The Night Owl Visits the Morning: Mt. Batur, Indonesia

A little different from my typical post, this is an extended version of my entry into the World Nomads 2017 Writing Scholarship–detailing my trek up Mt. Batur to catch the sunrise. I’ll win next year, but no reason not to share :)! The guttural cry of the alarm clock jolts us from sleep. 2:15 AM. Through our hotel window, a pitch…

Dolomites in the Fall:
Land of Italian Giants

When you arrive in the land of Italian Giants, you are instantly in awe. Everywhere you look, lush green trees naturally flow into spectacular rock formations that tower above. Each uniquely enormous mountain tells it’s own beautiful story of erosion. The myriad of colors that slope down from these natural creatures range from the whitest…

Bled, Slovenia:
A Natural Fairy Tale

Let’s talk about fairy tales. Imagine a shimmering emerald lake absolutely surrounded by lush green trees. These trees continue on in all directions, healthily dotting magnificent mountains that cascade up into the bright blue sky and pierce fluffy, white clouds. Now, in the middle of that lake is a tiny island that holds a church…