After touching down in Manila’s international airport, I lugged my backpack around in circles searching for a minibus, or jeepny as they call them in the Philippines, to the nearest subway station. With sweat running down my face, I squinted at every packed bus that drove by. Bus, after bus, …

Dawn is breaking, cool and pastel blue. Somewhere in the distance across the jungle valley, a relentless tonal recording has been echoing through the treetops for at least an hour. Blaring horns blend with unfamiliar tropical bird squawks and what sounds like a harrumphing call of a hippo, although I’m …

India can certainly be overwhelming for first-time travelers. It’s complete sensory overload—loud noises; bright colors; various smells ranging from beautiful to horrid; enough spices to last a lifetime; and crumbling ruins, beautiful silky saris, and more. Despite all of that, there are several things you can do to ensure you …

“Just go with the flow.” If anyone has ever given you tips for travel in India, you have likely heard this phrase. It means that unexpected things are bound to happen and you should just roll with it. I don’t know how this travel tip has become so unanimously supported …

What’s the first thing your friends ask you when you return from a trip? If they’re anything like mine, the burning question is almost always, “How was the food?” And if you’ve just returned from a trip to Istanbul, your answer might be: “The food was over-priced, mediocre, typical tourist …

No matter what, women have to be on guard in Cairo. Your brain is on every minute of every day in order to keep yourself safe. It’s exhausting, but not unlike some other places I’ve traveled to. As a confident traveler, I got cocky and assumed that as long as …

Kyrgy…what? No, not Kazakhstan, not Pakistan, not Afghanistan. I’m here to chat about a small, Central Asian country today called Kyrgyzstan. Here, it’s pronounced, kur-gi-stan, or at least that’s how I pronounce it ? It’s located in Central Asia and is bordered by Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and China. It differs …

Kyrgyzstan food had me at meat and potatoes. If you didn’t read my intro to my trip to Kyrgyzstan, check it out here. But let’s get to the good stuff, shall we? The question that I was immediately asked as soon as I found out I was going to Kyrgyzstan …

In the wake of concerns over travel safety for women following several high profile attacks in Thailand, Brazil, India and Turkey, the wisdom of choosing to travel is being called into question. Over the past 10 years, I’ve spent close to three years altogether traveling solo in India, Canada, Ireland, …

I had the opportunity to attend the Wilton Mom ReTreat outside Chicago last week and learned some amazing baking ideas. One of my favorites was a Cake Pops demonstration which resulted in some absolutely scrumptious cake pops. These treats on a stick are perfect for any occasion from birthday parties …