When Beloved and I travel, whether we’re going for business or pleasure or just passing through, one of our favorite things to do is explore the local food. For example, we are headed to Virginia in a couple of weeks to visit our younger daughter, and we’ve planned our route so that we hit our favorite restaurant in Baltimore in time for dinner. Today, I’d like to share with you the exploits of a traveler who not only explores the world through food, she also photographs and shares her finds. Meet Melissa Hie of Girl Eat World, a blog filled with travel and food.

It all started in 2009 when young Hie moved by herself from her family home in a remote area of Malaysia to the bustling, overwhelming city of Singapore. Living alone for the first time, she learned the value of self-sufficiency, which gave her the courage to attempt solo international travel. Hie has been traveling (and eating) ever since.

“My Europe trip was my first ever solo trip. During the trip, I had the chance to taste many delicious food from the countries I visited, which is Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Netherlands and Belgium. However I had no one to share it with so I ended up taking pictures of the food with the amazing European backdrop at wherever place I was having it. And that’s how Girl Eat World started.”

You can follow Hie’s travels on her website and on Instagram and Facebook.

All images property of Melissa Hie/Girl Eat World.