Blogger Travel Stories That Transformed Them

Updated March 16, 2022

Boy, do I have some travel stories.

I went on some international group trips in high school, cramming in as many sights as possible into each day while being fed pasta in a sketchy red sauce as sustenance come mealtimes.

Fun fact: It was pasta in red sauce no matter the country, by the way.

But it wasn’t until my study abroad experience in Australia that I really felt like I needed to see more of what was out there. It was where my travel story would begin.

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Travel Stories Change You

Uluru in the Australian Outback at sunset

There I was, looking out over the Outback, in the shadow of the sacred rock Uluru and what at that time was the most remote place I had ever been. Australia will do that to you.

I haven’t looked back since.

Everyone’s experiences are different when it comes to that aha moment where you realize that travel is about more than an escape from the daily grind.

It’s about not only experiencing the far-flung and ticking things off of your bucket list, but the desire to see more, do more, and get uncomfortable, in the best way.

It’s about talking to people from different backgrounds than your own, which in turn makes you a better citizen whenever you do go back.

And it’s about wanting all of that for the right reasons.

Anthony Bourdain summed it up nicely:

In keeping with that theme, I wanted to reach out to bloggers about more than just a post on cool travel stories. I wanted those bloggers to share travel stories on the moments and the trips that made them true travelers, rather than just vacationers.

Maybe you’ll get some inspiration of your own for what’s next for your travel plans, just as I did.

A Trip of a Lifetime

Alexa is a travel blogger and podcaster who has been writing about travel for more than 10 years. Her blog, 52 Perfect Days, offers readers a wealth of information about how to spend a perfect day in both well-known locations and places that are off-the-beaten-path. Follow her on Instagram!

I’ve traveled to four continents and 30+ countries. I’ve worked in a youth hostel in Amsterdam, bartended in Greece, and painted (not art, but walls) in Germany. I rode the Orient Express, snorkeled with dolphins, had tea with a prince, and a whole slew of other truly memorable travel experiences.

But when I think of the trip that truly made me a traveler rather than a vacationer, one comes to mind immediately.

When I was 10 years old, my mom, my sister, and I took a summer trip to Spain and North Africa. This was the trip that taught me how to travel and instilled in me a love of travel.

We flew to Madrid and traveled around Spain, with the final goal of reaching Malaga. The plan was to take the ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco, where we met my great aunt and uncle, who were circling the globe on their 32-foot sailboat. We joined them and sailed from North Africa and along the coast of Spain.

During our month on the sailboat, we stopped in a variety of ports where we would visit local markets to restock the galley. We’d do some sightseeing in each port and always find the best ice cream stand.

While going around the tip of Gibraltar, we hit a storm with waves that were larger than the boat and were even followed by a school of sharks for the good part of a day. To say this was an adventure is an understatement.

But at the heart of it all, what I admire the most is that my mom was willing to bring her two young girls to Europe for a trip of a lifetime.

Balkans Travel for the Win

A view of Montenegro, one of the best places for travel stories

Emily’s an outdoor adventure travel lover and has made it her goal to plank in every continent. She started her blog, The Planking Traveler, as a way to share her passion for wellness with others. Her goal is to inspire you to embrace enjoyable movement and optimal nutrition as a sustainable lifestyle. Follow her on Facebook!

In 2014, I reached the 9-year mark at my job. I was thrilled to take advantage of an exciting benefit of my tenure: a 30-day sabbatical. I tried to make plans to travel with a friend, but the timing just didn’t work out. After realizing this would need to be a solo trip, I ended up choosing a small group adventure tour with Intrepid Travel, heading to the Balkans.

This was a region I knew next to nothing about, but I was ready for somewhere adventurous and off-the-beaten-path. I grew up in China and had taken one semi-solo trip to Ireland.

But this was my first overseas trip where I wasn’t with my parents or meeting someone I knew at my destination.

I began my trip with a day on my own in Budapest, Hungary, before meeting up with the tour group. What an incredible city to explore! So many ornate bridges, castles, ruins, and thermal baths.

The next day, I met up with the tour group, and we had dinner together to kick things off. It was nice to have the group to explore with, but I also loved having plenty of time on my own to explore over the next two weeks of the trip, where we visited Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro.

On this trip, I learned to navigate on my own using landmarks, relied on the kindness of locals when I got lost, and made new friends in hostels. I left my comfort zone in multiple ways, and ended up realizing that I never wanted to stop traveling, as often and to as many places as I could.

A Travel Story Share Where Less Planning is More

Vito and Nick have been bros for almost 30 years, since they were 4 years old. The Bros Around the Globe know that it’s possible to travel the world on a budget, and their mission is to provide the tools and inspiration to transform your travel dreams into reality. Follow them on Instagram for crazy travel stories, funny travel stories, and budget travel tips!

A Scandinavia trip forever turned us from tourists to the travelers we are today.

Like all of our trips up to that point, it was a standard two-week vacation. Only this time, our plans were loosely-based: fly to Copenhagen, and get to Bergen 15 days later for a flight home.

Having flexibility in our travel was something new for us. After a few days exploring Copenhagen, we booked a flight to Iceland over some beers in the hostel.

Why not?

We rented a car, embarking on our own road trip along the southern coast of Iceland.

Arriving in Bergen, we were welcomed with Norway’s Constitution Day celebration, an important cultural event to add to our adventure.

The trip had everything. Interesting cities. Meeting new people in hostels from around the world. Connecting with local people, food, traditions, and culture in three countries. Getting in touch with nature surrounded by fjords, mountains, volcanoes, geysers, waterfalls, and black sand beaches. The freedom to wing it a little. The lesson that sometimes no plan can be the best plan.

When we returned home, life would never be the same. Two months later, we were talking about traveling around the world. One year later, we quit our jobs, traveling through 23 countries over the next 13 months.

The journey changed our perspectives, and we credit that trip to Scandinavia for setting us on a path of becoming deeper travelers. Since then, we’ve been rewarded with special experiences countless times along the way.

A Vietnam Itinerary That Includes Life Lessons

A view from above of a waterway in Vietnam

Cindy is an average girl with a lot of energy, a big drive for adventure, and some major FOMO. She’s taken her adventures online as the creator of Wanderlaulife. Follow her on Instagram!

I became addicted to travel on my college study abroad trip to Vietnam. We trekked through Vietnam from January to March of 2009. This is the trip that made me a traveler.

I’m a first-generation Asian American. My parents have similar stories, despite not meeting until they were in America.

Note: They are Vietnamese boat people — refugees who fled Vietnam by boat after the Vietnam War. They lived in refugee camps for years, patiently awaiting their acceptance to the United States.

My parents eventually met and married in sweet home Chicago. I grew up in a typical first-generation household — strict. My parents set incredibly high expectations for my education and conduct, and my childhood was trying my best to gain their approval. Every complaint I ever said was followed by a story of how I didn’t realize how easy my life is.

Every grain of rice I left in my bowl was followed by a retelling of starvation. As a child, it felt like these stories were on repeat. I would even dare say my dad had some real Big Fish moments with his storytelling.

And yet, a trip to my parents’ motherland changed me.

I sincerely believe the combination of authentic food, kind strangers, getting lost, and seeing indescribably wonderful sights stirs something within you. It’s been 11 years since I’ve been to Vietnam, and I can recall the crazy traffic in Ho Chi Minh City, fitting through the Cu Chi Tunnels, the floating market in Can Tho, and the two-and-a-half-mile uphill trek to the Perfume Pagoda.

The strongest memory I have is learning to appreciate my family for who they are and what they experienced. I became a traveler because travel helps you understand and learn more about yourself than you could ever predict.

I became a traveler because daring to explore the world made me a better person.

Leaving Hawaii for an RV and the Road

On Kiana’s blog, Off the Rock Adventures, she helps people learn how to RV and how to live with less, and gives them inspiration for fun travel destinations. She’s from a small town and wants to show that anyone can take a leap outside of their comfort zone to experience the amazing benefits of doing so. Follow her on Instagram for short travel stories!

My husband and I grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii, a beautiful but tiny island, despite the word “big” in its title. We both had traveled to the mainland before, but just on short work or family trips. I always had big dreams of traveling the world, learning new languages, and immersing myself in different cultures.

I have not yet done all of that (note the word “yet”), but I feel that we both became travelers when we left our long-term jobs, our families, friends, and the only place we’d ever called home to RV across the United States and Canada and fully adopt that RV lifestyle.

Prior to this adventure, the two of us could count on one hand the number of states we had been to. While we lived on the road for 15 months, we visited the 48 continental states and three Canadian provinces, made new friends, learned a whole new lifestyle, and learned more about ourselves and the country we live in.

Note: I think that’s the key to travel vs. vacation.

It’s not just about spending the day on the beach, visiting resorts, or even climbing mountains. It’s about finding that part of yourself that connects with your surroundings in a meaningful way. And yes, it could still be on a beach! I want everyone to experience that.

A Fateful Solo Trip to London

A view from the Tower Bridge in London

Heta writes a blog about her life and travels called Hetamentaries, which is full of stories, photographs, world travels, and Helsinki tips. Follow her on Facebook!

It all happened during the springtime, exactly 11 years ago, in a tiny town in Finland. Tickets to London were on sale, and I was queuing for them at 7am. This would be my first solo trip ever. I was going on a discovery journey to see some universities in Scotland, and I wanted to see London, as well.

My excitement about my journey was palpable.

In April, I packed my bags and flew to London. The city scared me at first. I arrived at night on Halloween. The streets were full of zombies, werewolves, and ghosts. Suddenly, I was alone and lost. But after finding my hostel, I found my traveling spirit.

In London, I was mostly by myself venturing into the huge city. Then I sat on a bus for 12 hours and found myself in Scotland.

I saw the Edinburgh and Glasgow universities, met amazing people, and had incredible conversations. I saw some interesting things and learned about the history of the cities.

Slowly, amidst the cobbles and curved roads, I shed my vacationer’s coat and put on my traveler’s jacket.

Five years later, I graduated from the University of Aberdeen, in Scotland. Since my journey, I have seen many places of the world and wish to see many more.

Moving to Asia Changes You

Katie and Calum are British expats, currently living in Bangkok, Thailand. They love to try new food, enjoy romantic experiences, and see the local life of any destination they visit. They love working abroad, and share their tips on Creative Travel Guide. Katie and Calum have also just launched their niche website all about Thailand, That Bangkok Life. Follow them on Instagram!

The moment I became a traveler was when I moved for good.

We had always explored the world, visited Asia and North America, took city breaks in Europe, and loved visiting places closer to home in the UK. But in 2016, we knew that the odd trip away wasn’t enough. We decided to move. In August 2017, we moved to Tianjin, China.

I taught at an international school, and my husband worked full-time on the blog. It was an amazing experience, but I realized how much I had changed once we left China.

We recently made the move to Bangkok, and my family came to visit. They found everything fascinating: the driving, the food, the crowds, the canals through the city. And I realized that I had completely taken these things for granted. Living abroad for this length of time had made the beauty and unusual side of Asia my norm.

I’ve become used to eating from street vendors and whizzing in and out of traffic on a motorbike taxi. I have become used to eating out most days and buying my weekly groceries for less than 40 USD.

I’m used to speaking in the fewest English words I could when trying to communicate with a local who doesn’t know much English. I’ve become used to the hustle and bustle of city life in Asia.

I was taking for granted everything I’ve become so used to. That is when I knew I was more than a tourist in another country. With living abroad, I had become open-minded, knowledgeable, and more interested in people rather than places, and a real traveler.

Moving to Australia and Out of the Bubble

A map with pins all over Australia

Dani is the creator of Wanderlust on a Budget, a blog that aims to show that travel is possible for everyone with a little planning and creativity. Follow her on Instagram!

Growing up, my family didn’t have a lot of money. We rarely went on vacation, and if we did, we would go camping just two hours from home.

But I was an avid reader who dreamed of visiting the places I read about in novels. As a teenager, my aunt realized my desire to travel and would take me on short summer getaways in the northeastern United States. I felt so lucky!

I didn’t venture far for college, choosing to remain in my hometown. But college was tough, and when it was over I needed a break — something to shake things up.

So I contacted my friend in Australia. Maybe I could scrape together some money to visit her, but it was better than that. She invited me to go live with her and her family in Melbourne.

Seriously?! Heck yes!

I gave myself a few months to save up and applied to graduate schools in Melbourne. I left for my life-changing journey when I was lucky enough to get accepted to the best university in Australia.

Living in Australia forced me to get out of the protective bubble I’d made for myself, and living with my host family was the turning point in my life. I had dreams, and they helped me believe I could achieve them.

I was only there a week before they took me to Sydney for the weekend to see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the world-famous opera house. For my birthday, we went to Hobart, Tasmania, to visit Port Arthur and drive along the scenic coast. I went on a 10-day road trip to Queensland with people I’d just met.

Later in the year, my host family booked a South Pacific cruise, and we visited New Caledonia and Vanuatu. I saw pieces of culture I couldn’t have imagined.

During my year-and-a-half in Australia, I visited three countries, six Australian states, and took countless road trips and day trips from Melbourne. When I returned home, it wasn’t even three months before I was back on a plane, traveling to a new place I had yet to explore… and I haven’t stopped yet.

Travel Experience Stories Best Done Solo

Kirstie is a languages student from Scotland. She started traveling when she moved abroad as part of her studies and hasn’t looked back since. For the past few years, Kirstie has been making her way across Europe, chasing undiscovered gems and cheap eats. She runs KirstieWillTravel, a blog sharing guides for the places she has been to and her travel tales. Follow her on Instagram!

I’m a languages student, so living abroad is a compulsory part of my studies — not that I made any complaints when it came to moving to France for seven months. Before this, I had only been abroad a few times on very typical resort holidays, so finding myself on mainland Europe with cheap flights and trains, I wanted to go everywhere.

During a two-week school holiday, I ended up booking a 13-city trip. I organized everything myself — transport, accommodation, itineraries.

What’s more, I was traveling completely solo.

Fun fact: Wandering around a city on your own, trying to cram in as many sights as you can, learning about history and culture and architecture. These things change you.

And doing that repeatedly, in a new city every couple of days, just amplifies it. Since that trip, travel has changed for me. A trip to a holiday resort every year isn’t for me, and I don’t want to go to capital cities and stay at expensive hotels and book open-top bus tours. I want to learn.

Exploring the hidden nooks and off-the-beaten-track destinations will show me more of what the world has to offer. I want to live like a local, even if I visit somewhere for only two days. Organizing my own solo trip made me a traveler.

The serenity that came with being alone in such busy cities, the love I found in tiny towns, it’s impossible to turn your back on that once you experience it.

Study Abroad in Ireland and Expand Your Horizons

A busy street in Dublin, Ireland

Krystianna runs Volumes and Voyages, a blog that she started back in 2012, which focuses on books and travel. Her blog was actually just focused on books until late last year. Follow her on Instagram!

Up until last year, I had never left the country. I’m from the Northeast, and well…I pretty much stayed in the Northeast. Sure, I’d had short family vacations to Florida and California, but that was about it. They were fun, but they were just vacations.

Then I went to college and was given the opportunity to study abroad. I chose to study abroad in Dublin — a cultural city that at first glance seemed very similar to my college city of Boston. There’s so much more than meets the eye!

The longer I stayed in Dublin, the more I loved it. There was so much to do all the time. The people were the nicest people I’d ever met. I began to love taking day trips from Dublin, venturing out to the towns of Bray from Dublin, then Howth, Killarney, Galway, and Cork.

Soon enough, I felt completely immersed in the culture. I loved Nando’s just as much as the next guy, and Guinness became my drink of choice. I was taking Irish studies courses at my study abroad university, and learning about the country’s history made me feel even more immersed.

Studying abroad made me feel more like a traveler than a vacationer. Traveling is a lot more than just visiting a place. It’s embracing all that a place has to offer.

A Trip to Tanzania Changes Everything

Emma is a 20-something travel and adventure blogger over at Emma Adventures, a blog dedicated to inspiring travel and adventure and off-the-beaten-track travel. Follow her on Instagram!

Tanzania wasn’t a trip that I or anyone I knew expected me to do. After all of my vacations, it was a bit out of the ordinary. The soaring plains of the Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, and the culture all drew me to visit the African country.

So much about that trip amazed me. The views from the top of Kilimanjaro, the endless plains filled with hundreds of animals. However, there was one thing that amazed me even more. As I sat in a local elementary school just north of Moshi, where supplies are little yet spirits are high, I realized something.

So little can be so much. It’s all about perspective.

Dancing in a circle, the children marveled at my brightly colored nails. I felt different than I ever have while traveling before, and I connected with locals like I never had before. I used my time to brighten someone else’s day and make a difference in their lives.

Yet the real difference made was to my life and my mindset. Experiencing all of the magical things to do in Tanzania was the exact moment that I became a traveler.

True Experience Travel: A Beach Vacation Becomes Something More

A view from above of Greece and beaches

A Truthful Traveler is a website that aims to make planning travel an easier experience, by sharing the tips Samantha has learned from her own failures. As of recently, she is also offering personal travel planning, and will soon be adding free planning resources. Follow Samantha on Instagram!

It all started when I was given an option: a summer in Greece with my best friend, or an end-of-high school Euro trip.

I didn’t travel much growing up, and chose what sounded the most fun: obviously the sun and beach-filled vacation. What I didn’t know back then was how much the adventure would change me.

For the first time in my life, I immersed myself in another culture and learned how to communicate through language barriers. I went to Athens and visited cafes and local hideaways instead of touristy sites. I attended a Greek engagement party (lots of broken plates!) and perfected traditional Greek dancing.

A piece of my heart was left in this new home and wanted more of that feeling.

I have chased the feeling ever since, traveling by camper-van through New Zealand, road tripping all throughout North America, and making it a point to get to know locals in Cuba, around Europe, and exploring the beautiful landscapes of Canada, my own home country.

A Truthful Traveler was born out of my desire to share the messy parts of my travels, along with the beauty. Being a traveler is never as perfect as being a vacationer, but it sure changes your life!

Accidentally Amazing Makati Travel

Teja writes from the perspective of a “xennial” Asian Muslim female scientist about the experience of sustainable and reflective travel at Teja on the Horizon, where she also shares true stories from wandering throughout our world. Follow her on Twitter!

When I saw the question, “What was the trip that made you a traveler?” I thought for sure this was when I went solo traveling to Nepal or my first trip to India. I was away for some time, I traveled independently, and there was a lot of blank space where I didn’t have it all planned. It always feels like I traveled completely differently after that one.

However, as I thought further, I realized that it was not true. For sure, I did pick up many of the behaviors that differentiate a vacationer from a traveler. But I still planned the blank days around sightseeing days.

So when did I really shift? It dawned on me that the real place was Makati.

Makati was only a transit destination for a longer trip that started out completely planned. However, my plans completely unraveled and I found myself exploring downtown Makati with a friend I had invited to the original trip.

Ironically, this was the key.

With my plans completely scuttled, and finding ourselves in a place with no major tourist draws, I didn’t try to replan. We took it in stride. As a result, my memories of Makati involve unbelievable sashimi portions, somewhat politically-incorrect midget boxing, and the worst escape room game I’d ever played!

And I realized I was content. So content that I kind of lost my desire to sightsee after that. Of course, I still do. But it is not a priority anymore.

And that, to me, is what defines the transition.

Living Abroad Shows There Are More Places Than Home

A Japanese building against a blue sky and cherry blossoms

Josy grew up in Cambridgeshire in the UK, but now lives on the West Coast of Canada. She blogs about hiking around the world at A Walk and a Lark, and LOVES visiting mountains or seeing pretty views. Follow her on Twitter!

When I was growing up, I was desperate to escape the UK and see the world. I got a part-time job and saved every penny towards travel. Mostly I wanted to see as many countries and experience as many new (especially famous) things as I could.

Then, in my twenties, I moved to Japan for a few years to really immerse myself in the culture and learn the language. I still wanted to challenge myself with new experiences, but getting to know one country slowly changed the way I travel for good. Nowadays, I like to stay in fewer locations and hike to explore places on foot, then munch on local food to try new flavors.

I’m less interested in counting countries, as I just want to enjoy each experience, make friends and live in the moment.

So many people want to tick off bucket list items on vacation, and I understand that. I just prefer to find the less busy, more nature-filled spots. I feel like I have blurred the lines between being a traveler and a vacationer. Living in Canada feels like being on vacation every weekend, as we climb local mountains in summer, or learn to ski in winter.

I appreciate all of the bloggers who shared their travel experiences and stories that certainly inspired me to amend my bucket list. True experience travel is always what I’m after. What’s the trip that made YOU a traveler? Share a travel story with me in the comments!

Photo credits: Chris Putnam (1), milivigerova (2), Vincent Liew (3), RichardLey (4), Catarina Sousa (5), Lukas Kloeppel (6), GregMontani (7), Bagus Pangestu (8)

Feeling Inspired? Let’s Plan!

Your Flight: I use a variety of tools to find cheap airfare, but when I’m looking to book during a particular period of time, I’ll use Skyscanner. It’s a great tool for when you’re more flexible, too, as it allows you to compare travel based on length of travel, departure date, etc.

Another strategy is following the major airlines to catch good deals that may come up for your city, whether you’re traveling to South America, Central America, Europe, New York, and anywhere else these short stories about travel inspired you to visit.

Your Accommodations: We primarily use Booking.com for our trips. They have a good range of lodging options from city centers to the middle of nowhere, and their refund policy is top-notch. (No, I don’t always get travel insurance, but I do make sure to book spots with generous booking policies.)

If you’re interested in a comparison tool, Hotels.com is one we use consistently to see whether we’re getting the best deal, as they’ll have very similar properties on their site. Vrbo has become our Airbnb alternative.

Seeking even more wallet-friendly accommodations? Try Hostelworld. Their picks are heavily vetted and reviewed to offer you a safe experience on a budget.

Etc.: For general travel goodies, visit my Favorite Things page. For more help with your planning, visit my Travel Tools page.

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