The Scenic Route

Following My Inner Compass Across 12 Countries in 12 Months

by Sarah Aviram

Some journeys give you answers. Others teach you how to live with better questions.

There were a few things predetermined that year for Sarah Aviram: the set itinerary of twelve countries over twelve months, the group of thirty strangers who would travel together, and her work responsibilities as a remote human resources leader. 

Everything else? Up in the air.

What followed was a year shaped by unfamiliar cultures, deep friendships, extraordinary adventures, unexpected romance, and what would become a turning point in her career. Through a dozen interconnected stories narrated from each of the countries she lived in, The Scenic Route unfolds like a travel journal, capturing experiences as they happen alongside the questions and reflections they spark.

In this intimate travel memoir, Aviram meditates with a barefoot Buddhist monk in Thailand, sleds down the desert dunes of Peru, channels the fearless passion of flamenco dancers in Spain, and clings to the back of a motorbike through the relentless motion of Vietnam’s streets. Emerging from these scenes is an exploration of vulnerability, identity, impermanence, and belonging—and an invitation to loosen your grip on certainty and discover what becomes possible when life’s changes are met with openness and curiosity.