About me
Name: Mari
Home: Tampere, Finland
Passions: travel, personal growth, well-being, loving life
I traveled some during my early twenties (and as a child with my parents) but the turning point for me (both in travel and in life) was in late 2006 when I decided to fulfill a life-long dream of spending a longer period of time abroad. I remember writing essays about wanting to travel, work or study in a foreign country already in the 9th grade (when I was 15 years old) but only forked up the courage to actually go when I was 24. I quit my first steady job and traveled to Australia with a working holiday visa all by myself.
Going away helped me find myself. It helped me to see who I am and what it is that I want. What I am capable of. That is still the reason why I love traveling so much. I love what it does to me as a person, I love how it makes me feel inside.
After that trip to Australia Nov 2006 – May 2007, I’ve been to Italy, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia (again), New Zealand, The Netherlands, France, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, South Korea and the United States. Longest trips have been my three-week Interrail-trip in Europe in 2008, the six months I spent in Thailand, Malaysia, Australia (had to visit my lovely Melb) and in New Zealand Nov 2009 – April 2010 and the 4,5 months that it took for me and my then-fiancé, now-husband to travel around the world in Nov 2012 – March 2013.
About All the Million Pieces
Written in January 2012
I’ve had this idea about my own travel blog for a while now. Actually since late 2010. What prolonged starting was mainly the fact that after reading all those wonderful travel blogs out there I couldn’t help but to think that what on earth would I have to add to that. They’ve gone everywhere, done everything and they even write so bloody well.
But then I realized once again that what I’ve experienced, no one else has experienced before. What I’ve felt, no one else has felt before. What I write, no one else has written before. I do have my own voice, my own background and personality does play a role. And even if I don’t reach a huge audience and traffic to brag about, I’ve done this for me.
I love traveling. I love talking about it. I love writing about it. Travel is my passion.
So All the Million Pieces will be about that. About my travels, my experiences, my intake on travel. And hopefully it will inspire, encourage or entertain at least some of you.
For my Finnish readers/Suomalaisille lukijoille: Maailmanympärimatkamme “päiväkirjan” löydät Suomeksi-alasivulta, englanniksi kirjoitan enemmän aihekohtaisia postauksia.
Comments, feedback, want to say hi?
If you want to contact me to ask something, give feedback or just to chat, please send me an email to
or contact me on Twitter. I’ll do my best to respond as soon as possible.