About Marla

Hey there! I'm Marla, and welcome to Wander With Marla.

HOME TOWN

For most of my life, the Puget Sound region of Seattle has been my home. After journeying into the American Southwest a few years back, I decided to stay. Today, I have made the desert region of Arizona my home. I now dodge donkeys and rattlesnakes on the hiking trails rather than brown bears and eagles. 😄

MY BLOG

My goal with "Wander With Marla" is to share information and resources from the places I visit. I enjoy researching, writing, and photography. I will share my own first-hand experiences from places and never recommend anything I wouldn't recommend to family or friends.

Articles on my blog include tips, resources, guides, stories, and photographs I captured along the way. I also aim to travel with a reduced environmental impact, and I will share the things I have learned so that I may leave a smaller footprint on local communities and their resources.

TRAVEL

I love to travel to places rich in culture and history. Recently, I have fallen for Mekong River sunsets and sticky rice. My interest in Southeast Asia has led me to return to the region each year to explore it further. Before that, I was a big fan of Italy.

Given the challenges our earth is experiencing, I am exploring the idea of slow travel, sustainability, and the principles of leaving a smaller footprint when I travel. I try to stay longer in places and explore the region, discovering lesser-known locations that are less well-traveled by tourists.

I'm not a traveler with a checklist of countries to visit. I love learning as much as possible about a place and its people. My goal is to feel and live like a local. Travel is a privilege I never want to take for granted.

WHAT I LOVE

Photography has always been my passion. I have had a camera in my backpack since I was young. Today, I aim to return with photographs that convey a sense of the region and its people. It's a challenge that is ever-evolving.

When I'm not traveling or writing, you will find me playing with my grandchildren, hiking, enjoying a good book, or trying to grow a vegetable garden in the desert (a challenge I'm not sure I will ever master).

I'll leave you with one of my favorite travel quotes...

"Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. Sometimes, it hurts; it even breaks your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, your heart, and your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind." Anthony Bourdain

My best to you. Wherever your journey leads you.