother, sister, and I camping…in our backyard. Haha. Nothing too adventurous, but still tons of fun. I’ve since been camping on beaches, in deserts, on mountains, and in …
Canyon of Canyons
The Grand Canyon from the Bright Angel Trail, from my time working on a trail crew in 2016
Wandering Around Durbar Square
I snapped this photo wandering around Durbar Square of Kathmandu, Nepal. Durbar Square is a cultural HUB, and definitely a spot not to miss. I remember the first time I was there learning the entrance fee was 750 nepalese ruppees (just over $7 USD), and …
To Walk Across Spain
I hadn’t even heard of it until I saw the movie The Way, a 2010 film about a father losing his son on a hike across Spain. (It’s a sad movie, but I guess I’d recommend it?) Said hike is called El Camino de Santiago, or El …
When Your Host Mom Gives Birth in a Mountain Village of Nepal
A rooster went ballistic, seemingly mere feet from my head. My eyes reluctantly slid open, and I checked on the wolf spider that had been posted up on the bedroom wall for days. It had probably crawled in through the chicken wire walls for some …