There’s no city in the world like New York — and not many in the U.S. that can be as expensive to visit! In several visits there, I’ve figured out a few tactics and resources that can help to have a good time in the Big Apple on the cheap. There are actually quite a […]
Tres belle! My Quebec City home for the next 10 days, doing a home exchange. Marie-Chantal is staying at my home in Austin. Selma and I can’t wait to explore this lovely city! This chic, three-story townhome is in an excellent location, only about a 15 minute walk from Vieux Quebec and in a lively […]
How often do you get to actually live like royalty? I was fortunate to have that opportunity last week, when I was invited by HomeAway to spend a day and night at a Scottish castle, about an hour outside Edinburgh. I was already in Ireland, so it was a quick hop over — how could […]
Over the new year, I made my first ever trip to Brazil. It’s been near the top of the list for me and my SO, Keith, for quite a while. We flew into São Paulo on Christmas evening and stayed a couple of nights. Most of our time was spent in the Vila Madalena neighborhood, a bohemian […]
I just returned from Alaska yesterday — my 50th state, which was the culmination of my #50by50 quest to visit all 50 states by my 50th birthday. Well, my birthday was last week on September 7, and on that day I was on a small ship in the Inside Passage of Alaska, watching pods of whales […]
For a week over 4th of July, I took the Judester on a road trip through states #44-46 on my 50×50 quest: North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. We flew into Denver and, over 1,600 miles, road tripped through the Midwest. We visited numerous national and state parks, including Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska; […]
I was recently interviewed by Latitude, a travel site aimed at sharing culturally-aware stories with passion, positivity and professionalism that inspires you to explore the world with an open mind. This interview was published on the site — you can read it here. It shares thoughts on the pull of travel, safety issues, how to really […]
A few days ago I returned from my first-ever trip to Cuba. A very photographic place in terms of the architecture, cars, and just the way the country occupies a certain space and time in the world today that no other place does. Here is my Cuba experience in photos.
I couldn’t keep the song from coming into my head whenever I was driving through the parks and countryside during last week’s road trip to West Virginia. The country roads were peaceful, although I arrived a week or two too late for the best fall foliage. I drove into West Virginia, my 39th state in […]
I love to travel. I love to eat. I suspect many of you are the same. One of the best things about traveling, to me and many of us, is experiencing the food and culinary culture of new places. I love trying street food, taking cooking lessons, visiting markets, asking locals for their favorite restaurants, […]
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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 