MEET THE BLOGGER
Hello! My name is Niki. Welcome to my little corner of the internet.
I created Chasing Departures as a place to document my adventures, share gorgeous photos, and inspire others to venture out and see the world. The world was quite literally at the tip of my fingers and I took advantage of the opportunity to travel every chance I got.
I’ve had some incredible experiences and have also had plenty of things go wrong.
I’ve danced in fountains in Spain, experienced rain in Death Valley, and lived abroad in Berlin. I’ve been in questionable situations and lived to tell the tale. I’ve slept in just about every major airport in the US at least once and slept on airport floors for multiple nights in a row.
My last trip abroad was to England in May 2020. I made it back to the States the day before the borders were closed to entry.
The COVID Era
COVID changed the world and while my bubble of the world was largely unchanged, something was different. I wanted nothing to do with jet-setting across the world and found myself traveling around my adopted home state, exploring all the place I’ve wanted to visit for so long.
I got COVID in November 2021 and found myself admitted to the hospital a week later. I was on 40L of oxygen and they were talking about transferring me to a hospital in a larger city to be put on a ventilator. Thankfully, one of the doctors gave me a couple of hours to just breathe and my oxygen requirements dropped to the point I was allowed to stay in my hometown.
Two weeks later they released me from medical jail. I was still on 5L of oxygen and could barely climb the three stairs to get into the house or walk across the room to get to the bathroom without feeling like I was dying.
The road to recovery was long. I was in pulmonary rehab five days a week for weeks and when I was finally done with rehab I slipped on the ice and dislocated my knee, taking me out for way longer than it should have. The doctors say I’ll need surgery on it eventually.
Cave adventuring at Rio Secreto on the Yucatan Peninsula.
01. Hanging out in the fish tunnel at the Lakes Aquarium in Windermere, England / 02. Standing in an archway at the Furness Abbey in England / 03. Standing in the road near Monument Valley / 04. Flying my drone on a frozen slough in North Dakota
The Next Chapter of Chasing Departures
Every journey has seasons. Some are filled with movement, others with stillness. Chasing Departures has spent the last little while quietly waiting as life pulled me in different directions, but the passion that started it never disappeared.
This isn’t just a return to travel blogging—it’s the beginning of a new chapter.
Over the coming months and even years, I’ll be rediscovering weekend escapes, hidden gems across the Midwest, scenic road trips, and dog-friendly adventures, while sharing the honest stories behind building a life that’s driven by curiosity rather than routine.
Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or you’re just finding Chasing Departures for the first time, I’m glad you’re here. Let’s see where the next departure takes us.
This or That
Here’s my take on big issues. Your thoughts?
| COFFEE | |
| DRAMA | |
| TRAIN | |
| HOTEL | |
| TAKE OUT |
My Bucket List
This is my personal list of destinations and travel adventures that I wish to visit and experience. I’m not going to put a timeline on the bucket list as life happens when it happens
| Storm Chasing on the American Plains |
| Hike the Inca Trail, Peru |
| Safari in Africa |
| Dive in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia |
| Stay in an Overwater Bungalow in Bora Bora |
| See the Cherry Blossoms in Japan |
| Learn to Bake Pastries in France |
| Ride the Trans-Siberian Railway |
| Road Trip on Highway 1 from San Diego to Seattle, USA |
| Visit all 50 states (currently have been to 47 states) |
Love Newfoundlands
My Other Blog
You may also know me from Love Newfoundlands, my other blog dedicated entirely to the Newfoundland breed. It’s also where I founded National Newfoundland Dog Day, which has grown into a globally celebrated holiday observed each year on March 25.
