-
The Te Araroa Was Great but What Happened to the Rest of 2020?
To say 2020 didn’t quite go the way most people planned would be an understatement. Along with travel restrictions and lockdowns, loved ones were lost, weddings cancelled, and ordinary life completely disheveled. After returning from New Zealand, I struggled in finding a new normal. I stopped working on my travel blog and did my best to separate myself from social media. I just needed a break from it all, a moment to reset and find balance, but I wasn’t quite sure how. It was a difficult journey but beautiful in countless ways. I’ve got a lot planned for 2021, but for now I’ll do a quick flash back on the…
-
Australia: Looking Back
On my flight back to California, I spent my time alternating between blogging and watching Star Trek: Discovery. When I attempted to write this post, I realized that I couldn’t, as, to quote one of my favorite shows, I was “emotionally compromised.” I had held it together pretty well, shedding a few tears while making a farewell Facebook post, but when the first boarding call came over the speakers I broke down. The crying didn’t stop until we were in the air and I managed to lose myself in SciFi. Travel is difficult in countless ways. There are those of us, however, who find the pros outweigh the cons. Australia…
-
Finding Happiness
It’s been almost a month since my last post and a part of me wants to apologize to my readers: I’m sure it’s been annoying not hearing from me. However, I’ve been working on not apologizing for everything and to be honest I’m not really sorry to begin with. When you move to a different country or even city; things happen. You find a full-time job, you go to the gym, you meet people you want to spend every waking moment with, get sick, almost get better, get sick again, and life goes on. Before you know it, a month has passed since your last post and you’ve simply been…
-
Sezdep
It’s been a beat since my last post; life has been doing its thing, and time has run away with me again. Normally, I’ve got several posts lined up to go public automatically, but right now the queue is only one post long. Just a quick note: this post is more of a reflective and educational one rather than about all the awesome adventures I’m undertaking. A few updates: I’m working two jobs, trying to go to the gym every day, socializing with friends on a regular basis, saving as much money as possible, and spending a good amount of time reading on public transit. Writing, both my blog and…
-
TBT Holiday Edition
This is a holiday edition Throwback Thursday post. It’s about the first time I was away for the holidays and the emotions and thoughts the experience inspired. Enjoy! November 2012 The past month has been uneventful in the best ways possible. It has given me a chance to forge stronger friendships, catch up on TV shows, and explore the local scene. Although, it is rare that everyone from work comes together to hang out, an opportunity presented itself when we celebrated Thanksgiving. With almost equal numbers of Canadian’s and American’s we had to make it fair and pick a neutral day. So, we went with the first weekend of November.…
-
Workaway
I was quite nervous about meeting the family. What if they didn’t like me and told me to leave? What if I didn’t work hard enough and disappointed them? What if they changed their mind and decided they didn’t want a stranger living in their house? Sitting outside the coffee shop near Hazelbrook Station, I couldn’t seem to keep all these “what ifs” out of my brain. See I was about to have my first Workaway experience. Workaway.com is a website designed for work exchange. People make a profile to request help with some aspect of their life: renovation, housework, caring for the kids, yardwork, gardening, painting, animal care, even…
-
Lazy
I had two options: go to Minca or stay at my hostel and lay by the pool for two days. Minca a small jungle town off the beaten path, with its hammocks overlooking the valley below and abundant cafes, seemed like a lovely getaway. Then again, I was beat. After four days of hiking and nearly thirty mosquito bites, which itched relentlessly due to being allergic, I had had quite enough of the jungle. Side thought: I’ve met so many people who try to cram everything they can into their trip, to maximize the time. Now, I get that if you only have a two-week holiday. But when you travel…
-
Behind the Facade
I’m sitting at my hostel, typing this on my phone as my glasses slide down my greasy nose. No matter how many times a day I wash it, the humidity insists on keeping it shimmering. I want to take a shower but there is no A/C until nine and it’s only seven so I’ll wait a bit longer. It’s moments like these that are beautiful. When your body smells like three-day-old cheese that’s been sitting in the sun and your one set of clean clothes is damp from the water that leaked through your rain cover and into your backpack. I have given up on trying to tame the curls…
-
It’s a Small World
The more I travel, the smaller the world becomes. Not because I have seen more of it but because of the people I happen to meet. Whether it’s a pilot on a train to Scotland who used to spend his days flying into Big Bear, or two girls on a boat in Thailand who are childhood friends with someone I’ve danced with in the middle of a Denny’s restaurant. My time in Costa Rica has been no different. While in San Jose I became acquainted with three travelers from Chile. We went on a free walking tour together and although we didn’t exchange contact information I somehow knew I would…
-
Saying Goodbye
Dear Friends and Family, I’ve been thinking about this post for a few weeks and now that the day is finally here I am quite unsure of how to start. Throughout life we are compelled to say goodbye to friends and family for various reasons-some far more pleasant than others. When the time comes, it is often difficult to convey just how their presence has impacted us. For me goodbyes are never final, they are merely a “see you later.” I think that’s because I carry the people I’ve met with me wherever I go. I’ll be eating gelato in Italy and thinking, “Adam would really like this flavor,” or…
Insights and Stories Through the Eyes of a Wanderer
