On Christmas Eve morning, we laced up our Nikes and headed to the starting line of the Chiang Mai Marathon in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was our second marathon of this trip and our seventh ever. The race was definitely more of a cultural experience than it was a quality marathon, so having a good …
It’s hard to believe that we’ve been on the road for six months now. I knew this day would come faster than I expected, but it somehow managed to get here even faster than I could have possibly imagined. It’s been an incredible journey so far. We’ve stayed in 12-bed hostels and Club Level at …
Travel days aren’t always the most enjoyable. Even the best planned trip usually involves some last minute packing, the hassle of getting to the airport and then making your way through security (although TSA Pre-Check helps). After all that, there’s no downplaying how enjoyable an airport lounge can be. Here is how you can get …
We were in Chiang Rai for less than five hours before we decided that we had to extend our planned stay here. We had originally only planned to be here for three nights, but after a quick walk through the night bazaar, a dinner in a lively street market and the cheapest patio beers we’ve …
During our year-long backpack trip around the world, we spent Christmas in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I recall that Christmas morning quite vividly. I was drinking a peppermint mocha and watching “A Christmas Story” on my laptop in a cafe. I knew that somewhere on the other side of the world, it was still Christmas Eve …
I was planning on making soup in Cartagena, but since it was a million degrees when we got there, I pulled an audible. We didn’t have any spices or ingredients in our Airbnb, so I wanted something with few ingredients. Since it was so hot and only our bedroom had AC, I wanted something that …
I started working at Starbucks when I was 16 years old. I didn’t even like coffee when I started, but I had passed enough mall coffee shops with pigtail-braided baristas to know it was what I wanted to do. When I wasn’t working (or at school or at sports’ practice), I loved cuddling up in …
It’s easy to forget that after you’ve picked your flights and chosen your hotels, you still need a way to pay for things overseas. This post covers the basics of money overseas, including getting cash and what credit cards to use. Cash Is (Sort of) King When I first wrote this post almost a decade …
Back in 1383, the temple of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep was built on the top of Doi Suthep Mountain just outside of modern day Chiang Mai. Monks had to hike up Doi Suthep to get to the temple, and Wat Pha Lat was later built as a resting place for those Monks. Today, you can still …
We are officially on the Southeast Asia (SEA) backpacker trail, having taken our first overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Right now, we’re basking in the glory of cheap travel, amazing food (loved the Pad Thai in Bangkok), and no schedule. Guys – we don’t even have a place to stay five days from …