After a full day of touring around Hualien, I desperately needed a nap. I’d arranged to meet Zuzanne, the German girl from the Taroko Gorge tour, at the Hualien night market later that evening... so I had a little time to recharge before heading out again. Yay! Nap time... It was actually really nice to have someone to do something with. I’ve been a little bit starved for company since arriving in Asia. I know I complain endlessly about group tours... but it's a bit of a doub

On the morning I was supposed to be leaving Taipei, I decided it would be a brilliant idea to do some laundry. I was catching a train to Hualien, a city on Taiwan's east coast, and figured I'd get everything washed, dried, folded and packed before checking out. Easy peasy. Just down the hallway from my room was a little laundry room with one washing machine and one dryer. Perfect. That's all I needed. It was still early... around 7 am... and there was a rather large sign stat

Today... funny enough... I had a food tour booked. And, as you can probably imagine, I was pretty excited about that. I was heading out into the streets of Taipei with Taipei Eats. I don't know the faintest thing about Taiwanese food. Nothing. I've never been to a Taiwanese restaurant. I have no idea what a Taiwanese specialty is. Really. Nothing. Absolutely Nothing.

I was actually quite sad to leave South Korea... This surprised me a little, because I felt as though I was only just beginning to get to know the place. I absolutely loved Busan... and there was this nagging feeling that I was leaving behind so many things I hadn't yet seen, explored, or experienced. I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye. But Taiwan was calling… or... should I say... a flight I'd already paid for was calling. So... off I went. Next stop… Taipei, Taiwan. The fl

My next stop was Busan... another enormous South Korean city... and I was already preparing myself for another Seoul-like experience. But HOLD ON! Shut the front door! I LOVED BUSAN! The funny thing is... I can't quite put my finger on why I love Busan so much... and I've been trying, desperately, to figure it out. Maybe Seoul was just a little too 'in my face.' Maybe I was jet-lagged. Maybe I was overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of it all. Who knows? But Busan? ... Busan a

I almost got scammed. Big time. Almost... The worst part? I was getting so fricking annoyed throughout the entire ordeal that I nearly missed every single red flag. If I'm being honest... I DID miss every single red flag... until the very end. The scammers contacted me on my Nibble Tours emails... and they wanted to do a Zoom call with me to discuss "things." Who the hell needs to speak to me on a video call to plan a FOOD TOUR?

Whenever anyone asked me where I was heading next, I would immediately get nervous, stumble over my words... and eventually announce that I was going to "that place that starts with a G." Gyeongju. I couldn't pronounce it. I couldn't remember how to pronounce it. Life is hard for me. Gyeongju rejuvenated me. I was feeling pretty worn out. Worn out from Seoul... worn out from the summer... worn out from life in general. Just... worn out.

Of course, whenever I find myself in a new city, one of my top priorities is tracking down a fabulous food tour. And I have to say, I did a pretty good job with this one! I ended up connecting with Veronica, one of the owners and guides of Korean Gourmet Hunters, and before I knew it, I had my very own private food tour through Seoul's famous Gwangjang Market.

What I find fascinating about Seoul is how many little worlds seem to exist within this enormous city. It's like each neighbourhood has its own personality. One minute you're wandering through a traditional market filled with street food and colourful stalls, the next you're surrounded by designer boutiques and quirky cafés. Some pockets are young, creative, and edgy, while others are ridiculously trendy.

Seoul has incredible energy. Between its fast-paced lifestyle, distinct neighbourhoods, endless street food, and almost overwhelming shopping opportunities, there’s a constant feeling that something is happening around every corner. It has that unmistakable big-city buzz of New York, but somehow feels a little safer... and more manageable. I have enjoyed my time in Seoul… but I have to admit… it's also an enormous monument to commercialism. This is definitely a shopping mecca

Maybe ever since I did that enormous Middle East camping tour, I've been a little turned off tours. I don’t know. But obvioulsy I keep going back for more. The Peace Bell (평화의 종) at Imjingak Peace Park is a huge bronze bell symbolising hope for peace, reconciliation and the eventual reunification of North and South Korea. Why? Perhaps I'm just a glutton for punishment. I don't know. What I do know is that after today's DMZ tour, I'm beginning to think I just don't have the pa

Usually… seriously, not even “usually”… ALL the time… when I’m getting ready to travel, I spend every single spare second I have researching absolutely everything there is to see and do. Tourist attractions, art, museums, temples, popular neighbourhoods, historical streets, shopping, recommended restaurants, food tours, ghost tours, walking tours, history… you name it, I research it. I want to experience it. All of it. I literally do not want to miss a thing. I shouldn't say

I flew into Paris... Orly Airport. I’d never flown into this airport before. Very exciting. Not really. I quickly figured out how to escape by following the city train signs through the airport until I found the right train to jump aboard. Well… “quickly” might be generous. A stretch. First, I had to buy a ticket... which proved to be slightly more challenging for someone like me... with a very small, non-functioning brain at times. After several moments of staring blankly a

I had to be out of my Bratislava accommodation by 10 am on the day of my departure from Slovakia. The day I was heading to Vienna! I couldn't wait. I'd always heard all these magnificent stories about how imperial and regal Vienna was. Oh yes... and so musical and artistic. I seriously could NOT wait. My plan was simple: pack up, sling my big boulder bag on my back, and wander through the old town to find a café for a small breakfast and a coffee before I went to catch my tr

I took the train from Budapest to Bratislava, and it wasn’t a very treacherous journey at all... just under three hours or so. But before I even made it onto the train, I found myself facing one of the great unexpected challenges of European travel... the pay toilet. Ugh! Horrible... I'd gone this long on the trip without having encountered them. The buck stopped here. They're stressful enough at the best of times. Worse when you're bursting... let alone if there's something

I liked Budapest. Like... really liked Budapest. On one side of the Danube, Buda rises in steep hills, with old stone streets, castles, staircases, shadows, and majestic grandeur. On the other side, Pest buzzes with trams, ruin bars, cafés, nightlife, and that chaotic modern energy you expect from a city. Budapest is one of those cities that feels a bit rough around the edges... but full of personality and atmosphere. There are layers of history everywhere... empires, wars, r

Next up: The Budapest Food Tour. Budapest Street Art Now, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE food tours. I do them everywhere, in every new city, in every country. They’re usually one of my favourite ways to further understand a city... because food tells you so much about culture, history, class, geography... all of it. Sometimes, anyway. And yes, before anyone asks, I had mentioned multiple times beforehand that I was a vegetarian. I’d even temporarily abandoned veganism for

I took a bunch of tours while in Budapest. I’m going to list them all, one for one, because there were four of them. FOUR. I can’t even make this up. Who does four tours in two days? Me. *just this one time though... it's not usually my 'norm.' And... never again... So ya... I had two full days in Budapest, and I signed myself up for four different tours. When I casually throw the word “different” out there, what I mean is that I hoped (and prayed) that they were all differe

I’ve noticed one thing while I’ve been here… and this is definitely going to sound a little bizarre. But here goes… I’m sure most of you have heard, from time to time, that Canadians are “so kind.” Yeah… me too. Especially in the hospitality industry. And honestly, whenever people say this to me, I can’t really wrap my head around it. Normally, I respond with some flippant comment about how we’re not all so nice… and how we have plenty of rude people in Canada too. Because… w

Like most of my travels, I’ve had a few, usual, slight mishaps along the way. This trip has been no exception to the rule. Like Murphy's Law... but I prefer to think of it as the law of the inevitable blunder. Somehow, in a feat that still completely baffles me, I managed to spill my entire bottle of body spray all through my bag. It leaked onto absolutely everything inside... including the jeans I was wearing, because by the time I finally realized, the bag had been smackin

Finally got up, showered, and met up with Tom, Merel, and the kids. It wasn't as easy as one might think. The bed was way too comfy and my eyelids were way too heavy... but I fully forgive myself for my extreme laziness, as I'd had an excrutiatingly long journey the day before. I was beat. Tom and Merel were here with their fabulous kids, Aiden & Faye. Everyone had hoped to leave by noon... but as the weary traveller of the group, it was a tremendous freat to actually drag my

For some bizarre, wonderful reason, I landed in Athens with almost no jet lag. Seriously...almost none. I should have been an absolute wreck. I usually am. But considering the length of the journey and how little I slept, I held it together surprisingly well.

I’ve warned myself off this city so many times, listening to everyone's horror stories and convincing myself it wasn’t for me... but with the sun finally out, I decided to give it a fair shot. And honestly? I didn’t mind it. Naples is gritty, chaotic, intriguing in a way that suprises you. Or, at least, me. Considering I was in Maradona’s kingdom, I figured I should pay homage. So I looked up "Maradona" on Google Maps… and off I went, weaving through the city, fo

Yes, we still made it to Ravello and Amalfi... though not without a trecherous detour. The driver had to take a different route, which meant a two-hour journey up and along the winding, mountainous roads over to the coast... full of ups, downs, curves, and constant braking. Packed into the van like sardines with a bunch of strangers, I spent most of the ride silently rocking back and forth, trying to talk myself out of feeling nauseous... and praying I wouldn’t be sick all ov