Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts

Into the Spanish North

When I booked my trip to Spain, I originally intended to spend all 3 months in Madrid. It seemed like a good idea to save money by staying put, so I decided that a trip up north would run that idea to the ground. I figured since I was here to learn Spanish, it didn't matter where I went so long as I remained in the country. That mindset remained and didn't budge until a friend told me that missing Barcelona would be a big mistake; it didn't take long for my FOMO (fear of missing out) syndrome to kick in.

Coincidently, my friend Paulina from uni (who I rendezvoused with in Ibiza,) had plans to go to Barcelona, San Sebastián, and Bilbao. After one conversation through skype, I decided to jump on board with her. Within a few days, we booked all the tickets for the hostels and buses to see the beautiful Catalonia and Basque Country regions, and it was absolutely the right decision.

I guess I'm just glad I caught the train before the last call!

Catalonia (Barcelona)

Barcelona was absolutely wonderful. It was a vibrant city with vibrant architecture. Even better, I got to explore the city with incredible people we met through the hostel! For those who plan to visit Barcelona in the future, I highly recommend Hostel One Sants! In all honesty, the idea of hostels used to scare me, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. Maybe I just got lucky with the hostels and the incredible people I've met through them, but so far my experiences have been 10/10.

Infatuated

One day baby we'll be old, oh baby we'll be old, think of all the stories that we could have told. - Asaf Avidan

It has been a week now since being in Madrid and I am completely infatuated with the city. Every little thing is so fascinating to me; the people, the language, the cobblestone, the cafeterías, the restaurantes, the architecture, the tapas.....all of it. I've had the opportunity to experience fiestas both at home and at the club and it's been a blast!

¡Viva España!

The day had finally arrived! I was officially two plane rides away from sunny España. Several weeks of preparation and anticipation had lead up to two precious moments; the moment of saying good bye to family and friends, and the moment of stepping foot onto my third continent.

Waiting to board was a peaceful process; I have never felt more ready to go. It's a funny thing when you realize that your heart doesn't feel at home, at home. That's when you know it's time to get off the couch and just go.

At the Vancouver International Airport

Tripception // Brussels, Belgium

What is Tripception?

Well...according to no source whatsoever, Tripception is a trip within a trip...(and no, I'm not talking about drugs.)

My oh-so-crucial pre-flight-booking cup'a chai latte

I suspect I'm starting to go a little trigger happy with this whole "trip purchasing" thing because this morning, I bought a plane ticket from Madrid to Brussels....although in my defense, the ticket was only 55€ (roughly $84 CAD.) S-CORE.

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It took a while but tiger mama finally let go. This tigress is leaving her home in the cold climate of Canada this summer and will be traveling to sunny Spain! For some seasoned travelers this is probably a walk in the park, but (aside from some school trips abroad,) I've never traveled without my family. Because of that, I am extremely grateful to my Spanish friends for welcoming me into their homes with open arms; I cannot be more blessed. So much talk about southern hospitality in America, this must be Spanish hospitality.

Spain at the moment still feels like a dream. Only a week ago, I was sitting in front of my laptop and plugging in travel dates into Priceline.com. Up until then, I was still comparing flight prices and would only get increasingly nervous each time I signed on, knowing that once I made the purchase there would be no turning back...

When I finally decided that I was ready to make the jump...I couldn't do it.

Overcoming Consumerism as a Traveler

Today, I dug up an old blog post titled "Overcoming Consumerism." And on this same fine day, I realized that I was beginning to live it...

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Ever since I was a little girl, my dream job was to be a traveler. It wasn't until I was told that "traveling is not a job!" that I put that dream on the back burner. And for many years it stayed that way. I wanted the best of both worlds; stability in a job but without giving up my true passion. So as I grew up, I tried paving a road to a career that could somehow incorporate seeing new places and experiencing other cultures. I thought I found the answer in archaeology, (female Indiana Jones, holler!) but I quickly discovered it was not what I wanted...while I do love learning about history, geography, and geology, I found that I had no interest in spending 90% of my life in a lab.

Hello OOOrlando!!!

Having a blast in Orlando, and this will be the first time anyone has seen me in clubbing photos, but hey this is a travel blog so I've got to include all the good stuff...

Hello CAANADA, SPAAIN, and FRAANCE!

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Some Yoda Love

Happy Monday Evening!

Spring break is over and I am officially back in ~~Raincouver~~ Vancouver. It has only been five hours and I'm already missing the hot sun! Although I have a lot to look forward to now, I can't help but look back at how amazing this trip was. Especially since I was lucky enough to meet, greet, and shoot with Yoda! And no, not the Jedi Master.

I will never forget

The beautiful feeling of traveling is the unfamiliarity of the destination and the uncertainty of the moment. I am and will remain nomadic at heart, a restless bird ready to take flight at the slight of the next wind, guided through euphoric clouds and carried into the horizon.

China travel and coming home

It's been three weeks since I've been back from China but I haven't found the will to write this till now. The week I returned, I felt like I left a part of myself there. In a way, I felt homesick. In the very short month that I was there, I had adopted a little of the Chinese mentality.

Because of connections that my family had, I was fortunate for my experiences. My dad is one of the sponsors of a foundation that gives children in poverty the opportunity to go to high school and/or university. The foundation is mainly funded by an Australian gentleman named John, or "Uncle John." We were invited to their graduation and it was one of the nicest graduations I've witnessed. One of the male graduates made a speech and became very emotional. It was so touching to see. After the ceremony, we went outside where I met an Indian woman who teaches English. She moved to Hong Kong from India after she got married because her husband had work there. Then after her fourth child she said she wanted to get an education. "And at my age!!" she said to me. She went to Britain to get an education in Arts. Now she teaches English. So wonderful. Afterwards we were invited to the village community centre for dinner. The village really is third world. It is so different but feels familiar at the same time. The people are so kind. We stayed in the village for a while but it was getting late and my dad and I couldn't stay any longer to wait for the students to arrive because we had to rush to Guangzhou. My dad and I got into the car and drove by slowly and I rolled down the window to say good bye. A whole bunch of young children were outside saying "Bye bye je je (sister)!!" I was so, so touched. There was so much love that I can't help but hope to return someday.

Coming back home with so many memories of making new friends and seeing family I haven't seen for over a decade is really is amazing, yet sometimes I find myself staring off into the distance and wondering if it ever even happened.

Destinations

It is many's dream to go travelling. Aside from gaining experience, you also gain personal growth and spiritual growth. For myself, these are the places I wish to explore the most.

1. For spirituality: TIBET