Once in a while, a truly unique travel blog appears out of nowhere with such an unusual perspective, you simply have to give it a read. Lonely Girl Travels  is one of those blogs where initial curiosity quickly turns to disdain, only to re-emerge as a remarkable moment of Zen.

Lauren Quinn, Oakland native and solo traveler, currently resides in Hanoi, Vietnam where she spends most of her time as a freelance writer reflecting on the truly absurd. Self described as a combination of “punk rock, malt liquor and Marxism-Leninism”, Quinn brings an edgy mindlessness to faraway places and situations- many of which inspire an odd connection back to a day in the life of a California rebel.

Opinionated and outspoken on everything from the American educational system to the integrity of the motorbike taxi drivers in Hanoi (called Xe Oms), Quinn’s witty, often jarring posts leave you feeling as if you’ve just finished debating the trials and tribulations of life overseas with a close friend. Quinn’s over the top travel narratives- see What Not to Do in San Francisco– are spirited, quirky and evidently popular as there are links to published works in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland Local and more.

While you may not immediately agree with everything Quinn has to say, whether she’s rubbing elbows with Bangkok’s elite or musing on a father-daughter relationship from a Thai beach resort, her eclectic writing style and rogue manner leave you wanting more. Conservative, liberal, wealthy or poor, Lonely Girl Travels reaches out to the skeptic, the dreamer and the rebel in all of us, leading to- at the very least- a well deserved “a-ha”.