Traveling can be a big threat to the planet—both environmentally and culturally. There, I’ve said it. As much as those of us afflicted with wanderlust don’t want to admit it, that is a cold hard truth. There are many ways in which tourism is wreaking havoc with places—but there are also many ways in which […]
Nicaragua is not a wealthy country; according to the Moon Handbook to Nicaragua, it is the poorest of all Central American countries (and second-poorest in the Western Hemisphere). Having suffered numerous colonial take-overs, civil war, rebellious political overthrows and the infamous Sandinista/Contra period in the 1980s in which the U.S. was so heavily involved, this […]
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I'm Shelley, a journeyer and learner of the world, freelance journalist and author, yoga chick and dog lover. I pound the keyboard from home barefoot every day, and while my boss is demanding she also occasionally lets me have the early afternoon cocktail. I think not going into an office or collecting corporate paychecks are very good ideas, though not always profitable. I have written for National Geographic, USA Today, The Guardian, Texas Monthly and CNN, among others. Neither the New York Times nor Johnny Depp have answered my letters yet.
I love animals, yoga, indie movies, cooking, wine, books and chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. I believe in karma. Mean people suck. If I could have any dream job I would like to be a superhero. I have performed a catch on the flying trapeze, boarded down a live volcano, snorkeled with seals and was once robbed by a monkey in Nepal. But, I don't know how to whistle.
My mantra is "travel with a purpose."
See the world like a local!
A book I wrote with my partner Keith, that lays out how we travel as much as we do, for damn near free.
Trading Places 