If you travel solo, as I do, there are certainly ups and downs. Sometimes things get awkward, lonely and difficult. There are long bus rides, travel illnesses, lost bookings and plenty of mishaps. But there are a lot of things that are better as a solo traveler. These are the things you have a hard … [Read more...] about Things That Are Better As a Solo Traveler
manifesto
On Guilt and Apologies
I've always been called a worrywart. Anxious. Guilty. I'm full of emotion at any given time. There's always a voice in the back of my head thinking, "Did I say something stupid? Does everyone hate me?" People make jokes about Catholic guilt, but I have non-denominational guilt. Sociopaths are … [Read more...] about On Guilt and Apologies
Traveling the Real USA
I've come to look for America. – Simon and Garfunkel, "America" Standing in Times Square a few weeks back, surrounded by throngs of people posing for pictures with costumed characters and ladies with painted on tops, I couldn't help but think that this is not the real America. Visitors who get … [Read more...] about Traveling the Real USA
How Travel Saved Me
The Caroline of 2002 is a shell of who I am today. If I saw her, I'm not sure I would recognize her. She spent the first few days of trips to Paris and London in the darkened hotel room watching television and hardly eating. She wouldn't try new dishes and avoided leaving her comfort zone. She … [Read more...] about How Travel Saved Me
On Dealing with Haters and Doubters
"You don't even want to find a job. You just sit on your computer all day." I flipped around at my then-boyfriend, incredulous. We were arguing about why I hadn't found a "real" job yet and about my "hobby" of blogging. I should have known then, but I didn't. It would be easy to cast him as … [Read more...] about On Dealing with Haters and Doubters