Never turn down the chance to sit on a dock at sunset with your homies.
This Letchworth trip was the last hurrah for my 30th birthday, the final candle to blow out at the start of this new decade. I turned 30 on May 30th, but only this past weekend did the celebrations finally end. For two whole months, I’ve been reminded of how much love there is for me to receive.
I’ve navigated my chronic illness and the powerful misconceptions that come with it for years now. In honor of Chronic Disease Awareness Day (July 10), it’s important to me that I explain the power of your words, your misconceptions.
This post is a full breakdown with the honest numbers behind my recent travels.
I spent $1,464.57 on travel between April and June. That total spanned 6 weekend trips (3 to West Virginia, 1 to Arizona, and 2 to Ohio) as well as registration for my friend group’s annual Adult Summer Camp later this year. I’m still within my budget of allocating 20% of my annual income to travel.
Category Breakdown: Accommodation & Transportation - $694.78 | Registration Fees - $454.95 | Food & Drinks - $324.84 | Total - $1,459.57
Quarterly Total: $1,464.57
This quarter centered around my family and friends. We celebrated multiple birthdays, mine included, as well as one wedding.
In total, I visited three different states throughout these past three months.
I spent 3, COUNT-EM THREE, different nature-infused weekends in West Virginia. The first was a caving trip with friends, the second was a hiking trip for my fiance’s birthday, and the third was a whitewater rafting trip for another friend’s birthday.
In May, my family and I traveled around Arizona to celebrate my 30th birthday.
I also visited Ohio a couple times, once to spend a few low-key days with my parents and again for a cousin’s wedding.
I didn’t purchase any flights this quarter.
Instead, to celebrate his birthday, I gifted my fiance an all-expenses-paid weekend at a cozy cabin in the woods. He just covered the cost of gas.
My fiance and I also stayed 2 nights at a hotel in Youngstown for his cousin’s wedding.
We rented a car for my Arizona bday trip, which was my only transportation cost regarding travel this quarter. That’s because I have amazing friends. For both the caving and rafting trips, we carpooled to West Virginia, and they did not let me contribute to the cost of charging.
The Recap:
Cabin for Dave’s bday weekend — $355.50
My half of Youngstown hotel — $137.45
My half of Phoenix rental car — $139.55
My half of Phoenix airport parking & gas for rental car — $62.28
I started April by securing my spot for Adult Summer Camp. This is an annual tradition with some local friends, which will take place in August of this year.
Before Dave’s birthday weekend, I first went to West Virginia for caving with some of my hiking pals. My friend, Ali, planned the whole trip and only requested $50 per person because she’s a gem.
During my birthday trip in late May, Dave and I went off on our own to visit to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ. (Peak romance is walking hand-in-hand through a field of agave).
In June, I went on a whitewater rafting trip to celebrate yet another friend’s birthday. This adventure cost $90 per person for a full day on the river, including lunch.
The Recap:
Registration for Summer Camp in August — $285
Caving trip with Ali — $50
Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden — $29.95
Whitewater rafting for Ryan’s bday — $90
I covered all the food & drinks on Dave’s bday trip to West Virginia (He’s only turning 32 once after all). The total came to less than $100 for the whole weekend because I brought pre-cooked meals from home. I spent most of that total at a diner, which is Dave’s favorite type of breakfast establishment.
During my bday trip to Phoenix, my parents graciously covered nearly all of the costs, but each sibling paid for one dinner and a few rounds of drinks for the whole family. Dave and I split the cost of our night, which was a small price to pay for such quality time with my family.
Lunch was included in the registration fee for whitewater rafting. Afterwards, our crew got dinner at Screech Owl Brewing, which is the oldest craft brewery in Preston County, WV. The vibes were immaculate: Live music, free-range chickens, and resident peacocks.
Hummingbird Cafe breakfast in West Virginia — $60.93
Snacks after West Virginia hike 1 — $5.04
Snacks after West Virginia hike 2 — $5.29
Coffees in West Virginia — $15.07
Snacks on my way to Mom & Dad’s — $9.08
My half of Phoenix food & drinks — $214.43
Screech Owl Brewery after whitewater rafting — $15
Was this quarter of travel worth it?
Absolutely!
Looking back on these past three months, I made so many incredible memories with the people I love.
My village of friends and family did not happen by accident.
I firmly believe in being generous with both my time and money. By showing up for a friend’s birthday trip, by covering dinner for the whole crew during mine, by spending a few days at my parents’ house, I’m an active participant in my village. That makes me so proud :’)
How does this fit in with my financial goals?
I follow the 50/30/20 budgeting rule.
As such, 50% of my income goes towards my needs like housing and groceries; 30% goes towards my wants, including 20% for travel because that is my top priority; And the final 20% goes towards my financial goals like savings, investments, and paying off my student loans.
This general guideline works really well for my lifestyle because I don’t have to stress about individual costs. Instead, I can zoom out and look at the big picture. I know, roughly speaking, what 20% of my annual income is, and I simply keep my travel costs below that number every year.
What would I do differently?
Nothing.
I love traveling, eating good food, and spending quality time with my village of friends and family.
What’s next?
I’m getting married in September (yay!).
So my travels will slow down in Q3 as I shift focus to finalizing the wedding details.
After recovering from The Big Day, I plan to visit one of my best friends in The Netherlands and maybe squeeze in a few long weekend trips before the holiday season.
Stay tuned for more blogs and next quarter’s financial review!
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It’s no secret that I crave a life full of adventure, but I bookend every adventure with long-ish periods of gentle recharge.
That’s because I live with a chronic illness called ulcerative colitis.
Last week, I had a routine procedure to check the status of my disease, and I’m happy to report that I’ve officially hit 5 years of remission!!
To celebrate this massive milestone, I took the week off from writing.
Instead, here’s a previous post where I share what it’s like to live with chronic illness and how I travel the world in spite of my diagnosis.
I’m so proud of how I’ve navigated these past 5 years. I’ve learned to honor my body in all of its states. I’ve learned to be vulnerable and transparent, to lean on my support systems, and to mitigate inflammation like an absolute champ.
Enjoy this post from the archive, and I’ll be back next week.
Thanks for being here, and 3 cheers for 5 years! :)
Originally published: December 9, 2025
I’m writing this post to celebrate and validate other people who live with chronic illness.
I also wanted to address questions I’ve received from the healthy people in my life because, whether it stems from concern or ignorance, we often attach limitations to people with chronic health conditions.
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This past weekend I went to The Great Portage Yard Sale in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. This trip has been an annual tradition with my partner’s family for nearly a decade, and I love joining in.
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