Cultures and Suitcases: My Journey of Learning and Renewal

I have been traveling from a very young age. My parents instilled the importance of learning about other cultures through travel and I have been doing it ever since. It is a great way for me to learn, grow, and overcome challenges. I keep doing it because I truly love it. I discover something new each time and come back renewed.

Duration Of My Trips

The length of my trips tends to vary. I prefer to spend at least 4-5 days in a destination if it’s a shorter trip, and two weeks or longer if possible. The more time you are able to spend somewhere, the more opportunity you have to immerse yourself in the culture without feeling rushed.

Wanderlust Chronicles: Tailoring Journeys to Feed My Soul

I choose where I would like to go next based on what I prefer to do: Such as if I am up for exposing myself to a completely new experience, if I am looking for pure relaxation or an active destination, if I am looking to visit family and friends, etc. I choose my trips based on that first, and once I have decided where I am going to go, I make sure to do thorough research on the destination (e.g.; customs, monetary conversion, best time to visit, etc.). Then I look for accommodation in the area I am looking to stay in, plan out an itinerary (this can be adjusted), set aside money for the trip, and make sure my travel documents are up-to-date.

Journeying Beyond Borders: 11 Countries and Countless Tales 

As of now, I have traveled to 11 countries and 15 U.S. states. Some of my most remarkable adventures include parasailing and jet skiing in the Dominican Republic, exploring the monkey/hidden caves and feeding tiger cubs in Thailand, climbing the steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower, hiking in the national rainforest El Yunque in Puerto Rico, learning to salsa dance in both Cuba and Puerto Rico, climbing Dunns River Falls in Jamaica, exploring a castle in Canada, visiting the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, kayaking in New York, having afternoon high tea in London, eating a delicious sunset dinner directly on the beach, feeding ostriches in Aruba, and taking a canal cruise in Amsterdam, to name a few. Adventures that I have on my bucket list include going skydiving, taking a hot air balloon ride, and visiting a beach with black sand.

Footsteps of Friendship: How Locals Enriched My Journeys Worldwide

Yes! This is one of my favorite things. I have found that locals are so welcoming on my travels, and while in Cuba, I was able to interact with the locals, who taught me some of their moves on the dance floor and cooked traditional dishes from their country that were extremely tasty. Another awesome experience was in Puerto Rico, where the locals taught us the best route to hike in the rainforest and shared a great place to go dancing.

Sharing Journeys, Shaping Travelers: The Evolution of My Travel Blog

What inspired me to start my blog was to share my experiences traveling for both work and fun. It has since evolved from that, as I have found that people need help planning their trips as well as looking for information on destinations they are hoping to visit. I share resources regarding how to travel safely, the best travel items, and how to prepare for long-haul flights, among other things. My readers get to learn from my mistakes and challenges I overcome so that they too can become fearless when embarking on their own journey. My mission is to create more travelers. My hope is once people see me do it, they realize they can too.

Therapist by Day, Explorer by Choice: Embracing Freedom in Travel

I plan my trips around my work schedule. I am primarily a travel healthcare professional (Occupational Therapist) which allows me to travel in between assignments or when I’m working as needed (PRN). I take trips that vary in length, which allows me the freedom to travel often.

Travel Confidently: My Toolkit for Travel Safety and Peaceful Adventures

I would not say I have any major challenges when traveling, as I think most things can be resolved or planned for. The safety measures I take are to do a thorough amount of research, purchase items to improve safety wherever I’m staying (e.g., a portable door lock, and/or door alarm), ensure Google Maps is working correctly, share my itinerary and location at all times, have copies of important documents, arrive at my destination early, and learn a few phrases of the local language.

How GAFFL Can Help Travelers

GAFFL plays a role in helping solo adventurers to make connections and makes research simpler by providing specific detailed travel information based on where you would like to go. Other websites I use to help plan my trips are Viator.com, AirBnB experiences, and Expedia.com.

One Of My Exciting Travel Experiences

This is truly a tough question, and it is really difficult to choose just one. I would say one of my most exciting experiences was exploring Thailand (Phuket) via speed boat. It was invigorating to be on the water and see the ocean upfront. Being able to swim in the water was also fun!

Advice That I Can Share

The advice I would give would be to try to work remotely if you can. This will give you more freedom while giving you the stability of guaranteed income. Another way would be to incorporate travel into your career, which will enable you to travel more and explore places while working.

Things I Wish I Learned Earlier

I wish I knew how easy it gets the more you do it. It is all about taking the leap, and once you do, there is no turning back. It is such a rewarding experience, and the memories you create will last a lifetime. The lessons I have learned are to just relax and enjoy the journey. Everything does not have to go as planned, in fact, it will not. There will be hiccups, but you learn to roll with the punches because, after all, that’s what life is all about. Falling down, and getting back up again!