If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I absolutely love staying in hostels. They’re generally always my first choice for accommodation on a big trip! On my big trip to the Caucasus this summer, I stayed at Feel Inn Hostel for 5 nights in Yerevan, Armenia. This hostel was really special… Read More Hostel Review: Feel Inn Hostel, Yerevan
Iceland is incredibly expensive. There’s no way around it. It’s an expensive destination. Pretty much everything costs money. And while Iceland is one of the most stunningly beautiful places I’ve ever been to, it’s also very expensive. This is where some of the best budget travel tips (like finding cheap/free accommodation, cooking your own food,… Read More Iceland on a Budget? 14 Ways to Save Money in Iceland!
York is a treasure trove of independent shops and businesses. One of the reasons the city has so much charm is in the small and unique businesses that you just can’t find anywhere else. York is absolutely full of hidden gems. Bookshops are no exception – York has some real gems for book lovers! Whether… Read More The Best Bookshops in York
I’ve been traveling for a long time now, and I like to think I’m something of a pro. As time has gone on, I’ve learned more, and learned how to travel smarter and to travel better. One of the major lessons I’ve learned through the years is the importance of travel insurance. What is travel… Read More 3 Situations and Examples of When I Used Travel Insurance!
Poland has to be one of my favorite countries in the world! The prices are low, the food is delicious, and the people are so hospitable. I visited Gdansk for a few days this November to explore this region. There is so much to see and do in this city! Here’s my complete and ultimate… Read More The Ultimate Guide to Gdansk, Poland
February has been a crazy month. In case you missed last month’s recap, Mr. Away With Maja was in a pretty serious car crash in January, and most of this month has been spent recovering from that. I haven’t had any fun travel plans unfortunately, and this is the first month in YEARS that I… Read More February 2019 Recap
Snow here in the UK is something of a big deal. At the sighting of just a few flakes, basically everything shuts down: schools, transportation, roads, etc. As a Minnesotan, who is used to very heavy winter snowfalls, I still find this pretty cute about living in England. Snow is one of the best parts… Read More Walking in a Winter Wonderland: York in the Snow
Armenia may be a relatively small country geographically, but there is a whole lot to see here. I spent nearly a week in Armenia, based in the capital of Yerevan. I wanted to get out and see the rest of the country, but without a car it can be essentially impossible! Your choices are to… Read More A Daytrip to Khor Virap, Areni, And Noravank In Armenia
Three years ago, I bought this tiny space on the internet, and Away With Maja was born. I like to write reflection posts when this date comes along each year. (You can read my reflection from 6 months, 1 year, 1.5 years, and 2 years!) And life has taken me in a crazy different direction… Read More My Three Year Blog-A-Versary!
This summer, I finally made it to the Scottish Highlands—an area that’s been on my bucket list for years. I had one really big goal: to hike up Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland. At 1345 meters, it’s also the highest mountain in Great Britain, and in the United Kingdom in general! It’s therefore… Read More Ben Nevis: Hiking Britain’s Highest Mountain
There are a lot of pros and cons to living in a city like York. But I have to say, one of the things I love most about this city is that there’s always something going on! This weekend saw the York Ice Trail take over town on Saturday. It’s been one of my favorite… Read More Ice Ice Baby: Everything About the York Ice Trail!
My January in 2018 was a pretty rough month. I thought that that month would be possibly one of the worst and most stressful months I’ve had. Then this January 2019 arrived and… well let’s just say, it makes January 2018 look like a piece of cake. This month saw a serious and very traumatic… Read More January 2019 Recap
Every year, I do a few big yearly recap posts on the year just gone. I’ve already written about my top experiences of 2018, and the worst travel moments of 2018! But I always like to do one about the best places I visited each year. In 2016, my favorite places were heavily skewed by… Read More The Best Places I Visited in 2018
I’ve already talked about my top experiences of 2018. But I think it’s important to take these good kind of posts with a grain of salt—because travel is never as glamorous as it might seem. Which is why I like to share my worst travel moments every year! In 2017, I got really sick in… Read More My Worst Travel Moments of 2018
2018 has been another big year for me! I visited 14 countries this year, 7 of which were new countries for me. I took 15 flights over the course of the year. I really settled into York and my life abroad. I even made my first ever money as a blogger this year!! Every year,… Read More My Top Experiences of 2018
December has come and gone, and now it’s the start of a whole brand new year! December was fairly quiet and besides the busy Christmas period, I didn’t do very much. November was so busy for me, and this December has been a very nice month to relax after that! Where I Went York, Staithes,… Read More December 2018 Recap
This year of 2018 has been a year of big changes. I always talk about 2016 as a really important year—the year I got married, and moved abroad to England. But even though this year hasn’t seen major life events like that, I do feel like it’s been a year of huge change. This year,… Read More Reflections On A Year Of Change
On my most recent trip to Poland, I spent a wonderful 5 days in the city of Gdansk. Poland is a very budget-friendly destination—which is one of the main reasons I was able to go for a trip when I had a random week of work! I definitely would have spent a bit more money… Read More How Much Does it Cost to Travel Poland For 5 Days?
UPDATED JANUARY 2026! In summer 2018, I embarked on my first trip to the Caucasus region. I spent a week in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. And I fell absolutely, head over heels, in love with the city. Rarely do I ever feel so strongly about cities. Most recently, I felt that way about Kyiv.… Read More 44 Awesome Things You Must Do in Tbilisi: A Complete Guide to the Georgian Capital
UPDATED FEBRUARY 2026! One of my favorite things about living in York is the plethora of independent businesses around town. About 65% of York’s businesses are independent (according to Indie York), and the city is a great location for foodies – there’s seriously something for everyone here! The city really sets itself apart with its… Read More The Best Restaurants in York, England
