I’m Sarah Lipman and with the turn of the decade, I turned my life upside down to travel the world and embark on a more location independent lifestyle.

I’m a 20-something New York-born writer, culture junkie, self-proclaimed hippie and backpacker extraordinaire.

After losing my first job as a reporter to the economic downturn and the decline of print media, I quickly became jaded after combing through job boards, false leads and classified ads for an industry that was letting people go more often than they were taking them in.

In September 2009, I decided to weed through most of my belongings and put my year’s salary toward a long-term traveling adventure starting on Jan. 7, 2010. My friend, Andrea Ramsay, will be joining me as we backpack our way through Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe. It’s something I’ve always thought I would one day do, and I’m happy she’s along for the ride.

I’ve been working on a lot of research and done a lot of preparation for this trip and have received mixed reactions of fear, excitement and anger over my departure. I’m writing this blog to show my loved ones back home (and anyone else who happens to stumble upon my site) that I am both safe and happy, and that I am experiencing the opportunity of a lifetime: to see the world.

To learn a little more about me, I suggest you start here: 10 Things You May Not Know About Sarah.