Welcome! I’m Mikala
I’ve long had a passion for travel and started to prioritize it after my engagement came to an unexpected end in 2022.
It’s my mission through The Unanchored Passenger to help you overcome the challenges in your own life and prioritize travel.
💙 Are you navigating your own journey of healing and growth? This blog is your safe haven.
✨ Seeking tips and inspiration for solo adventures? You’ve come to the right place.
🌍 Dreaming of leading an unconventional life that allows you to put travel first? Consider this blog your compass.
My Story
Studying abroad in Argentina at 18 and Spain at 20 years old ignited my love for travel and sparked my desire to live abroad.
I wanted to focus on my career though, so after college I moved to Arlington, Virginia and started working in healthcare communications. My first job paid $35,000 per year, only gave me 10 vacation days, and often involved working 10+ hour days.
I felt chained to my job without getting much out of it. I started to wonder if that’s what my life had to look like forever… Eventually I started making good money, but the long hours and stress never went away.
It took the unexpected end to my engagement for me to realize I hadn’t been prioritizing myself and needed to make a change.
At that point, I spent the next year-and-a-half traveling extensively while working. I also decided to finally pursue my long-time dream of moving to Europe.
Now I’m in the process of building up The Unanchored Passenger to document all of my travels and my search for this unconventional life abroad.
My Favorites
Destinations
- Sevilla, Spain
- Mendoza, Argentina
- Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Iceland
- Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Medellín, Colombia
Hotels
- Cavas Wine Lodge, Mendoza, Argentina
- Escarpment Luxury Lodge, Lake Manyara, Tanzania
- Elcielo Hotel, Medellín, Colombia
- Parador, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Palacio Ludovice, Lisbon, Portugal
Experiences
- Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
- Perito Moreno Glacier Hike, Argentina
- Teotihuacán Tour, Mexico
- Duoro Valley Wine Tour, Portugal
- Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Hiking
- Patagonia, Argentina/Chile
- Camino de Santiago, Spain
- Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
- White Mountains, New Hampshire
- Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Where I’ve Traveled
I’ve traveled extensively as an adult to the following locations:
📍 Cambodia – Siem Reap and Angkor Wat
📍 Thailand – Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khao Sok National Park, Phuket
After college, I spent one month traveling around Thailand and Cambodia before starting my first job.
📍 Morocco – Chefchaouen
📍 Tanzania* – Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
📍 Austria – Salzburg
📍 Czech Republic – Prague
📍 France – Paris, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
📍 Germany* – Munich, Nuremburg
📍 Iceland – Reykjavík, Golden Circle, Vík, Skaftafell National Park, Jökulsárlón, Snæfellsnes Peninsula
📍 Ireland – Dublin
📍 Italy – Rome
📍 Netherlands – Amsterdam
📍 Portugal* – Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, Lagos
I worked remotely from Lisbon for five weeks in 2023 and spent an additional week exploring other parts of the country.
📍 Spain* – Sevilla, Madrid, Barcelona, Santiago de Compostela, Málaga, Córdoba, Granada, Toledo, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Cadiz
I’ve spent extensive time in Spain, from studying abroad in Sevilla for over four months to hiking almost 500 miles along the Camino Francés.
📍 United Kingdom – London, Edinburgh, Gibraltar, Oxford
📍 Vatican City
📍 Bahamas
📍 Canada – Toronto
📍 Costa Rica
📍 Mexico – Mexico City, Cancún
📍 Panama
📍 United States – Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico
📍 Argentina* – Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Mendoza, El Calafate, El Chaltén, Bariloche, Iguazu
I studied abroad in Mar del Plata when I was 18 and finally returned when I was 27 to see more of the country. I’ve collectively spent over two months in Argentina.
📍 Brazil – Iguaçu
📍 Chile* – Torres del Paine National Park
📍 Colombia* – Medellín, Cartagena
I worked remotely from Medellín for a month in 2023 and absolutely loved it!
*I’m planning to write more about these starred destinations in the coming months, so stay tuned!
Next Up on my Travel Bucket List
Here’s everywhere that’s top of my travel list right now:
- New Zealand*
- Bali*
- Japan*
- Jordan
- Egypt
- Oman
- South Africa
- Albania
- Slovenia
- Greece*
- Croatia
- Madeira, Portugal
- Italy
- Ecuador
- Peru
- Guatemala
- Oaxaca, Mexico
- Antarctica
*Tentatively planning for 2025!
Camino de Santiago Resources
Behind The Unanchored Passenger Name
I initially came up with The Unanchored Passenger name because I just felt so swept up by travel. It was magic, and it was carrying me away. Following my breakup, I’ve found new meaning in the name.
We’re all just passengers riding along the waves that life throws at us. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we find ourselves adrift, unable to anchor down and weather the storm. But not all is lost—while we can’t always fight those waves, we can handle how we react to them.
I hope this blog helps you navigate those waves and leaves you feeling empowered to let the world take you on a journey.
Where I’ve Been Featured
Check out where I’ve been featured or collaborations I’ve been part of:
USA Today and Yahoo! Life – Some chose it, others are forced: Why these travelers skipped going home for the holidays
Travelling King – Solo Female Travel Success Stories | Empowering Journeys from Women Around the World
Take a Break Magazine – Bye-bye Groom, Hello Honeymoon!
Sabiduri – Camino de Santiago Spiritual Journey: Walking in Life
The Flyaway Girl – 20+ Hidden Gems in Spain You Need To Know About
WorldHeritageSites.net – Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)
Tales From the Lens – What are the main challenges of travelling in South America?
The Local Spain – ‘I voted with my wallet’: How Americans in Spain feel about Trump’s win
