Once a retreat for the British elite and colonial planters of the country’s tea industry, Nuwara Eliya lies in the misty hills of central Sri Lanka with the nickname, “City of Light.” The town has a temperate, chilly climate and is littered with colonial style bungalows and tea plantations.

Even after a decade of solo travel to more than 50 countries around the world, I'm often reminded that most others aren't as adventurous as myself. Still, it only takes following a few tips to create a seamless and safe holiday trip.

Coined the "City of a Thousand Temples," Kyoto oozes old world charm, steeped in centuries of spiritual tradition. It's also the perfect jumping off point for areas like Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Nara Park.

After a breakup inspired my search for sexual enlightenment and exploration, I landed on an incredible sex coach named Jocelyn Silva who had me digging deep.

Founded in the early 16th century, Antigua is a small town surrounded by massive volcanoes and famed for its candy colored Spanish colonial buildings.

Fes is referred to as Morocco’s cultural capital, known mostly for its walled medina, Fes El Bali. The walled city is a never ending maze of distinctive architecture, inspiring culture and beautiful handicrafts like Moroccan rugs, antiques and textiles, alongside historical museums, traditional hammams and leather tanneries.

Formerly Constantinople, Istanbul straddles both Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait and is the largest city and main seaport in Turkey. Delight in all things spices, traditional meze, Turkish baths and towering mosques.

Established in 1521 by the Spanish, Old San Juan is the oldest city in the United States and its territories. There you'll find colonial architecture, impressive fortifications, cobblestone streets, open plazas, and hidden patios. Nearby, el Yunque National Forest is the sole tropical rain forest in the U.S.

A deeply personal journey to discover why I'd all but given up on friendship and the path toward creating those much desired connections.

A large city in central Sri Lanka, Kandy is set on a plateau surrounded by mountains home to tea plantations and biodiverse rainforests. The city is famed for sacred Buddhist sites like the Temple of the Tooth's and its heart is the scenic Kandy Lake.

Located in the lush mountains north of Tokyo, Nikkō has long been celebrated as for its Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship. Toshogu Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Nikkō National Park are highlights worth exploring.

A small town in Sri Lanka, Minneriya is famous for two things — the great Minneriya Lake and Minneriya National Park. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1938, the park is an incredible location for safari lovers and known for its abundance of roaming elephants.

Viñales a small town west of Havana with green rolling hills planted with fruit, vegetables, coffee and tobacco. It’s known for steep limestone hills called mogotes which dot the landscape and gardens full of palms and orchids.

Traveling from Sigiriya, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa can be reached in no time. Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka and first established as a military post by the Sinhalese kingdom. Today, it's a remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of sacred temples, stupas and other religious monuments.

A short drive from Mexico City, Teotihuacán is known for its architecturally significant pyramids, including the Pyramid of the Sun and the Moon, which can be seen from heights above in hot air balloons during sunrise. The area is also famous for its well-preserved murals and fine obsidian tools.

There are so many things I wish I knew as a kid and I often reflect on my favorite childhood book, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, and what it means to be wild.

Tokyo is the largest metropolitan in the world and a wildly alive city. The mecca for all things anime and gaming, gourmet food and shopping, modern theater and opera, traditional kabuki and noh theater, modern skyscrapers and traditional Japanese wooden buildings, Tokyo has it all.

Dambulla is located in central Sri Lanka and the closest town to the Ancient City of Sigiriya. It's known for Sigiriya Rock Fortress and the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, Dambulla Cave Temple, both of which visitors climb.

Though I'd already lived in Asia, some of Japan's rules were simply lost on me. And as predicted, it was a tough country to explore on my own. Tricky transportation, swarming tourists and wild weather were a challenge to navigate.

With so many things I wish I knew as a kid, one of the most important is prioritizing the care of your body by managing nutrition, exercise and injury.