The Best Hotels in Siem Reap: Where to Stay to Explore Angkor
Updated December 2024 While I was living in Thailand and working in the luxury travel industry, I had the amazing privilege to visit and stay in some of the best hotels in Siem Reap and beyond. So, I’m sharing those recommendations with you here.
How to Celebrate Mexican Independence Day in Mexico City
Last September, I arrived in Ciudad de Mexico with no real knowledge about Mexican history or culture. However, I just had to look around at the glittering displays of green, white and red to know something was going on and indeed it was – I had stumbled into celebrating Mexico Independence Day in Mexico City! […]
Asian Literature: 11 Best Books About Southeast Asia
So, I recently made Southeast Asia my home by officially moving to Bangkok! I’ve celebrated in the only way I know how – adding the best books about Southeast Asia to my ever-growing reading wish list and further expanding on my knowledge of Asian literature. Here, I’m recommending one novel set in each country in […]
On Moving to Bangkok and Gripping the Second Trapeze
I moved to Bangkok. Forgive me for the blunt delivery, but when I came to write this post I wasn’t sure what I want to say about it. I didn’t want to say, “Look at me and my jet-set lifestyle – I just casually moved to Bangkok!” because there’s been a complex backstory to get […]
Where to Find Plastic Free & Zero Waste Travel Toiletries
Updated October 2025 I don’t know about you, but I’m so, so, SO done with plastic. I know my life isn’t going to become plastic-free overnight, but I’m learning to make small, sustainable changes over time, including a switch to plastic free and zero waste toiletries (particularly zero waste travel toiletries because I travel so […]
The Kraken & the Warrior, a Personal Story on Mental Health
I think… I think I’m ready to talk about my mental health. I think it feels like time. I think it’s important that you know what’s been going on and it’s especially important because I guarantee that someone you know is struggling with their mental health right now. That someone you know might even be […]
17 Best Shakespeare Quotes About Travel to Inspire Adventure
It’s Shakespeare’s birthday weekend and I’m celebrating in his birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon (Will, you don’t look a day over 400). So, in the spirit of all things literary and wanderlustful, I have compiled a list of Shakespeare quotes about travel from the bard’s most famous plays; to inspire you to either pick up a pen […]
Ultimate Trip Planner | How to Get the Most Out of Your Backpacking Budget
Updated May 2024 I’m a firm believer that travel does not have to be expensive. In fact, there’s something freeing about stuffing a handful of ragged clothes into a backpack, sleeping in hammocks and eating street food. Therefore, I want to share my backpacking trip planner and show how I make the most of my […]
11 Great Japanese Novels in English to Read on Your Trip
When I read Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood during a trip to Japan, both the trip and the book sparked a fascination with Japanese novels that has stayed with me ever since. This list was meant to be a top five, but I simply couldn’t choose! So instead, here are 11 great Japanese writers and the […]
5 Cool Used Bookstores in Los Angeles You Need to Visit
Shopping for books may not be the first thing that pops into your head when you think about visiting Los Angeles, but you may be surprised. Local Angeleno Maggie Torsney-Weir shares her guide to the best quirky bookshops and used bookstores in Los Angeles, from children’s books to travel tomes, to independent bookstores that have become […]