Lake Batabat and Its Floating Island, the Gem of Nakhchivan

I had never seen a landscape change this dramatically this quickly before, from dusty red rocks straight out of the American Southwest to lush green rolling foothills and steep mountains tipped with snow within the span of a single hour. I must have had my head hanging out of the taxi window nearly the whole drive, like … Read more

Backpacking Europe Packing List: The Women’s Survival Guide

view of one of the most famous buildings in milan, a church that houses in the last supper, seen through archways of a courtyard on a sunny day

If the prospect of packing for Europe long-term has you overwhelmed, don’t worry: you need far less than you think. I’ve spent a cumulative 10 months of my life backpacking through Europe with nothing more than a 45L carry-on size bag that escapes even the eagle eyes of budget airlines. You don’t need to pack … Read more