The Making of a Free Woman
At that moment I felt whole. I felt like I was fulfilling my every potential as a human. Over the last eight days, I maxed out my body, my mind, my social skills, my problem-solving skills, my sorrow, and my self-love in the most healthy way— fully present and one step at a time.
Iceland Winter 10-Day Travel Guide
Iceland Kicked Our Butts (It was worth it.) Traveling in Iceland without a tour can be as tricky as it is rewarding, but it is worth the extra preparation. Traveling on your own will save you money and cultivate a unique experience full of adventure! When my partner and I decided to go to Iceland,…
15 Lessons Learned as a Solo Woman Traveler
Solo backpacking as a young woman is not all the sunshine and butterflies Instagram might suggest. It has been a challenging, tiring, frustrating, and sometimes scary experience, parts of which I feel obligated to share. Of course, traveling is a treasure that I will never regret despite its discomfort. For example, I am writing this…
A Eulogy & Epilogue
Funeral Service | October 4th, 2021 A few years ago I read a short fiction story, I don’t remember the title, but it was about whales and hummingbirds. Both animals were given a set number of heartbeats before they would die. The whale’s heartbeats are slow, and so it lives many many years before it…
Without Cursing the Earth Beneath Me
Patagonia Pt. 6 Campamiento Grey —> Campamiento Frances —> Campamiento Central After hiking eight grueling hours under a beating sun from Campsite Grey to Campsite Frances, I had a Snickers, a pot of curry-flavored quinoa, and half a can of beer. The other half I spilled in my tent. At this point, I accepted the…
Profoundly Sh*tty
I am basking in the warm California sun as I reminisce on my last few months traveling alone in Chilean Patagonia. When I arrived in Santiago in early February, my heart would race every time I left my hostel. I took taxis everywhere, afraid of public transportation. I would constantly search for wifi to look…
An Inch is a Cinch, but a Yard is Hard
Patagonia Pt. 5 Campamiento Los Perros to Glacier Grey “Tomorrow, the hike will be around 13 miles but last 11-12 hours. It will start with a 6,400 ft incline until the John Gardner Pass, then about a 9000 ft descent that will last around two to three miles. It is STEEP. If you don’t have…
Our Sister, the Ice Monster
Patagonia Pt. 4 Direct From the Journal: Torres del Paine “O” Circuit Day 3- Dickson to Los Perros I am sitting at the base of the Los Perros Glacier. An icy green lake ripples at my feet, and a frigid breeze nips at my face. Behind me are giant rounded hills that wear lush forests…
Like Seeing a Fox in the Snow
Patagonia Pt. 3 Campamiento Serón to Campamiento Dickson I woke up to a flooded tent. Well, “woke up” would imply that I slept. The intense wind, pouring rain, cold temps, and constant need to pee resulted in a restless first night. Also, I forgot my tent pegs, so I had to line my tent with…
Talking and Laughing in Patagonian Backcountry
Patagonia Pt. 2 My hostel was bustling with excited travelers, gathered together talking about the next day’s big hike. They all met each other for the first time that night, and I wondered how they could easily make friends. I was sitting awkwardly in the back, reorganizing the contents of my backpack, feeling hyperconscious of…
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Jess Outdoors 