South America on a Shoestring: Machu Picchu and Beyond

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Peru was my first stop on my South American tour. Like many tourists do, I began my journey in Lima, the capital city of Peru. The traffic in Lima was overwhelming, to say the least. A friend recommended I stay in Miraflores, 10 kilometers from the city of Lima. Despite its close proximity, with the hectic traffic this was about an hour drive. Miraflores is a sleepy beachfront town filled with families, flowers and colourful buildings. Continue reading “South America on a Shoestring: Machu Picchu and Beyond” →

You’re Going to Want to Read This

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Welcome back!

To be honest, I felt like I was hitting an inspiration wall. My next blog post remained at the back of my mind, however it took me a while to solidify something. I think I finally have it!

I got thinking. Why am I such a big advocate of travel, other than the fact that I enjoy it? I guess it’s probably the student in me that has me thinking that I need to root my argument in evidence. With that being said, I started doing a bit of research.

Does travel contribute to a longer life span? Should you turn that week long vacation into two weeks? Continue reading “You’re Going to Want to Read This” →

Why Everyone Should Spend a Summer Working in Western Canada

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Teary eyed, I boarded a plane for the first time alone when I was 19 years old, promising to text my mom as soon as I landed. I was headed to Edmonton Alberta, where I would then take a bus for five hours to the tiny town of Jasper. Prior to leaving I Googled pictures of Jasper daily, shocked at the green lakes and white snow capped mountains. I had signed a contract to work for four months at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Every winter the Jasper Park Lodge hires hundreds of young people eager for an adventurous summer in the mountains. Spending three summers living and working in western Canada was one of the best experiences and decisions that I have ever made. I still think about my mountain summers daily, and I want to tell you WHY it was such a good decision, and an opportunity I feel every travel bug should pursue! Continue reading “Why Everyone Should Spend a Summer Working in Western Canada” →

Down Under: A Guide to East Coast Australia

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AUSTRALIA-the land of tan beautiful men and women, dingos, the worlds scariest crawling critters, cool surfers, boxed wine, kangaroos, Vegemite, the worlds best coffee, Tim Tams and koala bears.

To be honest, I had never really understood the hype about Australia. Working in Western Canada in small mountain towns populated with transient people, I met so many Canadians who headed off to Australia for some sunshine during the Canadian winter. I always thought that of all places, why Australia? The culture is so similar to Canada, right? Wrong! Continue reading “Down Under: A Guide to East Coast Australia” →

Tips n’ Tricks

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Travel is expensive. However, with budget always being on the back of my mind, I’ve discovered some great apps and other shortcuts to help me stretch my travel.

Take advantage of free mobile apps! Hands down one of the most useful apps that has saved me hundreds is Couch Surfing. Couch Surfing connects you with other travelers whereby members either host their residence to travelers, or find someone to host them. Members create a profile specifying their location, interests, hobbies etc. Couch Surfing is free to sign up and stay! I have met wonderful people from around the world who have been gracious enough to host me. Disclaimer-I do not recommend using Couch Surfing alone. Continue reading “Tips n’ Tricks” →

Nature Therapy

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Last summer I read Michael Finkel’s novel The Stranger in the Woods, and so many of his words still resonate with me. The Stranger in the Woods documents the true story of Christopher Knight, who lived alone in the woods for 27 years, in Maine, USA. He did not have a conversation with anyone except himself for 27 years. Knight was arrested and jailed for committing over 1000 break and enters, after 27 years of solitude. This powerful novel explores the relationship between solitude and man’s eroding relationship with the natural world. I highly recommend this read. Continue reading “Nature Therapy” →

A Budget Backpackers Guide to Portugal

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Are you dreaming of going to Europe, but hesitant because Europe is not typically a budget friendly destination? Portugal is the place for you.

I recommend going in late April or early May. In May, the weather typically sits anywhere from 18-22 degrees. Europe wide (Portugal included) it is quite common that after June 1st the price of food, accommodation and activities doubles due to the influx in tourism. Going in May, you will avoid this. Continue reading “A Budget Backpackers Guide to Portugal” →

TAKE A HIKE: Top Day Hikes in New Zealand

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I visited New Zealand in their winter (what would have been a Canadian summer). I spent 10 weeks in New Zealand, dividing my time between the north and south island. When I arrived in New Zealand I had big ambitions of completing 25 hikes, about two to three per week. Yikes! Although I was not successful at reaching this goal, I did do a handful of beautiful hikes.

YES! You can still do tons of stunning hikes in the winter! I did have some difficulty with a few, which I will explain later, however there are many benefits of traveling/hiking New Zealand in the winter. The biggest being that the trails are extremely quiet and not packed with other tourists. Because of this I got to see some amazing wildlife and untouched nature. Continue reading “TAKE A HIKE: Top Day Hikes in New Zealand” →

BALI BLISS

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I really feel that I had my very own Eat Pray Love experience in Bali and I wanted to share it with you.

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These are traditional Hindi offerings that can be seen all throughout Bali-on sidewalks, outside temples or peoples homes. There are seven types of flowers and rice included in these offerings, and quite often they have an incense burning on top. The offerings lay in baskets made out of banana or coconut leaves. They are aesthetically beautiful.

Bali was my first taste of Asia and let me tell you I was NERVOUS. So nervous that I almost didn’t go! Continue reading “BALI BLISS” →