To the locals (2026)

13/07/2020

The wrong Barrie. In Freetown, I frequently used a taxi driver named Barrie who lived down the street from us. My friends had lived in Freetown much longer than me and told the story of how Barrie came to be our driver, despite his ... not so sunny disposition. A woman who had since left Sierra Leone had 2 Barries who drove taxis in her phone, one who was nice, lovely and always showed up on time and one who had a bit of road rage and wasn't so friendly at all. When sharing the contact of "the good Barrie" with friends upon leaving the country, she accidently shared the number for "the wrong Barrie." Despite getting the wrong Barrie, to this day he is our go to driver in Freetown. He does have some road rage, his car isn't the nicest, and he's not always on time but he's one of my favorite people I met in Sierra Leone. Barrie took good care of friends who have visited, never fails to provide a good laugh when shouting at police and other drivers, and is quite protective of those he drives around. He may not have been "the good Barrie" but we love him nonetheless and he’s definitely our Barrie now. Wherever you are, other Barrie, we hope you are doing well for yourself. (Not a great photo of Barrie, but fitting!)
📸 📖:

@ Freetown, Sierra Leone

03/07/2020

“This gentleman taking a selfie with us is named Swan. He is from Thailand and he started traveling when he turned 18 and left his home country years ago. We met him in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. My friend, Reisy, was surfing one day at the beach and she had noticed an older gentleman who was in the water with them and they struck up a conversation. They took a liking to one another and he invited her to dinner and asked her to invite her friends. The best part? Swan drew directions of how to get to his home in the sand and Reisy came running home to tell us about the exciting evening plans. The next day we walked down the beach and Swan was waiting for us by the water right where he drew in the sand to show us to his home and we were about to have a meal we would never forget. He told us so many stories and shared his knowledge about his daily rituals — like meditating for 1 hour every morning and waking up at 5 am to do his morning stretches and exercise. After his morning routine, he would then walk 1 mile with his surf board to then surf for an hour. Every. Single. Day. The night was one I will never forget because of this strangers kindness to open his home and heart to a bunch of strangers. He gave out pearls of wisdom throughout the evening about what is important in life and how to find happiness in the simple things. Swan is someone I will never forget and one of my favorite stories to tell about my travels.” 🇲🇽
📸: 🦢
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26/06/2020

“Tony is not just the restaurant. This is a man who you can surely go to for anything. Need a ride to the airport? He has a connect. Looking for an apartment? He has a connect. Want to open up a pastry shop? Sure enough, he has a connect. And if not? He will lend you his car, let you stay in his house and probably rent out half the restaurant to you so you can pursue your life long dream of baking sfogliatella, cannoli or zeppole after a week of knowing the guy! Tony is a humble, straight forward and genuine man who I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for quite some time now. He is recognized all across Rome because of his kind acts and efforts, and now, I’d like him to be recognized by you. Here’s to you, Tony!”
@ Rome, Italy

25/06/2020

“When you hear the name ‘Tony’ when talking about Rome, you can be sure they’re talking about this guy. I first met him back in 2013 when a few friends recommended I check out his restaurant. They hyped it up as “an experience you can’t miss”, but I didn’t think much of it. But I figured, what the heck, let me give it a shot. What I soon came to understand was that, it wasn’t just about the food, it was about Tony. To put it simply, he’s a charismatic gentleman who is always there to greet each and every customer when he is not cooking, serving, cleaning, prepping, waiting or hosting. He does not stop. As busy as he is, he will be sure to check in on you, sit down for a drink, tell you a story and then offer you some of his house made limoncello & an espresso as a thank you for coming by.” 🇮🇹
@ Trastevere, Rome

22/06/2020

“Handstands - the ultimate form of communication. No matter where you are in the world and what language you speak, it is guaranteed to get you a smile and make you a few new friends, especially kids. The Omo Valley in Ethiopia is no different.”

18/06/2020

"Surf Skate And Pupusas is a small local brand out of El Zonte, El Salvador owned by our good friend, Kevin Moz. Kevin started Surf Skate And Pupusas 2 years ago and since I met him he has always had such positive energy. Every time you see him, he always has a big smile on his face! The brand represents a lifestyle of the small things that make life great and keep it simple. They have all black and white products only because simple is all you need. Quality shirts, hats and bags all designed by this awesome dude. Online store is up and running, check it out through their IG page. The next time you're cruising through Central America, hit up this guy and definitely !” 🇸🇻

17/06/2020

"The only things you really need in life - Surf Skate And Pupusas. For anyone that hasn’t been lucky enough to try a pupusa, they’re the national delicacy of El Salvador. A thick flatbread usually stuffed with cheese and refried beans for no more than 50 cents. You can eat pupusas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Topped with jalapeno slaw and tomato sauce they are absolute heaven.” 🤙🏼 🏝 🌊

10/06/2020

“Taking that leap can be an extremely frightening thing to do. Picture that exact moment when you’re tiptoeing up to the edge and getting ready for that next step to send yourself into oblivion. Terrifying, huh? Well, for this young man, he makes it look effortless. As I walked up to the historic Kuang Si waterfalls just outside of Luang Prabang, I felt that feeling. Some of these falls were towering above over 200 feet (60 meters) with thousands of gallons of water rushing through every second. The roar of the falls was assuaged by the cool mist and calm pools below. At these pools, I came across a half dozen novice monks escaping from their daily duties of studying, meditating and collecting donations. It was a great reminder that kids all across the globe, just want to be kids! There were about 20 foreigners standing below, watching and waiting for the first person to jump in the water. They had looks of anticipation and fear on their faces as these monks started to line up. No one knew what was in the water, if they would clear the rocks below or if they had even done this before. We all count down, 3…2…1… and he jumps with an ear to ear smile on his face. The rest of the monks, not far behind, follow with flips and spins and tricks like you wouldn’t believe. Then the foreigners started to line up. One after one, we all took the leap and thanked each of these young boys for showing us the way. The rest of the morning was spent sitting with them and communicating through gestures, hand motions, laughs and a bit of English. They loved seeing pictures of New York and one day wanted to travel to ‘The Big Apple’!”
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09/06/2020

“Meet Ibby, the chef behind it all. Bureh Beach is a hidden paradise, just a couple hours South of Freetown, Sierra Leone. We would go on weekends to escape the city and it quickly became my favorite place in the world and to this day, I consider it the most beautiful beach I've ever seen. The little stretch of beach is made up of a few quiet guesthouses with simple bungalows and tents for rent, right on the beach, for only a few dollars a night. The best without question is Lumthubul Gardens, where the incredible chef Ibby cooks the BEST lobster you'll ever eat. All of his food is exquisite, but when he gets his hand on lobster, it's unbeatable. He serves it with the most incredible peanut sauce, which also goes great with rice or chips and of course a Savannah cider on the side. I have dreams about this meal. Travelers from all over have begged him for ages to sell his peanut sauce by the jar, that's how good it is! Bureh is a "can't miss" spot with so much heart and culture and this guy is such a big part of that. Grab a yoga session from 'Power Man,' lobster and peanut sauce from Ibby, and a surf lesson and some oysters from the Bureh Beach Surf Club boys. This place is a true paradise in West Africa.”
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@ Bureh Beach

05/06/2020

“This incredibly kind man agreed to strap my backpack to his motorcycle and let me hitch a ride 200 kilometers down the coast of Vietnam. He didn’t speak any English but we managed. We shared my head phones so we could listen to music together. I sat back and enjoyed the ride and tried not to think about what my dad would say about being on a strangers bike in the middle of Vietnam. He stopped at different war sites, caves, view points and his favorite little shack on the side of the road where we shared a Banh Mi. He was so excited and that made me excited. He dropped me off safely in Hoi An and took off. I have no idea where he is now but I think about him from time to time. “🪐
📷 + 📖:

03/06/2020

"We started off on the wrong foot. I met Rafa at a hostel in Medellin around 6 years ago after I accidentally knocked over his beer. He was nice enough to let it slide and even offered me to join him on an adventure the next day. It's crazy to think that spilled beer in the lobby of the Black Sheep hostel would impact both of our lives as it has. Rafa is from Leticia, the Colombian Amazon, and one of the most genuine, free-spirited humans on earth. The kinda guy who will literally give you the shirt off his back (I have seen him do it!). At the time, he had just started his business called "Do it in a van" when we met. He loads people into his 1970 era Ford Econoline van and takes you around the lake of Guatape, stopping to hike, swim, boat and eat the best meals of your life cooked straight from the back of the van. He’ll invite you into his home in the countryside, trying fresh fruit from the garden and the freshest coffee around. It’s unbelievable. Rafa is a true host in every sense of the word. We’ve stayed in touch through my multiple visits back to Colombia over the years and he regularly checks in to make sure I’m doing well through voicenotes. Whenever someone mentions a visit to Medellin, I tell them there’s only one recommendation they need and that’s a visit to Rafa. He's even helped pick my parents up from the airport and taken them on his tour and the main reason they tell everyone Medellin is one of their favorite cities. My previous company , was even able to get him consistent work over the last couple years from the groups going through the city. I've also been lucky enough to join multiple adventures with his family for picnics, waterwalls, lakeside campfires and more beers than either of us needs to admit. An accident turned into a life-changing and lifelong friendship for both of us. Cheers to you my friend and I hope to see you soon! And for anyone going through Medellin, is everything you need."
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@ Guatape El Peñol

31/05/2020

“I was living in Bali at the time with not a lot going on and really wanted to foster a puppy for something to do (and who doesn't love puppies?) Bali has a huge problem with street dogs, abandoned puppies, and abuse and there are quite a few local shelters that are always looking for help. I got in touch with and they sent pictures of puppies to choose from. I immediately chose Nora and Chaka, 2 non-related black female pups who were 6 and 8 weeks old. I obviously fell in love with them instantly and we ended up finding it hard to let them go. We started taking them to adoption events ourselves so we could keep them at home while they found their forever homes. Nora got adopted unexpectedly one day but Chaka kept getting passed up for another couple months. I couldn’t keep her myself but so badly wanted her to stay in the family. Eventually I convinced my sister to adopt her back in the U.S! We worked with and, after a long process and a long flight, my sister and I picked up Chaka from the airport in JFK. My sweet little Bali street dog, abandoned in a dumpster before I met her, now calls Baltimore home with a brother and two perfect parents! Use the link in their bio to donate to and help them keep saving lives!”
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🏠:
@ Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

To the locals