wait where is she  blog

When my boyfriend and I started our road trip through New Zealand’s South Island in a 22-foot camper van, everyone—from the grizzled barista in a Wanaka café to the Swiss couple spending a year working at a local winery—told me Milford Sound was a must-see destination. I felt a tangle of emotions: excitement because it […]

When I was planning a two-month trip to New Zealand, I knew that many of my loose plans would involve zigzagging around the South Island looking for wildlife: fur seals on the coast, dolphins in the bays, and maybe even the elusive kiwi (the bird, not the fruit — though I sought out plenty of […]

I went skiing in Niseko having skied only once or twice in my life, and with basically zero planning. It’s how I ended up on the bunny slope with weaving trains of six-year-olds (who were already more graceful than me), accidentally sent myself down a red “challenge” course I had no business being on, and […]

I thought scuba diving with dugongs in Coron, Philippines, would be a highlight of my 8-month journey from Japan to New Zealand, traveling with just two backpacks, my scuba mask, and a list of every outdoor and wildlife adventure I’d dreamed of as a kid. As a nerdy, wildlife-obsessed undergrad studying biodiversity and conservation, I […]

If you’re wondering what to pack for Borneo in September (a great month weather-wise, and a good general list for most other months!) here’s the short answer: lightweight short and long sleeves, breathable pants, serious bug spray, quick-dry everything, fully body rain gear, and a dry bag. But that’s just the beginning! Borneo is hot, […]

A river safari in Borneo is one of those experiences that looks unreal in photos—orangutans swinging above the river, elephants on the banks, mist rising off the water at sunrise. But it’s also remote, time-intensive to get to, and the jungle = giant leeches, malaria and dengue fever-carrying mosquitos, sudden downpours—you get the picture. So […]

If you’re trying to figure out the best time of year for a river safari in Borneo, here’s the honest answer: there isn’t one single perfect month, and Borneo is a year-round destination! But there are better times depending on what you care about most. Weather, river levels, wildlife visibility, and even how crowded the […]

If you’re googling “Is Borneo safe for solo female travelers?” I’m going to guess two things: I went to Borneo solo for a river safari and I’ll say this: it was one of the safest solo trips I’ve done, but there are still some things (unexpectedly massive jungle leeches, rainforest weather, etc) you need to […]