Disqus - Latest Comments for racharach

Re: BREAKING: Registration is Open for Annual Passholder Previews of Pandora – The World of Avatar

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 12:22:42 -0000

This is so frustrating. My boyfriend and I are both passholders and we never get these emails. We didn't get it when they did this for Rivers of Light and we haven't gotten this one either. I've checked my communications settings and we have not opted out of anything. I used to get Disney emails all the time and after we renewed we just stopped getting them.

Re: 15 things I didn’t expect in Jordan

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 09:06:33 -0000

Thank you for the post! It has been quite some since I have been in Jordan, so it is nice to read about again. I had a pretty crazy experience there, and the locals really stepped up to help me. (My purse containing my boyfriend's and my passports was stolen as we were going to the airport to fly home... Quite an ordeal ensued, but due to the kindness of strangers we were able to get through it!)

I always think back fondly on Jordan, and it makes me sad that tourism is down there right now. Makes me think I might need to start planning a return trip! (Sadly my camera was stolen, too, so now I need to go re-take all those epic photos in the Dead Sea and at Petra!)

Re: Private: 8 Dog Breeds Every Prospective Owner Should Consider

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 19:25:48 -0000

Havanese. In the bichon family so hypoallergenic and don't shed. Great temperament. Super smart, friendly, easygoing. Love you, love people. Don't bark. Playful but can also be super chill. Not too small, not too big. And they are all different! Mine is a "chocolate parti" (brown and white) and a little big for his breed (17 lbs) but also pretty much indestructible!

Re: What is lost (and gained) when the traveler settles down

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Sat, 17 Aug 2013 20:26:36 -0000

This is absolutely amazing. I have been struggling with this similar fear of losing that part of my life, never living that way again... of "how to balance a need for stability with a nomad’s love of uncertainty." I have been in my newest version of a "settled life" for seven months now and I still grapple with it. I still look around at this apartment that is all mine and wonder at it. I wonder all the time if I will be able to keep it up... I fear never being "nomadic" again, but I also fear losing my restlessness and feeling content with being "settled." Only time will tell..

Re: Q&A: how to document experiences remotely

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 20:48:40 -0000

Wow, Lindsay, this is awesome! Thanks so much for posting this! It is definitely going to be a huge help, and I can't wait to dive into your course :)

Re: 15 Random Facts About William Howard Taft

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:16:04 -0000

I think the ordering of the oversized bath tub for the Panama Canal ship? Heard pretty much all the rest before!

Re: Have you heard about this global school of mine?

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:24:02 -0000

Hey Lindsay!

Wow - I just wanted to say... I come back and check out what you've been up to every few months or so, and I am always amazed by you. I've followed you from WTI, through your Fiji project, Project Explorer, and now as you continue in your amazing job that I am so jealous of (truly the coolest job in the world, and obviously a great fit for you!)

I've been fascinated to see the things you are working on and see how you somehow get better and better at everything you do.

Recently I started working for a nonprofit that facilitates international exchange. Sadly, I'm not quite traveling the world like you - we are based in the States and facilitate tons of professional exchange and experiential learning programs both coming into the U.S. and Americans going abroad - but I am trying to up our game in the communications and social media realms. I think the work you are doing is going to prove as a real inspiration in that area!

One thing I am hoping to do is be able to create some great videos like these you've made for THINK. It's hard because I have few opportunities to capture raw footage myself - only when a program happens to be somewhere nearby like D.C., but I want to get practicing! What kind of programs and equipment do you use? ANY tips you could offer would be so great. I know you've spent thousands of hours perfecting your craft just in the area of filmmaking - like I said, I have watched and read about your growth! I also know you are crazy busy, but I'd greatly appreciate any insights or lessons learned you have.

Thanks and best of luck! And next time you're in the Baltimore/DC area - let me know! :)

Rachael

Re: How to celebrate your first holiday season abroad

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:37:47 -0000

I have spent a number of holidays, especially Thanksgivings, abroad
and I've always ended up having ways to celebrate. They make for great
stories and memorable holidays!

Re: Canon Rebel T3 dSLR w/18-55 mm Lens Giveaway

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:52:44 -0000

I love to travel, so I am excited to improve my travel photography!

Re: My Stint As A Telemarketer

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:09:55 -0000

I was a "telefundraiser" for less than 2 weeks when I was just starting on my work visa in Australia. Talking to people about women's rights in Papua New Guinea. No explanation needed for why I didn't last two weeks. People don't want to increase their monthly donation from $20 to $50. They're more like, "Why the hell am I giving $240 a year to Amnesty International already?"
Plus half the time people I called were more concerned with the fact that I had an American accent.
(Then again, we should probably all outsource ourselves to do telefundraising for Australians -- they make $18/hr. Which is chump change in Oz, but hell I would kill for that now!)

Re: The 23 Best Countries for Work-Life Balance (We Are Number 23) - Derek Thompson - Business - The Atlantic

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 09:26:24 -0000

I'm surprised, I thought Australia would make the list.

Re: Indy to NYC: Flying with Felines

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:00:55 -0000

What great timing for me to stumble upon this post! Firstly, I identify 100% with your contrarian nature. After basically six years of transitional living (college, study abroad, travel, living abroad, etc.) I came back to the States with the intent to stay put for a bit. It's hard to commit (I still drool over the endless international opportunities so easily discovered online)...

But I got a dog (I'm allergic to cats, actually, so admit I'm not a fan), which forced me to stick to my guns. I sometimes feel almost regretful -- did I just invest the next 10-15 years into dog ownership and an anti-nomadic lifestyle? But there are always ways around such things. I know my traveling days are far from over, and I am confident if the right opportunity does arise, I will find a way to deal with the situation (whether it's giving him an extended vacation at my parents' house or bringing him along!)

Secondly, I am actually flying with him in just a couple days, and am glad to see that I seem not to have missed anything in my own research of what that requires. Did you call the airline a day or two before to reconfirm you were bringing a pet on?

Thanks for the great and timely post!

Re: Solo Travel to New Zealand – 10 #Blog4NZ posts

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:32:29 -0000

Thanks for the mention! So many wonderful blogs out there on New Zealand, love to find lists like this to help me browse them! :)

Re: National Day of Unplugging- Is anyone actually doing this?

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:36:08 -0000

I'm leaving on Saturday for a roadtrip up the West Coast of Oz, so I'll be pretty much forced unplugged anyway! Though late Fri night and early Sat morning I'll probably be heavily online doing last minute planning! And I might crack the laptop open to write (offline!) while we drive......

Re: Twitter Contest: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:44:53 -0000

@GirlUnmapped

Re: Peak Season vs. Low Season: Two Very Different Experiences in Thailand

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:43:41 -0000

Wow, I had been hearing people describing Thailand so differently from my experiences, and now I know why! I studied in Bangkok for semester in Jan-April '08, traveling a lot around the country and SEA, and never experienced any of these huge crowds. Thank goodness! I had an awesome time, everyone was lovely (locals and few other travelers) and place were generally far less than crowded (though we did refrain from visiting Phuket simply for the reason we'd heard how touristy it was). I was amazed at pictures I saw of Phi Phi Ley crowded with people...when we went there were maybe 10-20 people tops on the entire island!

The only time we ever had trouble finding accommodation was on New Year's and the time right around that in early January, but we were offered free hammocks by a place on Koh Chang and just slept on the beach on New Year's since we didn't need to sleep much anyway (and had little stuff with us because it was just a two night trip from BKK). Sounds like you might be better off in Malaysia, assuming places like Perhentian haven't become this bad yet!

Re: WIN One of Two Computer Travel Bags from Frommer’s: $110 Value

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:56:01 -0000

My old Gregory Jade backpack was my favorite, but after a few year's of heavy use and abuse, it's on its last legs. My new fave, for even lighter backpacking, is my North Face Terra 30. I like how it's set up organizationally, but the super padded straps are what really make it a heavenly bag!

Re: The Magical Ruins of Machu Picchu, Peru

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:26:24 -0000

This option sounds perfect to me, but I am curious about how you were able to book in Cusco if you went on the Inca Trail? I am planning to do Machu Picchu in October and so it is far too late for me to get on the Trail at all, as all the spots are already booked. The option you describe sounds incredibly inexpensive and convenient for being on the Inca Trail? How far ahead did you book this tour? And how long did it take you in total (was it just four days?) I ask this because I am actually meeting up with someone in Cusco to visit MP and they are flying in from Lima and only have four days.

I realize it is a couple months since you wrote this, but I would really appreciate it if you are able to get back me about this! Thanks!

Re: Twitter Contest Giveaway: Pacific Outdoor Reykjavik (RKV) Backpack

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:39:10 -0000

@racharach

I will use it on my three month trip in South America, which will include a lot of hiking and shorter trips where a bag like this would be perfect!

Re: Twitter Contest Giveaway: Marmot Genesis Jacket

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:45:11 -0000

@racharach

First off I'm heading to South America from Sept-Dec and imagine I could use this jacket on some mountain hikes, in the highlands, and in the Andes.

Secondly, I am moving to Sweden after that where I will be using a lot of my free time for a lot of the next who knows how long participating in all kinds of fun outdoor activities in very cold weather, whether it be learning to ski or hiking up in Lappland, etc.

Re: Twitter Contest Giveaway: The Marmot Diva Pack

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:50:49 -0000

@racharach

Re: What is your most surreal travel experience?

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:33:14 -0000

Scariest and most surreal experience:

Riding down the Amazon on a tiny boat in the middle of the night, where the only source of light is a flashlight the "captain" has--well, that and the lightning crashing around us. Oh, and there was one flickering lightbulb in the back of the boat. We were rocking all over the place and regularly getting the motor stuck in vegetation, turning a two hour ride into something much longer.

The impenetrable darkness and violent storms around us were pretty frightening, but I knew it was time to be scared when all the locals on the boat pulled the life jackets from the roof and put them on, leaving enough for each of the rest of us to share with another person. My friend and I clung to the shared vest and just sat praying we wouldn't die. If all that wasn't enough, I had also been ill before we got on the boat, thrown up over side, and drank so much water to rehydrate myself that I ended up having to pee in a bottle so that I wouldn't explode before we reached our seemingly impossible-to-reach destination. It's definitely one of those experience that I look back on and think, "Wow, did that really happen?"

Re: 6 bad excuses not to study abroad

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:44:59 -0000

I'm thankful I never made those excuses! I studied abroad for two semesters (Florence and Bangkok) and interned abroad for a summer. Best decisions I ever made! And a great answer to many of these excuses: study in Thailand! Insanely cheap (I guarantee you will save/make money just by the amount of tuition you WON'T be paying to your university at home), gorgeous landscape, interesting culture, super friendly people....win-win-win situation!

Re: 9 Mandatory Foods to Eat In Indonesia

Rachael - Girl Unmapped — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:32:57 -0000

Mmm cap cay! Don't forget the Indo staple, nasi goreng!