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About Me

Nicole L

Nicole L

Hiya! I'm a 33 year-old native Arizonan, who started traveling around the US and Mexico as a child, and haven't stopped. I've been to 22 countries in a wide range of travel styles, writing about my personal experiences and sharing travel guides and tips (including teaching abroad in Thailand), with a little history thrown in. Hope you enjoy!

View Full Profile →

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  • Thailand,  Travel

    Experiencing Songkran Festival for the First Time

    January 14, 2020 / 12 Comments

    I’m usual sad about leaving somewhere and moving on to the next place. However, this time was different. I was getting ready to start my journey from Penang Island back to my home of Lampang, Thailand for the Thai New Year Celebration called Songkran Festival. Getting Home The time finally came for me to fly from Penang to Bangkok to catch my over night train. I was ecstatic. Ecstatic to be returning to my closet with all my clothes. Ecstatic to be able to sleep and shower in my own apartment. It’s these little things I forget about when traveling for a long period of time. I understand for some…

    Read More
    Nicole | Mapless Adventures

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    My Parents Visit Lampang, Thailand

    June 16, 2020
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    October 29, 2018
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    5 Day Itinerary for Krabi with Parents

    June 30, 2020
  • Thailand,  Travel

    Traveling Phuket to Bangkok

    July 4, 2019 / No Comments

    It’s hard to believe how quickly a week vacation went with my friend Chris, but all good thing must come to an end, right? (okay, maybe not always) Thankfully, it wasn’t quite over. We were all set to fly from Phuket to Bangkok in the afternoon. Chris’s return flight to America, however, was not until Sunday afternoon. So, technically, we had another day and a half, which between the two of us, was plenty of time to do a few more things!We did allow ourselves to sleep-in Saturday morning, which was much needed before we wandered Patong Beach to find breakfast. After breakfast, we ended up finding smoothies and a…

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    Reality of Teaching English in Thailand

    January 25, 2019

    Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Phuket, Thailand

    June 10, 2019

    Experiencing Songkran Festival for the First Time

    January 14, 2020
  • Featured,  Thailand,  Travel

    One Day Around the Phi Phi Islands

    June 26, 2019 / No Comments

    Today was one of those days where we had no plans on what we wanted to do. I had a semi-rough idea of what we could do, but I didn’t want to set anything in stone, unti I was with Chris. Together, after a few options were discussed, we decided on another boat day. Except, instead of a sunset cruise, we decided on a sunrise speed boat tour to the Phi Phi Islands. The particular tour we decided on was called The Beach Sea Trips. I’m pretty sure we found it at the stand where we rented our motor scooters. The Beach Sea Trips Tour The Phi Phi Islands are…

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    June 23, 2020
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    My Parents Visit Lampang, Thailand

    June 16, 2020
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    5 Day Itinerary for Krabi with Parents

    June 30, 2020
  • Thailand,  Travel

    Phuket: Visit Big Buddha and Phang Nga Bay in One Day

    June 24, 2019 / No Comments

    We knew we were going to have a long afternoon and evening in Phang Nga Bay, but we didn’t want to waste our morning. We had a few more hours left with our scooters and wanted to do more exploring. We decided to start our morning watching sunrise at the famous Phuket landmark, The Great Buddha of Phuket, or Big Buddha. Big Buddha Big Buddha is a beautifully built, 18-meter tall statue located high on a mountain facing east, towards Ao Chalong Bay. Although it is still under construction, it was easy to see why Big Buddha is a popular tourist destination. We left Bearpackers Hostel and started heading towards…

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    Things to Know about Lampang Thailand

    January 6, 2019
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    A Month in Chiang Mai with Xplore Asia

    October 29, 2018

    Experiencing Songkran Festival for the First Time

    January 14, 2020
  • Thailand,  Travel

    Renting Scooters in Phuket

    June 17, 2019 / No Comments

    Our morning started a little later than our normal day, but we didn’t mind. We didn’t have set plans but knew we wanted to explore. Thanks to our hostel, Bearpacker Hostel, we ultimately made the decision of renting scooters in Phuket for the day. They assisted with locating a motor scooter rental place right near the hostel, which made the process seamless. Renting Scooters in Phuket When renting scooters in Phuket the prices range anywhere from 250-400 depending on the rental company. Most places require some form of written document with a select amount of personal details. They also require a deposit. I have found that in Thailand, companies require…

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    What to Eat in Thailand

    May 29, 2020

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    June 26, 2020

    Ultimate Guide to Lampang, Thailand

    February 17, 2020
  • Thailand,  Travel

    Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Phuket, Thailand

    June 10, 2019 / No Comments

    Homesick is a real thing. Although I don’t get homesick often, it hits me hard when I do. When one of my friends, Chris, texted me saying he was thinking of stopping in Thailand for a week on his way home from his Nepal trip, most of the homesickness turned into excitement. Excitement for not just planning a whole week vacation but also for getting to show off Thailand. Even more excited to share a piece of my heart to my good friend, who has been ever so supportive of my crazy, Mapless Adventures!! The Planning Stage During the initial phase of our planning, my friend, Chris told me that…

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    July 4, 2019

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    March 17, 2019
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    4 Days in Chiang Mai with the Parents

    June 23, 2020
  • Pai Thailand
    Thailand,  Travel

    How to Spend 5 Days in Pai, Thailand

    March 18, 2019 / 4 Comments

    On a long weekend in December, a few of friends and I attempted to make the journey from our home in Lampang to town called Pai. Pai, a smaller town in northwest Thailand, has become a popular travel destination for many travelers and backpackers. We were all intrigued and really hoped we could make a trip during the school year. However, those plans did not happen according to plan. Thankfully, as the school year ended, I knew I’d have a little gap before my friend from America got here for a week visit. It was the perfect opportunity to take the crazy route from Lampang to Pai, Thailand. Getting There…

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    January 6, 2019

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    January 14, 2020

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    February 3, 2020
  • Teaching Abroad,  Thailand

    Lessons I Learned from Teaching English in Thailand

    March 17, 2019 / 2 Comments

    I was fresh off the bus from Chiang Mai to Lampang. I had no idea what was in store for me. Would I like my new town? Would I like my new school? I was slightly terrified but I had no choice. This was it. Expect the unexpected, right? I was about to begin my teaching abroad in Thailand experience. I’m not going to sit here ramble on about how, “I’m a different person than I was when I started.” Or “my life has changed so much since I moved and began teaching abroad in Thailand.” If these statements weren’t true, I haven’t done this whole live and work-abroad thing…

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    January 6, 2019

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    October 5, 2018
  • Resources,  Teaching Abroad,  Thailand

    Reality of Teaching English in Thailand

    January 25, 2019 / No Comments

    I decided I was going take a brief step back from Speech Language Pathology. At the time, I wasn’t fully prepared but knew it needed to happen. I ultimately landed on the decision to move halfway around the world and teach English in Thailand. But what exactly does teaching English in Thailand entail? I immediately began to scour the internet for any resource I could get my hands on. What clothes do I pack for Thailand? What shoes do I bring? Are there novelties from America I should bring with me? Travel essentials for Thailand? Where is better to live? North vs. South? City vs. country? You get the idea.…

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    January 26, 2020

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    February 17, 2020
  • Teaching Abroad,  Thailand,  Travel

    Things to Know about Lampang Thailand

    January 6, 2019 / No Comments

    I didn’t know Lampang, Thailand my going to be my home until I got my teacher placement from XploreAsia. However, the placement wasn’t a complete mystery to me either. You see, moving to Thailand with a recruitment company, like Greenheart Travel, has its benefits. One of them is the amount of information they provide before you take off. They provide information about budgeting, living abroad, and previous teacher-placement locations. For me, this was hugely important because I love doing research. I didn’t know much about the various regions of Thailand prior to my departure. The information provided was helpful in looking at the past placement cities and photos. It also…

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About Me

Nicole L

Nicole L

Hiya! I'm a 33 year-old native Arizonan, who started traveling around the US and Mexico as a child, and haven't stopped. I've been to 22 countries in a wide range of travel styles, writing about my personal experiences and sharing travel guides and tips (including teaching abroad in Thailand), with a little history thrown in. Hope you enjoy!

View Full Profile →

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My new weekend activity...trying not to fall on my My new weekend activity...trying not to fall on my ass on my rollerblades!
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Many people know I fell in love with Muay Thai box Many people know I fell in love with Muay Thai boxing when I was living in Thailand. It was one of the hardest things to leave behind as I loved my Muay Thai family at Burklerk Gym @burklerkgym .
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Moving home this past year was a struggle, but it didn’t take me long to find a gym that offered me everything! Muay Thai, HIIT classes, boxing, and most importantly a group of awesome humans!
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I’m so happy I found Sunshine’s! I’m stronger, healthier, happier, and I can slowly see my skills improve day in and day out! Muay Thai is unlike any workout and I love it just as much as I did when I first started back in Feb of 2019!
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As we get ready to say goodbye to 2020 and Hello to 2021, one thing I know for certain, I won’t be saying goodbye to Sunshine’s. So if you need me, you can likely find me in the ring!
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Mother Nature for the win! Another extraordinary h Mother Nature for the win! Another extraordinary hike in the scenery of Arizona!
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Lost Dutchman State Park is one of the most beautiful parks and offers a wide range of activities. From hiking, mountain biking and Camping, there is something for the whole family! Plus, it’s only about 45 minutes outside of Phoenix.
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I plan to explore this area so much more in the next few months! It’s felt amazing being back out hiking!
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Family celebration for my nephew turning 10. When Family celebration for my nephew turning 10. When you can travel, you spend your weekends surrounded by family!!
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First true fall I’ve seen in over 4 years! Let’s just say, I loved it!!
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