Stroll and Speak | Your Guide to Mindful Travel
Wander further, connect deeper, and tell better stories
Ever found yourself in the middle of nowhere, clutching a map that feels more like a cryptic puzzle, while the Tuscan sun beats down on your already frazzled brain? Yeah, that was me last summer—an aspiring local, or so I thought, with a rental car that seemed to have a mind of its own. I […]
Continue Reading
I once found myself in Lisbon, facing a hill so steep it felt like the city was daring me to give up and call a cab. But there I was, sneakers laced up, heart pounding like a war drum, wondering why I’d ever thought a walking tour in this labyrinth of cobblestone and calamity was […]
Continue Reading
I once found myself in a dimly lit hotel room in Paris, squatting by the bed, surrounded by a graveyard of adapters. I was on a frantic mission to charge my phone before it died a slow, inevitable death. Each adapter I tried seemed to mock me with its uselessness, a cruel reminder that “universal” […]
Continue Reading
Finding a sense of “home” while traveling is like searching for a unicorn in a sea of horses. Trust me, I’ve tried. Picture this: I’m in a dimly lit hostel room in Bangkok, surrounded by the symphony of snoring strangers, clutching a pillow that feels like it’s stuffed with rocks. It’s 2 a.m., and I’m […]
Continue Reading
I once dragged a suitcase the size of a small car through the cobblestone streets of Lisbon. Each bump felt like a personal affront, and I cursed every overambitious packing decision—those “just in case” shoes, the full-size shampoo, the extra three books I never cracked open. My back has since forgiven me, but my cynicism […]
Continue Reading
I remember my first solo travel experience like it was yesterday—mainly because I got lost within the first hour and ended up in a neighborhood where even Google Maps seemed to throw up its hands in surrender. There I was, a human compass with a malfunction, watching the locals glance at me with a mix […]
Continue Reading
I once found myself in the chaotic mess of Heathrow, clutching a well-worn copy of “War and Peace” in one hand and a rapidly disintegrating boarding pass in the other. The romance of flipping through physical pages quickly lost its allure when I realized the book took up more space than my change of clothes. […]
Continue Reading
Strolling through the gear section of a camping store is my personal hell. It’s like being stuck in a never-ending election campaign, with Patagonia and The North Face as the two candidates vying for my vote. Each jacket whispers promises of warmth and adventure, but I’m no fool—I’ve been betrayed by zippers and seams before. […]
Continue Reading
I once thought I could fund my wanderlust by sheer force of will—and a few desperate prayers. Spoiler alert: neither worked. It took one particularly brutal month of living on instant noodles and avoiding eye contact with my ATM balance to realize that my travel dreams weren’t going to magically manifest themselves. I was, in […]
Continue Reading
I once found myself at an airport baggage claim, watching the carousel spew out a parade of identical, tattered suitcases. Among them, an ostentatious silver Rimowa stood out like a peacock in a field of pigeons. It was pristine, gleaming with an arrogance that only money can buy. And there I was, clutching my duct-taped […]
Continue Reading