I’m Ashley, your solo travel expert.
I’ll help you plan the trip of a lifetime so you can return home with memorable moments (instead of whoopsies & uh-ohs). I was traveling way before we had the conveniences of Booking.com, travel forums, social media and the internet. So, I’m a go-to resource for terrific tips and valuable advice!
Get started with my Travel Products and Resources page, chock full of the gear, products and the little things that make travel ‘oh so easy. Then, head to my blog for more tips and advice. Other questions? Reach out and ask!
72 Countries
6 Continents
Latest Posts
Hiking Around Taupo, New Zealand
Taupo is surrounded by dozens of hiking trails leading into the hills or along the river. Avid walkers and hikers frequent these trails morning through dusk, and I just may have covered all of them during my stay in Taupo. My favorite hike followed a winding trail to...
The Beauty of Taupo, New Zealand
For the History Buffs - Since Captain Cook brought the first sheep into New Zealand in 1773, the sheep population has grown to over 40 million. That represents twelve sheep for every person living in tiny New Zealand. However, although a large percentage of New...
Seal Colony at Red Rocks Reserve, Wellington
The Wellington countryside was used in many scenes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Easy to see why with all the rocky cliffsides and lush meadows. For keen LOTR fans, there are plenty of tours and activites for all levels of hobbit lovers, including a $150 tour...
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...
Overnight Bus Rides: Good, Bad, and Ugly
As a world-traveling vagabond, I'm accustomed to various types of transportation. Whether it's a tuk-tuk in downtown Bangkok, a friendly donkey in the countryside of Laos, a rickshaw in India's dusty streets, or a backseat on a rusty, squeaky moped. Whatever the type...
Day Trip: Explore Cape Tribulation and Daintree Rainforest
Amazingly, we broke away from our day to day routines in Cairns and ventured outside the city limits for a day trip to Cape Tribulation. The Daintree/Cape Tribulation coast is where the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest meet, the only place in the world...
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 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...
Tasmania: Cradle Mountain-Lake St.Clair
During our multi-day road trip around Tasmania, we managed to cover most of the hot spots on the island (weather permitting). Leaving Strahan with just a few aches in our backs from car camping, we gassed up Deedee for a drive to one of the most visited sites on the...
Tasmania: It’s Still Raining, Gwenda.
After leaving Launceston, I felt we were thrown into the Tasmanian twilight zone. Brunie, Wynyard, Rosebery, and Zeehan were but specs on the map, and tiny "sweet" restroom stops along the drive. I was struck by how much the area reminded me The towns villages grew...
