My first summer leading trips in Ecuador and the Galápagos was filled with volcanoes, wildlife, street food, ocean crossings, and moments that reminded me how great the power of adventure is.

 A Christmas trip through Costa Rica—an all-inclusive stay in Guanacaste, monkeys outside the rooms, horseback riding on the beach, and an eco hotel near the volcano during the Covid era.

Crossing into Chile through the Atacama Desert, sandboarding massive dunes, biking through Valle de la Luna, and watching one of the most vivid sunsets I’ve ever seen during two unforgettable days in northern Chile.

I wake up early because I learn fast that the Vatican is not something you do casually. If you wait until midday, the sun turns the line into punishment. So I go before the city fully wakes up, and I step into a place that feels like it is designed to overwhelm you on purpose.

Spain hits me like warmth after a storm. I arrive in the Basque Country and feel politics in the street signs and summer in the air. Then I ride down the coast into Barcelona, where the buildings look like coral reefs and the city feels alive. Next I go for a summer leading kids on high adventure trips with Moondance Adventures.

Two trips to Tanzania changed everything: a month studying wildlife and culture near Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti, then two more months leading teen girls across the Serengeti, Isotak, Lake Jipe, and Eagle Point in Tanga. This is the full story, told the way I lived it.

One full day traveling by train through Switzerland, where the Alps unfold outside the window and time slows enough to notice every ridge, valley, and hillside.

Two rainy days in Singapore exploring Little India, Chinatown, Marina Bay, and some of the most striking architecture in Southeast Asia during the start of a solo journey.

A quiet day traveling from Jerusalem into Bethlehem, walking mostly empty streets, visiting the Church of the Nativity, sharing a meal with a local shop owner, and seeing Palestine through listening, observation, and human connection.

Morocco was intense, beautiful, exhausting, and unforgettable—from the heat of Marrakesh to the snow and sleet of Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa.

I arrive in Amsterdam with my best friend Aiden and one immediate problem. We are minors, and most hostels will not take us. What happens next is one of the kindest chain reactions I have ever experienced in travel.

From neon-lit nights in Kuala Lumpur to rain-soaked hikes in Cameron Highlands and a brutal climb in Penang, Malaysia becomes a place of motion, friendships, and forward momentum.

From Tokyo streets to empty Kyoto shrines at sunrise, this is a first-person journey through Japan by train, bike, and foot, capturing food, movement, and the moments that make the country unforgettable.

Luxembourg is not chaos or spectacle. It is a pause. A soft landing with family, a couple nights of calm, and the feeling of being taken care of mid adventure.

Iceland is the final surprise. We land near Reykjavík, step outside the airport, and before we even hitchhike, someone stops to help. The sun does not really set, the buildings glow with color, and the city feels like a dream you walk through.

Italy is where the trip slows down without losing momentum. It is where food becomes language, cities feel layered instead of crowded, and time stretches just enough for everything to matter. From pesto kitchens in Genoa to sunrise pizza at the Colosseum, Italy is not one place. It is a sequence of moments that refuse to blur together.

Crossing from Jordan into Israel through one of the most chaotic borders I’ve experienced, then spending days getting lost in Jerusalem’s Old City, photographing a proposal at the Western Wall, and moving through a city shaped by history, faith, checkpoints, and constant motion.

A one-day stop in Roatán, Honduras spent snorkeling clear Caribbean waters while my mom tried scuba diving for the first time during a family cruise.

A fifteen-hour layover in Thessaloniki turns into gyros by the sea, afternoon sun on the pier, strong Greek coffee, and a quiet walk through ancient streets before flying on.

A winter stop in Munich with family: Christmas markets, the famous river surfers in the English Garden, cozy tavern dinners, and a quiet, unforgettable visit to Dachau.