The Girl Who Goes

independent, intentional travel

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Top 3 Things to Know Before Visiting Mexico City

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When I booked my first-ever trip to Mexico City in April 2018, it was a last-minute, not-very-well-planned, thing. I didn’t know much about it or what was there, but I assumed I’d at least get some good food and the opportunity to practice my Spanish a bit. And at the time, Southwest Airlines flew there as one of their few international destinations. It cost me 15,000 points + $100 round-trip, so I really couldn’t complain!

Though less than a year later, in March 2019, Southwest ceased its service to Ciudad de Mexico (CDMX) meaning if you want to plan your own trip to the Mexican capital, you’ll have to look at another airline. [Read more…]

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Is Mexico Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

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Is Mexico safe? Most of us know that Mexico gets a bad reputation. For many, the mention of Mexico invokes ideas of crime, violence, and earthquakes. Even the State Department has issued warnings urging U.S. travelers not to visit certain parts of the country. There were reports of tourists being served tainted alcohol; an Iowa family of four tragically found dead in their rented condo.

So, here we have Mexico sounding pretty dangerous for anyone to visit. [Read more…]

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A Review of Lila Thai Massage in Chiang Mai, Thailand

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When’s the last time you got a professional massage?

Ok, I’ll go first. Before my trip to Thailand in 2017, and my experience with Lila Thai Massage, I’d had exactly two massages in my life. Both of them had been for free, done by my mom’s friend, Larissa, who was in massage therapy school and needed practice hours. But massages were never something I’d thought about paying for.

Next question: When’s the last time you got a professional massage from a former inmate? [Read more…]

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Thailand: Elephants and Ethics

“I booked my trip to Thailand,” I told some friends, months before I would share this news with my parents.

“That’s so cool! You have to ride an elephant while you’re there,” one of them said.

“Oh, I totally will.”

I could just imagine it: photos I’d seen of other friends, and celebrities, perched atop the back of these gentle giants, danced in my head. Who wouldn’t want to ride an elephant? [Read more…]

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7 Reasons You Should Visit Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Wat Phra Singh Temple in Chiang Mai

When you think of Thailand, what comes to mind? Probably Bangkok, right? It makes sense — from 2016 to 2019, Bangkok was the world’s most-visited city, edging out cities like London, Paris, Tokyo, and Barcelona.

Next, perhaps you think of Phuket and the all beautiful beaches down south. Maybe you don’t think of Chiang Mai; I’d never even heard of it myself until a month before I went to Thailand. But after spending three busy days in Bangkok, which I enjoyed, I definitely appreciated the quiet charm of Chiang Mai. It quickly became my favorite city I visited during my two-week excursion through Thailand and Cambodia. [Read more…]

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A Review of Thai Railways: Overnight Train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai

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Being planted in the Midwest, I don’t have a ton of practical reasons to take the train in my regular life. When I’m traveling, though, it’s a different story. Rather than shying away from this form of transportation due to unfamiliarity, I embrace the opportunity to move about the world in a different way. I’ve taken it from Berlin to Stuttgart, Copenhagen to Amsterdam, Madrid to Sevilla, and Seattle to Vancouver. [Read more…]

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Top 3 Things to Know Before Visiting Cambodia

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First of all, if you’re planning to visit Cambodia, let me congratulate you. You’re going to get lots of puzzled looks and questions such as, “Where?” and “Why?” from family, friends, and co-workers. But you’ve made an excellent decision to experience a country and culture that many people overlook.

Whether you know a lot or a little about Cambodia, there are three things you absolutely must know before you visit Cambodia. [Read more…]

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5 Reasons To Visit Cambodia on Your Southeast Asia Trip

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Why visit Cambodia? Well, views like these, for one…

Where is Cambodia? If you’re most people, you probably have no idea. That’s okay. We’re going to talk about it. Why should you want to visit Cambodia? We’ll talk about that too.

I was first alerted to the existence of Cambodia on the last day of my sophomore year of college. My Spanish professor, Heidi — who helped grow my love for Spain and international travel — was telling us how much she’d enjoyed teaching us that semester, and the conversation turned to the importance of traveling. She became emotional as she shared some of her most memorable experiences, including her visit to Pol Pot’s Killing Fields in Cambodia.

And in that moment, I could not have told you where Cambodia was. But when I got back to my apartment that afternoon, you already know what Wikipedia page I ended up on. [Read more…]

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Top 3 Things to Know Before Visiting Iceland

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Once upon a time, when I was a traveling technology consultant, two friends/co-workers somehow convinced our company to let us fly to Iceland. For the weekend. We flew Chicago to Reykjavík on a Thursday night and returned on Sunday evening. Since it was a fairly last-minute plan, I didn’t do much research in advance of the trip. I certainly learned a lot in the three days we spent there, and there are a few things that I think people should know before visiting Iceland.

While I’m sure I will return someday, for a (hopefully) longer period of time, three days was long enough for me to come up with these three basic tips that anyone visiting Iceland needs to know. So, here we are — three things to know before visiting Iceland. [Read more…]

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The Ultimate Guide to Taxis in Bangkok

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There’s no shortage of taxis in Bangkok — you just have to know how they work.

Before going to Thailand, I could probably count on one hand the number of times I’d used an actual taxi. As a Millennial, I’m no stranger to Uber, which is similar in theory but totally different in application. When I’ve traveled abroad before, I’ve usually relied on public transportation. Although it may not be the fastest or most convenient way to travel, it sure is cheap. [Read more…]