It was my second day of traveling alone in Borneo. I’d spent a few days searching for crocodiles on the Kinabatangan river followed by another four days dodging pirates in Mabul, but those days had been with friends; now, here I was, heading to a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Borneo to… Continue reading Adventures in Bako National Park, Borneo
Category: Travel
Is Mabul Island Safe? Why I Went Where They Told Me Not To
After visiting Mabul Island in August, each person I met throughout Borneo gasped when I told them I had just come from that region. “Isn’t it really dangerous?!” they would cry. Since I had made it out alive, I’d shrug and say it was fine. I hadn’t been so indifferent a few weeks prior,… Continue reading Is Mabul Island Safe? Why I Went Where They Told Me Not To
10 Things I Learned in My First 10 Days as a “Solo Female Backpacker”
I fought back the tears as I hugged Chelyn goodbye at the airport in Borneo and wished her a safe flight home. Not so much because I would miss her (though I would, of course) but because I now faced 10 days of travel in a third world country– as well as Singapore and peninsular… Continue reading 10 Things I Learned in My First 10 Days as a “Solo Female Backpacker”
Crocodile Diaries: Adventures On the Kinabatangan River in Borneo
Click click. The buzz of the motor muffled the satisfying click of my shutter as we cruised up the Kinabatangan river. The sun beat down on us from a clear azure sky flanked by wispy clouds in the distance, and reflected pictures in the muddy colored water of the lush green trees along the banks.… Continue reading Crocodile Diaries: Adventures On the Kinabatangan River in Borneo
Jungles, Beaches, Monkeys, and My Epic Trip to Borneo
It’s midnight. Eighteen long hours of travel and I’ve finally arrived, sweaty and exhausted, at the hostel in Borneo. We have five hours until we have to be back to the airport to catch our morning flight. I expect some hugs and giggles when I see my friends, some chatting and catching up before getting… Continue reading Jungles, Beaches, Monkeys, and My Epic Trip to Borneo
Holy Crap I’m Going to Borneo Next Week! (Wait, where?)
Up until a few months ago, the only thing I could describe about Borneo was head hunters. It was the ultimate example of somewhere totally remote and exotic. Then I overheard someone describing their recent trip to Borneo, and I gasped. Wait, people can actually GO to Borneo?! It was in that very moment that… Continue reading Holy Crap I’m Going to Borneo Next Week! (Wait, where?)
A Perfect Day at the Boseong Tea Fields
Bolstered by the success of my first Korean road trip, I decided to put Betty White to the test again in a girls weekend getaway to the Boseong Tea Fields. The rolling hills lined neatly with rows upon rows of green tea plants in the Boseong region are a famous destination for tourists and a… Continue reading A Perfect Day at the Boseong Tea Fields
Busan Culture Village: Surprisingly Beautiful
When you think of Korean culture, you probably conjure images of the typical temples and Buddhist shrines. Korea is not known for being particularly artsy, but tucked away throughout the country are pockets of artistry and color that can catch you off guard. When I first heard of the Busan Culture Village, I rolled my… Continue reading Busan Culture Village: Surprisingly Beautiful
Weird Korea: Forced to Fake Vote in a Bamboo Theme Park
On my 25th birthday my (awesome) friends hung posters around my house saying the 25 things they loved about me. Along with phrases like, “She’s the only one I’d go to an Indian buffet and then try on spandex with” (because it really happened), one poster read, “You can meet the strangest people on the… Continue reading Weird Korea: Forced to Fake Vote in a Bamboo Theme Park
The Awesome & Inspiring Person I Met From CouchSurfing
At 2am the doorbell rang. I peered out the window with some trepidation, wondering if this person might be a serial killer, but opened the door for the stranger anyway. In front of me stood a British man with a chipped tooth and a rucksack; we’d never met, but I smiled and invited him in.… Continue reading The Awesome & Inspiring Person I Met From CouchSurfing
A Korean Road Trip To Goeje and Namhae Islands
The 5am alarm obliterated my peaceful slumber, and the butterflies immediately fluttered in my stomach. Today was the day! My first Korean road trip. And I was somewhat terrified. One of my best friends from home was visiting me in Korea for two weeks and I’d promised to give her a tour to some… Continue reading A Korean Road Trip To Goeje and Namhae Islands
Back in Cali! Being a Tourist at the Golden Gate Bridge
I bounced my knees in excited anticipation. I tried to look out the windows, leaning both forward and backward to see around my neighbors, but I was seated in the center of the plane. I couldn’t see the skyline of the city I had watched disappear into the horizon eleven months ago, but blue skies… Continue reading Back in Cali! Being a Tourist at the Golden Gate Bridge