About Maria

Maria in Rio
At the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio.

Hi, I’m Maria and I live in Chicago. My day job does not allow for creativity so with the encouragement of some good friends, I decided to start this blog to share my experiences with you all. As a child, I used to draw pictures of the places I wanted to visit someday. Childhood trips consisted of going to Croatia to visit relatives. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I started to venture out into the world. I got tired of waiting for friends to come with me, so one day I walked into a travel agency, and asked if there were tours for single, young people. I was introduced to Contiki that caters to the 18-35 year old demographic, and the best part is they will pair you up with a roommate if you go by yourself. My first tour was to Spain, and this started a passion to see the world, as well as a love of tours. I’ve also traveled allot in the beautiful US and have some great pictures and recommendations.

I also want to encourage you all that it’s never too late or expensive to travel. The beauty of tours is that you can do payment plans, as well as using some great credit cards that give you 0% interest, which I have definitely taken advantage of myself. Life is short, so don’t let excuses stop you from enjoying it to its fullest.

Besides traveling, I also enjoy reading, exploring Chicago, art, wine and beer tastings, keeping up with my favorite TV shows, and dancing…I’m pretty much up for anything cultural.

All photos taken by me unless credited otherwise, and an only be used with my permission.