In 2015 I started a blog called Vagabond Vegan, intended to be both a travelogue and resource for vegan and vegetarian travelers. I’d envisioned myself working on the blog full time, fearlessly exploring the globe with my camera and journal in hand, making friends and memories that people would want to read about. But that life was years away from the one I was living.

In reality, I was an anxious and unemployed 17-year-old who had never even set foot outside the Greater Toronto Area alone. I’d been fortunate to travel with family and groups—Mexico, France, China, Ireland, The United States—but never in the way I longed for. I had yet to experience the freedom of boarding a plane by myself, of being fully in control of my own life.

Feeling inadequate, I leaned into the Vegan side of my blog, shifting focus to recipes, product reviews, and vegan-friendly spots in the GTA. I ran it full-time for a year, making some income through sponsorships, but never enough to sustain myself. In 2016, I enrolled at McMaster University after some pressure from my family to attain a post-secondary education, and my blog evolved into a guide for vegan students.

For a while, it worked. But balancing a full-time course load with content creation and mental health issues became overwhelming. By the end of my first semester, my grades were slipping, and I was drowning in stress. I coped by drinking and smoking heavily, and just before my second semester, a traumatic event sent my mental health into freefall. I withdrew from university, deleted Vagabond Vegan, and walked away from everything I had built.

That chapter of my life didn’t go the way I planned—but it led me somewhere better.

I moved back home, got a job as a barista, and saved enough to go back to school for something that wouldn’t make me dread waking up each day. I still dreamed of solo travel but didn’t yet have the confidence to pursue it. Instead, I earned a diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts Management from George Brown, followed by a postgraduate specialization in Vegan Culinary Arts and Italian Language. I got a second job as a baker at a small local bakery and worked both jobs through the COVID pandemic, saving all my money to put towards the life I wanted.

In 2021, I threw everyone else’s advice and opinions to the wind and booked my first solo trip to Iceland. And there, I fell in love with the person I became when no one else was around. Free from expectations, I got to know myself. I learned what I wanted, what I needed, and finally put those needs first. I didn’t have to compromise on anything; every decision was mine to make. On my last day, I called the airline and rebooked my flight home. I got my shifts covered, booked a couple more nights at my hotel, and joined a tour heading further towards the Arctic Circle. On my final night, I found myself on a boat beneath the northern lights, thinking, I did it.

Since then, I’ve become a TICO Certified Travel Counsellor, worked as a Luxury Travel and Lifestyle Consultant, joined one of my favorite travel companies as a Brand Ambassador, visited 14 more countries, filled several journals with stories and mementos, taken hundreds of thousands of photos, and—most importantly—found my purpose.

And that’s what I’d like to share with you.

My goal with this blog is to inspire wanderlust and self-confidence and give you the tools to turn your travel dreams into reality. Whether you’re planning your first solo trip or just looking for a little inspiration, you’re in the right place.

I’d love to hear from you! Drop a comment on a post or reach out through my Contact Page if you have questions or need advice. Let’s talk travel!