Hi! I’m Traveling Thy (“tee“).

In 2009, just before my 30th birthday, I quit my job in Los Angeles and flew to New Zealand on a one-way ticket…which turned into a one-way ticket to Australia…which turned into a one-way ticket to Malaysia…and the next thing I knew, it was 2 years later and I’d circumvented the earth through 25 countries over 3 continents.

In those two years…

I sky dived, I scuba dived. I worked for a fish farm. I fell in love. I fell out of love. I went to the emergency room once. I bungee jumped two times. I ate a tarantula. I camped in the desert. I volunteered at a school in rural Cambodia. I hitchhiked through Croatia. I went parasailing on the coast of France. I went island-hopping in Greece. I went ziplining in Thailand. I studied Buddhist philosophy and meditation in Nepal. I went fishing in India. I celebrated gay pride in the Netherlands, and Easter Sunday at the Vatican, and St. Paddy’s Day in Dublin.

After a brief return to the States, I later spent four months backpacking through South America in 2013, and then did a volunteer stint rescuing sea turtles in Central America in 2014.

Out of necessity and its long-term nature, my travel style in those years was scrappy and low-budget, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But I’m pretty sure those days are over, and this blog exists in part so I can reminisce and document that wild ride I took in my early 30s. Because it was indeed wild. And it completely changed my life.

Now that I’m adulting and being a more civilized member of society (late bloomer indeed), traveling has changed for me – it’s more structured and less crazy than it used to be; it’s more planned than it is spontaneous. But however my travel style evolves, travel itself remains essential in my life. I constantly seek newness, increased cultural competence, more engagement with the world. It makes me feel alive.

And whether or not I’m physically traveling, I make a point to experience my day-to-day life with the wide-eyed wonderment of a traveler. I stay curious, I’m in awe of everything. I’m always trying to meet new people, to observe human behavior; I’m constantly learning and trying to understand the things that people do and why they do them. And equipped with that curiosity and the experiences that feed it, I’m always trying to be a better version of myself and to contribute to the lives of others in the best way possible.

I am PRESENT. That, to me, is traveling. And I’m doing it all the time.

I may not be documenting it on this blog all the time, but I try my best! I do believe life is better lived in real life and not on a device…but every now and then, I’ll reminisce on an amazing hike I did, a fascinating conversation I had, or a mind-blowing meal I devoured somewhere in the world. I have, literally, tens of thousands of photos and countless memories I’ve yet to share on here. Or ANYwhere or with anyONE, for that matter. It excites me to share them with you on the Traveling Thy blog in the months and years to come.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I give travel advice too!

While my blog is heavy on the story-telling and photo-sharing side, I do have a lot of useful knowledge and experience that I’m hoarding in my head, eagerly waiting for some pointed ways to share it.

• Do you have a trip coming up?
• Are you considering long-term, low-budget travel?
• Got questions about visas, border crossings, local currencies or any of the places I’ve been?
• Looking for a hostel or Couchsurfing recommendation?

I’d love to help! Email me or ask away in the form below. I reply to 100% of my reader emails.

Thanks for visiting my site!