Hi! I’m Kelly, your friendly neighborhood Poky Little Wanderer.
I’m a Buffalo girl who moved to Baltimore and is slowly making my way everywhere. No, I haven’t quit my job, sold all my possessions, and started backpacking. (Although there are certainly days when that sounds pretty appealing!)
Instead, I have a full-time job, a house, a dog, and a cat. My red Doberman, Pandora becomes rather indignant whenever I leave her behind to travel, but is always thrilled to see me when I return. My kitty Bastet tries to pretend she’s upset when I get back from trips, but quickly climbs up on my lap for love. I do as much traveling as I can manage around my job, and have a never-ending bucket list I’m steadily working my way through.
Why the Poky Little Wanderer?
Ever since I was little, my mother has called me the Poky Little Puppy due to my tendency wander off to explore on my own. (Who am I kidding? I still do.) So when I was brainstorming name ideas for a travel blog, it was one of the ideas I jotted down. I had a list of possibilities a mile long, but I wanted something unique to me. It was also one of the few I had come up with that wasn’t already being used by other people. I totally considered Nomadic Kelly and Kelly Abroad when I was brainstorming, but ultimately decided I needed to pick something a little bit different.
Travel is My Happy Place
I’m happiest when exploring a new place or checking new experiences off my bucket list. I love immersing myself in a new culture: visiting museums, cafe hopping, eating local foods, attending cultural performances, practicing local languages, and soaking up the sights of a new place. Capturing as many photos as I can manage allows to to keep reliving my travels even after I’m back home.
Going on Eating Adventures to find and try out all the local food has become a favorite part of travel. Food is so integral to local cultures, it’s a great way to connect with the place you’re visiting. Some of my favorite travel experiences have revolved around food and I hope to continue exploring the wide array of cuisines around the world!
Once I return home, I love to share my travels with friends and family. I’m happy to pass along recommendations for places I’ve visited and general travel tips about travel whenever people ask.
Hooked on Books
I’m a bookworm who started traveling at an early age through the books I read. Vicariously taking journeys to big cities, small villages, and far-off worlds full of wizards and dragons. Since then I’ve traveled to many cities and villages around the world, but fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) I’ve yet to encounter any fire-breathing dragons. I love how authors can use words on a piece of paper to transport their readers to another time and place. When my wanderlust rears its head, I try to contain it by reading books. Although this often inspires me to add another place to my bucket list and get started on planning my next adventure.
Combining my Passions
I toyed with the idea of starting a travel blog for a couple years before I finally launched the Poky Little Wanderer in summer 2018. I had briefly kept a blog during my semester studying abroad with Semester at Sea in college, but I really didn’t like the format and took it down post graduation. I’ve re-published those blogs as well as additional ones about my study abroad experience, and you can find them on my Semester at Sea page. Creating this blog gave me a place to share travel tips as well as my travel stories and experiences.
Friends and acquaintances are forever asking me what I’m reading, or for book recommendations. By sharing my Wandering Reads, I hope to help people find wanderlust inspiring books.
I want to share with you stories of my travels, how I go about planning my trips, and the books that inspire my wanderlust.
Fun Facts About Me
I’m an avid list maker. I’m constantly updating the absurd number of lists I keep in the Notes app on my phone. From lists of things to do around the house to lists tracking the places I’ve been and lists of local restaurants to try out, I love them all!
I’ve always loved photos and have a pile of albums from childhood through high school to show for it (pre-digital cameras or smart phones). Taking photos helps me relive those captured moments, which is especially wonderful after a trip.
Growing up, and right through college, I was an Irish step dancer! I’m now retired, but give me a pint and play me a jig and I might just take the stage.
I love celebrating things! My family’s birthdays, friends’ weddings, finishing a project around the house, all of it. Whether those celebrations take the form of a huge party or just the clink of our glasses as we sit and admire a freshly painted room, I’m just as excited about them.
When not traveling, I work a full time job in the insurance industry.
How to Reach Me
Looking for more ways to connect? I’d love to hear from you! You can head over to my Contact page to send me a message, or find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
