Ten years ago, on July 26, 2006, I embarked on a journey that would change my life. I bid farewell to my dad, hopped in my car, and set off on a year-long adventure around the world, starting with a road trip across the United States before heading to Europe. Eighteen months later, six months later than I had planned, I returned home, broke and yearning for the road.
I took a temporary job to fill in for someone on maternity leave, but sitting in that office, I knew the corporate life wasn’t for me. I was a nomad at heart, and I yearned for the thrill of travel. So, with no money and no responsibilities holding me back, I booked a flight and planned my next adventure.
Over the next decade, I traveled to Europe, taught English in Thailand, and poured my heart into this website. I met incredible people who ignited my passion for travel, took Thai classes that led me to live in Bangkok, and started this website from a cubicle that I couldn’t stand. It’s been an exciting, unplanned adventure.
But after ten years, I’ve started to settle down. I’ve put down roots in Austin and shifted my focus to the next chapter of my life: part-time traveler, hostel owner, cook, reader, and early riser.
As I transition from one chapter to the next, I want to share some of my favorite stories from my decade on the road:
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Making Friends on a Road Trip: I started my journey as a quiet introvert, unsure of how to meet new people. That changed when I met a fellow traveler named Matt in a hostel in Tucson. We ended up hiking the Grand Canyon together and meeting other travelers along the way. This experience helped me become comfortable with meeting strangers and making friends.
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Living on Ko Lipe: My favorite travel memory is the month I spent living on the Thai island of Ko Lipe in 2006. Back then, it was a sleepy little place with limited electricity. I met a group of people who never seemed to leave the island, and we formed a tight-knit group. We spent our days lounging on the beach, snorkeling, and exploring the other islands in the national park. At night, we dined on cheap seafood, drank beer, and played beach games until the lights went out. This experience taught me that the best things on the road happen when you least expect them.
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The Shit Story: While in Barcelona in 2013, a very drunk roommate decided to take a shit in our dorm room and locked himself out in the process. This was the grossest thing that has ever happened to me in a hostel, and it made me vow to only stay in dorm rooms if I absolutely had no choice.
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Living in Amsterdam: In 2006, I visited Amsterdam for the first time and ended up staying for nearly three months. I met some wonderful people, including a man named Greg who invited me to join his private poker games. My experiences with him taught me to be more open and welcoming of strangers.
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La Tomatina: In 2010, I attended La Tomatina, a tomato food-fight festival in Spain. I met a group of travelers in my hostel dorm, and we spent the next week having the time of our lives. We even continued traveling together to Barcelona.
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Learning to Scuba Dive in Fiji: On a whim, I decided to fly to Fiji while I was in New Zealand. There, my friend convinced me to try scuba diving. Despite my initial fears, learning to scuba dive was one of the greatest experiences of my life. It made me decide to be more adventurous in my travels.
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Safari in Africa: In 2012, I went on a safari through southern Africa. I slept under the stars, saw the Milky Way in such detail I thought the sky had been photoshopped, and saw countless animals I had only dreamed of before then. Being in Africa was an incredible adventure.
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Living in Bangkok: In 2007, I moved to Bangkok for a month to learn Thai. At first, I felt very disconnected from the city, but I eventually found a job teaching English and made a group of friends. This experience taught me that I could make it anywhere.
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Finding Family in Ios: In 2009, I flew from Asia to Greece to explore the Greek islands. I ended up staying on the island of Ios, where I met a group of backpackers who became like family to me. We spent our days on the beach and our nights in a blur. It was so much fun that I returned to Ios the following year.
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Patagonia: My trip to Patagonia this year taught me that I can’t do everything. I tried to balance work and travel, but I ended up getting bad anxiety. This experience changed how I travel: now, when I’m in a new place, I focus on exploring, not working.
Over the past ten years, I’ve created more memories than I can remember. I often find myself recalling something from the past and thinking, "Oh yeah, that did happen. How did I forget something like that?" I consider myself lucky to have been able to travel for as long as I have. I’m often amazed at where my life has taken me since the day I said "I quit." I don’t know what the other road would have been like, and frankly, I don’t care. The road I’m on may not be a straight path upward, but it’s better than I could have ever imagined.
