Even after more than three and a half years based in Thailand, I still learn, discover or see something new every single day. Every time I come back to the country, people will ask me why – haven’t I seen enough? The short answer is, because I love it, and, no. There are still entire […]

“Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.” – Alan Keightley This month marks the 2-year anniversary of Paper Planes – which feels strange to say since, depending on the day, it either seems like I’ve been doing this forever or […]

Bangkok won’t charm you…at least not right away. It’s massive, intimidating, busy, hot, humid and really kind of ugly. Chances are you may get ripped off by a tuk tuk or taxi driver and you’ll definitely get stuck in traffic at some point. But, give it a little time, and you’ll start to notice how the […]

This past weekend marked my three year anniversary of leaving Seattle and moving to Southeast Asia. Though at the time I didn’t really think of it as ‘moving’, more like I was leaving for an extended trip, I’ve now used Chiang Mai as a home base for longer than anywhere else I’ve lived after high […]

With hundreds of islands to choose from, it quickly becomes overwhelming trying to decide what the best Thai island to go to is. Heck, after three years living in the country and becoming more familiar with all the different options, it’s still difficult for me to choose and organize a trip. (And then I just give […]

Every trip has its own set of packing requirements. For short weekend trips it’s easy to throw stuff in a bag last minute, long backpacking treks require more planning ahead and items that can serve different duties, and moving to a new country is too overwhelming to to think about. How can you pack for […]

There’s no right or wrong way to travel…but there are a few things everyone should keep in mind while on the road. 1. Be patient Things will go wrong, planes will be delayed, the weather won’t cooperate and you’ll forget to charge your camera battery. In the end, it probably won’t matter too much. Just relax […]

The last two weeks have been a blur of islands, temples, mountains, markets, motorbike rides, boat trips and festivals… Having visitors always gives you the opportunity to show off your favorite spots and do things you wouldn’t do otherwise, like spend a week in nice hotels, go on impractical day trips instead of working and […]

When I first left home and moved to Thailand two years ago I wasn’t really stressed, anxious or worried before I left. People would ask me if I was scared to go, and I wasn’t at all. I wasn’t really excited either, or didn’t feel as enthusiastic about it as I thought I should. Instead […]

I’m not a very particular packer.  I don’t use packing wedges, I don’t obsess about forgetting things and often I don’t even make lists of what to bring.  However, whether I’m backpacking around Southeast Asia, going away for the weekend or heading out on a road trip, there are a handful of random of things […]