26 Things to Do in Łódź
It was only after I booked my weekend in Łódź that I realized what a raging debate surrounds this Polish city. While some have hailed it as a success story, a failing industrial town revitalized into a…
How to Plan an International Family Vacation
After about a year of living in Ukraine I found myself as the tour director for a very small, very specific group of visitors — my family. I’m not even sure how the idea got started, considering…
Is It Safe to Travel Dagestan? Or Stupid?
Every time I told a new person that I planned to travel Dagestan during our school holidays, I had to digest their expression and ask myself, again, “What’s the difference between being stupid and being brave?” It…
The Truth about Solo Female Travel in Georgia
Solo female travel in Georgia is a mixed bag. There, I said it, and I know I risk riling some people. Georgians are renowned for their hospitality – which is completely true. They are some of the…
The Best Cocktail Bars in Tbilisi
Finding the best cocktail bars in Tbilisi turned out not to be an easy challenge. Georgia is all about wine, wine, wine, and it’s only recently that their craft beer scene has really gotten going. So when…
How to Choose Your Next Expat Home
The snow pants were presenting a problem. As was my Little Red Riding Hood pea coat, my cozy and fluffy sweater shawl, and my snow boots. Leaving Kyiv and moving to Tbilisi in the middle of winter meant…
What It’s Really Like to Hike Svaneti
I’m pacing the three-meter length of the shoebox Northface store in Tbilisi, occasionally bouncing on the balls of my feet to fake like I know what I’m doing. The sales girl smiles at me encouragingly, but it’s…
Rethinking Solo Travel in Ureki, Georgia
I’m sitting in the reception area of a hotel in Ureki Georgia, with bedding and other random hospitality debris piled high around me, and there’s one thing for certain. I am definitely traveling alone. I know this…
The Cable Car in Khulo, Georgia
I knew I had made a good choice when my hostel mom’s eyes light up. “Ah, Khulo!” she said, with the most enthusiasm I had seen in my four days in Batumi (barring when I struggled to…
Required Travel Reading: Books About Ukraine
Books are (sometimes) better than travel. Even with over a year and a half in Ukraine, there’s only so much culture and history and cocktails I had time to soak up. Reading books about Ukraine added dimension…
