Category Archives: Traveling

Travel makes me happy.

Scouting trip to the Dominican Republic

By | November 11, 2024

So, we’re married! At least in the eyes of my parents’ gods. Not witnessed by anyone besides our parents. And the pandit. We took the marriage as a sign to take a mini honeymoon. Our idea: a 100-person destination wedding in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We’ve both never been, so this was a chance to… Read More »

Central Asia Bucket List: Two weeks in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. And Georgia.

By | September 25, 2024

It’s hard to decide which cities to visit in central Asia because I’ve never heard of any of these places. Tashkent versus Samarkand versus Bukhara in Uzbekistan. Almaty versus Askana versus Chuy Valley in Kazakhstan. Central Asia isn’t as part of the zeitgeist as, say, Europe. The only movie I found about central Asia was… Read More »

New travel hack – lounges!

By | October 3, 2023

Okay, maybe you know about this travel tip already, but I’ve recently become obsessed with lounges at airports. Changing travel styles When I was traveling solo, I would get to the gate about four minutes before they started boarding and I would eat a sandwich I packed in my bag when I got hungry. But… Read More »

How to get a mostly free trip

By | September 26, 2023

The short answer is credit cards. Apply for them, get them, spend however much you need to spend on them, and then gather up the points in your arms and whisper sweet nothings to them. This was for a 4-day, 3-night trip to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos with a night layover in Miami, Florida in… Read More »

The one-mile project

By | July 18, 2022

I love spreadsheets. You know that better than most people because most people don’t know me. My latest spreadsheet project involves me going through google maps, street by street, and recording all the restaurants, bars, salons, and other notable businesses within a one mile radius walking distance of my house. And then, slowly, going to… Read More »

My Europe Bucket List

By | January 25, 2020

I went to Europe for a month or so in September/October 2019. Did I tell you this? Here’s the bucket list I made for that trip. I didn’t post it earlier because I have a hard time convincing myself people actually care about this stuff. 1. Hang out with my mom and sister My mom… Read More »

My Family Cruise Bucket List

By | March 26, 2019

I wanted to take a trip with my parents and cruises are an easy way to go. You don’t think about accommodations, luggage, food, or even entertainment. You just consume. Family Cruise Bucket List 1. See the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal was the main point of the cruise. My mom wanted to do an… Read More »

How to decide if a salary bump is worth the move or another article from years ago that I never published because you know all this stuff already and it’s too much excruciating detail that nobody but me cares about.

By | February 22, 2019

My friend Mimi is contemplating relocating from Chicago, Illinois to Sydney, Australia for her job. The assignment would last anywhere from 18-24 months and comes with a cost of living increase. She asked me, since I’m trying to impersonate a personal finance guru, if the move was “worth it.” So I asked her some questions… Read More »