About

I grew up in a house full of books, but, unlike many home libraries we had no Jane Austen novels, no Dickens or Hemingway.  Most of our books are what a library would have labeled as “reference,” big books filled with pictures and information, and don’t even get me started on my fathers National Geographic collection.

I remember one day when I was about 5 or so, I pulled a book off the shelf called “Splendors of the Past.”  I sat on the floor, opened the book and in the very front was a double page spread of Angkor Wat.  Staring at the picture I hungered to visit this place where Disney movies seemed real.  My five year old heart wanted to run through the ruins like Mowgli in The Jungle Book.  As I continued to flip through the pages I saw pictures of the Pyramids, the Holy Land and the unearthed ruins of Pompeii, and I was in love.

That is the moment I credit with developing my wanderlust.  A huge desire to see the historical markers of the world when I was younger that in my adult life morphed into a need to experience cultures and traditions was well.

So, I made it my goal to experience all of the extraordinary moments and places this world has to offer, no matter where life may take me.

So Who Am I?

My name is Amanda, and I don’t just have a travel bug, I have an infestation.

It’s true, but you probably already know that.

To dive a little deeper I grew up in the evergreen, Pacific Northwest city of Seattle. Where I’d ride ferries, hike in the mountains and play at the Seattle center.  Growing up life was pretty normal.  My parents dreamed of traveling the world but because finances didn’t allow grand world wide adventures we took road trips instead, and camped… a lot.

I loved Washington and I still love Washington, but by the time I graduated from high-school I needed to get out and see the world.  I went to college in both Southern California, and Virginia.  The college atmosphere suited my spontaneous personality and I found myself with opportunities to explore corners of the US I had only dreamed about.

The greatest opportunity however presented itself my senior year when I was able to spend a semester studying abroad with Semester At Sea.  A real dream come true, I’d drooled over the SAS website since my freshman year, but it was just to expensive. It was killing me.  Finally I decided to throw caution to the wind, I took out a giant loan and in August 2006 I found myself in Ensenada, Mexico on board the MV Explorer beginning the most eye opening and life changing experience of my life so far.  In 100 days I saw the world.  I walked with Geishas in Japan, climbed the Great Wall, sat on the Taj Mahal, went inside of King Tut’s tomb and so much more.  The dreams I’d had since I was 5 years old were finally coming true.

Since Semester At Sea I spent two years teaching in Thailand, traveling around Asia, and a year traveling the world and serving the poor with The World Race.

I’ve seen 36 countries on 5 continents and have had some pretty extraordinary experiences.

But the most exciting part, is sharing those experiences with you, and hopefully inspiring you to get out and have some extraordinary experiences yourself, whether it’s in your hometown, or across the world!

Fun Facts

–  I currently live in Alaska where I’m going back to school to be an EMT/Paramedic.

– I spent the last quarter of 2012 living and volunteering in Bolivia

-Although I’ve seen most of Asia, I’ve hardly touched Europe and I dream of backpacking around the continent one day, like my mom did when she was 19.

– I hate coffee and cheese, it’s true.

-I have a degree in History, which is of absolutely no use in general life, but I love it.

-My friends call me a garbage dump of information.  I pay attention to details and am pretty good at recalling facts, a trait inherited from my dad, and bonus, it makes everyone want me on their trivia team!

– I dream of climbing a mountain one day, a REAL mountain, and I’ve watched the Discovery Channel series “Everest Beyond the Limit” about 52 times.  It never gets old.

– I also dream of becoming an Ice Road Trucker…

Questions, comments or just want to get in touch with me?  Check out my contact page to see how.