Watercolour Map

Maps have always been a huge fascination for me. And now that I have actually travelled outside of North America, it made sense to get a map that would showcase the places I have travelled and the places I have yet to go. This watercolour map was a perfect gift for my sister, as it shows where we have been together and will show the places she will end up going, whether with me or without me. It is an amazing representation of the world we live in and it also demonstrates how big this world really is and how small we truly are.

Florence

Oh gosh, what is there to even say about Florence. It was so hot that day and sunny and perfect that it made walking around the small and beautiful city even better. What I liked the most about Florence was it wasn't too busy and yet there were still a lot of tourists. It wasn't as congested as Venice and Rome, especially Rome, but it still had a lot of people. I liked the views and easiness of getting around. I liked just walking around and seeing the architecture was really beautiful. I think the best part, again, was the walking tour. I liked that we were walked around the city with the tour guide and she was able to give us little tidbits of information (none which I can remember now of course!).

The one thing I absolutely loved, which I'm sure everyone else did as well, is the view from Piazzale Michelangelo. Just seeing it was absolutely beautiful. How amazing is the view, how amazing is it to see absolutely everything in Florence and to be able to see it all in one look. Panoramas do not do this place justice. One of the unique things we were able to do here was get a group shot, which is one of my favourite things that we got on this trip. It's a way in which I can have a photo with every single person from our trip. It's a very nice memento to have.

Munich

Munich I think is a very underrated city. It had a few tourists but it was not busy compared to the cities we had been to previously and the cities we were going to visit. It was such a sweet city to be in and very calm compared to the other cities we would see. We had the option to go on a bike tour but as my sister cannot ride a bike I did not go without her and we merely walked around the city and enjoyed the day. It was very relaxing compared to the crazy days that were ahead of us. We did a little bit of shopping but mostly walked around the city and just took it all in. I think what I enjoyed the most about the city was how easy it was to get around and the people were quite nice. I loved the mixture of the old buildings with the new buildings and being able to see the difference in architecture. It is very interesting and beautiful to see how architecture has changed over many years.

We didn't make it to the English Gardens or any massive churches, but we walked along the streets and just enjoyed it. Germany has now become a country in which I will definitely go back to. We utterly enjoyed being in a city that is so beautiful and so old and yet so overlooked by people visiting Germany. 

Mystery Trip

Could you imagine agreeing to go on a trip where you had no idea where you were going or what you would be doing or where you would be staying?

For me that would be an amazing trip. To just pack a bag and get on a place going somewhere you have never been before. Granted it would be scary, but can you imagine the possibilities that would come from it? The independence you would gain from finding places on your own, you would learn a language or at least a little bit of one, you would meet incredible people along the way- some maybe not so great and others you will never forget. And the memories you would create, the moments you would have and the stories you could share are ones that last a lifetime.

I think one of my next trips will have to be something like this.

http://gomistrip.com/en

European Adventure

As of today my sister and I have officially booked our trip to Europe!!! What an exciting day! Yeah, it was expensive, but it is totally worth it. I am beyond excited to go and visit a brand new continent and several countries I've only dreamed of visiting and now it is finally becoming a reality. We will be travelling to England, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Vatican City, Switzerland and France! 

We decided instead of travelling on our own and booking everything on our own to travel with Contiki. We have both heard amazing things about Contiki and we have had friends and family members both use it and coming back with amazing stories about how amazing their time was. Plus, it was about $4000 cheaper! Crazy how expensive travelling is! 

I cannot wait to fly to a new continent, to experience new cultures (even though Canada isn't much different from Europe), to meet new people, and just to have a brand new experience. This is a once in a lifetime type of trip, one where you can't schedule on a whim, especially with a full time job. Now is the time to travel, eventually it will cost so much money to fly and stay in Europe, and also I'm 24 and now is definitely the time to travel around. 

More information to come on what we are doing!! 

Solitary Being

I am a solitary person. I like my time away from the world to just be inside my own head and not have to carry on conversations with people. Don’t get me wrong, I like hanging out with my friends and going out every once in a while. But, what I really enjoy is just being on my own and people don’t really understand that.

People always ask me ‘when are you going to get a boyfriend?’ or ‘are there any boys in your life?’ because that seems to be the most important thing in a girl’s life right? Getting married, settling down, and having a family. Not that that is a bad thing, I just don’t see it being the right fit for me. Seeing people with kids and homes and roots makes me nervous. I just feel like I would be stuck in that life and not happy. I would be restless.

The boys that I have met and went on dates with have their lives generally together. They have full time jobs and enjoy living the way that they are, whether its in security or construction. But none of them have wanted to travel. None of them want to leave their home, they are content here and I am not. I need to travel, to experience the world, to see new cultures and new places. I find that I am a solitary person and need space to myself. Having conversations with people is difficult for me and I would rather just be on my own.

Solitary life doesn’t mean that I choose to be on my own and not socialize with anyone. It just means that I don’t always need human contact. I can go days without actually speaking to someone or go out somewhere and not have to go with someone. I just enjoy the silence of being on my own. I enjoy listening to my thoughts and not worry about ignoring the person sitting beside me or across from me.

When is the Right Time to Travel?

Travelling is expensive. Let’s not sugarcoat it. It can get really out of hand if you aren’t paying attention and just putting everything on credit cards. Is there ever a good time to travel? Is there ever a point when you have saved up enough money to think you will be economically okay when you return? I don’t think there is really a point where you can say ‘I’ll be fine after’, unless you are a millionaire then lucky you. I find travelling to be more of a spur of the moment type of thing, where you get together with friends or family and just decide over a meal or drinks that you should go on a trip together. Yeah, the trip may be months away, but it comes up pretty quick.

My sister and I are planning a trip to Europe. Sort of a quick one; one that lasts around eighteen days. It will be my first trip to Europe and my sister’s second (she went to Greece for a school trip). Our parents are generally okay with it. Our dad is a calm guy and was pretty excited about the trip we had planned out. Our mom, on the other hand, not so much. She was worried more about school and getting real jobs. Of course school and jobs are important, but once you get a job it is very hard to get vacation. Plus, I’m in history, lets be honest here, I will most likely not get a job right after graduating.

When is the right to time travel? I find travelling right after graduation is smart; you’ve just finished school, you have the summer to figure things out and hopefully find a full-time job in your field, or just a job in general. But is it economically viable? Not everyone can afford to spend two months in Europe or even eighteen days, but I find travelling in your twenties is something that needs to be experienced. My take on it is this: when I get a full time job I will most likely not have the freedom of being able to just plan a trip for two and a half weeks to Europe or anywhere and have my job when I get back. I also would rather go after finishing my degree, knowing I had accomplished something huge in my life. I don’t know, maybe seems dumb, but that is my take on it. Maybe you have different opinions or thoughts?

I just feel like if I don’t go now, I never will.

Europe- A Dream Away

Europe is my top pick for my first overseas trip. The beauty and the history of Europe intrigues me. It is inspiring and exciting and enormous. Being a history major, Europe is the cornerstone of my research and my interests. I want to visit the Edinburgh Castle all the way down to the Acropolis in Athens. I want to be able to walk the pebbled streets of England that the Romans built, I need to be able to see the Sagrada Familia and the Colosseum. These are places I dream about and cannot wait until I can book my ticket to Europe.

To spend an entire summer in Europe would be a dream come true. Unfortunately, travel is not free and neither is school. Next summer I will be going to Europe, it is a dream and a need for me. To stay here at home is hard, I wish I could just book a ticket and travel.

If traveling was free, I would never stop.

Travel the World

The world. It is so vast and complex and extraordinary. To think that every continent and every country has their own specific landmasses and monuments. Each country has had very different histories and beautiful stories have been intertwined throughout history. Traveling, I think, is one of the best educations a person can get. To visit monuments where queens and kings of stood, where battles were won and lost, where buildings used to exist, that is learning. Sitting in a classroom and being forced to study and write papers and take tests is not learning, it is being taught to pass a test. Life is not a test, it is a learning experience. The more you learn the richer your life is.

Now how can I say something like that when I am in school. Yeah I am in university, I’m receiving a degree in history. But in this world nowadays without a degree in pretty much anything you can’t get a job in this world. Traveling may be different for some people, but for me, traveling is a way to escape from my life. To live inside my own mind and see the world. To experience the people and the cultures around the world is education, that is learning. Travel the world.