Updated September 5, 2016:

My name is Alex Nason and I recently returned (May 2016) from nearly a year of solo international travel.  What was originally intended as a 2-month trip to Australia and New Zealand evolved into an 11-month journey of backpacking and volunteering across 14 countries and 3 continents, including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, The Netherlands, France, and Spain.

I began this blog back in September 2015, when I felt inspired to document insights, lessons, and themes of self-development and personal exploration. I learned and changed a lot during this past year, and I am grateful for every part of my journey.  I am always willing to share and help others with questions or inquiries about travel or otherwise.  Please feel free to reach out and contact me.

My original “About Page”, from when I started this blog back in September 2015:  

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is “why are you traveling?”

Fair enough.

I try to keep my answer as concise as possible.

Here is what I’ve whittled the answer down to: I needed a change and it was a good time in my life to explore, so here I am.

Just a few days ago, a nice road-train* driver named Pete asked me what he was really thinking. “Aren’t most backpackers under 25?” *for definition of road-train, see post entitled “road trains, road trippin’ ”

Translation: “aren’t you on a little old to be doing this backpacker stunt?”

Fair question and credit to him for his honesty.

It’s a topic I’ve wrestled with.  Especially since every time I log into social media, I see another friend getting promoted or engaged or married. I am happy for them, I really am.  But I wasn’t always.  I questioned myself at every turn. I doubted. I agonized. I worried.

I still do all of these things, but I’ve toned it down a notch.

I am happy to be where I am, and I’m confident that I’m doing the right thing for myself by traveling.

I am 27.  I am female. I am American. I am single. I am a writer and an artist. I have lived on both coasts of America. I now live largely out of my backpack (on top of hostels, campsites and home stays). I have been traveling since June 13, 2015. So far here is what my travel schedule has looked like:

June 13 JFK ➡️ PHX to visit my dear friend Andrea

June 18 PHX ➡️ LAX, LAX ➡️ SYD. Adventures in Australia commence.

July 27 PPP ➡️ CHC. The whitsundays are worth it if you can swing it. Off to New Zealand.

August 18 CHC ➡️ WLG. South Island of NZ may just be heaven on earth. North island bound.

August 24 no show on return flight from SYD ➡️ JFK.  Who knew I’d want to travel longer and farther? Pretty much everyone except me…

Sept1 AKL ➡️ SYD. Time to enjoy the magnificent city and run some errands before actually roughing it.

Sept 3 SYD ➡️ DRW. Adventures through Western Australia commence. Headed Darwin ➡️ Perth via 👍

October 14 PER ➡️ DPS. Next stop: Bali.

Current Location, Sept 13 – 20:  Isseka, Western Australia. Homestay through HelpX.net.

Compared to many people I’ve met, I am new to this whole travel thing.  Please share your advice and stories with me! I just purchased “Lonely Planet: Southeast Asia on a shoestring budget,” but I’d love to hear the good word from others who know better.

With love from Australia,

Alex

instagram: @alexandranason

website: http://www.alexandranason.com