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Riley Madaire: When the Breakdown Is Just the Beginning
Are you the type of person who strikes up a conversation with the traveler sitting next to you on a plane? Well, I’m sure you can already guess that I most definitely am. Making Friends at 30,000 Feet When I was flying to Australia for my first solo overseas adventure, I sat in the aisle, and was beyond grateful when the plane closed its doors and no one was sitting in the middle seat. And even beyond that, I was thankful that the person sitting at the window was a girl around my age. Obviously, I started talking to her, and learned that she was a twenty-three-year-old from Calgary, Alberta,…
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Behind the Highlight Reel: What It’s Taken to Transform My Life
In the midst of your doom scrolling do you ever stop and wonder how people manage to live these highlight-reel lives? Moving to new cities, constantly traveling, buying the newest cars, building their businesses. It seems constant. The people around us are continuously leveling up and reaching milestones we feel like we don’t even have time to dream about. And then there’s you, working long hours, trying to make rent, wondering if you’re falling behind. Maybe it’s money, time, mental energy… or all of the above. Or maybe you do have some of those things, and still feel stuck. Unsure of how to transform your life. That’s real, too. It…
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Backpacking Australia: One Month, a Million Spiders, Endless Unpredictable Adventures
As I get ready for my next big adventure, I’ve been reflecting on the trip that shaped so much of how I now travel, my 4-weeks backpacking Australia. From booking platforms, to budgeting, to packing the right gear, I feel like I’ve finally figured out what works for me. Expectation Vs. Reality: What Travel in Australia Actually Felt Like If I had to describe my Australia trip in just one word, it would be: acceptance. Travel often comes with expectations. You’re spending hard-earned money, you’ve researched all of the must-see spots, and you have used your few precious vacation days to be there. So, it has to be perfect. Right?…
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A Sunset, a Stranger, and a Journey to Self-Love
I flew to Costa Rica to see someone I barely knew. I left with something I never expected. Letting Go of Expectations and Living in the Moment On July 4th, 2025, I left Vancouver Island and went back to Costa Rica. Only this time, I was without my family, and without any expectations about how this adventure would unfold. The only thing I knew for sure? No matter what happened, I would have a good time. I mean, come on, I was back in Costa Rica just four months after my last visit. What I didn’t expect from this trip was finding a part of myself while simultaneously getting beautifully,…
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Choosing a Life of Oceans over Offspring: Travel over Tradition
I have always jokingly called myself the family disappointment. Not because I genuinely feel like one. But because I have never been the type of gal to follow the ‘normal’ societal path that is drilled into us as littles. So, moving through life, I have consistently shrugged off my interesting choices as keeping the title of the family disappointment alive. From getting a neck tattoo at 18 to wanting to abandon a life of routine for a life of travel are examples of what would fall under this self-appointed title. But in all seriousness, my family supports and even encourages my unique desires. And I know that my mother loves…
A solo journey through chaos, clarity, and cabernet.
