The person behind the passport

Hi! I’m Kevin.

My friends kept asking me for travel recommendations so… I created this blog instead! I’m a travel enthusiast and backpacker based out of San Francisco, CA. On getawayguide, I write detailed getaway guides based on my firsthand travel experiences.

Whether it’s your next 2-week vacation or 6-month sabbatical, my guides are here to help. getawayguide is where I write about what I actually found: the best beaches, pristine alpine lakes, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, most memorable hostels or the boring travel logistics.

60
Countries visited
6
Continents explored
1
Bag. Always carry-on.
60
Countries visited
6
Continents explored
1
Bag. Always carry-on.
60
Countries visited
6
Continents explored
1
Bag. Always carry-on.
60
Countries visited
6
Continents explored
1
Bag. Always carry-on.
60
Countries visited
6
Continents explored
1
Bag. Always carry-on.
How this started
Section 01
How this started
01How this started

In 2023, I left my job in investment banking with no real plan. A week later, I found myself on a flight to Istanbul with nothing but my wallet, passport and a small backpack. I had never actually traveled solo before and was anxious about what came next.

It was a wild ride. I’ve squeezed myself into Ryanair seats, slept in less than ideal places, introduced myself to countless strangers (and set my savings account on fire in the process). With the discomfort came the most incredible experiences. I’ve visited places that I’ve only dreamed of and even more beautiful places I didn’t even know existed.

I met the most amazing, unique people from every corner of the world. I would land in a country, not knowing a single soul, and leave with a new group of friends.

Kakheti and the Albanian Riviera
How I travel
Section 02
How I travel
02How I travel

I’ve done every type of travel: dingy hostels, 5-star resorts and family vacations. My preference right now is solo backpacking. There’s a thrill to it that can’t be matched. I’ve taken more buses than I can count, a lot of slow overnight trains and a few cargo boats.

Not every country is my favorite. The blog is a record of that, not a highlight reel. There is nothing worse than reading an SEO-optimized travel blog with no real content, full of AI slop and affiliate links. I aim to write honest guides about what a place is really like to travel in, with costs, safety and logistics, the things traditional travel guides leave out. I write about the things that go wrong as much as the things that go right.

What I’m working on
Section 03
What I’m working on
03What I’m working on

Honestly, I have zero expectations for this travel blog. If 1 person reads it and it helps them with their next trip, then amazing. This is just a side project to document my travels, practice writing articles and learn some web design in the process.

Right now I’m slowly building out the field notes, quick and dirty notes summarizing my travel tips. I’ll eventually build out full destination guides for each country with itineraries, logistics and recommended reads. This blog is continuously evolving, so follow along.