You're In. Welcome to Adventure to Awaken.

Thanks for confirming your email! I’m Clara. This newsletter is about travel, leaving, and the odd and beautiful ways we learn to come back to ourselves. Each week you'll get honest, first-person essays sharing what I've learned about life on the road. Free.

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Here are three posts from the archive to catch you up on what I'm writing about. You can explore the full Adventure to Awaken archive here.

Catching My Breath In Uganda

The first day of vacation hits differently when your vacation has no end date.

Adventure to AwakenClara Ritger

Introducing: Adventure to Awaken

Where travel meets transformation

Adventure to AwakenClara Ritger

Take A Self-Driving Safari in Kruger National Park

You don’t need thousands of dollars. You don’t even need 4WD. Here’s how to have a budget-friendly, animal-filled safari in South Africa.

Adventure to AwakenClara Ritger

Tips for A Better Reading Experience

If your email application is in dark mode, I recommend that you read the newsletter on the website. You can do this by clicking the hyperlink that says "View in browser" at the top of every new email. (TL;DR but I don't yet have the ability to make the design elements that appear on the site invert their colors for dark mode, so often certain elements of the newsletter appear unreadable to dark mode subscribers.)

Occasionally I will have a photo and video heavy newsletter where I will tell you to click a button (or, use the "View in browser" feature) to continue reading on the site. This is because photo galleries are not yet supported by the newsletter either.

Relatedly, if anything ever appears to "not work" in the newsletter, that's probably because it only works on the site. The site works on mobile or desktop. When in doubt? View in browser. 😉

Feeling inspired to take your own transformative trip? Upgrade to paid!

Twice a month I send paid subscribers the companion newsletter to Adventure to Awaken: 100 Dollars A Day. Inside you'll find the money-saving travel hacks I used to be able to go on safaris, multi-day hikes, and ride in hot air balloons — without breaking the bank.

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Paid Subscriber Perks

Paid subscribers get access to the comments on all posts, and the 100 Dollars A Day newsletter. (Note: I occasionally send previews to free subscribers.)

Inside the 100 Dollars A Day Archive you'll find deep-dives on topics like credit cards and points, flights and rental cars, and tactical budgeting advice. You won't get this advice anywhere on the internet. It's the tips that the travel bloggers use, but can't share, because their income is tied to affiliate links and sponsorships. So instead of making money by serving you ads, I'm making money by serving you.

Here are three posts to get you started:

How to Plan An Adult Gap Year (and Actually Take It)

Dreaming of an adult gap year? Here’s exactly how I planned mine in just a few months — plus tips for saving, travel, and personal growth.

Adventure to AwakenClara Ritger

Everything You Need to Know About Money Before Traveling Abroad

Always carry USD. Never use it at a currency exchange. Be careful about tipping. Here’s why.

Adventure to AwakenClara Ritger

Packing List: Everything You Need to Travel the World

Beach days and mountain treks? City and camping? Different climates? Traveling for one month or one year? No problem. This list has you covered.

Adventure to AwakenClara Ritger

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Make the Most of Your Subscription

If you've read this far, thank you for being here. I love when subscribers reach out. Hit reply to the latest email, say hi, introduce yourself, let me know how the writing lands for you, or what questions or topics you'd be interested in hearing about. I'm all eyes. 😂

Talk soon,
Clara

P.S. If you want to support Adventure to Awaken but you're not interested in becoming a paid subscriber, you can make a one-time gift of any amount here. Thank you! ❤️