Ireland-2010

I traveled for over three weeeks with my sweetheart to Ireland, Scotland, and London. It was my first trip out of the country and it was a grand adventure. We picked up one of my best college mates for the Northern Ireland leg of our trip; we even stayed with her Gran and biked to the ruins of her family castle. We put up a tent in an Irish snowstorm, climbed giant cliffs, drank black beer, got lost more than once, danced, drank whisky and whiskey, fell in at least one creek, and got in a few sheep traffic jams. I learned to run for trains, that horses and rugby make everyone a friend, and that there is magic still left in the world.

Canada-2011

My partner and our two dogs spent 10 days exploring British Columbia, Canada. We dirtbagged our way through multiple camp sights, hiked to the top of mountains and through swamps, picked huckleberries, mountain biked, saw a few bears, and barely showered. I learned that Canadians really are that nice, car conversations can get deep, and not having a plan is scary and awesome.

Vietnam-2013

My partner in this adventurous life and I spent just shy of a month traveling through nearly the whole of Vietnam Incredibly far out of our comfort zone and language parameters we discovered a strangely beautiful, industrious, and kind country. We swam in oceans, hiked ruins, explored palaces, rode motorcycles through the North, touched China, hiked into villages barely touched by Westernization, and didn't see another American the entire time. It was an incredible experience and I feel as if a small part of my heart will always belong to Vietnam.

Alaska-2014

A good deal was found on airfare to Alaska and we jumped. It was the rainy season but sunshine was on our side. We hiked to see the Harding Ice Field--a sea of ice covering vast peaks, kayaked with seals, climbed mountains alongside a mountain goat, and spent three days hiking in the shadow of Mt. Denali. The trip was just enough to whet my appetite for the vast adventure to be had in Alaska. I will be back.

France, Spain, Slovenia-August 2015

My first international solo trip and all-girls trip combined. This was one for the records. As a belated birthday gift my two friends (one from Seattle, one from England, both WSU Ruggers) met up with me in Paris. There we ate fine food and drank loads of wine before setting off on a 6 day hiking adventure through the Pyrenees from France to Spain and back again. This was my first chance at leading a multi-day hike and all our electronics failed, we spent one night sleeping on a hillside with rocks for pillows, and a few moments being lost, scared, and tired. We also saw the once-nearly-extinct Pyrenees Chamoix, went skinny dipping in a Spanish creek, drank wine on top of a mountain in France, laughed until we cried, and dined in a hut with a Swiss family, elderly French man, and nine Spanish men while a stormed raged outside. It was an experience of a life time. Which was followed by seeing the deep faith and compassion to be found in Lourdes and the beauty of cobblestones streets and Bordeaux wine in Saint Emilion. After that I was off on my own for two weeks in Slovenia, where I fulfilled a childhood dream of riding a Lipizzaner horse through the mountains and saw the original stud farm of these incredible horses. I also drank homemade schnapps and talked politics with the best host family in Bled, summited a mountain that overlooked both Italy and Austria, swam in the azure waters of the Adriatic, and danced to Gypsy music on the dragon bridge in Ljubljana. I ended my trip by jetting back to Paris, where I discovered I had finally mastered French style and pronunciation just enough to be confused for French. This was all great until people tried to have an actual conversation with me. I cannot express how kind and funny I found the French people to be. This trip changed me in ways I can’t even begin to explain.