When you’re on the road, it can be hard to stop, pick up a pen and paper (or computer) and actually chronicle your travels. You’re so busy getting out and experiencing a new place that the last thing you want to do is take a moment to pause! As someone who coins herself “Jen on…
If you’re packing your bags right now for your next Italian getaway, lucky you! You’re going go to one of the MOST beautiful and MOST romantic countries in the WORLD! Now, especially for us ladies, the real dilemma arises: How am I going to pack my entire wardrobe into my suitcase… or worse, just in…
My heritage has fascinated me since I was old enough to remember. As a young girl, I remember unrolling the family tree on my mother’s side of the family and spending hours examining the names. For a school project, I spent time interviewing each of my living grandparents about their lives growing up in America…
Raise your hand if you love ancient ruins. For all you archeology buffs out there, this one’s for you! If you aren’t familiar with the story of Pompeii, Italy, already, here’s the scoop: It was destroyed by volcanic ash and pumice in AD 79, when the nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted, and everybody died because they…
On a recent trip, my friend Kirstin and I visited our mutual friend, Laura, in Australia. She had recently moved to Sydney with her husband, Nick, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to visit her and explore a whole new continent! Laura and I have been best friends since high school, and…
It can be quite alienating to be a tourist, at times. You love and admire a culture and place so much, and desperately want to not stick out. But it is nearly impossible to blend in; it can be quite obvious you’re clearly not a local when asking for directions or staring at the GPS…
Among the countless Italian towns and rugged coastlines, the Amalfi Coast is considered one of most beautiful destinations in all of Italy. This tourist hotspot is equally as stunning as it is difficult to reach. Just by looking at the map, you can see it’s nearly impossible to find a direct route from Rome or…
What to do if you only have one night in Naples, Italy? That’s the situation I ran into when traveling from Rome to the Amalfi Coast. Naples is known worldwide for its iconic style of pizza, but this city also has a reputation for being dangerous. I didn’t feel uncomfortable in the slightest during our…
An important aspect of any trip is to learn about the culture of the place you’re visiting. For me, I aim to immerse myself as much as I can. It’s not just about being a tourist, it’s about trying on a whole new way of life. Travel is a transformative experience because I can see…
When I was younger, I always wondered if I’d ever make it to Sydney, Australia. A destination like Italy or Spain seemed far away yet much more attainable, since I have distant relatives living in Europe. But Sydney? I saw the Opera House on TV every year on New Year’s Eve, as the city is…