The Adventures of Nicole

Updated August 2026, The Ultimate Female Packing List was originally written in June 2017 Sorry boys, this is the ultimate female packing list. Although if you just cross a few things listed here off, you wonderful male travelers out there can use it too. Over the years what I pack for my travels has morphed and evolved. I typically try to pack as light as possible* but seein...

Updated August 2026, Cathedral Gorge State Park, Nevada: A Hidden Gem Along the Great Basin Highway was originally published in July 2024 Obscured from typical tourist trail in Nevada, Cathedral Gorge is an easy-to-access hidden gem located along the Great Basin Highway, boasting remarkable geological formations including caverns, slot canyons, and more. In this quick guide t...

Updated August 2026, Gili Trawangan Travel Guide was originally written in December 2015 Gili Trawangan or Gili T as it’s more commonly called is a tiny island off the coast of Lombok and is the largest of the three Gili Islands. Easily reached by speed boat from either Lombok or Bali, Gili T makes a great addition to anyone visiting this heavenly slice of Indonesia.

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Updated August 2026, Visiting the Incredible Maras Salt Mines, Peru was originally published in January 2021 Visiting the ancient salt mines in Maras proved to be one of my favorite excursions when I went to the Sacred Valley. The practice, which dates back to pre-Inca times is a fascinating one. Salt is obtained in Maras by using evaporation ponds that are fed by subterranea...

Updated August 2026, How to Use Payment Terminals Around Cities in Tajikistan was originally published in 2026 So there I was in the late evening, long after Megafon had closed for the day, standing in a tiny magazin in Dushanbe, clutching my phone with a SIM fresh out of data, feeling like I was about to launch a satellite because the shopkeeper pointed at a bright blue term...