Day 1 | Dublin I landed in Dublin around 10 am local time after a grueling 20 hours of traveling (and of course, no sleep). The first of my friends wasn't due to land until nearly 5 pm and I had a ton of time to kill. For context: my international travel experience is virtually non-existent. My trip to New Zealand last year was the first time I left North America. I'd never been to Europe ...
Adventure
Stop Falling for the Myth of Perfect Timing
A few years ago when I lived in North Carolina, I often thought to myself how nice it would be to visit Asheville and hike in the mountains of western NC. It was only 3 hours away, and I knew I would love it. I dreamed about staying in a cozy little cottage, hiking Grandfather Mountain, exploring the local shops and restaurants, and breathing in the crisp air of the beautiful Blue Ridge. I ...
Winter in Zion: Angel’s Landing + Hidden Canyon
Winter is on its way out, but I have one last snowy adventure to share before we get on with spring! When we went to Zion in February, we had two full days to explore the park (the other 2 days were partial travel days), so we made the most of them! For one day we did The Narrows, and for the other we hiked a couple of my favorite trails. About 2 or 3 weeks before our visit, the southwest ...
Hiking The Narrows at Zion in the Winter
The Narrows is one of the most popular, most photographed hikes in Zion National Park. The hike isn't as much of a hike as a wade up and down the Virgin River. Slot canyon walls tower above you, giving it a secluded, other-worldly feel. The first time I went to Zion, we didn't have time to do The Narrows, so the iconic walk was on my "must do" list for the next trip. Last month, my sister ...
Glamping in Wanaka
Although I'm always up for adventure and outdoor time, there's something about camping that has always scared me off. The combination of sleeping outside on top of the logistical challenges of backpacking has always been enough to scare me off. But when I first learned that glamping (aka glamorous camping) was a thing, I was totally on board. While I was looking for unique lodging for our ...
Walking into Mordor: Tongariro Alpine Crossing + Mt Ngauruhoe Summit
You know that Lord of the Rings meme where Boromir says "one does not simply walk into Mordor"? Well, I simply walked into Mordor. When I was a teenager, I was a huge Lord of the Rings nerd. I read The Silmarillion. I had an Elvish translator app on my computer (both Sindarin and Quenya, thanks). There's a mildly embarrassing picture of me posing with my Sting replica in front of my ...
