5 Days in Hong Kong: My Spontaneous & Itinerary-Free Trip

My spur of the moment trip to Hong Kong was born from a late-night conversation with a travel-hungry friend 10,000 miles away. It was a wild, impulsive, and indelible adventure; a chance journey that wasn’t really meant to take place, but played out perfectly nonetheless. Our five-day meet-up was a blur of world-class food, bumpy … Read more

Vietnam on a Motorbike: My 10-Day Road Trip (Route + Itinerary)

Red arch with Vietnamese text over an open road with mountains and blue skies in the background

My plan for Vietnam never involved a motorbike. It also didn’t involve riding that motorbike 1600 kilometers for 10 straight days with someone I had just met. Crashes, break downs, and wrecked itineraries – those weren’t part of the plan either. I wasn’t supposed to get caked in mud, freeze my ass off, or stare … Read more

27 Tips for Motorbiking Vietnam: Getting Ready to Ride

A man sitting on a motorbike in the middle of a muddy dirt road with a wooden shack to his right and jungle in the background

Motorbiking the vast countrysides of Northern Vietnam was one of the most rewarding travel experiences I’ve ever had. Breathtaking vistas of layered rice terraces, wandering water buffalo, blissful and generous people, authentic local cuisine — it all felt too amazing to be real. I was living out an exhilarating and spontaneous dream, and each day … Read more

Hanoi in One Day: A 24-Hour Guide (Tips, Costs & Itinerary)

Hanoi is a swirl of sweet chaos. Motorbikes dart through the streets like schools of buzzing fish. Steam, smoke, and alluring aromas pour out of restaurants and onto the sidewalks. Art, music, and memories of war reverberate everywhere, and I felt it all the moment my boots hit the pavement. Traveling and exploring Hanoi, even … Read more

Chengdu’s Wenshu Monastery Neighborhood: What to Do (and Eat)

Woman riding a cart full of vegetables down a crowded outdoor market in Chengdu, China

I’ve just returned from the Wenshu Monastery neighborhood, and I’m itching to go back. When I arrived two days ago, I did so with no expectations and zero research. I simply dropped my bags at the hostel and started walking. Bustling markets, fragrant Sichuan cuisine, fascinating people, ancient history, and a vibrant culture — I … Read more

Braving Tepito: My Trip Inside Mexico City’s Infamous Barrio

“Don’t go there. You’ll get robbed.” This was the popular advice given to me by taxi drivers and hostel managers when I asked about Tepito, Mexico City’s most notorious neighborhood. I’m usually great at listening to advice from locals, but this particular day I decided to keep asking until I got the answer I wanted. … Read more