Inspiring Your Journey

with travel tips, stories + resources
Get Inspired

I’m Ashley, your solo travel expert.

I’ll help you plan the trip of a lifetime—with more “wow!” moments and considerably fewer “whoopsies” and “uh-ohs.”

I’ve been traveling since way before Booking.com, Instagram, travel forums, Google Maps, and the internet made it possible to research every last detail from your couch. Back then, you actually had to figure things out as you went—and believe me, I’ve figured out a lot of things the hard way.
Over the years, I’ve learned what’s worth packing, what’s definitely not worth packing, which travel “must-dos” actually live up to the hype, and how a little advance planning can save you time, money, and the occasional meltdown.

Think of me as your well-traveled friend who has already made the mistakes, tested the gear, gotten lost, overpacked, underplanned, and lived to tell the tale.

Start with my Travel Products and Resources page, where I’ve rounded up the gear, gadgets, products, and little travel helpers that make life on the road oh-so-much easier.

Then, stick around the blog for destination inspiration, travel tips, itineraries, lessons learned, and plenty of stories from my adventures.

Have a question? Ask away. If I don’t know the answer, I probably know someone who does—or I’ll figure it out!

84 Countries

6 Continents

Latest Posts

Dawn on the Kinabatangan River: Sakau, Malaysia

Dawn on the Kinabatangan River: Sakau, Malaysia

I’m roused from my slumber by the distant trumpeting of elephants and singing of thornbirds. It is morning on the Kinabatangan River and the animals announced the day's commencement. (Actually, it was the roosters outside my window that first awakened me, but I have...

Best of Wellington, New Zealand

Best of Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington is a beautiful city, and once you acclimate to the gale-force winds blowing in from the south pier, there are plenty of things to fill up your days.  After catching up on some much needed Z's following my overnight bus ride from Auckland, I grabbed a map...

Cairns: Enjoying the Tropical North

Cairns: Enjoying the Tropical North

Since arriving in Cairns, Australia, my moving-around-every-day-backpacker-life has come to somewhat of a standstill.  Now my days are full of lazy mornings playing too many card games and long afternoons lounging by the lagoon in the city center. After my frigid...

Tasmania Road trip Roundup

Tasmania Road trip Roundup

Tasmania Road trip complete: Arriving back in Hobart completed our circumnavigation road trip around Tasmania.  Since reception at the Pickled Frog was closed when we trampled in after midnight, Gwenda and I grabbed some couch space for the remainder of the evening...

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