A personal travel blog written by a travel-obsessed girl, featuring tons of tips, stories, guides, videos and photography from around the world. Ninety-nine countries and counting! I’m so happy you’re here! Welcome.

ABOUT ME

  • Hi!  I’m Sandy, a fierce Virgo with a serious case of wanderlust that is rivaled only by an equally spectacular case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
  • I’m Native Texan to the bone, although I was actually born in the Black Forest under a gibbous moon.
  • Speaking of black, I love black licorice, black crystals and black humor.
  • I like you.  I will kill you last.
  • I am, however, terrified of confined spaces, open water and clowns.
  • OMG!  I hate clowns.
  • I sleep walk and talk and have my whole life.  Sometimes, I sleep scream.  While I find this amusing, my husband does not.  Maybe I will kill him.
  • Speaking of screaming, for five years, Lorena Bobbit was my manicurist.  No, I am not kidding.
  • Pug mom to Sophie and Ted, I also have a named Honey and a black cat I named Black Cat, BC, B for short.  All rescues.  Currently looking for a pig and an Irish Wolfhound.
  • Tea and cake are my twin obsessions.   In fact, I’ve planned entire trips through whole countries around cake and tea shops and regularly return home with mass quantities of loose leaf teas discovered during my travels.  Cake is eaten at first sight and immediately.
  • I believe in angels.  Mine sits on my left shoulder and yanks on my ear when I don’t pay him enough attention.  Accordingly, my left ear is longer than my right.
  • I also believe in the paranormal and have had several encounters with beings not of this world.  Yes, really.
  • For approximately 900 years (give or take), I was a realtime freelance court stenographer based in Dallas and then Washington, D.C., specializing in high-end depositions and arbitrations.  I was very good at my job.
  • Typos and bad grammar make me sick.  Puke.
  • I’m going to figure out how to meditate and perform yoga while in Bali this winter if it kills me.
  • I do some travel writing, or at least I try.
  • But I can’t read a map to save my life.  Truth.
  • I do, however, meticulously collect them.
  • Speaking of collections, I also collect copies of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ from my travels around the world.  Current count:  444.
  • Obsessed with travel photography, I take way too many pictures.  Literally 714,115 on my phone right now.
  • My husband built me a 400 square foot scrapbooking studio in our backyard.  On second thought, maybe I won’t kill him.
  • I love making my own soap because being clean while also smelling fantastic is important.
  • I believe in responsible tourism and animal rights.  Elephants are NOT rides.
  • I’m a professional world traveler and this is my travel blog.  Travel is my passion and I’m very grateful you’re here.  x Sandy
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☄️Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! I hope yours is filled with happiness and joy. x Sandy ☄️.
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#thanksgiving #cheers #florence #italytravel #italytrip #momentsofmine #travelblogger #travelbloggers #travelbloggerslife #travelbloggersofinstagram #traveldiaries #traveldiary #duomo #travelphotography #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #postcard #postcards #florenceitaly #thesandypapers #womenwhotravel #womenwhoexplore

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☄️Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! I hope yours is filled with happiness and joy. x Sandy ☄️. . . . #thanksgiving #cheers #florence #italytravel #italytrip #momentsofmine #travelblogger #travelbloggers #travelbloggerslife #travelbloggersofinstagram #traveldiaries #traveldiary #duomo #travelphotography #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #postcard #postcards #florenceitaly #thesandypapers #womenwhotravel #womenwhoexplore

Pink sunrises are my favorite. x Sandy.
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#sunrisephotography #venice #veniceitaly #travelblogger #travelgram #travelling #traveler #traveladdict #moments #traveljournal #traveldiary #traveltheworld #beautifuldestinations #womenwhoexplore #thesandypapers @italycharme @italymagazine @visititaly #visititaly @weareclassicvacations #travelers #travelphoto

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Pink sunrises are my favorite. x Sandy. . . . #sunrisephotography #venice #veniceitaly #travelblogger #travelgram #travelling #traveler #traveladdict #moments #traveljournal #traveldiary #traveltheworld #beautifuldestinations #womenwhoexplore #thesandypapers @italycharme @italymagazine @visititaly #visititaly @weareclassicvacations #travelers #travelphoto

🔥 Notes from the road, Firenze, 9 Nov 23, 11:18 a.m.

🔥 Giggling as we zip through another — what do you call those kinds of short, walled underpasses where there’s only room for one car to get through at a time? — at a relatively high rate of speed, I can’t help but wonder if my taxi driver is trying to kill me.

🔥 If so, it’s not working. Do better, Lorenzo! Do 👏🏻 better 👏🏻

🔥 Lorenzo did, however, manage to murder my case. Lorenzo was in a hurry. And, while taking one of the hairpin turns from the A11, I heard my case slam from one side of the boot to the other. A few more turns into the ride, I continued to hear a loud-ish rattle but couldn’t quite place it. I didn’t have anything breakable in my bag. So, I refocused my attention on the faces of the people who watched us pass through the streets of Firenze. Dante’s Divine Comedy indeed. Maybe this is the Fifth Circle?

🔥 Soon enough, my death-defying ride came to an end. Lorenzo ripped my case from his boot, set it along his shoulder, carried it across the street and set it inside the foyer of my hotel. I thanked him, exchanged goodbyes and watched him slip into his car and disappear. Feeling bougie AF, I walked toward my bag — and that’s when I noticed it: One of the four wheels on the bottom of my case had been entirely, completely, wholly ripped away.

🔥 Whatever. I arrived alive in Florence! Conveniently, the House of Dante is just around the corner. I’ll pay it a visit after brunch. Blood orange mimosas are my favorite. x Sandy

“Follow your path and let the people talk.” - Dante.
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#dante #hell #travelblogger #travelling #travelblog #traveler #traveladdict #thesandypapers #firenze #florence #postcardsfromtheworld #postcardsfromitaly #travelphotography #traveltheworld #travelgram #traveldiary #traveldiaries #italytravel #italygram #traveling #streetscape #momentsofmine

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🔥 Notes from the road, Firenze, 9 Nov 23, 11:18 a.m. 🔥 Giggling as we zip through another — what do you call those kinds of short, walled underpasses where there’s only room for one car to get through at a time? — at a relatively high rate of speed, I can’t help but wonder if my taxi driver is trying to kill me. 🔥 If so, it’s not working. Do better, Lorenzo! Do 👏🏻 better 👏🏻 🔥 Lorenzo did, however, manage to murder my case. Lorenzo was in a hurry. And, while taking one of the hairpin turns from the A11, I heard my case slam from one side of the boot to the other. A few more turns into the ride, I continued to hear a loud-ish rattle but couldn’t quite place it. I didn’t have anything breakable in my bag. So, I refocused my attention on the faces of the people who watched us pass through the streets of Firenze. Dante’s Divine Comedy indeed. Maybe this is the Fifth Circle? 🔥 Soon enough, my death-defying ride came to an end. Lorenzo ripped my case from his boot, set it along his shoulder, carried it across the street and set it inside the foyer of my hotel. I thanked him, exchanged goodbyes and watched him slip into his car and disappear. Feeling bougie AF, I walked toward my bag — and that’s when I noticed it: One of the four wheels on the bottom of my case had been entirely, completely, wholly ripped away. 🔥 Whatever. I arrived alive in Florence! Conveniently, the House of Dante is just around the corner. I’ll pay it a visit after brunch. Blood orange mimosas are my favorite. x Sandy “Follow your path and let the people talk.” - Dante. . . . #dante #hell #travelblogger #travelling #travelblog #traveler #traveladdict #thesandypapers #firenze #florence #postcardsfromtheworld #postcardsfromitaly #travelphotography #traveltheworld #travelgram #traveldiary #traveldiaries #italytravel #italygram #traveling #streetscape #momentsofmine

🛵 Notes from the road, Florence, Italy, 8 Nov 23, 4:01 p.m.

🛵 Santa Maria del Fiore — the Duomo of Florence — is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. When I’m in Florence, I take every opportunity to walk past her because I simply cannot believe how lucky I am to see something so spectacular. In all the years I’ve been coming to Florence, she’s never looked prettier than she does today. She takes my breath away.

🛵 Especially from Piazza Michelangelo! Beautifully positioned on a hill along the south bank of the Arno River, Piazza Michelangelo offers stunning views of the city. If you’re staying in the city center, it can be reached by bus, car or on foot. If the weather is decent, I highly recommend walking. If the weather isn’t cooperating or you simply choose not to walk, you can easily hire a taxi or take the bus. If you choose to drive, there is a small, affordable parking lot which accommodates around 70 cars. (Please, for the love of God, do not drive in Florence, unless you’re a local. In that case, by all means, carry on.)

🛵 However you choose to arrive and no matter the time you arrive, Florence seen from above is spectacular. You’re looking at the city that gave birth to powerhouse artists, philosophers and scientists! In the space of a couple of generations, Florence gave us Brunelleschi’s dome, Leonardo’s Mona Lisa and Michelangelo’s David. This is the birthplace of the Renaissance! Let that sink in for a minute.

🛵 Yes, everything about Florence seems to be wrapped in sugar and stardust. And, in the coming days, we’ll explore her on foot (and Vespa) together. Benvenuti a Firenze, y’all!.
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#firenze #florence #duomo #traveltips #travelblogger #travelblog #traveladdict #travelbloggerlife #travelblogginglife #travelblogging #travelling #traveler #thesandypapers #beautifuldestinations #panorama #visititaly #visititalia @visititaly #travelphotography #travelawesome #traveldiaries #travellife #traveltheworld #travelgoals #womenwhoexplore

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🛵 Notes from the road, Florence, Italy, 8 Nov 23, 4:01 p.m. 🛵 Santa Maria del Fiore — the Duomo of Florence — is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. When I’m in Florence, I take every opportunity to walk past her because I simply cannot believe how lucky I am to see something so spectacular. In all the years I’ve been coming to Florence, she’s never looked prettier than she does today. She takes my breath away. 🛵 Especially from Piazza Michelangelo! Beautifully positioned on a hill along the south bank of the Arno River, Piazza Michelangelo offers stunning views of the city. If you’re staying in the city center, it can be reached by bus, car or on foot. If the weather is decent, I highly recommend walking. If the weather isn’t cooperating or you simply choose not to walk, you can easily hire a taxi or take the bus. If you choose to drive, there is a small, affordable parking lot which accommodates around 70 cars. (Please, for the love of God, do not drive in Florence, unless you’re a local. In that case, by all means, carry on.) 🛵 However you choose to arrive and no matter the time you arrive, Florence seen from above is spectacular. You’re looking at the city that gave birth to powerhouse artists, philosophers and scientists! In the space of a couple of generations, Florence gave us Brunelleschi’s dome, Leonardo’s Mona Lisa and Michelangelo’s David. This is the birthplace of the Renaissance! Let that sink in for a minute. 🛵 Yes, everything about Florence seems to be wrapped in sugar and stardust. And, in the coming days, we’ll explore her on foot (and Vespa) together. Benvenuti a Firenze, y’all!. . . . #firenze #florence #duomo #traveltips #travelblogger #travelblog #traveladdict #travelbloggerlife #travelblogginglife #travelblogging #travelling #traveler #thesandypapers #beautifuldestinations #panorama #visititaly #visititalia @visititaly #travelphotography #travelawesome #traveldiaries #travellife #traveltheworld #travelgoals #womenwhoexplore
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