For the first year I lived in Colorado, I just couldn't get hiking right. I wore clothes that would get clammy with sweat as I crawled up the mountain, I chronically overpacked, and I wasn't eating right. Over time, I improved little by little - and now here we are. I didn't find a lot of guides online, so I put one together so you start out winning from the start. Colorado weather can be quite finicky, switching from sun one moment to thunderstorms the next. It makes for incredible hiking conditions, but can be hard to prepare for. After a few dozen hikes, I've got my routine down pat and never pack more than I need.
Read MoreGrowing up with Japanese culture (Any Doraemon, Sailor Moon, Hayao Miyazaki, Naruto, Bleach, or Utada Hikaru fans out there?) had put Japan at the top of my list of countries to visit. When an opportunity came up to spend a few days in Japan, I jumped at it. The schedule we landed on was 1 day in Kyoto, and 3 days in Tokyo. I included both the actual itinerary as well as my fantasy picks for the next trip in this post, so you can pick and choose for your own trip. For fellow aesthetes, photos are included to help you make your decisions.
Read MoreMy drive up to the park was quiet, with the sky slowly changing from a midnight black to a pale purple. Right as I rounded the corner into Estes Park and saw the Front Range, the sky lightened up to shades of pink and purple that made the mountains look incredible.
Read MoreBelize had the best snorkeling I've ever experienced, mild weather and the kind of friendly locals that come with a country not yet jaded by overtourism. We stayed at a resort on Ambergris Caye (their most popular island) called Matachica, and by the end of the trip I was ready to drop some serious cash to buy my bungalow and live there forever.
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