About

Hi! I am Karilyn. I am a freelance writer/blogger and traveler extraordinaire.  I have been traveling since my early 20s and have spent at least 24 hrs in more than 50 countries. I try to make sure to visit at least one new country every year. 2012 was the only year that I did not have a new country in my 20+ years of travel! However, moving across the world with a toddler and two cats must count as enough adventure for the year!

My initial few excursions abroad were solo budget backpacker trips, but as I aged, I began to like a few more creature comforts while traveling. I now consider myself more of a flashpacker (backpacker at heart with a little more cash in the pocket!)  I always try to make sure to keep my love of exotic and adventure trips alive in my trip planning, even with a child.  I love everything from bustling cities to off the beaten path middle of nowhere locations.

I was born in Texas, lived in San Francisco and then got ‘stuck’ in India on a trip around the world. I arrived to Mumbai with a backpack and left more than 9 years later with a husband, a toddler and 2 Indian street cats!

Being back in the US initially did not provide as many travel opportunities as I was accustomed to, so while I was not off globetrotting the world, I began to explore my new home city of Los Angeles as much as possible…with the little one in tow!

These past 9 years in Los Angeles have provided new opportunities and challenges. I am now a solo parent with an 12 year old who keeps me busy as can be. We homeschool, which means we are always on the go looking for exciting hands on learning opportunities wherever we find ourselves. Travel has continued to be our constant – both here in Los Angeles as well as abroad. 

We took a year off when my son was in 2nd grade to travel the world. That trip occurred at just the right time – ending before the world shut down due to the pandemic. It proved to me once again we cannot wait until we are older or our kids are older to travel. You never know what is around the corner, so do what you can when you can! 

Cian is my adorable sidekick and one of the most well traveled kids I know. Cian was born in Mumbai, where he lived for his first 2+ years before moving to Los Angeles. He LOVES flying, taking buses and just going going going. This site is named from one of his favorite phrases “no back home” which he would repeat every single time we were out and about. He is always up for a new adventure and is willing to put sleep aside to explore something new (although Mommy doesn’t let that happen too often!).

He is obsessed with nature, hikes and being outdoors. He has dreams of being a Nat Geo wildlife photographer, but before that he was obsessed with being a Park Ranger. He has collected more

I said cheese mama. Guess that means he wants his photo taken!than 30 junior park ranger badges and is on the hunt for more with each trip we take. Cian’s favorite things are exploring nature, seeing animals in the wild, and drawing what he sees in the world around him. It is not unheard of for him to wake up asking when we can go to some new far flung country that I didn’t even know he knew about! At 12 years old, he has been to 34 countries, completed over 200 miles of backcountry backpacking and countless hours on the trails all around the US.

Join us as we recount our travels, provide tips and information and hopefully inspire you to get out and see more of the world with your kids!

You can find us at @nobackhome on Instagram for up to the minute info on where we are in the world. If you need to contact me, please email me at nobackhometravel @ gmail.com

4 thoughts on “About”

  1. Hey Karilyn! So wonderful to meet you and Cian in Vidette Meadow even though it was because of the foiled resupply 🙂

    I wondered if you had any of your lady rambler pendants available for sale? I wanted to buy one for Donna since she noticed and loved it.

    So glad to have met you and hope your JMT finish was awesome!

    Kirsten Liske
    Santa Cruz CA

    Reply
  2. Hello! I just wanted to say I love your blog! Looking forward to future posts! You have a fan in Philly!
    Kristine Mascione

    Reply

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