Prose and Passports: Reflecting on 2024

Winter 2024: A Brand is Born

At the start of 2024, I was solely focused on spreading the good news that 'Backpackers' Guide to the Globe' finally existed and was available for purchase online, everywhere! At the same time, I was excitedly planning for our long-awaited trip to Japan—with bonus stops in South Korea and Taiwan—and looking ahead to what I hoped would finally be my year for advancement at work.

But as January morphed into February, I found myself wanting to build upon the milestone accomplishment of publishing a book. I believed I had more stories in me and more miles to explore. I thought, maybe now is the time I restarted that blog everyone encouraged me to keep from 2010. While I wasn't entirely certain how it would all pan out, I had big travels on the horizon, was at a different season in my life, and had the desire to expand on the travel tips I shared from my youth. I also knew that whatever I started (be it a blog or something different) it needed to have freedom to evolve and expand—and that all must start with the right name.

One day, I found myself staring at a notebook filled with name ideas—then it came to me: Prose & Passports. The alliteration tugged at something deeper—a blend of storytelling and exploration, words I try and live by and a road I long to walk. It simultaneously instilled the freedom and permission I needed to move in multiple directions at once.

I couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead: launching a travel blog, growing a social community with real women travelers around the world, writing a weekly newsletter, and hosting a podcast that’s now reaching listeners around the world. It’s been a year of exhilarating firsts and unexpected challenges—one that stretched me in ways I didn’t anticipate.

However, the last few months, in particular, have carried a weight I’m still unpacking. While I was on the road, Hurricane Helene devastated my community in Western North Carolina. Homes were destroyed, families displaced, and life was upended—including my own. The distance between where I was physically on the West Coast and where I felt I needed to be (back home East) has shaped this reflection more than I can say. This year has been about growth, but it’s also been about navigating hard truths.

I have moments where the tears claw their way up my throat though I am not yet ready for their release—a tie that binds me to emotions I'm both unable to articulate and also not ready to be free from. I know at their root, is guilt. Guilt at not being there. Guilt at pausing my creative trajectory. Guilt for not accomplishing more in the time I was given. Guilt at not yet recognizing the greater meaning of being on that ship when I should have been helping at home. Guilt of not monetizing this before my savings ran out and needing to get a day job. Guilt at my husband's unwavering belief in me and my fear of proving him wrong.

And while the guilt may not be rational, it's how I feel—and I bet, some part of you can relate. But this is a year-in-wrap reflection that goes beyond the last two months of 2024. So settle in as I muse over the last 12 months and consider what 2025 holds in store.

Spring 2024: A Blog is Born

I spent the first part of the year turning an idea into reality. Prose & Passports wasn’t just a name—it was a mission: to empower women to travel boldly, solo or otherwise, and embrace adventure at every age. With Backpackers' Guide to the Globe now in the world, I felt like the 20 & 30-somethings were covered but I wanted to speak to women like me—continuously curious, independent, and flirting with mid-life.

I built my website with a simple goal: to share honest stories and practical tips that hopefully inspire other women to travel. I wanted women to see that travel isn’t just for the fearless—it’s for anyone who’s ready to take the first step.

Spring brought momentum—after not receiving a raise or title bump, I made a big decision: to quit my job of five years. I had enough personal savings and my husband's blessing to pour everything into this dream. With savings in hand and my husband’s blessing, I poured everything into this dream. And while it might not be paying me yet, it’s been rich in creative freedom. As the blog began to find its rhythm, a few early posts in particular, seemed to resonate with readers:

The Courage to Quit: Career Change at 44 was a love letter to myself and anyone who feels like they don't fit in or made an unconventional choice. We deserve to hype ourselves up and remind others they should as well!
Traveling Without Technology sparked a conversation about unplugging in an always-on world.
Traveling Through the Ages: Adventures for Every Decade was written as a celebration of timeless exploration.

These early milestones reminded me why I started this journey: travel is universal, yet deeply personal. And it’s never too late (or too early) to discover something new.

Early Summer 2024: A Newsletter is Born: Three Bites Thursday

By mid-year, I realized I wanted a more personal way to connect with this small but growing community. I knew I wanted to connect weekly but also needed to make it something manageable for myself that I wouldn't become overwhelmed by and quit in a few months. Inspired by Tim Ferriss' 5 Bullet Friday newsletter, Three Bites Thursday was born—a weekly newsletter serving up "tasty morsels” of travel goodness.

What started as simple tips quickly evolved. I began curating articles designed to inspire and connect, offering readers a mix of stories, wisdom, and wonder to carry into their weekend. It became less about what to do and more about how to feel—curious, hopeful, and ready to explore.

While my subscriber list isn’t in the thousands yet, the responses have been personal and heartfelt. Some weeks, messages arrive just when I need them most, reminding me that I'm not just building a readership; I'm building relationships.

Late Summer 2024: A Podcast is Born:

Roaming Realities: Traveler Tales Unpacked

In the early days, Roaming Realities was just an idea for an Instagram Live series—something simple a way to share candid conversations with travelers I admired to a niche audience. But like most things this year, it evolved quickly—in large part to a WiFi FAIL in Dubai—that turned out to be a WIN!

On September 11, the first Roaming Realities podcast episode was posted. What started as 30-minute chats turned into deep, hour-long dives with travelers from Denmark, Bali, Peru, and beyond. This podcast has been a gift. It’s reminded me that no matter where we come from, we’re all connected by the stories we carry and the journeys we take—whether they’re across continents or just across the street.

Season 1 will conclude with Episode 10 on Monday, December 23, 2024. Stay tuned for when Season 2 will launch. Available where ever you listen to podcasts.

Early Autumn 2024: A Hurricane Halts My Progress

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene washed through the Florida Panhandle and Western North Carolina with a tidal current that ripped homes from their foundations and left hundreds of thousands without potable water for nearly two months. As I walked through the Granville Island Market in Vancouver, Canada, the images coming through my phone felt unreal: roads washed away, homes submerged, lives forever changed. I finally had to sit on a bench, as private as I could manage, and openly—uncontrollably sob.

I couldn't breathe. The worst part was knowing the next day; I was set to board a cruise ship and Digital Nomad travel conference bound for Japan. I've felt helpless, and the guilt I referred to earlier began on that bench in Granville Island, It’s a guilt I’ve carried like a shadow—of not being home, not doing enough, not knowing where to place my focus when the world felt so wrong.

My own home wasn’t spared, and it would be nearly two months before I saw it again. It reduced me to tears all over again—not just for me but for everyone affected. It's palpable—the collective trauma of the local community carries on the breeze.

But I’ve also learned that resilience isn’t about doing everything—it’s about showing up in the ways you can. For me, that means using my voice to keep WNC and Asheville in the conversation. It means honoring my community’s strength and channeling my work into something that gives back—like seeing that, Spooks and the Great Flood, a children’s book inspired by this very storm finds its way to publication.

It also means, not giving up—despite needing a day job to supplement this passion project. (And if you know of a fantastic opportunity, I’m on LinkedIn—let’s chat!).

Late Autumn 2024: Looking Ahead to Prose and Passports in 2025

As we step into the new year, I have big dreams for what’s next.

More stories that inspire.
More voices that matter.
And more ways to give back to the communities I love—starting with Asheville.

Whether it’s through Prose & Passports, Three Bites Thursday, Roaming Realities, or a new project still waiting to be born, my commitment remains the same: to create work that connects, empowers, and inspires.

Final Thoughts

This year, I learned:

On Growth: Big things start small. Prose & Passports grew from a name into a digital platform and online community because I took the first step. I'm so fucking proud of that decision. Not everything I've tried has worked, and that's OK. The journey of discovering what resonates with you has been as most illuminating. I hope you continue to light my path.
On Guilt: You can’t be everywhere, but you can still make an impact. That includes not quitting on your dreams.
On Gratitude: This community—you—have been the greatest gift of all.

Through every post, newsletter, and podcast episode, I’ve felt your presence. Whether you’re a fellow traveler or someone dreaming of their first adventure, thank you for being part of this journey. I may not have mastered SEO yet and may not be reaching the largest audience, but those of you who continue to travel with me are the best damn humans I could ever hope for!

Thank you for showing up. For reading, listening, sharing, and reminding me (when I sometimes forget) why I started this journey in the first place.

Here’s to more stories, more adventures, and more resilience in 2025.

Cheers,

Kim