02 — Travel
Twelve places,
one
open mind
Is it to visit spectacular architecture, take in majestic views, or immerse in a culture? Maybe it's about being in a new place with clear, open eyes and a sense of unbounded possibilities.
Twelve destinations. Each one a chapter in a story still being written.
Central America
Honduras
My first time abroad — the trip that made the world feel large.
The country's diverse cultures opened my eyes to a world much larger than I had known. Before Honduras, travel was abstract. After Honduras, it became a need. The colors, the food, the people — all of it instilling a sense of wanderlust and a desire to continually seek new adventures.
East Africa
Kenya
A humbling experience that left a permanent mark — and a responsibility to pay it forward.
Teaching in a school with inadequate supplies made me deeply appreciate my own education and upbringing. The children I taught were relentlessly curious and joyful despite having so little. Kenya taught me what it means to be a guest in someone else's reality.
United States
Yellowstone
A cherished graduation gift — where bison, geysers, and open sky rekindled my love of nature.
Yellowstone is one of those places that earns every superlative. The geothermal landscapes feel alien and ancient — like the earth is still working out what it wants to be. There's something clarifying about standing in a place that has no interest in your career or ambitions.
North Atlantic
Iceland
The first country I traveled to alone — and the one that spoiled me for everything after.
Iceland's thriving backpacking culture embraces solo travelers without making them feel lonely. The landscape is relentlessly dramatic: black sand beaches, glacier tongues, waterfalls tumbling off ancient cliffs. It gave me the freedom to travel on my own terms, without compromise or consensus.
South America
Peru
The Salkantay Trek — five days that tested everything I had and rewarded every step.
Altitude, rain, aching legs, and the quiet satisfaction of setting up a tent at 15,000 feet — the Salkantay route to Machu Picchu demanded everything. Arriving on foot, having earned every step, is an entirely different experience than arriving by bus. Tough, demanding, and immensely fulfilling.
South Caucasus
Azerbaijan
A beautiful, less-visited gem — centuries of history written directly into the skyline.
Wandering Baku's streets, I traced the city's rich history through its buildings — from centuries-old caravanserais to Cold War Soviet blocks to gleaming towers shaped like flames. Few cities compress so much time into a single skyline. Azerbaijan rewards travelers willing to wander without a map.
Middle East
Jordan
Traveling alone without knowing the language — and never once feeling alone.
Jordan dismantled every assumption I carried about the region. Friendly locals went out of their way with genuine warmth. Petra at sunrise, Wadi Rum under a sky thick with stars, a mint tea shared with strangers who became briefly friends — Jordan is one of the most generous places I've ever been.
Southeast Asia
Singapore
A remarkable oasis — vibrant, immaculate, and genuinely offering something for everyone.
Singapore proves order and vibrancy aren't mutually exclusive. Towering skyscrapers alongside charming cultural neighborhoods — Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam — each with its own rhythm and cuisine. Walking its streets, you feel the energy of a place perpetually building and refining itself.
South Asia
India
A brief visit that left me yearning to return — the country you can't see just once.
Majestic forts, profound cultural influence, the scent of spices in narrow markets, conversations that brought India's stories to life. India is not a country you see; it's a country you experience. Every street tells a story, and the density of life demands more than a single visit to begin to understand.
Caribbean
Cuba
Like stepping into a time capsule — nostalgic and enchanting in equal measure.
Vibrant colors and intricate designs tell stories of a bygone era in every crumbling facade and vintage car. Havana moves at a pace that feels genuinely different — slower, more musical, more conversational. Beyond the cities, Cuba's countryside unfolds breathtaking natural beauty that most visitors never reach.
East Asia
Taiwan
Each return feels both familiar and new — a place that deepens with every visit.
Over the years Taiwan has revealed itself in layers. The first visit is about food and Taipei's nights. The second is about temples and mountains. The third is about quieter rhythms — morning markets, kind strangers, countryside that most tourists never reach. Familiarity here breeds depth, not indifference.
Southern Europe
Italy
A journey through flavor and time — every meal a celebration of tradition, every street a layer of history.
Italy rewired my understanding of food as culture. A plate of pasta isn't just dinner — it's a recipe passed through generations, a regional argument made manifest, a quiet act of preservation. It gave me a deeper appreciation for how food and history shape everyday life, and a new standard against which I measure every meal that follows.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." — Mark Twain
Every destination on this list changed something — a perspective, a habit, an assumption. Travel isn't an escape from life; it's a way of living it more fully. The list keeps growing, and the open mind keeps expanding.
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