A life + travel visual diary

I turned 26 — that’s the big update. I also picked up a second job recently, which feels like a whole new chapter. We’re still in Phuket, but only for another month. Originally, we planned to head to the Philippines next, but we changed things up and decided to go back to Hanoi to finally do the famous Ha Giang Loop. Safe to say, we’re really excited about this plan.

There hasn’t been anything major happening over the past month, but a few small wins that feel pretty big to me. Ryan hit 116 out of 190 hours on the mat for his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu course, which is honestly such solid progress. And on my end, I finally reached a goal I’ve been quietly working toward — landing a low-effort, high-income second job.

It’s kind of crazy what can happen when you stay consistent and just keep showing up.

(And if you’re still struggling to land a remote job in 2026 — message me or leave a comment, I’m happy to share what worked for me.)

It’s crazy what can happen when you really lock in and put your mind (and a bit of patience) into something. And aside from all that… as random as it sounds, I think I’ve fallen in love with football. LOL.

I’ve talked before about how Phuket has really taught us how to slow down — and even with adjusting to my new job, it still feels like we’re leaning into that pace more than ever.

Our routines feel solid now. We’re sleeping well, staying on top of our schedules, and we’ve even made a little ritual out of Sundays — our date nights or heading out to a sports club here in Rawai (especially if there’s a Manchester United game on).

Still cooking most of our meals, focusing on a healthier diet, loading up on fibre, and making our own ginger shots — which honestly saves us around $20 USD between the two of us.

Nothing crazy, nothing dramatic… just a lot of small, consistent habits. And right now, life feels really good.

After Hanoi, we’ll be flying to the Philippines — with our first stop being the island where Ryan and I met: Siargao.

We’ll be catching up with friends, and maybe even getting back into surfing… who knows. Island life there has always had a mind of its own — just as unpredictable as when we left it 15 months ago. But I’m really excited to be back in a place that feels like home.

Lately, I’ve been realizing how much better life feels when you stay in your own lane and just focus on getting a little better every day. Also… I cut my hair. And got bangs. Very 2016 energy!

That’s it for now — excited to see where all of this goes. Always, always looking ahead 💌