I’m Nina Thomas, a writer and researcher from Columbus, Ohio. Since my first trip overseas to Italy in 2008, I was hooked on traveling. I began wandering through the travel book section of my local library weekly, while watching as many Rick Steves’ Europe episodes as I could. I guess you could say that traveling became one of my most favorite hobbies. I travel with my husband, Jared, and together we have seen some amazing things. Watching a volcano erupt while eating a homemade Sicilian dinner, sleeping in the Ecuadorian jungle at a sustainable lodge, sea cave kayaking on the Channel Islands, getting lost in Sintra’s Quina de Regaleira and hiking “the w” in Torres Del Paine are some of the highlights. We’ve also had our share of getting ripped off by “we speak English” restaurants in Rome, overpaying for things because we didn’t understand the currency and driving around lost because we don’t speak the local language and had a malfunctioning GPS. We enjoy sharing our successes and failures with family and friends and are always up for helping someone plan their dream vacation. As a local historian in my hometown, I’m passionate about researching and will research a town to death to get the best experience for every dollar I spend. Connecting with people along the way has been one of the greatest highlights. You never know who you’ll meet, or what lies ahead of you. I met a woman who had been all over the world, and had pins on a map that far exceeded her birthday candles. She told me, “always have a trip planned.” And I do say I agree with her.
I started this website as a way to share some of our successes and failures, and tips for travel that I am learning and continuing to learn all the time. I’m not an expert on anything, I’m just sharing my experience. That and $3 can buy you a latte at Starbucks! I hope you find my website informative and helpful to you as you plan your vacations. For more info on this website, check out my FAQ page.
In September 2017, I released my very first book titled How to Be Your Own Travel Agent. It is my desire to empower others to plan the trip of their dreams. For more information, check out this page.
Never packed a carry-on? Check out this how-to video.