When I first tried to prevent jet lag, most jet lag tips discussed how to help after one already has jet lag—the treatment, remedy, fix, or best cure for recovering from jet lag. But I wanted to avoid jet lag in the first place, if possible, or at least drastically reduce it. Because, at that time, jet lag left me feeling incapacitated. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” —Benjamin Franklin What is jet lag? In my body, jet lag symptoms caused me to spend nearly my entire first week in Europe sleeping. I could not stay awake. I felt drugged. No amount of sleep—and no amount of ..read more

I’ve been using OSEA Malibu (gluten-free) vegan skincare for about three years now, so I want to share an update—detailed reviews of each OSEA product I’m currently using. I’ve intentionally tried as many OSEA products as possible for my skin type, and for the various climates I slowly travel through, to see how OSEA products would work on my sensitive skin. Since I have a long history of skincare challenges (rashes, rosacea, blemishes), I didn’t actually think I could find a skincare product line that would work for me, especially long-term. I didn’t think a skincare product line could make ..read more

The Good Plow restaurant in Carpinteria, California, wasn’t entirely gluten-free vegan. But the gf vegan food they did make tasted absolutely amazing. So we were so shocked and sad when The Good Plow restaurant permanently closed while we were in California. I might still be in mourning. We started our journey at The Good Plow by dining there a few times a week. We then began to order takeout … so we could slurp and drool each bite in private silence. It was that tasty. We were that addicted. For instance, I know I should never ever order or eat fries, no matter how tempted I might be. But I ..read more

We had no idea that we’d spend months in Santa Barbara, California. It just happened. Partly because (on our trip down the USA West Coast) Santa Barbara was the first city that felt safe. Santa Barbara felt smaller and safer—closer to how cities in the USA felt before so many daily addiction, mental health, and violence crises became so prevalent on American city streets. Of course, Santa Barbara is not immune. Its old town struggled with these challenges. But it felt more like the old days on this front. And we loved Santa Barbara’s moderate marine weather. The beautiful sunshine, which we t ..read more

While in Santa Barbara, California, Brown Pelicans were flying so quietly and close to us that they always surprised me. I was completely mesmerized by their presence. They glided by. They floated by. As if inviting us to take a close look at their beautiful features. Which is all I could manage to do. Stare. Take them in with my eyes. Marvel at their beautiful existence. What’s unbelievable is that the only time I managed to photograph them I was fumbling with my cell phone. No time to look at the screen. No time to focus. Just press click click click. I can’t believe these photos turned out ..read more

Recently, after hearing someone comment about calcium and calcium-rich food sources, I realized I’ve not shared how vegans get their calcium—how I get my calcium each day. I’ve likely not shared this because, sometimes after being taught something, I assume others already know it. Or others don’t want to know it. Or others won’t believe it. Because who else likes critical thinking? Who else cannot believe bad/faux science is allowed to exist as a comparison against good/solid science? My fact-seeking brain goes up in arms. Calcium is an important topic. Endless people worry about getting enou ..read more

I’m so grateful to have watched Where Olive Trees Weep, a documentary with Dr. Gabor Mate. This film showed a perspective of what’s been happening in Palestine and Israel. This might be the first time I’ve ever heard or seen detailed depth about Palestine and Israel. The film’s website also provided a long list of online resources, including more films to watch… Returning to Zarnouqa by Anemoia Projects (2024) 14 min “Not in my name” – The story of a Jewish Israeli dissident (2024) 10 min Israelism by Erin Axelman & Sam Eilertsen (2023) 84 min The Law and the Prophets by Joshua Vis (2 ..read more

When we found ourselves in Santa Barbara, CA, we had no idea we would spend our time rescuing wildlife. At all. Let alone multiple times. But rescue wildlife, we did. I’d forgotten that one could act as a volunteer wildlife first responder while traveling, by simply watching out for wildlife in need. Then choosing to help. I find this embarrassing to realize because I’ve worked as a wildlife rescue, rehab, and release volunteer for two organizations. Yet I somehow forgot all of this. Thank goodness my partner was paying close attention on his daily beach walks. Thank goodness he found meaning ..read more

I’m back in a mountain town, where the weather has me craving my moist and tasty GF vegan banana bread recipe (free of gluten, dairy, egg, oil, sugar, and more). When I first created this recipe, I wanted this bread to meet multiple dietary needs, require as few ingredients and kitchen tools as possible, and be easy to make—even if items were missing. So this is a minimalist gluten-free vegan banana bread recipe, which allows me to bake it nearly anywhere, in diverse conditions. I love this flexibility. Of course, I can’t seem to take a photo of this banana bread that does it justice because ..read more

When I began planning for long-term travel (and multi-trip stays), I slowly learned why travel insurance was one of the most important responsibilities I needed to comprehend. But travel insurance was also, initially, one of the most confusing topics for me to grasp, because I like my travel plans to remain as fluid and flexible as possible (I love roaming free). In case anyone else has been confused about travel insurance, too, I’m going to share how I’ve handled long-term (and multi-trip) travel insurance along the way and where I’m at right now. What It Was Like Before Travel Insurance ..read more