Big News!

I have officially launched my travel website! At BudgetingTravel.com, you can get a sneak peak into my travel tricks and tips, and see how I am able to budget my money and travel the world. This is geared toward people looking for a budget vacation. Sorry, no five star hotels and world class restaurants.

To make your life loads easier, exactly how much it costs to visit per day. It includes a detailed account of accommodation, transportation, food, and excursion costs, as well as other relevant tips on making your stay easier!
you can look at specific cities across the world - Dublin, Bali, Chiang Mai, oh my! - and see

Warning - it is still a work in progress as I am slowly creating the price profiles for each city. But it has come a long way, so feel free to check it out!

Also as a result, I will likely cease my posts on this blog. However, my new website includes extremely similar content, and a more organized
layout!

Dear 21-year-old-self,

Last week was the first day of my senior year of college. Fresh textbooks filled new backpacks. Groups gossiped about their summers. Syllabi were passed out on crisp bleached paper.

The only issue is, I never showed up.

You graduate high school, you get into college, you graduate in four years, you get a job. The curriculum was laid out, the expectations were clear. I, however, have never been one to follow rules.

Who dictates that we should graduate in four square years? When I started my freshman year, I used to plan out my classes for hours, trying to see if I could graduate in three years. You'll show them, I would tell myself, as if this was all a competition.

The question is not "How fast can I graduate college?"

The question should be "Who the hell cares how long it takes me to graduate college?"

I log onto Facebook. My friends are graduating, getting married, and having children. I can feel the anxiety boiling up, urging me to get out there and check all my boxes.

And then I have to remind myself that I'm twenty-one years old. I shouldn't feel rushed to do these things. I have no dependents. I have no mortgage. I have a disposable income.

I finally had to sit myself down and have a heart to heart.

"What do you want to do most in the world?"

Easy. "Travel."

 

So as university students eagerly made their last minute schedule changes on August 9th, I dropped all of my classes and bought a plane ticket. If I have a passion, and the means to live it out, why should another year of school stand in my way?

Sorry, class of 2016. I'm sure you won't miss me too much. Enjoy your exams and papers, I'll get my share of that next year.

Why should a four-year timestamp be placed on my education? No thank you, American educational system. I think I'd rather see the Bahamas, and Scotland, and Iceland, and England, and Germany, and Thailand, and wherever else the wind takes me because Lord knows I have yet to buy a plane ticket home yet.

Leave of Absence

Hello, readers! As you can see, I have not been posting much lately. This is because I am currently on the Disney College Program in Orlando, Florida. As a result, I will be taking a leave of absence from this blog for the time being, and will be posting only on All Roads Lead to Disney. HERE is a link to my most recent post so you can read up on all the great adventures I have been on lately!

Nowhere

I am a month overdue on uploading those spring break pictures. Attempt number one failed after Facebook deleted the album I spent two hours uploading. I will try again soon, I promise! And a blog post will accompany the upload!

In the meantime, I have been trying to enjoy non-school life. Which, as it turns out, simply means I can work 12 hours a day instead of 8. Lovely! And I have two weeks to pack for Florida (by the way, I'm moving to Florida for the summer. Forgot to mention that. For a full recap of my acceptance to the summer alumni program at Walt Disney World, visit my other blog HERE). And I fly out to Seattle tomorrow. I should probably start packing for that, too... But as you can see, I am more busy post-finals than when I was right in the midst of all the exams.

In other news, I have been pondering the word "nowhere" as of late. Although some may say that my blog title, All Roads Lead To Nowhere, is grammatically incorrect, I say otherwise. Nowhere, I would tell them, is not simply a state of inexistence, but a destination. For example, you see your roommate dressed up and walking out the front door.

"Where are you going?" you ask.
"Oh, nowhere," they reply, oftentimes with an anxious grin on their face.

Of course, they are going somewhere. But perhaps they are completely unaware of their final destination. Maybe that is the whole point of going "nowhere." You are not bound to a single plan, but are leaving your fate completely up to chance. Oh, the possibilities! Oh, the adventure!

This is why that is my final destination. It is the place that all the roads, at least the ones that matter most, lead.

Nowhere.

Spring Break

It is Friday the 13th, but I am not worried at all - ecstatic, actually, because spring break has officially begun! And with that said, I am ready to knock three more states off of my list on my road trip next week. I am very excited because my mom is flying down to come with us, and she has never been to this part of the country before!

My feeble attempt at a map of our trip.

First stop: Illinois. 

Although I have been to Illinois when I had a layover in Detroit, I want to cross this state off with a little more confidence this time. Though our road trip only has us passing through the southernmost tip of the state, I am hoping that there will be a nice place to stop. A scenic overlook, perhaps, as this point marks the intersection of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

Next stop: Missouri and Arkansas.

I have absolutely no idea what to expect out of these states. However, we will be driving along the coast of the Mississippi river the entire time, so that should be pretty!

Final destination: Memphis, Tennessee.

Yes, we may have taken the scenic route to get to the state right below Kentucky. But I feel like the scenic route is always worth it! In Memphis, we will be visiting Graceland, the home of Elvis. Boy, is my mom stoked!

 

Detour: Mississippi

This state is like twenty minutes away from Memphis. So why not swing on in so that I can cross it off my list?

Next: Nashville, Tennessee.

Here, we will visit all things music. I have no idea what that will entail just yet, but it should be a blast!

Finally: Kentucky.

Home, sweet home! Tune in next week for all the pictures from our long, southern journey!

Snowpocalypse

It has been three months, and I have returned once again! College is chaotic, don't you agree? Between midterms, finals, traveling, and working, my free time is completely minimal. But I have a feeling that free time will be minimal for many years to come. Yay for adulthood! (Did you catch the sarcasm?)

Now, can we talk about this ice age that has taken over the entire northeastern part of the country? Let's just compare the following pictures for a moment:

Seattle, Washington (via my mom)

Lexington, Kentucky

I never though I would say this, but can I just go back to Seattle for awhile to enjoy their warm weather?

On Sunday evening, school was cancelled for the following day before a single snowflake even touched the ground. It snowed all day Monday, causing school the following day to be cancelled as well. Here we are, Wednesday afternoon:

Yet there is still school today. Not even class delays due to snow. This tweet about sums up what Capilouto, the president of the University of Kentucky, was thinking whilst not cancelling classes.

Enjoy:
TWEET

Thrifty Thursday | Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is a super simple app that will help you save money on items that you buy normally. Every week, a list of about thirty grocery items are put on the app. There are items that, if you buy, you can save anywhere from $0.25 to $5.00 on. Once you purchase the item, you simply scan your receipt and submit it to the app. They process and approve your receipt, then award your account the specific cash back offer. Once you're in-app bank reaches $20, you can cash out using PayPal.

 

This is an app that I need to take more advantage of. I haven't used it lately, but need to because I'm almost at that $20 benchmark! It is also nice when the items listed on the app are also on sale in the store - it's like a double sale! One time, I had a coupon for a glade item, which was also on sale in the store, and there was a $3.00 cash back offer in Checkout 51. Once I applied all the discounts, I ended up getting paid like $0.50 to take my new smelly goodness out of the store!

Hawaii Part III

It's Travel Tuesday (I know, it's Wednesday, but use your imagination!) and we've made it to the last segment of my Hawaii adventure. Is it time to go back yet?

The week was shooting by, but some of my favorite parts of this vacation were saved for the end. Finally, finally, the water was calm enough to go stand up paddle boarding! I had been waiting for this all week, and it was well worth it. My sister and I each had a paddle board, and my dad took out a kayak. It didn't take long to get the hang of it, and I was up and paddling in no time! My sister, on the other hand, kept thinking her paddle board's shadow was a shark and refused to stand up for fifteen minutes. But she was up and going soon enough! My dad, on the other hand, fell straight backward on his first attempt to stand up. I would kill to do it again, and it was an awesome leg and arm work out to boot!

Good thing my dad has connections, because his friend was able to hook me up with a helicopter tour of Maui and the surrounding areas! It was beautiful! After I got over the weird feeling you get in your ears when riding a helicopter, I was able to really take in the nature of the island. There were huge waterfalls, enormous sea cliffs, and mountain goats scaling the side of these vertical cliffs. We even flew into the crater of a dormant volcano - one that the Hawaiians have believed to be dormant for a million years. It was pure beauty, and an experience I wouldn't trade for the world!

My dad and I were also able to go snorkeling again - and this time I brought my GoPro! We went along Kaanapali beach and around Black Rock. My dad had a hunch that this would be the best place to find some sea turtles. We hopped in the water and I began to film. The water was incredibly deep - deeper than the previous snorkeling trip. It took me a good amount of time to stop looking behind me every five seconds to make sure a shark wasn't nearby. Once I calmed down, I was able to enjoy the nature that surrounded me. We saw a manta ray on the floor of the ocean, long needle fish, and even a scuba diver instructor handling an octopus! However, the highlight of this trip it when I turned around to see an enormous sea turtle just feet away. I handed my dad the camera and swam over to lightly stroke its shell. I marveled at how calm and peaceful it was, despite our presence.

But alas, all good things must come to an end...for now! I departed Friday night, just after the sun had set. After eleven hours of travel time, a stressful layover in San Diego, and a more relaxed pit stop in Dallas, I had finally arrived in Cincinnati. And it was just in time for a last minute road trip - stay tuned!

Hawaii Part I

Hawaii Part II

Thrifty Thursday | Shopkick

One of the number one issues among college students, or anyone for that matter, is money. No matter how hard we work, there never seems to be enough of it. Between rent, tuition, student loans, textbooks, car payments, and more, college students' paychecks get drained pretty quickly. Luck for you all, I am slowly learning the tips and tricks to making your money go farther!

To kick off this Thrifty Thursday tradition, I will begin with the app that I use on a daily basis: Shopkick. A dear friend introduced me to this app back in April and I couldn't be more grateful, as it has helped me to earn $125 in gift cards since then!


Shopkick Homepage

The idea is that you get points, or "kicks", for walking into various stores. Additionally, there are certain items within the store you can scan to get additional kicks. For example, you can look in the app to see that you can get 50 kicks by walking into Macy's. Using GPS, it locates when you entered the store and awards you points. You can then see that you can scan an item's barcode for an additional 50 points. Bam! 100 points, just like that. Once you reach 6,250 points, which takes me about a month to a month and a half to do, you can choose from a variety of $25 gift cards. If you so choose, you can also redeem a smaller amount of points for a smaller gift card if you aren't as patient.

I have redeemed multiple gift cards for Macy's, Target, and Marshalls, and there are many others that you can choose from. And if you get three friends to join, that's a bonus 2,000! (So if you're interested and know me personally, let me know and I'll shoot you a text with the information, eh? Haha.).


My Shopkick Profile

Bonus tip: If you go to the home page and look at the recent mini product ads that read "new", those contain bonus kicks! I have earned hundreds of kicks just by looking through these product ads. 

Revamp

Creating this blog, I never really had a persona in mind. College blog? Food blog? Fashion? Travel? Lifestyle? I just wrote what was running through my head at the moment, like a public journal.

Over the last two years, All Roads Lead to Nowhere has evolved, and I think it's about time to organize it based on what it has evolved into. Now, I'm not sure exactly what that is, but for now I'm going to go with "college lifestyle & travel blog". Accurate?

With that taken care of, let's get a new weekly schedule up and running! Now, I won't post every single day of the week, but when I do, I will try to theme it to these subjects:

Travel Tuesday: My exciting adventures
Thrifty Thursday: Money-saving tips & tricks
Food Friday: Need I say more?

Any ideas for the rest of the week?

Hawaii Part II

It's been almost two months since I was in Hawaii, and boy do I miss the fresh mangoes. Each day, we would pull one off of the tree in the back yard, cut it up, and eat it as a snack. It was incredibly delicious, and probably the freshest fruit I've ever had!

After a fun day full of para sailing, I was absolutely exhausted. I spent the next couple days relaxing on the deck, laying on the beach, or nursing my scorched skin with the fresh aloe leaves from the backyard. Warning: Snorkeling causes your lower back to burn. A lot. Try wearing a rash guard or a ton of sunscreen. At one point when I was laying out on the beach one morning, a man and his two dogs came running down the beach and into the crashing waves. The smaller dog decided he didn't like the waves and came to sit next to me the entire time. It was pretty adorable.

Later in the week, I went out with my dad to go snorkeling in the reefs. Baby beach, where my sister had taken me earlier, was about 4 feet deep, murky, and nearly fishless. The beach my dad took me to couldn't have been more different. The water must have been fifty feet deep in some areas, and it was crystal clear all the way to the ocean floor. The fish were so beautiful and colorful - red, yellow, blue, silver, and everything in between. I even saw a rainbow fish and an eel! At this point, my GoPro wasn't charged so I don't have any pictures of this particular snorkeling trip, which I totally regret!

Though the ocean water is lovely and warm, I sure miss a dose of chlorine in my life every now and again. One day when everyone else was at work, my dad and I took off to the row of hotels that line the beachfront. For two or three hours, we swam in about five or six different pools at these resorts, judging which one we liked the best. There were water slides, bridges, lazy rivers, volleyball, and more. In case you were wondering, if I remember correctly, my favorite pool was the Sheraton Resort & Spa.

My sister and I also made some time to walk down Front Street, which is located right off of the shore and is lined with shops and restaurants. I bought a couple souveniers, took a stroll through the art galleries, and even sat at the Forrest Gump bench! (Note the missing foot in the picture, haha!).

Only a couple days left, and so much on my to-do list to check off!

Hawaii Part I

Hawaii Part III

Thoughtful Thursday | 10,000 Views!

I just want to thank everyone who has made a contribution to this blog. Whether you've commented, shared it online, or simply read my rants and raves, you are awesome! Three days ago was the two year anniversary of All Roads Lead To Nowhere, and just a day after that it hit 10,000 views. This is incredible to me!

Two years ago, I started this blog, purely out of boredom and a need to exercise my writing abilities, as a freshman at BYU. In my very first post, "Roma Capitale", I said, "It's understandable to not know where you are going in life. As long as you know where you are right now, you might as well take in the beautiful scenery and simply conclude that today, all roads lead to nowhere." 

Even today, this still holds true. Over the course of two years, I have changed my path so many times and still don't have a clear idea of where I am going. But this blog has taught me to simply enjoy now. This small advice to myself has resulted in the best two years of my life. Though I still don't know where my road is taking me, I have been able to travel this country and enjoy every minute of the ride.

So for all of you who are reading my blog for the first time, or for those who have persevered for my frequent extended leave of absences, thank you!

Hawaii Part I

After a month long hiatus, it's about time to recap my Hawaii/Florida/Seattle August vacation!

I got off the plane Wednesday night in Kahului and drove for a little under an hour until we reached Lahaina! The next morning, I woke up and walked to the closest beach, which is about a ten minute walk. Baby Beach was almost empty when I got there at about 8 am, which was great! After a couple hours, I headed home and hopped in the car. Driving south along the Honoapiilani Highway is a beautiful sight! It stretches right along the west coast of the island and there are many lookout spots to stop and take pictures at along the way.

Honoapiilani Highway lookout

The next morning, my sister and I headed out to Baby Beach again. This time, with a pair of snorkeling gear. We didn't go too far out, because she has a slight fear of snorkeling. The water was a little murky as well, so we could barely see five feet in front of us. So snorkeling was a little bit of a bust, but we're going to try another beach later this week. That evening, we walked down Front Street, which is filled with shops, restaurants, and art exhibits that line the beach. I even got myself a Dole Whip! It tasted just like I remember it at Disney World.

Saturday morning, we got up early and began our journey on the road to Hana, which is on the furthest east point of the island.  This is a must-do if you ever come to the island of Maui. We first went to the Haleakala National Park and hiked up a mile to the famous Bamboo Forest. From there, we hiked another mile up to Waimoku Falls. It was a beautiful sight, and a great workout! Although I warn you, the pool at the base of the waterfall is not large enough to swim in. We chuckled to ourselves when people hiked past us, two miles up with flip flops on and a towel over their shoulder. From there, we drove further up the road to Black Sand Beach. Honestly, it wasn't all that in my opinion. And apparently the water is very chilly, so I did not intend on swimming. However, the shaved ice they sell in the parking lot is to die for!

Sunday morning, we woke up with the intention of going stand up paddle boarding, but the wind was too strong. One impulsive decision later, and we were up in the air para sailing! It is insane how calm everything is once you get in the air. And the view of Maui and the surrounding islands is absolutely beautiful! Later in the day, we went pool hopping at the resorts that line the boardwalk. That was a blast, and well worth the scorching sunburn it caused!

Hawaii Part II

Hawaii Part III

Lockdown

It's been a little over a month, but I am here to tell you all that I will be back and writing this week! And with an exciting Hawaii/Florida vacation series in my back pocket.

I have a lot of exiting events that have happened lately, the most recent of which is the fact that I am writing this from the Little Library on the University of Kentucky campus, an hour after it was supposed to close. We are currently in lockdown after shots were fired on south campus. Luckily, we are on north campus. However, a recent announcement was released saying that the three gunmen fled toward north campus. Yay...

I'm not worried, it has given me time to finish the rest of my homework for the night and contemplate what I think is truly important in my life. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm pretty sure I'm not in any actual danger. It's just a reflection opportunity. I also have a tendency to downplay the importance of situations sometimes.

Let's all hope no one gets hurt tonight on campus. While we're at it, who is most important to you in your life? Go tell them.

A Month of Adventure and Thanks

I just opened up my calendar and had the happiest realization. Currently, I am in Kentucky. In one week, I will be in Seattle. In two weeks, I will be in Hawaii. In three weeks, I will be in Florida.

No matter how many supposedly negative events pile up, it only takes a moment for me to truly realize all the things I have to be grateful for. I have an amazing family, once-in-a-lifetime friends, a quality education, and the incredible opportunities to travel this beautiful country we live in. A big "thank you" goes out to everyone who has endured my antics all these years, adventured by my side, and caused enjoyable trouble for the establishment. Here's to the past 20 years of no regrets, and to 80 more years of worthwhile shenanigans!

College Comes at a Cost

Ever since I entered college, I can definitely say that I have been living comfortably. Going to a university that only costs $10k a year and receiving scholarships that covered those entire costs greatly contributed to this comfort. The income I received from my job went straight into my pocket. This provided me with many opportunities - purchasing camera equipment, going skydiving, traveling to New York, and splurging while living at Disney World. It was a fun two years, and I am grateful for what I have been able to do. But now it's time to put in the hard work and earn my education - and I am also grateful for this opportunity.

I have now transferred to the University of Kentucky as an out of state student. This means about $25k per year in school costs, not to mention my rent (which is a heck of a lot more expensive than it was in Utah). Though I am currently employed and doing an unpaid internship, I am now in search for another job to decrease the amount of loans I must take out. Not only this, but I have started learning the craft of couponing! I still have a ways to go until I'm a pro, but I've saved a dollar here and there by using coupons, and it really adds up. I am really excited to learn some great skills over the next couple years - budgeting, conserving, and sacrificing.

What I may be most worried about when it comes to budgeting my money is my upcoming trip to Hawaii. Everyone knows that this is not a cheap vacation spot. Luckily my dad and sister live there, so I don't have to worry about paying for an expensive hotel. But I'll be there for nine days - I'm going to have to spend money on something at some point or another. My plan is to budget, plan, and record. I'll seek out cheap or free excursions or souvenirs, and share it with you all! When the time comes closer, I will give myself a budget and stick to it, then share the how-to's of vacationing cheap in Hawaii with the world! Stay tuned!

Food Friday | Pasta Alfredo & Kielbasa

I haven't done a Food Friday in an awfully long time, mostly due to the fact that I have once again moved across the country and have yet to get settled in. But I decided that I will start making an effort to redeem myself, starting with one of the tastiest dishes I have ever made. It's simple, foolproof, and delicious - perfect for those of us living on a budget or short on culinary expertise. I happen to be both!

Ingredients:

1 box of your favorite pasta (I like tortellini or shell)
1 can Alfredo pasta sauce
1 kielbasa (I usually wait until this item goes on sale to make this dish)

1. Cook pasta in boiling water for 7-10 minutes.
(Note: the best way to tell if its cooked all the way is to taste it!)
2. Strain pasta, stir in Alfredo sauce, and put on low heat.
3. Cut up kielbasa into 1/2 inch thick slices. Cut these slices into fourths.
4. In a separate pan, fry kielbasa on medium heat.
5. Stir kielbasa into the pasta and enjoy!

Bucket List 2014

I wish I could say that this summer will be more eventful than last. However, now that I have transferred to a much more expensive school, I may have to get a little creative in order to save as much money as possible. Student loans are in my future, yet I don't want that to stop me from making this summer an adventure. I mean, you're only 20 once, right? I better make it worthwhile.

Skydiving last summer

I find that I accomplish more when I have goals written on paper. Thus, I will be making another bucket list this summer! If you would like to view all the bucket list items I completed last year, click HERE, or click the "Bucket List 2013" tab above. This list includes everything from skydiving to bridge jumping, to hiking to Walt Disney World! As a college student, I completely understand how it feels to have to survive on one meal a day in order to make ends meet, and I have learned to cherish leftovers. So follow me on this journey into the unknown, and hopefully on a manageable budget! Where will we end up? Who knows, because all roads lead to nowhere. There is no certainty. There is only adventure.

News!

Happy Wednesday everyone! It is my favorite day of the week, thus some good news is long overdue. As you all know, I love to travel. New York City, Orlando, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Nashville, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Seattle... you name it, and I'll add it to my list. This coming August, I'll be happy to add another adventure to my list: Maui, Hawaii! 

After my quarterly pit stop into Seattle to visit my mom, friends, and the rest of my family, I will happily make my way over to a vacationers paradise to visit my dad and little sister. I've already began concocting a list of to-do's for my trip. Snorkeling, hiking, maybe some skydiving? We'll see! And I get to add some more cities to my layover list (this includes cities that I have stopped in during layovers, but have not explored fully...still exciting though!) - Denver, San Diego, and Dallas. Stay tuned to hear all about this Hawaii adventure!

Cincinnati, Ohio

Last Friday, I took a friend to the Cincinnati airport. What was supposed to be a three-hour-round-trip-then-go-to-work day, turned into a one hour in the wrong direction, turn around, drive two hours, become in awe with the city and call off work and spend the day in Cincinnati day. Impulsive, but worth it.

Cincinnati, Ohio is like the small version of NYC, with a touch of a vintage, old-town feel. We roamed the city, got breakfast at a local bagel shop, and got lost numerous times. The waterfront was beautiful, and we headed just across the river to the Newport Aquarium (which is technically in Kentucky, but we still had a great view of Ohio from just outside). We watched the shark rays, which are a combination of a shark and a sting ray, get fed. This is the only aquarium in the world that has a thriving group of shark rays, which I thought was pretty cool! I also got to pet a shark!

After the aquarium, we headed across the boardwalk to a quaint seafood restaurant called Mitchell's Fish Market. The bacon wrapped barbeque shrimp was to die for, and my fish and chips were delectable. It all pooled together to be a fun impromptu trip that I will never forget!