I reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro on New Year's Day 2020. Traveling to Africa was high on my destination list, as I chased my goal of reaching all 7 continents before I turned 30 (Africa would be #6). While researching Africa, I came across the stories of Kilimanjaro. The chance to summit the tallest free standing mountain in the world?? That sounded right up my alley! (I always love a good challenge). So, I researched that a bit more, and before I knew it, everything was booked. Keep an eye out for an upcoming blog post about how to prepare and pack for the hike.

Below is a day by day itinerary of my trip. I chose to follow the Machame Route. This is one of the most common routes, and was a 7 day itinerary which is a perfect amount of time on the mountain. First, ...

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You may have already seen the infamous photos and videos that circulate social media. Giraffe Manor is sometimes noted as "the most instagrammed location in the world". Social media influencers with flowing dresses, sitting next to a large open window, while a giraffe sticks their head in and seemingly shares their breakfast with them...sound familiar?Seems pretty cool, right? You may wonder how one gets the chance to partake in this. Some also often wonder if parts of these videos/photos are edited or photo shopped. Well here's a disclaimer; Giraffe Manor is a totally real place, and open to the general public. It is expensive, they book up years in advance, but it is 100% worth it. Keep reading for a "behind the scenes" look at what it is like to stay at Giraf...

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It all started with a simple trip to Sydney, Australia in 2013. I thought I was just joining a friend for a New Year's Eve destination, but it became much more than that. My wanderlust was instantaneously sparked.

It was my first time leaving North America, and I quickly realized it would not be my last.

...so what happened next?

Well let me start off by saying I didn't always have a goal of reaching all 7 continents.

I fell in love with what traveling offered me, and it quickly and organically became an attainable accomplishment. After...

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It was 2012, and I was just working another shift as a waitress at a restaurant. One of my friends who I worked with suddenly came up to me and said, "Do you want to go to Australia with me for New Year's Eve??" I didn't even have to think about it before automatically saying YES. And that's where it all began...

That trip to Australia was my first time leaving North America, and I immediately knew that I wanted to see as much of the world as possible.

Ever since that first big trip, I have constantly looked for opportunities to explore new places...

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So...what exactly do I mean by a "tourist trap"?

Picture this. Imagine you are scrolling through Instagram, and you start seeing photos of this beautiful geothermal spa... steam is rising off the water, Icelandic mountains can be seen in the distance... you can almost feel the still peacefulness of the setting. You've been planning a trip to Iceland, so you add this magical place to your itinerary. The morning of your scheduled visit, you awake feeling invigorated and excited to explore this new location.

Fast forward... you arrive. The line to check in is out the door. You finally make your way through only to find swarms of other tourists in the locker room, so crowded that it takes you an hour to find an empty locker and change. You make you way care...

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