Hi there! I’m Tiju, and welcome to my travel blog. I started Stamped On Arrival as a way to share travel stories and pictures with friends and family, and hope it will inspire you to embrace the thrill of exploring the globe as well!

I have had the opportunity to visit over 80 countries since starting to travel in my early 20s, but my penchant for travel probably first took shape during my childhood in Kenya. As a kid, I remember my brother and I trying to get our hands on as many foreign stamps as we could – from recent to vintage, square to triangular shaped, and familiar to obscure countries – then constantly poring over the 100+ countries represented in our collection. This stamp collecting hobby soon became the catalyst for a desire to see and learn about the different countries of the world, their distinct histories, and unique cultures. Just poring over tiny exotic stamps wasn’t enough anymore – I desired to actually visit those countries, and my unquenchable wanderlust was ignited. My subsequent nomadic upbringing across 3 continents living in Kenya, India, Singapore and now the USA has only served to further heighten this appetite for global travel and adventure.

Now as an adult, I have traded collecting postage stamps for visa stamps instead. With this travel inspiring hobby – my wife Shelly and our 2 kiddos have made it our lifelong goal to visit as many new countries as possible – collecting unique experiences and lasting memories across this amazing planet!