Melissa Ann Maida
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Melissa Ann Maida

Category : Travel

By: Melissa Ann Maida January 17, 2019

From “Hell NO!” to Ha Giang

When I was 25 years old I made a sweeping declaration that I would never ride a motorcycle, dirt bike, quad, ATV, or any other two-wheeled or off road vehicle again. They scared the shit out of me… Well, four and half years later, who whoulda thunk it? I’m not only driving scooters all over Southeast Asia as a means of transportation but I drove a motorbike through the mountainous Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam! As cliche as the sang is, “never say never.”

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By: Melissa Ann Maida December 27, 2018

2019: Action is Power

When you have knowledge but don’t put it into action, an internal struggle between what you should be doing and what you are doing develops. In 2018 I was reminded over and over again the importance of self-discipline and eating right, yet I chose to remain inactive. Not only inactive, but I often went directly against what I knew was right. It was conflicting and frustrating. In 2019 I am turning this knowledge into action and that action into power!

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By: Melissa Ann Maida December 18, 2018

Minimalist Gift Giving

Marketers sell us a belief. They make us believe that if we have a certain car we’ll be successful and if we wear certain clothes we’ll be desirable. The stuff makes us feel good for awhile but because cars don’t actually make one successful and clothes don’t actually make one desirable, the belief is fleeting. It becomes a never ending cycle of wanting, buying and collecting… Here are a few minimalist tips on gift-giving this holiday season!

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By: Melissa Ann Maida December 5, 2018

India: Yoga, Meditation & Diwali

People often ask me, of all the places I’ve been, which is my favorite, and I never knew how to answer them… Until now… The answer is INDIA!

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By: Melissa Ann Maida October 25, 2018

The Reality of Travel Friendships

Travel friendships are uniquely different than any other type of friendships. People who don’t travel, or who have never bonded with other travelers on the road, might not realize how fast and deep travel friendships develop.

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By: Melissa Ann Maida October 15, 2018

The English Guys Part Two: Back to Ho Chi Minh

Now, experienced with long haul buses in Vietnam, I convinced the Londoner to take the bus with me instead of flying- insisting it was something he had to experience! He agreed. The other guy was going to take a day longer than us to get there since he was traveling by motorcycle, so, before we left the island, we all pre-booked our hostel in Ho Chi Minh and made plans to meet up.

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By: Melissa Ann Maida October 10, 2018

The English Guys Part One: Phu Quoc Island

Not many of the travelers I meet make it to Phu Quoc Island. When I tell people I went, they give me a look of disappointment and ask… “was it good?” hoping I’ll say it was crappy so they feel better about skipping it. My response is always the same “Sooooooo good! You should definitely go if you have the time!” Then I watch as their look of disappointment turns to longing envy.

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By: Melissa Ann Maida September 4, 2018

The Journey is Part of the Experience: Ho Chi Minh to Phu Quoc

One night, I overheard guys in my dorm room talking about Starfish Beach. Having never heard of it before, I looked it up. I quickly discovered it was on Phu Quoc- a Vietnamese island I’d also never heard of before. Between the mystery of an unknown place and my longing to get out of the city again, I wanted to go.

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By: Melissa Ann Maida July 3, 2018

7 Yoga Lessons That Directly Apply to Life as a Long-term Traveler

Yoga has made me stronger, more physically fit, and more flexible. But it’s also had a profound impact on my mental and emotional health. It amazes me how lessons learned in yoga directly apply to other aspects of my life. It’s as if by magic, when I work through something on the mat, I work through a correlating issue in my life simultaneously. While at a yoga retreat in Chiang Mai Thailand, I discovered 7 yoga lessons that directly apply to life as a long-term traveler.

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Hello!

About Me

My name is Melissa. I am a nomad. I prefer the mountains over the beach ... Until I'm back at the beach and am reminded of how glorious sunrise yoga beside the ocean is! My hair is always a different color, I'm usually wearing a bandanna on my head, no make-up, mismatched clothes and a beat up pair of Birks. Everything I own fits in a backpack. But this hasn't always been my life... At the start of 2014, I lived in a nice house in the suburbs, drove a brand new car, and had a successful cosmetology career. Recently engaged, I was in the thick of wedding planning. That spring, everything started to change. My dad passed away, I opened a salon, and my sister got married. The chaos of so many major life events, in such a short time, put pressure on my relationship. That July, I called off my wedding. In the midst of all the chaos, I turned to the internet looking for a blog or a book by someone who'd had a similar experience. I desperately wanted to know there was someone out there who survived what I was going through- and maybe get some tips on how they did it? After incessant searching, I found a few fluff pieces but nothing that was exceptionally raw or honest. In that moment I told  myself- "If I ever get to the other side of this, I'm going to write my story down to help the next person who finds herself here"... Well, I'm on the other side and am writing down my story...

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Recent Articles

From “Hell NO!” to Ha Giang
By: Melissa Ann Maida January 17, 2019
2019: Action is Power
By: Melissa Ann Maida December 27, 2018
Minimalist Gift Giving
By: Melissa Ann Maida December 18, 2018
India: Yoga, Meditation & Diwali
By: Melissa Ann Maida December 5, 2018
The Reality of Travel Friendships
By: Melissa Ann Maida October 25, 2018
The English Guys Part Two: Back to Ho Chi Minh
By: Melissa Ann Maida October 15, 2018
The English Guys Part One: Phu Quoc Island
By: Melissa Ann Maida October 10, 2018
The Journey is Part of the Experience: Ho Chi Minh to Phu Quoc
By: Melissa Ann Maida September 4, 2018
7 Yoga Lessons That Directly Apply to Life as a Long-term Traveler
By: Melissa Ann Maida July 3, 2018
So really, how much money do I need to backpack Southeast Asia?
By: Melissa Ann Maida June 30, 2018

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