Why I Started Travel Breakdown
Hi, I’m Andrea.
For years, I thought I simply loved traveling.
What I eventually realized was that I love planning trips almost as much as taking them. In some ways, I may enjoy it even more.
Long before I book a flight, I’m researching neighborhoods, comparing routes, reading trip reports, and trying to answer questions like:
- Where should I stay?
- How many days do I need?
- What’s actually worth my time?
- What day trips should I prioritize?
- What would someone who has already been there tell me to do differently?
One thing you’ll quickly learn about me is that I’m almost always planning a trip.
Sometimes it’s a trip that’s only a few weeks away. Other times it’s a destination I’ve been dreaming about for years and may not visit anytime soon.
My bucket list seems to grow faster than I can check destinations off of it.
Scotland.
Brazil.
Taiwan.
A return trip to Patagonia.
Even when I don’t have a trip booked, I’m usually reading about a destination, saving ideas, comparing itineraries, or building a rough plan simply because I’m curious.
After years of planning trips across Europe, South America, Central America, and Asia, I realized something:
The hardest part of travel often isn’t the trip itself.
It’s the planning.
There is no shortage of travel information online.
The challenge is figuring out what actually applies to your trip.
That’s why I created Travel Breakdown.
Not to showcase perfect itineraries.
Not to convince you every destination is life-changing.
And definitely not to tell you to wake up at 5 a.m. every day to see absolutely everything.
Instead, I share realistic itineraries, practical logistics, honest reflections, points and miles strategies, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.
Sometimes I’ll tell you a destination exceeded every expectation.
Sometimes I’ll tell you what I’d do differently if I went back.
And sometimes I’ll save you from making the same mistake I made.
My goal isn’t to help you see everything.
It’s to help you make the most of the time you have.
Whether you’re planning a family vacation, a trip with friends, or your first solo adventure, I hope you’ll find something useful here.
Travel Breakdown exists because travel is personal.
The perfect itinerary for me may not be the perfect itinerary for you.
But if I can help you avoid a few mistakes, answer a few planning questions, or feel more confident about a trip you’re excited about, then this site is doing exactly what I hoped it would do.
I’m glad you’re here.
— Andrea
A Few Quick Facts
📍 Based in Philadelphia
✈️ Favorite style of travel: A mix of cities, nature, and enough flexibility to follow my curiosity
👨👩👧👦 I travel with family, friends, and solo depending on the trip
☕ Current travel planning fuel: Matcha
🎒 Most recent trips: Spain, the Croatian Coast, Central Europe, and Central America
📅 Currently planning: Peru, England, Taiwan, and Japan
📝 Favorite travel question: “What would you do differently if you went back?”
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