Visiting the Magical Place that is Sintra, Portugal.

Posted on by Krystal
One of the best things about open-ended traveling is winding up in places that you didn't know existed. Or being pleasantly surprised that a destination highly exceeds your expectations, like Sintra. When I decided to start my 14-week trip off in Portugal, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was conveniently located as one of the closest countries to fly into from the United States. I knew it was relatively affordable, and I...more

All About the Time I Hiked the Italian Coast in Cinque Terre

Posted on by Krystal
On my first long backpacking trip to Europe, my travel partner and I were terrible planners most of the time. To missed trains, running after buses, and not checking in for our Ryanair flight before we got to the airport, we were the target of most rookie travel mistakes. But sometimes terrible planning worked out better than we could ever have imagined. Like the time we got on a much later train than expected from...more

My Top Three Unplanned Italian Destinations

Posted on by Krystal
When it comes to Italy, it is easy to ramble on about the impeccable cuisine, high quality coffee, beautiful language, the winding canals of Venice, breathtaking coast of Cinque Terre and the ancient cobblestones in Rome. From top to bottom, it is arguably my favorite country. It is also one of the first places I recommend to anyone who is planning a trip to Europe. There are so many obvious reasons to love the country....more

My First Big Adventure is Booked

Posted on by Krystal
Los Angeles to New York, New York to Boston, Boston to Portugal. Plane tickets are purchased, itineraries booked, there’s no turning back now (not that I want to). I am about to embark on my first big backpacking adventure. It started a little less than a year ago (8 months to be more specific). I had what I thought was a crazy idea to sell my things, quit my job, pack a bag and just...more