The tiny village of Neakutoleab came into view as I left the Monastery Church of Neakutoleab. Music wafted down from the top of the hill. “Want to go see what’s happening?” my guide asked. “Absolutely,” I said. I struggled up a steep dirt path to a concrete house painted in brilliant primary colors and rounded … Read more
An Orthodox Christian priest at the Monastery Church of Neakutoleab in Lalibela, Ethiopia, shows me the 500-year old “Miracle of St. Mary” book. Both the text and illustrations were done by hand using plant-based inks on goatskin parchment. The Monastery Church of Neakutoleab was originally built inside a natural cave by King Lalibela in the … Read more
Perhaps the question I’m asked most often as a digital nomad is, “How much does it cost to travel the world full time?” It’s a question that, after 11 and a half years of traveling around the world, I am eminently qualified to answer, but up to this point have avoided. I began my travel-blogging … Read more
A highlight of the Songkran Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is the cycling parade of parasol-carrying ladies dressed in traditional Lanna attire. From the top of their head to the tip of their toes, they exude elegance. Their long lustrous black tresses are swept up into elaborate buns and decorated with cascades of fresh flowers. … Read more
In mid-April each year, Thailand celebrates the Songkran Festival, Thai New Year. While festivities occur all over the country, the most lavish celebrations occur in the northern city of Chiang Mai. Held over a four or five day period, Songkran begins with a monk blessing and alms-giving ceremony, followed by the presentation of Songkran queens … Read more
