The Philippines and Palawan are possibly the most beautiful aquatic paradises on the planet. Unfortunately, traveling around the 7,000 islands and finding out your options for the Coron to Manila ferry after your amazing time on Coron can be difficult at best. Additionally, all international flights pass through Manila, making it mandatory to make your … Read more
GORUCK makes some of the toughest backpacks and bags on the market, backed by a lifetime “SCARS” repair or replacement guarantee, but gear this “bombproof” like that can cost some serious cash – sometimes up to $500 for a backpack (such as the GR3). Lucky for you, this GORUCK coupon code, discount, and sale list … Read more
Diving Apo Island next to SCUBA divers along the ocean floor, 30 feet down, on a single breath of air, with no tanks, just a mask, fins, and a feeling of pure peace. If you’d told me 6 months ago that I would be finning around dive sites that require tanks of air I wouldn’t … Read more
This story isn’t mine, but I love it. Whenever I hit that feeling that we’re all familiar with, that feeling on the edge of my comfort zone, I remember… …always swim with bull sharks. A friend of a friend from a long time ago took a healthy living kick seriously in a good way. What … Read more
As my plane landed in Istanbul I had a whole new appreciation for Turkey. What initially felt like a risk, a danger, coming to a country bordering war zones with ongoing bad relations with the US, ended up being welcoming, complex, and rich with culture and history. Now that I had landed in Istanbul, the … Read more
On this trip, I hit a new level of planning anarchy. Even in Turkey, at its “level 3 security threat warning” according to the US state department, I decided to go with the wind. Two places kept coming up – Cappadocia and Pammukale. For lack of time, I would not be able to make … Read more
The relaxed port city of Izmir was a wonderful respite after the past two months of being busy and proactive nonstop. Despite the long list of sites to see in the city, I intentionally took it slow and saved the fomo for another city. My days were spent leisurely wandering the city observing the contrasts between … Read more
A couple hours south of Izmir lies the city of Ephesus, home to some of the most well preserved Roman ruins in Europe, and the Temple of Artemis, one of the ancient wonders of the world. When traveling, a balance of history, irreplaceable views, good people, and sufficiently giving into your vices makes for a … Read more
The sun was shining bright, reflecting off the concrete ground and walls of the port as I walked through the port city of Mythilini for the last time. One more stroll through its tiny streets. One more overpriced espresso at the corner coffee shop I had become familiar with. As I passed through passport control, … Read more
As my time on the Greek island of Lesvos neared a close, I was contemplating where to go next. For nearly two months, I volunteered with refugees by teaching English and translating in the refugee camps of Lesvos, but it was finally time to move on and backpacking Turkey emerged as a viable option. Backpacking … Read more