Hey Reader,

Hope your summer has been full of adventure and good food! I had a crazy time in July (which is why there was no newsletter) and am excited to be back in Kigali for a while (at least that's the plan)...

Tanzania

Wilhelm and I started July with a trip to Kilimanjaro (just to look at it, not to hike it). We were a little unlucky and didn't manage to see Kilimanjaro because of cloudy weather until we were flying back to Kigali in the plane!

We had a good time, but generally felt that the areas around Kilimanjaro (Moshi and Arusha) are meant more for people going on structured tours rather than independent explorers like ourselves. I'd suggest tagging this onto a larger Tanzania trip for safaris or beaches rather than going to visit the area (unless you're hiking Kili, of course!). I wrote up some of the places we considered booking, as well as where we ultimately booked, to help you plan. I'll be back with more posts on day hikes and activities in Moshi and Arusha.

Hotels around Mount Kilimanjaro ​Read more...​

Pacific

In July, my cousin got married in Samoa! We met up with my family for a few days in Auckland first, and we made visits to Hobbiton, a cute winery island, and explored downtown. I'll have a short guide up on the blog with everything we did. Although July is winter in Auckland, the weather was particularly bad and it rained most of our stay (booo). It put a little damper on the visit, but no matter because the long blacks were plenty and Auckland's sweet + savory pastries are so good!

Then, all 15 of us flew to Samoa to participate in the wedding festivities. Samoa is incredible! We went snorkeling with sea turtles, explored giant clams, went into an ocean trench, and had the best time ever at the wedding.

After the wedding, Wilhelm and I flew to Vanuatu, another unique Pacific country made up of 83 islands. We hiked an active volcano, swam in a blue hole, had great food, and snorkeled a lot.

For our last few days, we went to Fiji and explored Nadi, Suva, and Sigatoka. Suva is a foodie's paradise! We ate twice at the central market and wow, there are so many unique dishes like fermented cassava bread, rourou (like spinach) with coconut, and Kokoda (a coconut ceviche-like dish).

All these guides are coming soon (I say this to motivate myself...)

Kigali

Now that we're back in Kigali, I need to get back into a workout routine. Before we left, I wrote up some of the sports activities I've tried around the city. I know where to go, but I just need to get the motivation to leave the couch...

Sports Activities in Kigali ​Read more...​

2025 Vacation Cheat Sheet

Continuing on with the 2025 Vacay Cheat Sheet...

• US Getaway: Wyoming – Perfect time for Yellowstone and Grand Teton adventures.
• European Getaway: Montenegro – Visit the old city of Kotor and hike in the ice caves in Durmitor.

• City Escape: Turkey – Explore the historic city of Istanbul with great food and sites. Check out these easy tours.
• South Africa: Dullstroom is so cute, and there are romantic accommodations. You can easily have a lazy, foodie weekend or pack it full of activities.

• US Getaway: Martha’s Vineyard – Right off the coast of Massachusetts, the island is beautiful and has plenty of activities.
• Adventure of a Lifetime: Peru – From Machu Picchu to the Amazon Jungle, you can do it all in two weeks.
• African Getaway: Gabon – Ideal for visiting a hidden lake lodge and exploring Libreville.
• South Africa: Safari in Kuname (around Joburg) or Gondwana (around Cape Town). Both are about 4 hours away from town and have a luxury experience perfect for a wildlife getaway.

Master planner?

Master planner? In October, experience the charm of Richmond and explore the festive atmosphere of Germany’s Oktoberfest, plus the stunning Black Forest towns. Rwanda offers a mix of primates, safaris, and bike rides, while South Africa is in full bloom with the jacaranda bloom in Johannesburg.

What I like right now:

1) Coffee and Chocolate: We bought a lot of coffee and chocolate from Samoa, Vanuatu, and Fiji to judge at home. Last night, we tried one of the dark chocolate bars from Samoa. It was delicious!

2) Fam time: I had suchhhhh an amazing time with my mom, siblings, aunt, uncle, and cousins during our Pacific trip. Can't wait for the next reunion. Here we are!

3) Being home! I'm tired and feel like I've barely explored Kigali. I'm looking forward to writing up some food and activity guides for the city.

You can keep up to date on what I'm up to on Instagram. Otherwise, see you next month!