Taj Bates is a writer and adventurous traveler who has journeyed to dozens of countries and locales across 6 continents. She has climbed the Great Wall and the Great Pyramid; ungracefully wobbled on glaciers in New Zealand and Alaska; and sailed along the Nile, the Everglades and the Amazon. She first fell in love with mussels in Brussels; scuba diving in the Red Sea; Vivaldi''s ''Four Seasons'' during a magical concert in a Venetian church; and the indomitable spirit of Aloha! on the Hawaiian islands. When she is not busy island- or continent-hopping, she can be found road trippin'' through California, where the ocean is her muse. For travel tips and mini travel guides to other destinations, download the Travel IQ app and subscribe to The YOLO Guide to Travel podcast via TheYOLOGuide.com.