Postcards from Paradise

We share a love for $8 messages and scooter rides through rice fields. (at Bali, Indonesia)

Great way to spend our last few days in Queensland. Soon to be Sydneysiders 🤙🏽 (at Magnetic Island)

So so so proud of this amazing human for accomplishment his dream. This Englishman is on his way to becoming a dual national. Officially an Australian Permanent Resident!!! Yewwww #timetoparty

Sunset hike to the top of Mount Osmond 🤙🏽 (at Mount Osmond Walking Trail)

Winter down 'unda! #straya 🌊🌊 (at The Great Barrier Reef)

When I'm really happy I can hardly open my eyes. Diving the Great Barrier Reef constitutes as one of those moments #australia #greatbarrierreef #diving (at The Great Barrier Reef)

This van was home over the past 3 weeks. We traveled up the east coast of Australia from Sydney to Brisbane for 2559km. 4 persons, 3 weeks, 1 campervan. Aus sure has shown me some beautiful places...even for being winter and 25 degrees C. (at Cairns, Queensland, Australia)

In search of crocs up here at Cape Tribulation 🐊🐊🐊 (at Cape Tribulation)

On the road up the east coast of Australia. Sydney➡️Cairns (at Mission Beach, Far North Queensland)

Wallaman Falls Tallest waterfall in Australian. (at Girringun National Park)

Today calls for donuts and lots of walking 🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩 (at Brisbane, Australia)

When you've flown 22 flights over the past 4 months, you're bound to miss at least one. Something I've learn from missed flight is that it's just money. The kick yourself feeling is easily overcome when you take a step back and remember that you are happy, healthy and have had the privilege to have come this far. Who knew such meaningful life lessons would come from missed opportunities at the airport. • • #travel #solotravel #girlslovetravel #travelstokes #gratitude

They say you can find your soulmate in the oddest places...but what about your tour guide? If only there was some sort of network to connect you with local people that wouldn't find it odd if you stop them to ask about the best hole in the wall restos. Oh wait...there is. Tinder, commonly confused with Grinder by my mother (common mistake lol) is today's popular dating app with my generation. It maps your location, connects you with men/women in your 1-100 mile radius and allows the platform to start a conversation. While most swipers are looking for Mr. Right, this luxe nomad has kept the swiping to a maximum of 5 miles to minimize the swiping while maximizing the quality. Who says you have to swipe for love on Tinder? As a solo traveler looking to get the most out of a new city from a locals perspective I have taken a twist on an already handy app. Social media has made meeting new people in new places even easier. From Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram you can connect with people who are a blast from your past and even meet new faces. Using Tinder as a platform to connect with locals in new countries takes you away from the run of the mill tourist attractions and can help you swap languages lessons for historical hikes up to Victoria's Peak in Hong Kong, or let you in on transportation hacks tourists don't often know about. Sure the Internet is packed with information on Zagat rated restos and the top 10 things to see in Japan, but can Trip Advisor take you the best seat in the house to see the light show at Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong or to the back alley dim sum restaurant that has you dining shoulder to shoulder Anthony Bourdain style? I think not. Sure I get a few laughs when friends see me swiping through Tinder, but little do they know, I'm just going some cultural recon on my new destination. While in Thailand I was able to connect with some fun people and discover parts of Chonburi I had no idea about. While in Vietnam I enjoyed a delicious food tour around the city from hole in the wall places that were just that...holes in the wall. In exchange for conversation practice and a chance to show off his new white friends, we enjoyed Vietnamese desert sitting on kindergarten sized stools on the sidewalk of Hanoi. Hong Kong offered up some great recommendations on free temples to get into and local transportation hacks to travel the city on a shoestring budget. As well as some of the best dim sum I've ever experienced! Japan's Tokyo Tinder was a good laugh, especially with the language barrier, but I had a good time connecting to people offering up great recommendations. For the solo travelers looking to get a chance to meet the locals jump on the T and get to swiping! Tips on being a platonic Tinderella: 1. To start, keep your profile friendly and light. 2. State what city you're in and how long you'll be in town. 3. Say what your interests are while your there. 4. And most importantly, JUST LOOKING FOR LOCAL FRIENDS. White folk need not apply. 5. Of course, always travel in packs. Bring at least one girlfriend to ensure safety and maximize the amount of blushing on your host when in the company of two lovely girls. Brought to you by today's Traveling Tinderella

Took the monkeys to the zoo to see the elephants...I mean the kids, took the kids. #khaokheowopenzoo #thailand (at Khaow Kheow Open Zoo)

Since 13 March I have been on the move and enjoying all that my travels have to offer. Now that they are slowly leading my back to America I'm taking a step back and reminiscing on my favorite places in each country. Do you have any trips coming up to any of these places? Let me know, I'd love to help you stack your itinerary with fun, adventurous and unseen treasures of Asia.

Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

After days, weeks, even 2 months after living in a bikini and traveling the beaches of SEA, my travels have taken me back to the big city. Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia is the home to about 30 million people and came as a bit of culture shock not to be near the sea. So I traded my Flip flops for Converse and hit the streets of KL for some delicious Indian food, mosques and cultural experiences. My favorite part of getting to a new city is getting to know it by way of the locals. Although the heat of Asia makes it difficult to enjoy the outdoors without being left with a sweat mustache, I try to find myself a shady cafe to people watch the local food stands, public transportation hacks by locals and everyday social and cultural cues. Being a predominantly Muslim country, I was skeptical of my arrival to this new country. I made sure to have my spidey senses on high alert and have my wits about me 24/7. With the recent terror attacks and acts of violence in the most common places, I have been left hyper aware and cautious of my surroundings at all times. To my surprise and to put my feelings at bay, I found KL to be a safe and yet again...DELICIOUS city. When walking around the city as well as mosques and temples, I found it important to be respectful and understand the importance of modesty. When traveling to a conservative country it is always important to take social clue from the locals. I'm not saying go out and adorn the newest trends in burkas, but making sure to be respectful and ensure you are not flaunting any cleave, and that your knees and shoulders are covered. Overall, the city was a great mix of historical architecture, beautiful mosques and informative museums. I enjoyed a few days in KL before jetting over to the small town to Penang. And for the low, low cost of 16USD this little flashpacker can enjoy life in the sky. I was able to fly from KL to Penang, Malaysia for 34USD round trip. It's insane, how inexpensive traveling within Asia can be through budget airlines and low cost hostels and hostels. It's been a fantastic couple of months of travel and I'm pleased to say that I was able to afford 4 months of travel based on my savings from my work in Thailand. For people to say they can't afford to travel, or they don't have the time to travel, it just sounds like an excuse. I don't mean everyone has to be like me and travel for ages, but a 10 Asian adventure is definitely doable on a shoestring budget. Once my new friends and I arrived in Penang, we made our own street tour through the historical streets and art of the small coastal town of Georgetown. The city is a walkable, artsy hub of coffee shops and relaxation. We spent a few days just roaming around the city enjoying the kitschy street art painted on local buildings and enjoying local delicacies at the Ramadan bazaars. Back to KL after a few days of enjoying the change up of Penang I was able to meet up with my good friend Marshall from Canada... Now let me give you a little insight to my Canadian comrade. We met 5 years ago in London, England. The following year we traveled Spain together for 1 month. After that he came to pay a visit to the beautiful Southern California and last year Marshall took a trip through South East Asia, where we reconnected in Bangkok to cross paths this year on our travels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. So that's 5 years, 3 continents and way to many memories to count. It was great to reconnect once again in a new place and plan for our future travels. We're thinking maybe next year I pay a visit to our neighbor to the North of the US and see what Toronto is all about. Now, I make my way to my last destination in Asia. It is with a full heart that I make my way back to Thailand in order to collect all my belongings on my journey to the US. I'll have a week or so to say my goodbyes, visit my students and enjoy my last bit of super spicy eats before making my way down unda' for a road trip of a lifetime up the East Coast of Straya. Excuse me while I go cry my eyes out for my last week in Thailand, The Emotional Traveler