Sidestreet was born out of a desire to put my thoughts and musings about travel into a consolidated form other than my head. I have a deep curiosity for other places, cultures, and traditions — I want to learn about them and share it with the world while digging deeper into what it means to be a tourist, i.e. how can we explore the culture of another place thoughtfully? I am not a writer by trade, but I do think of myself as a storyteller. For people who know me, I have an animated persona— a hand-talker of sorts— and I enjoy meeting new people and asking thoughtful questions. I have a deep passion for a good story while always covering the good, the bad, and the ugly.

My desire for exploration led me to pursue degrees in Cultural Geography and International Development. I completed a Master’s in International Development in 2014, with thoughts of working abroad for organizations that focus on stopping the illegal wildlife and pet trade. Fast forward to 2019; I’ve finally reached the tipping point — the place where it’s now or never and herein lies the advent of Sidesteet.

As a traveller, I have extensive experience travelling solo, which has made me more reliant on my intuition and adaptability to many types of situations. I have gone through South America, Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe and on every trip, I have met incredible people who inspire me to keep learning and to feed my wanderlust; as I am sure many of you have. From having pad thai next to an older Thai women and communicating with our hands (and smiles), to the atmospheric effect of the guitar while crossing a lake in the middle of the night on a rickety ferry boat in Bolivia, I will say that I have always found the beauty of humanity in the most inconspicuous places.

The goal of Sidestreet is to connect travellers with local perspectives and recommendations while balancing a curious and considered approach to travel. The Sidestreet ethos is to wander with an open mind while trying things a bit more off the beaten path. I will share stories about my travels, along with practical information about the places I visit. With regards to the voices of locals, I intend to interview and gain insight from them about why they love their city, their perspective on what’s cool, while also diving deeper into the culture of a place. I hope that a shared curiosity and love of adventure will persuade you to follow me on this journey.