Hi, I’m Caroline. I’m a professional storyteller, sharing experiences from life abroad and my own backyard.
This blog began as a way to document my twenties as I lived in a city I adored and attended college. But from there, it developed into a journal of my travels as well as my ideas about life in general. After graduating from college, I spent the summer traveling, first volunteering in Thailand and then sailing in Croatia, a trip that would change the course of my life.
I met people traveling long term, some for six months, some for many years, which made me think I could do the same. After that trip, I went home and saved for a few months before going to Australia to spend the year on a working holiday.
During that time I worked at a hotel in Sydney, road-tripped down the Great Ocean Road, slept in the dirt in the Outback, and went scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. And despite moving back to the United States after that trip, I have hardly stopped moving since.
Along the way, I found work as a freelance writer. I interned at a few newspapers and used my blog as my portfolio to gain more work. I became a frequent contributor to Her Packing List through a friendship in Sydney. Since then I’ve had to pleasure to do work for Afar, National Geographic Traveler, BBC Travel, Roads and Kingdoms, and Fodor’s. See my full portfolio here. I’m also the author of the book This Is My South.
As my dad likes to say, I “can’t be rushed,” which is probably why I’ve never done one big round-the-world trip. I’m a huge advocate for slow travel, spending two weeks (or a year) in one place, getting to know it, instead of crossing items off a list. I’m not nomadic or adventurous, just taking my time around the world and documenting through blog posts, journals, photos, videos, and scrapbooks. So read on as I do my best to navigate the “real world.”
Still don’t know enough about me?
• I’m the oldest of three siblings.
• I collect a lot of odd knickknacks: postcards from every country, ticket stubs from every movie or concert, vintage cameras, maps, political buttons.
• I keep journals like crazy, taping receipts and such from my travels.
• My favorite cities in the world (so far) are Charleston (my home for 4 years), Sydney (where I lived for one year), and London.
• Travel has left its mark on me, literally. I have a funny-looking scar on the top of my left foot from my cruise to Cozumel in 2009 when I jumped off a water trampoline and cut it on the coral reef.
• I’m scared of heights, but I’ve been bungy jumping and plan on going skydiving.
• I’m an awkward dancer. Think Elaine Bennis.
• I’ve learned Italian in school, but the only time I’m comfortable speaking it is after a couple of glasses of wine when I’m not nervous about mispronouncing things. I’m currently re-learning Spanish.
• I have a terrible sense of direction. I quite frequently get lost, even with the help of my GPS. It’s kind of ridiculous, actually.
• I’ve had a total of 15 roommates in the last 5 years. I probably learned every odd life skill while dealing with other peoples’ living habits. You name it, I’ve seen it. Door slammers, alcoholics, complete slobs, crazies and people who became my best friends. Perhaps that’s why I fare so well at hostels.
• I get majorly geeky at art museums. I can name most of the artists and periods.
• I am neither “Sweet Caroline” nor “the reason for the word bitch.” Quoting either song gets you nowhere with me.