Happy 2022! …wasn’t it just 2019?

Happy New Year! Like most people around the world (I assume), on the surface I feel like 2020 and 2021 were just a bad fever dream that went by in a flash, and at the same time, must have dragged on for decades. What do I have to add to the social think-pieces and personal …

Summiting the highest mountain in northeast Asia

It's been a while since I've posted, since my Instagram account (@goingoutyourdoor) mainly documents my adventures traveling (ha, once that's possible again!) and living abroad, but I thought this crazy experience deserved a full written narrative, because it was truly epic and amazing and challenging and uncomfortable, and actually quite disgusting in some ways (I'll …

Hiking in Hualien

I've been pretty bad about writing lately, mostly because lately it's just been life as normal in Taipei! My school had our big performance extravaganza at the end of May (I was even coerced into singing a song... but I guess it didn't take much persuading), summer camp started at the beginning of July, and …

Day trip: Petra

When I started looking for destinations that would make convenient half-day trips to make use of my free mornings, Petra, the first stop on the train that runs from Manacor, was obviously on my list, in large part because of its proximity. It's an attractive yet sleepy little town without a whole lot in terms …

Day trip: Sóller (bonus: Fornalutx)

Who doesn't love retro travel experiences, especially without any of the retro inconveniences? If you're looking for a thoroughly charming day trip from Palma, the old fruit train to Sóller is for you! While I generally prioritize budget experiences, I have to admit that this was a splurge, at 18 Euros for a one way …

Trip to Sligo

Every once in a while (well, ok, often) I get the urge to travel. This might seem ridiculous, since I'm living in Ireland, so you might think, "You're constantly traveling." But there's a difference between having a temporary home base in a foreign country and actively being on the road. I got such an urge on …

Northern Ireland

I will be the first to admit that I only know the general basics of the relationship between Ireland and Northern Ireland. I'm in the midst of trying to find a non-boring book that covers the history (most look like incredibly dry textbooks), but I do understand enough to know that being able to safely travel …

Yangmingshan National Park

Yangmingshan is a National Park in the north of Taipei, home to many of the area's hot springs, hiking trails, and, apparently, flowers and agriculture. This afternoon some friends invited me to join them on a hike in the area. We took the MRT to Jiantan Station and then a bus up to Yangmingshan. As …

All kinds of weather, we stick together

I've been lucky enough to live in three countries (so far!) outside of the United States, and I've had family or friends visit me in each one. It's amazing to be able to show people close to you your new stomping grounds and how weird/normal/funny/fun/etc. your new country is. About a week and a half …

Trip #2: Hualien

I'll be up front with you, I don't know how to buy train tickets ahead of time here in Taiwan. I've been banned from searching for tickets on the TRA website, with this delightful message: So, I knew that it would be extremely unlikely that I'd be able to get a train ticket at the station, …