I’ll never forget my first solo hike. It wasn’t something I’d planned and prepped for. It wasn’t even intentional, as most of my solo experiences started out. Fact was, there was just no one around to join me, so I went alone.

It was a night hike. It wasn’t particularly far – just a few miles to the Kawah Ijen volcano in a tiny village in East Java. I’d ridden there at 3am on the back of an ojek, or motorbike taxi, climbed off, bid my driver adieu, wrapped a sarong around my shoulders and got to walking.

I remember looking up and being in awe of the stars that night. I made my way to the famous blue flames, saw the local men walking up and down with their shoulder baskets full of sulfur, and made my way upwards to the ridge to take it all in.

Virginia encapsulates some of the best landscapes on the East Coast. You can experience the Appalachian Mountains on one side of the state and the glittering Atlantic Ocean on the other!

With camping season in full swing, there are a lot of well-known and hidden gems to explore in Virginia. From getting out there and visiting places like the largest caverns on this side of the United States or an island where wild horses roam free, camping allows you to immerse in the state’s uninhibited beauty.

Here are some of the best of what Virginia has to offer:

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah is arguably the most famous park in Virginia. It’s a long sliver of land that sizes up to around 200,000 acres on Virginia’s northern side.  While admission to the park and its well-known valley costs $30 for a single vehicle, the fee covers unlimited entry for seven

Welcome to Washington state, the kind of place where we’re so spoiled for choice that any visit will result in multiple heartbreaking decisions.

OK yes, I’m being dramatic, but there are so many mountain trails to choose from, it would take months just to scratch the surface.

But most of us don’t have months, we only have days!

I visited Washington at the end of August with one goal in mind: See as many of the national parks – Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades – as I could with only eight days.

Under a similar time crunch? Just want to see the best in the state has to offer? I got you! This is one epic Washington national parks road trip itinerary:

Mount Rainier National Park

Before we begin, it’s worth noting that there is no real right or wrong order to do this national parks itinerary in. I

We’ve finally made it to the last post in our chakras series! Today it’s all about the crown chakra! As the final chakra in the system, it has a unique role in human spirituality, connection, and consciousness.

If you want to start at the beginning, check out the first post in this series on the root chakra, followed by the sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, and third eye chakra.

The Crown Chakra at a Glance

The crown chakra, or sahasrāra chakra in Sanskrit, is known as “the bridge to the cosmos.” It is the most spiritual in nature of all seven chakras. Located above the crown of the head, it acts as the individual’s center of spirit, enlightenment, wisdom, universal consciousness, and connection to higher guidance. In a sense, the crown chakra is our highest potential. It governs interaction &

Mount Rainier rises like a behemoth above the Washington skyline. Towering at over 14,400 feet in elevation, it might not be the tallest mountain in the world, or even close, but in comparison to the surrounding peaks, it is a sight to behold. 

Mount Rainier is an active volcano and the most glaciated peak in the lower 48. During my Washington exploration, I was always delighted when I could see this incredible mountain coming out to play.

I only had 48 hours to explore Mount Rainier National Park, but if you play it right, you can see a lot of great stuff during a short period of time. There is plenty of variety from waterfalls, to reflective lakes and of course, mountain hikes for glorious sunrises and sunsets.

If you’re exploring mount Rainier National Park and you’re short on time, let me guide you towards an amazing experience:

Sunset on

The Golden State has more to see than most countries, and it’s larger than many as well. With so many different landscapes from forests to deserts, mountains, and coastline running along the entire western side, I’ve spent most of my life exploring this state and still find new points of interest constantly.

So what are the best places to see in California? As a native Californian, photography junkie, and perpetual traveler, this is the ultimate California bucket list from south to north:

1. Surf’s up in San Diego

San Diego is the third largest city in California and probably has the best weather of anywhere in the world. Given its proximity to Mexico, you can plan on some of the best food in the state and a nice mix of cultures, though that’s true all over California. The beaches of La Jolla, Coronado Island, and the funky culture of Hillcrest