
Thank you for visiting my site — I’m Tricia Mitchell.
Two decades ago, my life came full circle when I returned to my European birthplace to work as a training manager and director of an educational program. My ensuing travels both nourished and stimulated my sense of curiosity.
When my husband, Shawn, and I met a few years later, we embarked on a sabbatical in Asia and Europe. During the journey, I became more minimalist in the way I approached possessions. I also developed an appreciation for slow travel. Eventually, Shawn and I started creating content and freelance writing. Today we live in France’s Loire Valley.
I’m fortunate to have traveled to over 65 countries and to have met many incredible people throughout the world. Some of my highlights have included sharing meals with locals in Armenia, Tunisia, and Cambodia; sipping sparkling wine with French cousins in Alsace; milking goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village; and training with a Japanese mine-clearance team in Laos.
My goal in sharing my tales here is to inform and inspire. Whether you’re planning a trip, or looking for an armchair adventure over a cup of coffee, I hope you’ll enjoy my stories.


Explore Spilimbergo, Italy’s mosaic capital, with Shawn and me on a quiet spring day as we see the world-famous mosaic school, stunning frescoes, and scenic corners.

Meet our curious ginger-cat neighbor in Amboise, France! Shawn and I spotted him exploring rooftops overlooking Saint Hubert Chapel, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried.

See Innsbruck, Austria with Shawn and me on a crisp spring day! We see the historic Golden Roof and find the best gluten-free apple strudel.

Spend a month in Saumur, France with us as we picnic at the majestic castle, shop the Saturday market, and watch hot-air balloons over the Loire.

Autumn is the perfect, quiet season to see France’s Pont du Gard aqueduct bridge, ancient olive trees, and magnificent Mediterranean landscapes.

Autumn is spectacular in Germany’s Ammergau Alps, one of my favorite places to ride my bike. Here, I take in the stunning golden autumn colors and mountain views near Oberammergau.

Shawn and I experience a serendipitous meeting in Bourgogne. A gregarious Frenchman invites us inside for a bottle of wine and conversation, as we uncover his ancestral home’s hidden history.

A tribute to Erna Blonek, a conservatory-trained Czech pianist who taught me music, invaluable life lessons, and lasting resilience.

Rumbling through Moldova on a midnight train, Shawn and I find unexpected human connection over a simple piece of fruit, creating “apple diplomacy.”

At Chippiannock Cemetery, a loyal Newfoundland dog statue watches over the graves of young Eddie and Josie Dimick, who died in 1872. I share the history behind this beloved Rock Island story.
