https://ddeirdreee.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-01-08 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/analysis-paralysis monthly 0.5 2025-11-03 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/moving-to-a-new-country monthly 0.5 2026-01-08 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/letting-yourself-off-the-hook monthly 0.5 2026-01-08 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/a-little-guide-to-feelin-better monthly 0.5 2025-10-31 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/if-youre-in-your-twenties-youre-already-wrong monthly 0.5 2025-10-30 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/hiking-acatenango monthly 0.5 2025-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/3981b32c-13d0-4481-92e0-64361e650148/IMG_9643.jpg BLOG - Hiking Acatenango - Make it stand out good morning, fog https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/lake-atitlan-communities monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/plane-anxiety monthly 0.5 2025-02-07 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/fun-in-the-winter-in-new-hampshire monthly 0.5 2025-01-03 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/so-you-want-to-see-the-great-wall-of-china monthly 0.5 2024-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/bac906a1-5af7-4cb7-9287-2fe0abd9b652/IMG_3100.jpg BLOG - So You Want to See the Great Wall of China - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/c0805aaf-ea09-4633-8079-3e5987286958/IMG_3095.jpg BLOG - So You Want to See the Great Wall of China - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/90bc4b04-3d98-4c9f-bcbc-f2decd824e6e/IMG_3248.jpg BLOG - So You Want to See the Great Wall of China - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/two-weeks-in-japan monthly 0.5 2024-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726927523773-KZQKCTEYL903QUA3V999/IMG_2506.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726927566890-KV5ZHRC10BLGGWS5R4PX/IMG_2549.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726928056088-K82YF6YO849IDV3R6RPY/IMG_2724+%281%29.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726927574258-YN9UB2YYGJNUYHCSYZON/IMG_2884.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726928073079-E0RHIIC2TZ5QV5TKHKUW/IMG_7742.JPG BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726928091108-6OHHVYI5GO7OZU7U49KE/IMG_2547.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726928105585-SJ50ZMFHQFWDZOD1CEP1/IMG_2546.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726928121600-X9XR8RJYIX8Y6SNTOP0D/IMG_2451.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726928135135-OFYB75VY18KERS44TJ7M/IMG_2454.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1726928159834-HGAU4EIKC222OQ975UVU/IMG_2595.jpg BLOG - Japan Photo Diary https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/the-slow-boat-to-laos monthly 0.5 2024-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/7c82bffe-3764-4682-81f3-9133ae8cf528/IMG_1635.jpg BLOG - The Slow Boat to Laos - The slow boat to Laos. I am so freaking happy that I took this boat! It was honestly a highlight of my trip. It’s really easy once you’re in Chiang Mai to find people selling tickets to the boat. I went with two Norwegian girls I met and though it had a ‘slow’ start, the end was incredible. We first took a bus from Chiang Mai up to Chiang Rai, where we stopped quickly at a temple called Wat Rong Khun. After spending an hour there we crossed the border over the friendship bridge and headed into Laos to the border town of Huay Xai. This town had very little options for dinner, so my friend and I went to the restaurant across the street where we got some traditional Laotian food and drank some beer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/ee0b8aaa-0d17-4204-b6b4-07d71d572b12/IMG_1605.jpg BLOG - The Slow Boat to Laos - The next morning we got up very early to go to the boat dock for 9 am. We bought snacks and food for the whole day. While the boat did have some food, we wanted to make sure we had enough for an eight hour boat ride. Upon boarding the boat, our luggage was put underneath in the storage area and we found our seats. While the tickets do have assigned seating, no one really listens to that. People sit just sit with their friends. On the first day, it was relatively quiet. My friends and I read, played cards, and I edited my book. I journaled and tried to keep my phone alive at least until we got to Pak Beng. There were a few stops along the way to Pak Beng and we saw a lot of villagers, farmers, and school children all waving at the boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/49424537-13e6-43ed-ac0e-f8eb8f0a0cae/IMG_1626.jpg BLOG - The Slow Boat to Laos - The day went on and we eventually got to Pak Beng where there were countless taxis ready to take us to their hostel. Night stays in Pak Beng aren’t usually included in the slow boat ticket, but it’s very easy to score a bed for the night. The men there are practically taking your luggage off of you to put in the back of their trucks for you to go with them. We stayed just down the road and got a room for three people. Unfortunately, there was only one working outlet, so no exactly ideal for charging up our devices overnight, but we stayed in the common area and played cards while our phones charged. We walked around and got dinner before heading back to sleep for the evening. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/afa4c9d0-fdb3-40d4-b8fb-927a81855c17/IMG_1636.jpg BLOG - The Slow Boat to Laos - The next morning, the village was crawling with people very early. There were travelers looking to buy food and drink for the boat as well as locals selling food, trinkets, and other slow boat items. It’s important to get your seat on the boat at least an hour early to be sure you’ll be able to sit with your friends, otherwise you may not be able to as people don’t really abide by the seating numbers on the ticket. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/55d17663-05fd-42da-9d5b-d527e0d63297/IMG_1659.jpg BLOG - The Slow Boat to Laos - This day was a lot more fun, I got chatting with more people and there was one person who had a speaker and used it. Particularly in the last hours there was basically just a dance party in the back of the boat. Unfortunately one guy was trying to get some work done on his laptop and a wave came and splashed him and his computer thoroughly, so be sure you keep your electronics dry! It was a relatively smooth ride, except for just that one part. When we finally got to Luang Prabang, we said goodbye to the Mekong River and headed up a very steep staircase to get to the taxis that were taking us to town near our hostel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/4934830f-e07e-455a-afb8-8e700eacf1a7/IMG_2011.jpg BLOG - The Slow Boat to Laos - Luang Prabang was surprisingly lucious with greenery and flowers. The river was beautiful and it had amazing streets to walk down. There was lots to do there, but we ended up only staying a few days as we decided to also head to Vang Vieng and Vientiene. In Vang Vieng, we rented bikes and saw some lagoons and went hot air ballooning, something I’ll likely not be doing again. It was fun, just a little unsteady. In Vientiene, my friends and I parted ways and I headed to the airport to go to Japan while they went on their way to Vietnam. If you have a spare two days, I would highly recommend taking the boat, it was so much fun and it’s a great way to meet travelers! https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/four-days-in-bangkok monthly 0.5 2024-09-20 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/khao-sok-weekend-lt3 monthly 0.5 2024-09-20 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/50-hour-travel-days monthly 0.5 2024-03-03 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/southeast-asia-packing-guide monthly 0.5 2024-03-03 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/the-gili-diaries monthly 0.5 2024-02-19 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/worldpackers monthly 0.5 2024-01-31 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/solo-travel monthly 0.5 2024-01-31 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/ireland-trip monthly 0.5 2024-01-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/e13cc995-65bd-424c-ab1f-1c1a7de2c5bb/IMG_7008.jpg BLOG - Ireland Girls Trip - On my way to Indonesia last week, I decided to make a weeklong stop in Ireland to see my family and some old friends. Ireland was on the way after all, it was no trouble to stop in. That’s my problem when it comes to travel, if I have one destination in mind, I may as well at 3 or 4 more if they’re, “on the way.” Due to the country’s extremely convenient location, Ireland is “on the way” to many locations, therefore making it the perfect stop before other travel. My friend Laura has the same problem, which makes us both great and terrible travel partners all wrapped up in one. Great, because we both have the same idea of what constitutes a good trip, but terrible because our friendship lacks a voice of reason leading to the execution of some pretty wild, albeit very fun, plans. I decided to go to Ireland for a week not only because it’s ‘on the way’ to Asia, but because you have to see family when you have the chance. I don’t know where I’ll be this time next year, I can only hope I’ll have the flexibility within my life to do another trip to Ireland, but I truly have no idea. This time last year, I was living in Los Angeles with the plan to stay there for another few years and now I’m in Indonesia. Life is too crazy to not jump on opportunities when you have them and far too short to miss out on time with your people. I was so happy to see my aunts as I hadn’t seen them before Covid, and they were more than happy to host me and my two friends, Laura and Gwenn in their home in Dublin, just 20 minutes outside the city center. Laura flew in from Brussels just a few hours after Gwenn flew in from Amsterdam. Unfortunately both of their flights were very delayed. Gwenn’s I understand as she flew Ryan Air, you get what you pay for really. Laura flew with Aer Lingus though, they’re usually pretty reliable. Both airlines listed ‘weather concerns’ so I suppose I’m just going to stay grateful that their flights landed at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/4d04d8b6-0116-4a12-9b18-121b3baefd29/IMG_7002.jpg BLOG - Ireland Girls Trip The morning after they landed, we all hopped on a cross country bus to Galway. Dublin is fun, but I’ve been to Ireland at least 30 times if not more and wanted to see a little more countryside. The bus was only 14 Euros which was a great price considering the train cost 47 Euros. It was a big, comfy coach bus and though a little longer than we’d prepared for, it was pretty comfortable! Upon arrival in Galway, we of course found a pub immediately and had some Irish coffees. I said at that moment that I didn’t want to be ‘sober for the duration of Galway.’ I was pretty much sober after those Irish coffees. It was too cold to even enjoy drinking. We found our teeny tiny hotel room that’d we’d booked the night before, just next to Eyre Square and crashed for the evening. We were all so cold and had a long day ahead of us starting early the following morning! Through Galway Tours (100% reccommend) we booked a 10 hour tour to the Cliffs of Moher. It stopped at some places along the way, too. The first stop was Dunguire Castle. I remembered going there in 2018 with my mom and my sister, so I had some happy memories brought back to me which is always a great way to start the day. I was entirely grateful to be stopping there as well, as I was all of 30 seconds away from puking in my bag. If you’ve ever riden on those roads, you’ll understand the extreme motion sickness I was suffering from. Ever so glad I brought Dropamine with me, but sad to say it didn’t do much for my symptoms for that day. Those roads are no joke and I didn’t realize you’re supposed to take motion sickness pills 30 minutes before, not when you’re green in the face already. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/d9032b0e-1e77-432f-a123-ced6da2aeb83/IMG_7080.jpg BLOG - Ireland Girls Trip - On we went, making a few stops here and there. Gary (our amazing bus driver) knew I wasn’t feeling well and was so good to always ask how I was feeling every time I would get on and off the bus. He gave us so much information, he didn’t stop talking from Galway all the way to the Cliffs of Moher. Like I said, I’ve been to Ireland many, many times and this was by far the most informative tour I’ve ever been on! Shout out to you Gary, fab time x. When we got to the Cliffs of Moher, I actually couldn’t believe my eyes. The sea was still, the sky was blue, the sun was out, and I could almost leave my coat on the bus due to the warmth of the air around me. In January. When I’d been to the Cliffs of Moher last it was August of 2018 and I remember being so cold, it was very windy and more “typical” Irish weather. This was so unexpected, so out of the norm! I couldn’t be more surprised in the best way. Gary mentioned that people tend not to come visit Ireland in January, as it’s considered ‘off-season’, but you can get some of the nicest, clearest days in the first month of the year- I’d definitely recommend it! It’s not as cold as you might think. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/5a459d47-c226-4c45-84b5-76a7d26e2ed0/IMG_7603.JPG BLOG - Ireland Girls Trip - We walked all around and then of course stopped upstairs for a cup of tea. My entire body still hated me and I was definitely suffering the effects of motion sickness still. Instead of tea, I decided to buy a Sprite. I credit that amazing bubbly drink for ‘healing’ me. I felt totally fine on the drive back to Galway, just about 2 hours long. I couldn’t believe just how fine I felt. Exhausted from our day, we all crashed pretty quickly when we got back to the hotel. The following day, we didn’t really know what to do, we were supposed to check out at 11am and only woke up at 10:50, so that sort of set the tone for the morning. My friend texted me she was in town, so we ended up meeting her and her friends for some breakfast and coffee before our several hour long bar crawl. In between Guinness pints and baby Guinness shots, we did some thrifting and other shopping. By the end of the day we were just right and tipsy enough to get on our bus back to Dublin and sleep the whole way there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/ab2c9fae-28f9-4850-beb1-dd4dca89017d/IMG_7423.jpg BLOG - Ireland Girls Trip - I couldn’t believe how fast the week was flying by, soon enough I’d be on a plane to Asia by myself. It’s funny to look back on that. I was very apprehensive about coming here by myself. It’s by far the biggest thing I’ve done by myself in my life. Yes, I drove to LA by myself, I moved to Hawaii by myself, but all of those things were in the US. There was always at least that level of comfort. We spent the next few days reliving my childhood, by going to St. Anne’s Park, Malahide Castle, and other places I spent my childhood summer. We spent a day wandering about Dublin City, and meeting another one of my friends for drinks at a place called Bad Bob’s. Irish pubs are like no other. The music alone made me want to move there. So many places had live music and they weren’t singing the same 2010 ‘club hits.’ They played songs like “Dirty Old Town” which is so much more my speed. I enjoyed every minute. Ireland holds (& will always hold) such a special place in my heart. I’m so happy I got to share it with my favorite travel friends. I honestly haven’t stopped thinking about moving to Ireland after this trip. I am an Irish citizen after all. I guess we’ll see! Xx https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/az6u3bb6w2brdhkiyca7zzietna8jo monthly 0.5 2024-03-15 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/a-month-in-puerto-rico-recap monthly 0.5 2023-12-24 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/dear-homesickness monthly 0.5 2024-01-30 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/what-inspires-me-lt3 monthly 0.5 2023-12-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/b59fce54-75c5-4c7f-9ffc-9ccc23ff96d4/IMG_4479.jpg BLOG - What Inspires Me <3 - sunrises starting the day correctly by waking up with the sun is probably the best part about being alive. everyday that i see the sunrise is always a good day and i never ever regret losing sleep to see the sun :) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/41893bf7-65bd-4330-9ccd-814255d2e198/IMG_1152.jpg BLOG - What Inspires Me <3 - looking at photos of my younger self i like to remember who i’m doing everything for. little me would want me to be happy and healthy and traveling so anytime you feel stressed, all you have to do is remember who you’re doing this for https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/b3af0be0-6db6-4bf4-a390-a5fa674043d8/IMG_9443.jpg BLOG - What Inspires Me <3 - trying new things i hate heights. i love ziplining though. i don’t like skydiving. i love riding horses. i don’t like spicy foods, i love hot sauce though. i hate turbulance but love being on an airplane. the only reason i know all of this is because i tried. not everything is going to be my cup of tea but at least i know that i tried. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/8ef5ebce-9470-4e93-b4a6-36a2b5640007/baaca98d-9424-4099-8161-b2ed68d64b72.jpg BLOG - What Inspires Me <3 - meeting new people getting out of my circle is the best thing i’ve ever done. i have lived my entire adult life outside of my hometown and have met some of the most amazing people from all over the world. a chance meeting could change everything and inspire you on an entirely different path. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/ffb13e64-670a-4947-bc4f-d709948b0e80/IMG_1368.jpg BLOG - What Inspires Me <3 - going home i love new york. i really do. i know i can’t stay for too long, it holds too much, but going home has the same effect that looking at old photographs do. i remember who i’m doing this for and i love seeing how far i’ve come. sometimes i’ll jsut drive by my old high school. attending that place seems like a different lifetime. i sometimes wonder what 15 year old me would say if she could see me now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/b6961f72-1564-458b-859e-df765d9e2682/IMG_4366.jpg BLOG - What Inspires Me <3 - warm breezes the humidity in a breeze brings me back to being 20 years old, on a tropical island for the first time. when it’s 80 degrees as the sun it setting i can feel the warmth coming from the earth and engulfing me. especially when the sky turns purple and different shades of pink, i become overwhelmed with gratitude and inspiration to make the next day as good as this one. https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/a-month-in-mexico monthly 0.5 2023-12-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1701631132855-OKRT5VF3XMU6R3TT19QG/IMG_4577.jpg BLOG - A Month in Mexico: Recap https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1701631144041-17J3I1D6MEEEQIA2BWMR/IMG_4573.jpg BLOG - A Month in Mexico: Recap https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1701631165867-RJ09PI5EINRJDSJZAMDE/IMG_4574.jpg BLOG - A Month in Mexico: Recap https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1701631171407-KJ0FG6C2T3Z1EE26KSPP/IMG_4575.jpg BLOG - A Month in Mexico: Recap https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/affirmations-for-travelers monthly 0.5 2023-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/6602a10e-50fa-4138-a446-f2a1f6188c7a/A7BCAB59-67FE-4285-86B7-F0C69F6161D4.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I’m allowed to take up space in this world Weirdly enough, an American politician said this once about taking up space in the election world, but I’ve morphed it into my own use. For a long time, I spent life trying to blend in as much as possible. Something I’ve learned over the last few years is that it’s totally okay to take up space in this world. Ask questions, run around, and be free. Take up all the space that you need and don’t be scared to be loud. Spin around in circles, hug trees, take your photos, and never (ever) be scared of what other people will say to you. You don’t owe anybody anything, take up space. I’m allowed to be here. This really helps whenever I get impostor syndrome. In hostels, you meet a lot of different kinds of people. Sometimes it’s hard to fight the feeling that you don’t belong, but everyone has the right to travel around the world if they can or so desire. You have as much right to travel as the next person, so don’t leave yourself out of cool experiences just because you are scared to take up space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/f558de3b-9453-42e3-ae6a-09281879e0d0/IMG_2467.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - Remember your Why Should you find yourself on an uncomfortable, long, bumpy bus ride in the middle of nowhere Mexico, you might ask yourself ‘why.’ Why did you decide to do this? When you’re lonely and homesick, having that answer is the key to you keeping your sanity. My ‘why’ is a double edged sword because I’m traveling to avoid settling down somewhere. I’m traveling to yes, see the world, but also to avoid the scary truth that I don’t have a place to call home at the moment. It’s not a fun realization to have at 23. When I have those moments, I like to remember the positive parts of my ‘why.’ I’m meeting new people and having so many positive experiences that vastly outweigh the negative ones. Remember the good times to help the bad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/c4faead4-abe2-49b6-a306-0f27ec8b3884/IMG_6611.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I decide what to do next Yesterday, a few of my new friends and one of my good friends hopped on a very long bus ride heading south west in Mexico. I had so much fun in Tulum with them, however I had a volunteering position to finish in Mexico and a flight to Puerto Rico already booked for next week. I could’ve abandoned my plan to head off with them, however I decided to go back to Cancun and finish what I started, even though I had to do it alone. I am in charge of my life and my travel plans. It can be easy to get wrapped up in things sometimes, but remember this is your travel journey and no one else’s. You make your own choices. You’ve made it this far! Everything I’ve done up until this point and I still have all of my limbs intact. People do these things all the time. If ever I’m nervous, I remind myself of all the “hard” things I’ve already accomplished in my life. If I can jump out of a plane I can definitely take a bus by myself. If I can move to Hawaii by myself 3 years ago then I can definitely visit Mexico. Remind yourself of all the times you felt nerves and then think of how each situation turned out. You’re still here. You’re still doing things. You’ve made it this far, now see how far you can go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/a6c60187-fb6a-43a4-9c4b-af7812fc937b/IMG_9875.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - It’s okay to go home Speaking of making choices… There is no shame in going home if you want to. I had an experience last December. I made some choices and found myself in my car, by myself, shivering in the desert in the middle of Joshua Tree National Park, California. It was pitch black, 6 pm, I was hungry and cold. I could feel my whole car shaking because the wind was so powerful. I called my mom and she told me to just… go home. No one would even know. I had an apartment in LA at the time so it was a quick 2.5 hour drive. The thing is, I would know. I would know my trip ‘failed.’ Here’s the thing though: it wasn’t a failure, just a learning experience. I didn’t go home, I froze my ass off all night. But I realized there’s no trophy for staying uncomfortable on a trip. Budget travel is not going to be perfect all the time but safety is paramount. I went to Zion National Park a few months later and my AirBnb host was making my very uncomfortable so I ended up losing $30 to that d!ck head and leaving. I’ll say it again, safety is paramount to anything else. Even if you don’t feel unsafe, it’s always okay to go home. It’s not a failure just another experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/5ae0e62e-d5ce-42e9-9ccf-9e3eb40fd7e6/IMG_0112.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I Know how to Listen to my Gut You know when enough is enough. You know your limits and you know when you’re testing them. Trust yourself. Sometimes shortcuts are okay, sometimes they are not. You know the difference. You don’t need anybody else telling you what to do on your travels because you already know the answer. This is your journey to live so live it. Know when to say yes and when to say know. You have the answer, listen to your gut. Safety is always paramount. It took me some time to learn the difference between the sense of nervousness and the sense of disaster. After a while, you just know what the right thing is to do. Absolutely get other’s opinions if you feel it will help- but only you know your situation. You know what you can handle, listen to yourself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/bd362b4f-af9d-4b35-9eab-202dc7ed8adf/IMG_6116.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I am expanding my world view and my horizons For those who don’t have a ‘why’: this is it. You are expanding yourself whether you realize it or not. Traveling the world, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures… These are things many spend their lives dreaming of but not actually doing. You are doing it! And you’re doing great. You’d have bad days even if you were home, it’s human. No one’s life is perfect. You are continuing to educate yourself with real world cultural experiences. You’re opening doors for yourself whether you realize it or not. I often toy with the idea of going back to school before I remember that the world has become my school. I am experiencing a freeing (& free) education by traveling as much as I do. The world is out there, not in books (though I do love reading too.) You are expanding yourself more than reading about it ever could. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/c78740b6-eb08-442c-88df-3f381913297a/tQMBcp1A.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I don’t know who I am going to meet today Especially if you are staying in a hostel, you will 100% meet new people everyday. All you have to do is leave your bed. You don’t know if you’re going to meet your best friend, a new guy, someone that will change your life forever, or just a regular nice person that you’ll talk to once and never see again. Don’t think of it as scary, think of it as exciting. You are going to meet so many people that you don’t know yet. On any given day you could meet the love of your life. Now, yes of course you could do that at home as well, however you are meeting people from all over the world when you’re traveling. They’re meeting you. You’ll have friends in all corners of the globe. You never know how the day is going to go, so face it with a confident smile. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/c8bc7c6d-55b0-4fc3-a2e2-a76dcd158752/IMG_5267.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I know where home is You do. You know where it is. Even I know where “home” is. It doesn’t have to be a place or a house. It could be a person or a feeling. Home is a haven, a place to land when your wings get tired. I know that even though my parents house isn’t my home any more and it will probably be sold soon, my cousin will always have a bed or couch for me to sleep on. I know I can call my sister in an emergency and she’ll 50/50 pick up but she’ll definitely call me back. I know I have people and you do too. To help with this affirmation, I like to remind myself of the strings that tie me to the people I love. I play a lot (a lot) of chess with my cousin. I’ll be in a night club, on a bus or plane, at a bar, wherever. I’ll play her back. I buy post cards for my sister and magnets for my mom. All of these little things remind me that even though I may be traveling solo, I’m never really alone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/4da20a03-d01d-4019-8669-d6b4c9c8e60d/IMG_5178.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I am grateful for this life and all it brings me The Melnikov Lab has a good way of putting it. “…[the] probability [of existing] is the same as if you handed out 2 million dice, each dice with one trillion sides… then rolled those 2 million dice and had them all land on 439,505,270,846.” That’s a really small chance. I am alive and I am going to be present in my life. I will make the most of each day and be grateful that I can. I have the privilege of traveling without responsibility for anything or anyone but myself. I know it can all be taken away by things I cannot control so I will do everything I can, when I can and be thankful I am able. Even on the bad days, I stay grateful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/956f4b89-1559-41e8-940c-beef4538adb4/april+17th+10+am-73.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I am the only one who needs to approve of my decisions Allll the time. All the time, I hear about how people’s parents “don’t approve” of them dropping everything to travel the world. Or I hear of my friends whose partners don’t want to do or can’t go. Make your own choices but please remember this is your life. After 18, you are the only person who needs to approve of what you’re doing. It’s a scary free for all free fall but welcome to adulthood. If I wanted to, I could rent a car and drive to Argentina tomorrow. I could book a cruise to Antarctica or a safari in Africa. I won’t because I don’t want to blow my savings or do anything unsafe but I could if I did want to. My family has told me 100+ different reasons why I couldn’t or shouldn’t do things that I’ve done. Another sub piece of advice here, don’t listen to someone you don’t want to end up like especially if they are judging you. As the great Taylor Swift says, “never take advice from someone who’s falling apart.” You are the writer, the creator of your own story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/4272acef-a275-40ca-a0e3-bbbd01bbb387/xLqsx81w.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I am the only person who can give me my dream life At least once a week, I think about going home, getting a job, and living the way my hometown friends do. I think these thoughts mostly on the bad days. On the bad days when I can’t order food because I don’t speak the language of the country I’m in, I think “This wouldn’t happen if I was in the US” and no, it wouldn’t because most people in the US speak English. However, it is my dream to see the world. If I gave up at every speed bump, I would never live the life I want. I pick and choose how I live my life. I picked my dream over stability and that is something I will have to live with. It’s something I get the privilege of living with. I am the only person stopping me from living my dream life. I am the only person who can give me my dream life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/413b5a43-fc3e-4126-aee7-0797e651ea7c/IMG-0982.jpg BLOG - Affirmations for Travelers - I control my perspective It’s funny because the other day my friend and I were walking through a rough, wet, dirty alleyway with her large suitcase on wheels. It' was an experience for sure. We were talking about how it was so funny when we were together but if we were alone it would’ve been frustrating. It’s all about perspective. You could say that you are ‘alone’ or you could say that you are getting to know yourself. I could be annoyed by the rain or embrace the water hitting my face. I longed for that feeling when I lived in the desert. It’s all about how you look at things. Look at the bad days with gratitude for the basics. Look at the cloudy sunrises with appreciation for the pink and orange ones. Gratitude will get you through. Perspective shifts are all you need to turn the bad days into unforgettable stories. https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/the-broke-traveler monthly 0.5 2023-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/5614d89b-5059-47e8-9382-d1d73db4731e/IMG_1533.jpg BLOG - The “Broke” Traveler - They didn’t go wrong though, the work is fair, the people are nice, and overall this is one of the best experiences of my life so far! This is the part where I would throw in a sentence about how you don’t need money to travel and honestly that’s true to a certain extent, you don’t need too much money to travel. However, you do need money to live on. Even if you budget yourself very tightly and do work exchanges to defray costs, you still have to have money to start with and eventually it will run out unless you do it right. I worked a summer job for just under 6 months to fund this endeavor and I’m still running everything very tightly. Don’t get me wrong you don’t need a ton of money to do this, but for 8 months of full time travel I did save at least a thousand dollars a month with some buffer money. You have to remember that you still have to pay any monthly costs that you might have at home. For example, I pay $25 USD a month for a gym membership I can’t get out of until the new year. I pay $67 USD a month for car insurance, $150 USD a month in student loans, and a few more miscellaneous costs. All of these things add up, especially if you have a car payment, storage unit, or an apartment lease. Make sure to factor in these things when you budget for your travel. You also shouldn’t be budgeting yourself down to your last dollar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/3e7a65a5-9b02-4d9d-a46c-7c056bd8d53c/IMG_1502.jpg BLOG - The “Broke” Traveler - Travel isn’t financially impossible, there are ways to do it. If I can do it, anybody can. I want to share my experiences so you don’t find your back up against the wall the way I did. This leads me to my first point- have an exit plan. For me my exit plan is a few thousand in safety money and an $8,000 USD credit limit. It’s not a fantastic idea but it’s my ‘just in case.’ Everyone in their early 20s has ups and downs financially and otherwise. I remember being in my ‘down’ and it affected every aspect of my life. I promised myself I’d never let myself get that way again. The key is just to be properly prepared and that doesn’t just mean by having enough money. It means reading up on common tourist scams in the country you’re headed to. For example, a girl in my hostel recently got scammed by a taxi driver because he was supposed to charge her $100 MXN and he charged her $100 USD. Always make sure you’re being charged in the correct currency. You just have to stay focused on your end goal. What do you want to come out of all of this travel? What are your priorities? Is it possible to continue to work while traveling? Ask yourself the important questions before you find yourself in need of an immediate paycheck. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/e538e474-2651-4dd9-9caa-5613a9a8c26a/IMG_1486.jpg BLOG - The “Broke” Traveler - Budgeting for travel isn’t just saying “no” to yourself all the time though. It’s knowing when to say yes and when to reel it in- it’s prioritizing. I say the serenity prayer very often. “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” There are things you can change, for example staying in budget accommodation like hostels instead of hotels and taking less convenient modes of transportation like buses instead of Ubers or taxis. You can find like-minded people or friends to bring with you on trips so costs are split which also helps to save some money. However there are also things you cannot change, like plane ticket costs. For example, if I really want to go to Asia in January I’m going to have to accept that I will not be able to find a ticket from New York to Bangkok for less than $500 USD, even with 3+ long layovers in random countries out of the way and with credit card points. It’s just not enough. The wisdom to know the difference is a really important one. Everyone has different levels of comfort. For me, I am totally okay with sharing a room full of strangers, I look at it like a sleepover every night with new friends. I am totally fine with a bunch of layovers, but I would not like to do self-transfers or airport changes. I don’t feel comfortable doing those by myself, especially in a place where I don’t speak the language. Like I said above, you just have to make sure you know yourself and know your priorities. Traveling is possible, on any budget. I would highly recommend having a safety net before you do so though. It makes for a less stressful time going all around the world :) X https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/isla-mujeres monthly 0.5 2023-10-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/b37d62f7-f8a2-42bb-bf58-fb074967dc66/IMG_2098+%281%29.jpg BLOG - Isla Mujeres Hola mi amigas! This past weekend I took a quick trip to Isla Mujeres with two new friends I met staying in the Nomads Party Hostel in Cancun, Mexico. Isla Mujeres is a small island off the coast of Cancun, about a 25 minute ferry ride from Port Juarez. We started our morning catching the R-6 bus to the ferry terminal. To be honest, it was less of a bus and more of a small cargo van, regardless, 10 pesos and 20 minutes later we were buying our tickets at the terminal. They were $570 MXN which is about $32 USD for a round trip ticket. We sprinted down the pier to catch the 9:30 ferry and by 10 am we were arriving at Isla Mujeres. Even at the ferry terminal you could see how beautiful and clear the water was, with lots of little fish swimming below. We successfully found the bus stop through the parade of men yelling “taxi, taxi, taxi ladies? taxi.” Honestly it was hard to hear ourselves think through the noise. I understand the hustle to a certain extent, but it’s bit much sometimes. Minutes later the bus arrived and to my pleasant surprise they accepted USD on the bus. So for a single dollar we were on our way down to Nomads Hostel and Beach Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/9f1875d6-96d3-4ad8-9714-6a4a645a1c13/IMG_1824+%281%29.jpg BLOG - Isla Mujeres - Because we are all volunteering at the Nomads Party Hostel in Cancun, we were awarded two free nights in Isla Mujeres by the owner of the hostel, so our accommodation was free which was so nice. Check in wasn’t till 3 so in typical fashion, I decided to rot on the beach at the club and I had the best time in the water. I would definitely say this was the clearest and bluest water I’ve ever seen. I totally recommend staying here if you are planning a trip to Isla Mujeres. After a few hours of burning up on the sand, it was about 1pm and we decided to get some breakfast / lunch. We even got free mimosas for leaving a good review at the restaurant! Off then we went to Playa Norte (North Beach). Now, I might have to revise my previous statement, because Playa Norte truly had the best water I’ve seen and so much more of it than the beach at the hostel. It was so super crowded but honestly that didn’t matter, we were still having so much fun. I got to Mexico about a week ago and so far I’ve gone through two bottles of sunscreen by myself. Somehow no matter what I do I still always get a little bit burned. I’d have to wear a ski suit to the beach to avoid this, I’m afraid. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/bc8e81e6-b505-4029-9e66-48752cfaa53b/IMG_1988.jpg BLOG - Isla Mujeres We swam for a while and took so many amazing pictures. It’s hard to believe that a week ago I didn’t even know these girls. I was very nervous to come here by myself but honestly I couldn’t be more grateful to have taken the jump. Contrary to what I usually say, sometimes it really is just as easy as getting on the plane. Sometimes it’s as easy as clicking “book ticket.” To find your passion is to find your people. Everyone I’ve met since starting “hostel living” have been so easy to get along with and I really know it’s because we are all on the same wavelength. We are all in our 20s trying to travel the world as much as we can. I really thought about this and how grateful I am for the choices I’ve made lately as I watched the sun go down in Playa Norte. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve appreciated a sunset like that since I left Hawaii over a year ago. Sometimes the sky, the waves, the birds, and the sun all come together to create the perfect moment and this was one of those times. All I felt the whole evening was pure gratitude for life and all it’s given me. As we made our way back to the hostel, we realized we hadn’t eaten much so we decided to head down to the hostel restaurant to grab some dinner. The food was fine, though nothing to write home about. We all got free tequila shots because my friend asked for her meal without mushrooms and it had mushrooms in it. I wish I could’ve done that when I was serving, tequila solving problems as per usual. Unfortunately dinner got cut short because the mosquitoes were biting us like crazy. Both of my feet and ankles were covered in mosquito bites. I couldn’t take the pain, I was literally rubbing an ice cube on my foot for ages. Thankfully the next morning most of the imminent pain had surpassed and it felt like just regular mosquito bites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/de82ef2c-0480-47eb-be80-5af0691b5949/cb3bea1c-39af-41c3-a72a-5db6fe4ee5dd.JPG BLOG - Isla Mujeres - The night wasn’t too bad, there were a lot of French girls in our dorm with us and they were quite loud coming in late but that’s hostel life I suppose. Give and take. We got up early enough because we wanted to rent a golf cart. We went to a place called Prisma near Playa Norte. By so far this is the cheapest place to rent a golf cart. It came out to $900 MXN to have the cart from 9am to 5pm which is about $50 USD ($16 ish USD each). I was going to quickly brush by the fact that we stopped for breakfast, but I have to tell about the place we went to eat that morning. It was called Roosters and I had the best orange juice I’ve ever had. I thought for so long I didn’t like orange juice, I only ordered it because they didn’t have apple juice. Let me just say, it is so shameful how much chemicals and sh*t America allows in food. This was true fresh squeezed oj. Life = changed. I love orange juice. It’s so good. Unreal. I even told the manager how amazing this juice was, I could really write a whole page about how amazing this juice is. 10/10 recommend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/bcac3107-4c51-4cd7-869a-281f762f3c05/IMG_2099.jpg BLOG - Isla Mujeres - After breakfast we took that cart and skirted around the island like a couple of hooligans for a while. I can totally understand why there are seemingly hundreds of speed bumps everywhere. I’ve never seen anything like the chaos of the golf cart situation on Isla Mujeres. They will rent a golf cart to anyone with a driver’s license over the age of 18. It took us less than 3 minutes to drive away with the cart after walking into the shop to inquire about renting. There’s so many tourists just driving around not knowing where they’re going with long lines of golf carts just driving on the main road. It was a little crazy but so much fun. We got some gelato, stopped off a viewing point, and saw the most beautiful water. I know I keep saying that but I really can’t stress how amazing this little island is, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It’s a little bittersweet, when I see water and cliffs like this, a lot of it reminds so much of Hawaii. I spent so much time on lookouts staring at carribean blue water when I lived there. I think views like that will always tug on my heart a little bit. On we went, we shopped a little, went back to the beach, returned the cart and hopped a late ferry home. Much fun as we had I think that two days in Isla Mujeres is the perfect amount of time, it is quite crowded and this is low season. Still, it’s definitely worth the trip and I would love to go back one day! https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/how-to-travel-alone-and-not-be-scared monthly 0.5 2023-10-24 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/shark-diving-in-oahu monthly 0.5 2023-10-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/be27c559-08cb-446f-b273-2656ceeed5fa/april+17th+10+am-66.JPG BLOG - Shark Diving in O’ahu - What an experience. Honestly the best I’ve had in my whole life. This was one of those days that I think I’ll remember for the rest of my life. My friend & I went with @deepblueecotours (ig) and it was the best experience ever. The day started a little stressful trying to find out where it was with minimal service, but once we got there we hopped on the boat and met our amazing tour guide. ] https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/76976650-58de-41ce-98a6-f7f18ffb3fd0/april+17th+10+am-79.JPG BLOG - Shark Diving in O’ahu - Anyway, we went about 30 minutes into the ocean as we got some information on what we’d be doing and how the dive was going to go! Once we got to where we were stopping, our guide threw a yellow hydro flask into the ocean to attract the sharks. He told us not to splash and to enter the water as gracefully as possible. It was a little nerve wracking to see the sharks but honestly very exciting. I slid into the water and instantly panicked. I think my guide thought I was panicking about the sharks but I guess it was more that I didn’t realize just how bad of a swimmer I really am. The photographer came over and calmed me down as I came to realize I could very easily float. Definitely 10/10 embarrassing, but they were so so nice about it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/01d6fb27-1a61-4f0c-ba72-7700f142e662/april+17th+10+am-73.JPG BLOG - Shark Diving in O’ahu - Our guide was diving really deep down and blowing bubbles through his mask it was very impressive. I was just focused on keeping myself alive and not drowning. The sharks were coming really close and it was amazing to see- almost like an out of body experience. I wasn’t scared of the sharks at all (scared of the water more than them!) . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/78982c7d-ee7f-46e9-ae5d-327e4743cb7c/image-asset.jpeg BLOG - Shark Diving in O’ahu - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/moving-to-a-new-city-by-yourself monthly 0.5 2023-10-17 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/truth-in-travel-and-tradeoffs monthly 0.5 2023-10-09 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/moving-across-the-country-again monthly 0.5 2023-09-21 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/be-alive-feel-alive monthly 0.5 2023-08-12 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/gettoknowme monthly 0.5 2023-08-10 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/yosemite-california monthly 0.5 2023-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691383658401-6BEMJTMREEBLFHHUMVSH/IMG_7795.JPG BLOG - Yosemite, California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691383677962-30SDSUMHLEUB0DF8L86W/IMG_7792.JPG BLOG - 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Yosemite, California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691384446617-5DZCTPFUBUFDIM56YU5C/IMG-7561.jpg BLOG - Yosemite, California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691384454887-Q91SEG6DO78SO93SDF0S/IMG-1021.jpg BLOG - Yosemite, California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691384480423-NLNAK3BOI127QULTV0KZ/IMG-7629.jpg BLOG - Yosemite, California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691384495652-YA262YC92GRTORKW4B3N/IMG-0876.jpg BLOG - Yosemite, California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691384463250-SBRS4877Y32MO3QGIME3/IMG-1002.jpg BLOG - Yosemite, California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691384505987-N7XEKY58294DSC6T29US/IMG-0913.jpg BLOG - Yosemite, California https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/back-to-the-island monthly 0.5 2023-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/1691381213707-8MZJIGFH7WC9GIIKO3U7/EB2BE6B8-5CFC-4FEB-8316-9B290E545FD6.jpg BLOG - 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Big Island Girls Trip - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/06560f06-f9d0-45ab-af7f-5b6999e9418e/564DA03E-2991-47A9-AAA9-6A6C2BCF2DE1.JPG BLOG - Big Island Girls Trip - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/fcf2b2a9-ccdc-4ddb-979f-30aeb808c31b/100_0238.JPG BLOG - Big Island Girls Trip - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/avcqo7ai3k213oi6gm4xq60yoogxsh monthly 0.5 2023-01-23 https://ddeirdreee.com/blog/joshuatree monthly 0.5 2023-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/4cd32317-df21-4725-98f9-126835c97f75/IMG-9769.jpg BLOG - Joshua Tree Weekend - I sat in my hot car and ate a muffin (one of the packaged pos food items I bought) and made my way down to Cholla Cactus Garden. I got this idea from TikTok, it looked really cool and it was. It was very hot mid-day at this point but the garden is really a quick walk. I spent about 15 minutes there, apparently these cactus can jump out and sting you. I don’t think sting is the right word but you know, stick to you- so don’t get too close! I did touch one because I only found this out after my trip. Oops. I always buy a hat at every NP I visit :) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/639363db7c498257c086f5ce/ad68a0db-b635-4e02-af4d-4e7fd0db8376/IMG-9678.jpg BLOG - Joshua Tree Weekend - I checked out the Arch trail on my way back towards my campsite, apparently it’s really pretty for sunrise. It was pretty good during the day too, I saw a board full of back country camping near the parking lot and it really inspired me to back country camp in Joshua Tree when the weather gets better! 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