Off On An Adventure!

My first action of the day was to check the status of my e-visa application to Myanmar...and I was accepted!

I immediately began researching flights, and I'm happy to announce that I am booked to fly into Yangon tomorrow!

I am SO excited, as everyone that I've met who has been to Myanmar has loved it so much. I'm a little afraid that my expectations might be too high now, but either way I will be staying there for 3 weeks! I think it will be so interesting, and quite different from everything I've seen so far.

Wish me luck!

Past, Present, and Future

This morning I had every intention of catching a bus to Chiang Mai.
I packed up my things, and then left to find a bite of breakfast before going to the bus station to purchase a ticket.
I remembered reading about BaanChivitMai in the Lonely Planet guidebook, and it happened to cross my path, so I stopped in. Its a local bakery whose proceeds support disadvantaged children, and whose coffee and free wifi fuel the tourist types.

Now, here I am, an hour later, having had a wholly unhealthy breakfast of cafe fare, still typing away on my tablet. I just ordered a fruit smoothie to balance things out, and that will probably keep me going for another hour.

The atmosphere in this cafe/bakery is so calm, and so...familiar. I feel like I'm at home, which at the moment is quite comforting! I also have a lot of emailing/interneting to do, so its a convenient place to hunker down. I think I'll stay one more night in Chiang Rai!

PAST

For the last week or so I have completely neglected the blog and my personal journal. I will try to get back on track!

First of all...I have departed Laos! I spent just over 2 weeks there, and while it was very beautiful and I liked it a lot, I just couldn't seem to connect there. I don't know how to explain this. I struggled to decide whether to spend more time there or head back to Thailand, and as soon as I arrived in Chiang Rai, I knew I had made the right choice. I am LOVING this part of Thailand!

That being said, I would love to go back to Laos one day and explore more of the country, but I would go with someone else. I found it a difficult country to travel solo, in part because:

1. 99%* of tourists are French, and don't want to speak English
2. 90%* of tourists are couples and aren't necessarily interested in meeting other travelers
3. Most accommodation is private rooms, not dorms, so its more difficult to meet people
4. Everything is very expensive (roughly same prices as at home, or more), especially if you can't split costs with anyone.
5. Its a country where there isn't necesarily much to do, but its a cool place to hang out. This means good company is essential.

*Highly scientific numbers

I only saw a handful of what Laos has to offer, so in my reasoning, this makes it an excellent location to return to. I think it would be a wonderful place to cycle/motorbike through. One day :)

PRESENT

Now that I'm back in Thailand, I have been enjoying how cheap everything is...especially the food!!! It's so delicious. And its much warmer and sunnier than Laos. After having spent 2 weeks in Hanoi, and 2 weeks in Northern Laos, I was beginning to feel some serious sun deprivation. In Thailand I can wear shorts and tank tops again! It's glorious. (Yes, I realize you are all in the dead of winter and I shouldn't complain about "chilly" 20 degree weather). Best of all, there are so many cheap hostels to stay in and meet other travelers!

FUTURE

My plan now is to visit a few places in Northern Thailand while waiting for my e-Visa for Myanmar to be processed. Fingers crossed it will be accepted, and then I will be heading off to possibly the most interesting and un-touristed country of my trip! I have met a few people that have been there already, and they all loved it! Apparently tourists can only stay in certain registered accommodations, which makes it expensive ($25-35/night for "cheap" places, compared to $7-8/night in Thailand), but on the plus side that means it will be easy to locate other travelers :)

After Myanmar, I wll fly back to Bangkok to meet up with my dear friend Rishelle who is coming to Thailand for a 2 week vacation! I couldn't be more excited! We will bask in the sun of the Southern Islands, and it will be so great to have some quality time together!

When she flies home, I will continue South to Malaysia to eat away my depression noshing on the delicious street food of Penang...and that's about as far as my plans go! I'm halfway through my 6 month travels, but I think the 2016 half will pass much faster than the 2015 half (which has gone by very quickly!).

Happy New Year, Regis readers!

Chill Time

Its a common misconception that "traveling" is a "vacation".
This is false.

Vacations are when you leave your regular routine to rest and relax, forget your everyday worries, and basically not stress about the day-to-day problems of life.

Traveling means you are willfully placing yourself in different, often stressful, situations daily, where nothing is familiar to you and you must constantly absorb new information and problem solve things that at home you would never even think twice about. For instance, how to ask what a bottle of water costs...when there is no price label, and the clerk speaks a diffeent language. And then figuring out which of your bills you need to produce, and how much change you should be getting, when the currency is completely strange to you and in denominations of 1000's.

Besides the usual challenges of budget restrictions, city and transit navigation, and finding a places to sleep, eat, and sightsee, there are the differences of culture and language to figure out.

On top of all this, for the last week or so I have been visiting two major cities with really depressing histories: Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Ho Chi Ming City (Saigon), Vietnam. I couldn't NOT visit their museums on the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnam War, repectively. I'm glad I went, but they were quite depressing, and I left feeling sickened and heavy-hearted.

Deciding it was time for a "vacation" during my travels, I caught a bus to the seaside resort town of Mui Ne, and booked into one of the few available hostels. It turned out to be not my usual digs- its got a beautiful pool, clean bathrooms, comfortable single beds, hot showers, and a restaurant/bar with a 12-hour-long "happy hour"! The hip, modern vibe runs contrary to the falling-apart, cheapest-bed-on-the-block, grungy backpacker dives I've been enjoying for most of the trip.

But for right now, its perfect. I spent today burning on the beach, swimming in the sea, eating and drinking at the hostel, and catching up on online stuff. I didn't worry about getting all the sightseeing in, or meeting people (though I did hang out in the morning), or finding the cheapest authentic roadside foods. I even had a nap, and I haven't spoken to anyone since after 2pm.

Its been exceptionally restful.
I'm looking forward to repeating the performance tomorrow...

Beginning the Next Adventure...

Today is the day I step into Vancouver Airport once more, and head off into the unknown!
I'm nervous, excited, and...nervous! As per usual.
I never feel very brave when it comes time to actually leave my country (and comfort zone). I haven't slept well for the past week, worrying about things I'm forgetting, thinking about just how long 6 months is, and wondering how all the logistics will come together. I always get like this. I get the stomach willies when I start counting down the days, or hours.
Sometimes, when I start thinking about how I don't know anyone, I don't speak the language, and I don't know the culture, and I'm going to have to do all this learning and adjusting, and its going to be so exhausting, its hard for me to remember that I actually enjoy this!

This old North Face Terra 30 pack has gone with me everywhere...
though technically it is 30L, like Hermione Granger's bag it has magical properties
that allow it a certain "wiggle room". I can't believe how much fits in there. 

Much like my struggle to exercise regularly, getting out the door is the hardest part, and it will feel great once I get out there! I know that I will have a great time, be challenged, meet new friends, and go outside my comfort zone again, and again. I know that I will be glad I did this, and it will be a great adventure!

Bangkok, here I come!

Regis Broke Free

My brother asked me, "Is Regis coming along to Southeast Asia with you?"

Regis, anticipating the climb up Roraima, Venezuela.

Alas, I cannot escape the hard truth any longer. I've been putting it out of my mind. 

I am faced with the profound question Nelly Furtado once asked: "Why do all good things come to an end?".

Triumphant at the Summit

Regis has broken free once and for all.

Regis at Angel Falls (Venezuela), the highest waterfall in the world!

As I have said before, he has always been a free spirit. He enjoyed life on the road, and he met a lot of people and saw things many monkeys will only dream of seeing.

Day 2 of the Inca Trail, hitting the highest altitude of the trek.

He was with me as I set off on my own last December, trekked the Inca Trail, and witnessed Machu Picchu.

Going where few monkeys have gone before!

 For every journey, he was there.

Sightseeing in Cusco

At the summit of Pacha Mama, Lake Titticaca

We had our differences, I once or twice I feared that something would come between us for good. But we stuck together through the cold and damp of Peru, and the sweltering humidity of Venezeula.

Marveling over Moray

Swooning over Salineras

I even gave him a traditional Peruvian woolly hat. Because monkeys don't like to be cold.

Overlooking the lake city of Guatape, Colombia. My last photo of Regis. 

 I still have the hat. He left it behind. Just like me.

Reaching Tayrona National Park in Colombia was a turning point for us. I didn't realize it at the time. We had been on the road for a while, both tuckered out. I planned to get some serious R&R while chilling at this remote, tropical paradise. 

Perhaps this was why I failed to notice the change in him. I was too busy with my own plans and feelings. But looking back, it makes sense.

When I think of Tayrona, it is really just the ideal location for a monkey. As a National Park, it is very safe. The white sandy beach and turquoise waters are surrounded by thick jungle, filled with other monkeys. I saw a few of them...maybe it was then, while I was distracted, that he slipped away.

I know he was there when we arrived, and I remember thinking "Tomorrow I will take a photo of Regis on the beach", and brought him along on a hike through the Jungle. Unfortunately, then my camera broke, and I tucked him away in my daypack. Perhaps he saw his rellies frolicking in the treetops, and considered the warm breeze and swinging hammocks that were abundant in that wonderful place. Perhaps then he thought of how we were headed for the snow-capped mountains of Quito, and then, ultimately, the far North: Canada. 

Perhaps he weighed his options, and decided he would like to stay. 

I never saw him again. 

On my last day, as I packed my things, he was nowhere to be found. Nothing else was missing from my pack. I searched frantically through the entire beach site, even enlisting the help of a sympathetic friend. But Regis was gone. 

Eventually I had to face the facts, pack my things, and hike back without him. It felt a bit callous that he never even said goodbye, but I understand. After all, I also felt like I could stay in Tayrona forever. Its that kind of place. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and at least I know he is happy, enjoying the sort of lifestyle that suits monkeys best. 

It will be a bit lonely not to have him along as I travel SE Asia, but the blog will live on bearing the name of this inspiring free spirit. 

Goodbye Regis. Roam free. 

"You're Traveling ALONE?!"

The NUMBER ONE question I am asked when someone discovers that I am going traveling is...

"Are you going with someone, or are you traveling alone?!".

The general population worries that I will be robbed/murdered/raped/trafficked Taken-style when I leave home. Especially as my destinations include developing countries.
It is also a common assumption that solo travelers are friendless wanderers who spend their time in silent contemplation, wishing they had brought a companion to speak with.
This is in fact, not the case. Generally speaking.

I am a woman. I am single. I am an introvert.

I travel solo...and I like it!

I am not superwoman. I am not especially streetwise. I am not particularly out-going.
And I am not going to let fear hold me back!

When I was 19, I packed up and moved to a different country where I knew no one, and I lived there for nearly a year. This came out of the blue in some respects. I was considered "quiet" and some might consider me shy. I had never lived on my own before. I was a homebody. I was not the girl to do the unexpected thing.

But I was driven by a long-standing and passionate desire to see Ireland. An opportunity came up, and I seized it!

I don't remember exactly what I was thinking at that point. The decision surprised even me! I was nervous, but I was excited for the adventure.

By the end of that year I had seen a lot of the area surrounding my home base, and I loved it. The people, the natural beauty, the SHEEP! It was amazing. It was a great exercise in independence, but the fact is that I was probably too immature at that point to undertake such an extreme transplanting and thrive. In some ways my confidence in myself was rattled.
Luckily one of my good friends flew in and we traveled around Ireland together for a month...I'm not sure I would have pushed myself to do that trip if I had been on my own.

To further instill a dread of solo traveling, I did a 10-day guided tour of Scotland, at which I was the only person that came without a friend (or two)! I was also the youngest by a number of years, and I felt a little lost and intimidated.

After that, I told myself that I "couldn't" travel on my own. It wasn't for me.

I wasn't brave enough. I wasn't smart enough.
It was too dangerous. It was too hard. It was too lonely.

For years I wanted to travel SO badly...but I didn't, because I had no one to travel with. My friends were in university, getting married, or in jobs where they couldn't get the time off. I sat around waiting...and waiting...

It took a long time for me to decide to take the plunge and go to South America alone last year, The soundtrack of fears and doubts played in my head over and over. I hated it. And eventually I became driven to prove it wrong. There was no one to go with me? Screw that! I was going alone!

I began reading up on women traveling alone through South America. As it turns out, there are a lot of women traveling alone all over the world! And they are safe! And they love it!

And after nearly 4 months of solo travel through South America, I can now say I have officially joined their number!

So, let's address these doubts, shall we?

The first one...is self-defined. You are as brave as you decide to be. Its up to you whether to let your fears hold you back or not.

The second...well, all I can say, is that if I can make it to South America and back in one piece without meeting a sticky end, pretty much anyone can. That is all. No, but actually, if you are capable of reading a travel guide, then yes, you are smart enough, and smarter than a lot of the other travelers you will meet.

On to other 3 points!

Is it too dangerous?
No! It certainly can be dangerous, but it doesn't have to be dangerous. I learned self-sufficiency, and I learned to be careful, and how to take precautions. But I also learned a lot about the kindness of strangers. There are many, many good people out there. I made mistakes, and time after time there would be wonderful, friendly local people there to help me out. As a woman you may be more vulnerable in some ways, but this also means that others are watching your back for you too.

I was taking the city bus once in a small town in Colombia, looking for a grocery store. I eavesdropped on a local couple with a little girl sitting behind me, and once I was reasonably sure they were nice, normal people, I turned around an asked them if they could recommend a stop for me to get off at that had a grocery store. They promptly took me under their wing, got off with me, showed me where to go, which bus to take to get back to my hostel, and where to catch it.
This was not the only time I was blown away by the simple kindness of strangers. Remember that the average person is not out to get you. Be safe, but don't close yourself off from the world.

Is it too hard?
No! There are many different ways to travel solo, depending on how much time and money you have, as well how much flexibility and independence you want.
I personally have enjoyed volunteering for a while in different countries. This gives me a home base where I can acclimatize to a new culture, learn a little bit about the way people live, meet new friends, give back to a community, and ask people to refer me on what to see and where to go afterwards. Then I can make a plan, set my own pace, and figure it out as I go! The buses, hostels, and tours can be booked along the way.
Others enjoy guided tours with a set itinerary and someone else to worry about the logistics! You just have to show up and meet your fellow adventurers! There are a lot of companies that provide this kind of service, and its a great way to get your feet wet in solo travel. You have a support system to help you with any problems that arise, and you won't have to worry about where to sleep/eat/meet people.

Is it too lonely?
No! If anything, I meet more people when I'm traveling alone! As a decided introvert, sometimes it does take a little extra effort to strike up conversations or tag along on a group activity, such as a hostel pub crawl. However, when you travel alone, you also get to make your own rules about how social you want to be! If you don't want to go out every night, you don't have to! You will not have to figure this out with a travel buddy, and you won't be letting anyone down when you do things your way! On the flip side, if you want to go out with total strangers to swap travel tips and stories, join up with others to go on a daytrip on a whim, or buddy up for a few weeks- you totally can! You are free to meet, talk, hangout, drink, dance, travel, eat, etc. with whomever floats you boat! And you can leave whenever you want, or not! Its totally up to you (and the other person/people you meet...haha).
There are never any shortage of other travelers to be found at hostels, or on tours, or sightseeing. And guess what- many of them are other women traveling alone!
I made some great friends by simply putting myself out there, saying hello, asking where someone is from or where they're going, and just hanging out together.
I made a friend with a girl stuck in front of me in a long line at the airport. I made a friend sitting next to me on the plane. I made a friend swinging in a neighboring hammock. I made a friend when I heard a girl mention she wanted to go to a local market, and I offered to show her the way. I made a friend commenting on their accent (strange but true). I made a friend couchsurfing.
You get my point-- you have literally endless possibilities to make friends when you travel!

Don't get me wrong. Traveling with friends and family is SO much fun, and it is wonderful to be able to share those experiences and memories with someone close to you. But if you, like my past self, put off traveling because you don't have a friend to go with you, I think you might be making a big mistake. Don't wait for an opportunity that is dependent on someone who may or may not appear. Just do it!

Traveling solo can be scary, especially the first time. Its natural to be scared of the unknown. But I think that if you go for it, you will surprise yourself with just how much you enjoy it! It can definitely be safe, simple, and social!

Here's a handy-dandy link to some quick tips for solo female travelers- good to keep in mind!

Edit: And another link that will shoot down any other excuses :-P

A Last Ditch Attempt to Get the Travel Bug Out of My System

When I planned my South America trip last year, I intended for it to be a productive hiatus from studying, which would also scratch the travel itch that had been worsening. I was supposed to hit the books again come September.
But...you know how it is. When you scratch it, the itch gets worse! By the time I fly back into Canada in April, I was pretty sure my semester-long break was going to be extended.

I worked my usual cooking gig in the treeplanting camp for the spring and summer, visited lots of relatives and roadtripped down to the Oregon Coast in August, and now its September!
What have I been doing? Researching, planning, making lists, and shopping for new gear. What for? Well...

As of today, its official- in just over 2 weeks I'm heading out on another backpacking adventure!
I will fly into Bangkok, the capital of Thailand on October 2, and begin my travels through Southeast Asia that may last as long as 6 months!
Like my trip to South America, I am traveling solo and hoping to do some volunteering, treks, and tasting of the delicious local dishes!

So far my intinerary includes a month of volunteering in Bangkok, hopefully meeting up with some contacts for a local's-eye look at Vietnam, chilling out in Laos, popping over to Myanmar/Burma for a glimpse of the country that has only relatively recently become tourist-friendly, another couple weeks exploring the rest of Thailand, visiting Angkor Watt in Cambodia, tasting the wild variety of street food and outdoor adventures in Malaysia, and flying to the Phillipines for some sweet, sweet beach time! I don't know all the details yet, but I am pretty excited about everything, and I know it will be a crazy and awesome adventure!

While I'm not making any promises, I am hoping that I will maintain the blog a little better than last time seeing as I've purchased a new Samsung tablet which, unlike the last device, is compatible with Blogger (and Skype!!!). I have also ordered a keyboard for it, which will make typing up a blog post much faster and less of a nuisance than tapping away on a touchscreen. I should also be able to upload photos to it, so it will be awesome to share some visual updates on the road! 

Now to figure out which vaccinations to get, how to vote when I'm away, purchase travel equipment without blowing the budget, and all that fun stuff... :)

Maybe Not Quite 8 Weeks

SO! I´ve been in Santa Elena at Aldeas de Paz for just over a week now! 

I had some reservations right off the bat because the situation was not quite as advertised, ie: the founding director was not here, there were no other volunteers, and things seemed a bit disorganized, but I thought I would give it some time to see how it all worked out. 

Its not that its terrible or that I´ve hated it...but I found myself getting antsy and wondering what I´m really doing here, or if I should be spending my time elsewhere. Without any volunteers I haven´t really been able to meet new people and go exploring, and the NGO admin work I´ve been doing is pretty basic since there are no real programs running at the moment. 

I felt guilty when I thought to myself that I would rather be traveling than sitting around here at a computer, because I had committed my time to the organization and I didn´t want to be flaky and back out. But eventually I realized that I wasn´t meeting the goals I had set out for myself, and I didn´t sell my soul to the organization, so I should just do what was best for me. Its very quiet here and I¨m by myself quite a bit, and that makes me go a little mental sometimes...its not good for me. 

So I´ve decided to only spend a couple weeks here and then hit the road again! 

As soon as I made that decision, I felt so relieved and excited, so I knew it was the right thing! I didn´t realize how much I was dreading plodding through the 8 weeks I had planned on originally until I decided to leave. 

The hard part has been breaking the news to the staff here...I´m terrible with confrontation, and sometimes I´m such a people-pleaser and I don´t want to hurt anyone´s feelings that I end up backpedalling so much from what I mean that I don´t even make sense anymore. 

The two guys here have been very understanding and still want me to get as much out of the experience as I can, so I will be more involved in shadowing the manager this week I still have to hear back from the founding director, which admittedly I´m nervous about.

Meanwhile, I´m in the process of changing my flight so that I will head home from somewhere besides Caracas! Right now I´m contemplating traveling to Colombia to see Medellin and Bogota after I´ve done the two treks here in Venezeula, and then bussing down to Quito in Ecuador and possibly seeing some Amazon jungle! I´m so excited! I´ve heard so many good things about Colombia lately that I kept thinking to myself, "I´m going to have to come back for another trip to S. America", and now I am incredibly stoked to actually get to spend some time in two more countries! 

(I will still have to come back to see Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil though...traveling only makes the to-do list longer and longer!)

This will be significant for me as well, because it will be my first real solo backpacking trip! While I didn´t know anyone in Peru or Venezuela, I wasn´t really backpacking it. When you are volunteering/going to school you are kind of plugged into a specific program and centralized in one place. This time, its just me and my backpack and the open road! Kind of scary, and kind of exciting! I know my poor mother is probably terrified for my life, but everything I´ve heard and read is that these countries are very safe now, even for solo women travelers. 

So, in conclusion, I have approximately 2 more weeks here and then I´m off to see more of this beautiful continent! Wahoo!

2015

The past year has included some pretty sweet travel times, including a family vacation to Hawaii, my second season in a treeplanting camp, and a cross-Canada roadtrip with 3 wonderful people! Not too shabby for a slacker on a student's budget.

2015 is even more promising.
In fact, my upcoming adventure will begin tomorrow when I begin my journey to South America!

On December 29th, I'll fly into Cusco Peru to spend 6 weeks learning Spanish at Proyecto Peru and volunteering in an orphanage for girls. Then in February I hop on a plane to Venezuela to undertake a volunteer program with Aldeas de Paz to learn the ins and outs of NGO administration, while taking some more Spanish lessons. I will spend 8 weeks there, and then head home mid-April to readjust to North America for two weeks before heading out into the bush for my third season cooking for treeplanters in northern BC and Alberta.

It will be a little crazy and I fully admit to being slightly terrified! But I know it will be really cool, and I will meet so many fantastic people, and see some pretty nifty parts of the world...so I am also really excited! I've wanted to learn Spanish and live in a country where I can practice it for quite a while, so it will be pretty special for me to be able to do that in 2015.

I should have some basic internet access once I arrive there, but I'm not sure that I will be able to upload many photos unfortunately. We'll have to just wait and see how it goes. Either way, I'll be using this ol' blog to keep you curious people informed of what I'm up to while I'm away. Feel free to creep, but I would also love to hear from YOU! Despite the adventures, I'm sure I'll miss home sometimes :)

Anyone else have travel plans for the new year? What are some goals you are aiming for? 

"Reading" Break

So, last week was technically Reading Break: that time of year when university students are meant to be catching up on their homework and preparing for midterms. I, however, evaded my academic duties in favor of my first ever tropical vacation!

I have no regrets, but due to a need to catch up on said academic duties, posting may become a bit irregular! As well as a few photos from the vacation, I will still be finishing up the Prague posts, and eventually NYC :)

I should also tell you that I am in the very beginning stages of applying to do a semester abroad next school year! Everything is still very much up in the air, but the adventures of Regis & co. are far from over!

Breaking News!

...by the time you read this, I will hopefully have arrived safely in New York City! Surprise!

I don't think it will be this sunny and snow-free, but you get the idea.

Or maybe it's not a surprise. I've probably already told you, or maybe you heard some other way, I don't know. But if by some chance you don't know why I'm flying from West to East coast a week before Christmas, read on...

I met my world-traveling friend Steve through treeplanting last Spring, and he has connections with the Times Square Salvation Army. Last year he spent a couple weeks in NYC volunteering for them, and this year he is heading up a team of Christmastime bell-ringers. The SA is giving the team room and board at their Times Square location in exchange for their volunteer hours, and free time is spent tourist-ing!

The first time Steve mentioned it, I didn't think much of it because I have never volunteered for the Salvation Army before, and I am not involved with religious organizations in general (one exception being Camp Homewood, because it's awesome). However the more he posted on Facebook looking for volunteers, the more the idea grew and took root in my brain.

I love seeing new places, but as a student it can be difficult to find the time and money to travel. I was fortunate enough to land a short-term catering job earlier this semester which gave me a bit of flexibility in the travel funds, and this opportunity to visit New York begins right at the end of exam time and before Christmas. Additionally, bell-ringing is a simple thing that makes a big difference in funding the SA programs for those in need, and I am grateful to be able to incorporate a way to give back and do something meaningful while traveling. Everything seemed to come together to make this trip possible, and I knew I would regret passing it up...so I took it, despite some fears and reservations about wearing the red apron :)

I will write more on the bell-ringing aspect later, and hopefully post some photos while I'm in NYC. I don't know how much time I will be spending on the internet since my time there is short enough as it is, but I will definitely do a couple posts for you when I get home!

Salzburg: Bad Day 2.0

Poor Salzburg.
I really don't think it deserves the hatred Brit and I have lavished on it since our visit. It was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, ya know?

The beginning of this ill-fated visit was extreme disappointment.
I had made plans for us to stay in České Budějovice with a couple of Czech friends for two nights before hitting up Prague. I knew them from my stint working at Strathcona Park Lodge, and was very excited to see them again after a couple years, and get the city tour from the locals!

Unfortunately, through a series of last-minute panicky events and miscommunications, it was discovered that this arrangement was not going to work and we were unable to stay with them or see them at all. Hence, the disappointment.

Salzburg became the substitute that really wasn't going to make it up for me. We scrambled to find a hostel there (I believe we ended up at YoHo International Youth Hostel, which turned out to be a nice place) and arrived on perhaps the rainiest weekend of the year.
Let is also be noted that Let's Go: Europe 2011 does not even mention Salzburg. Not once. Ridiculous, I say!

I would like to state that I did try not to wallow in disappointment. I tried to enjoy the moment. It was a struggle at times, but there are some moments that I can look back on and think, ya that was nice. And there are a lot of things I can look back on and say, that really sucked, but it sure is funny to laugh about now!

Knowing that our time in Salzburg was relatively short, we wanted to see as much as possible and pay as little as possible. We considered several tours including the Sound of Judy tour, in which a lady would show us different parts if the city involved in the filming of The Sound of Music, but sing every word instead of simply speaking. I was sorely tempted, but it was decided that we would probably be the only 2 tourists on the tour, and that might be just a little too awkward...

After dumping our stuff at our hostel, we rented bikes and struck out on our own with a free city map. Brit is a marvelous cyclist and rides her bike around our home town all the time. I on the other hand have never been particularly gifted with balance, and I am extremely uncomfortable riding a bike on the street. I told Brit she would have to be in front and go very slowly.

This worked out quite well except for the time we had to go through a narrow tunnel that was also quite steep and packed with traffic. I was terrified for my life. Emerging on the other side, however, was the charming Residenz Square & Fountain. Brit loved the Sound of Music, while I professed disdain for it.

Brit re-enacting a musical scene.

We continued our self-guided tour and saw a lot of different locations from the film (Brit had to point them out to me). By this time it was beginning to rain with a vengeance. We were becoming quite damp and tired from hours of walking and biking. Our map was soggy, blurred, and torn.

Our sodden map.

We decided to head back to the hostel. And...we got lost. Not like, oh I think we missed a turn...like, I have no &!#%$ idea where we are. Ironically, while I was the moody one to begin with, this turn of events because quite funny to me because Brit became increasingly frustrated (I know, I'm mean).

Yes! The stage behind her is where the Von Trapp family sang their farewell song!
(we were not supposed to be down there)

I think we even stopped for directions once, and became more confused than before. I don't know how we got back, but we did. It took a really long time. Once we could see the hostel in the distance, Brit said she needed to ride a bit longer to cool down. She confessed later that she hasn't been that angry in a long time! I'm just glad she was angry at Salzburg and not me!

We were both exhausted that night, but things began to look up after hot showers, a much-needed load of laundry, journal time, and the hostel's complimentary screening of The Sound of Music.
Now I like that movie...go figure.

The Countdown Begins

Come Wednesday night, I will officially be done my last exam and my first year of post-secondary academics will be complete.

Next Saturday at this time, I will be dancing up a storm at a great friend's wedding reception in Abbotsford.

And the next morning, I will begin the long trek to Prince George, BC, to begin my career as a cook for a treeplanting camp.

I am equal parts excited and terrified.

This step has been a long time coming. I've toyed with the idea of heading "Up North" to cook for those poor souls for a few years now, but somehow it never worked out. Now I've finally committed, and its almost time to start.

I love camping, and I love cooking in rustic areas. But this job will take the cake for hours worked, most difficult conditions, and hungriest eaters, combined with all time record for least hours slept.

Sleep is important to me. Very. Important.

I anticipate that the bugs will be unbearable, the cold and damp miserable, the camp morale dismal, but in the end, I fear it will be the sleep deprivation that will bring me down to my murkiest depths.

I'm determined to make the best of things, but somehow I doubt that attitude will be quite as resolute when I've achieved 5 hours of slumber, and my alarm is buzzing at 4am, and there's frost outside my tent.

The first while will be a struggle as I try to figure things out and find a rhythm, but I think once my system is in place and I figure out how to best use my time, I'll be able to get more sleep and not hate my life.

But I think about how much I love my cozy bed every night as I go to sleep, and try to appreciate it as much as I can while it lasts.

May is coming.

Breaking Free From Gluten

The other night I wrote a memoir-sized post about my journey with food and weight, from small child to the present, and how its affected the decisions I make today about what I eat.
It was pretty interesting. You guys are missing out.
That's right, you're not going to read it. Why? On the internet there's this weird line that is so easy to cross, and on the other side is a gross, murky bog called TMI. I felt like that post was dipping its toe in, and that's a line I don't want to cross. It was probably therapeutic to write it all out though!

So this means you don't get to hear all about my dark and mysterious past ;)
You do however, get to read a less in-depth version on a topic that is becoming more common every day.

Gluten-free.

Growing up, I did not know what this was. I knew my friend K had Celiac disease, and that meant she couldn't eat bread, or most breakfast cereals, or...well pretty much anything. She always brought her own snacks when she knew she would be out during meal times, which were usually fruit bars, rice cakes, or sesame snaps. I felt sorry for her as I consumed delicious gluten-y "normal" foods.

Fast forward a number of years, and I was doing my culinary arts practicum at lodge in the boonies, staffed by hippies and world travelers, half of whom seemed to be "gluten free". Suddenly I was responsible to cook for these people. I needed to keep them safe from the dreaded protein that would make them sick, or even potentially kill a few of them. Talk about intimidating! Needless to say I double-checked every last ingredient   on every sauce, mix, or paste that went into my culinary creation of the day. I learned what was and was not inherently glutinous. I picked up tricks and tips on how to use gluten-free flours and thickeners.
There was only one incident that was a close call in the entire 4 months I worked there. Luckily we caught it before it did any damage to anyone, but I ended up in tears with my confidence badly shaken. As it turns out, wheat has crept its way into most  of today's food, and even drinks. Unless it is raw or unprocessed, it is likely to have wheat in it.

So, if you have Celiac disease, or a wheat/gluten allergy, it can be a bit tricky.
Sucks to be you, right? The rest of us are ok.

About a year ago I started reading a book that had recently been released and was being sold in the health food store where I was working. I was too cheap to buy it, so on my break I would wander over to the book section and read a chapter. (Heh heh heh...I know, so sneaky)

It was fascinating! It was written by a doctor who urged people to stop eating wheat. He wrote about the history of wheat, and how it has been genetically altered over the last 50 years to produce more wheat in a cheaper way (as a means of ending world hunger, btw). The proteins have been manipulated so much they no longer even resemble the original! Because this happened so quickly, there were no long-term tests on human health before it was released into the world marketplace. We can grow more wheat, at less expense? Why not?

Now suddenly (and by that, I mean in the last 50 or so years) North Americans are suffering from a wide range of health issues, and Celiac disease is becoming more common every year. 50 years ago, this wasn't a problem.

The author links the consumption of wheat to obesity, diabetes, and (the most shocking to me) mental health issues, among many other health problems. I am no expert, but this author actually is. He sees this stuff every day! And he sees the results of a wheat-free diet. And it can be quite drastic!

The book I am talking about is called Wheat Belly, by Dr William Davis and I highly recommend it.

Because I read the book over a long period of time (my breaks weren't very long, and I did have to eat my sandwich within the time frame) I was able to absorb the information slowly, which I think is the best strategy. If you read this all at once, it will be overwhelming and you won't have time to let it sink in.

It took me a while to change my mind about wheat. I was "that" person who declared  "I will never give up wheat! I love pizza and donuts too much!" But the more I read, the more sense it made. Besides, I was curious. I had remained the same not-fat-but-still-carrying-that-extra-chub for years, and no matter what I did, I couldn't seem to get the number on the scale to budge. So, in April of last year, I gave up wheat. Not all gluten, just wheat.

It is hard. But I had unconsciously been avoiding wheat while reading this book because suddenly in the face of all the destruction it could do, it didn't seem so appealing. When tempted, I thought about what wheat was  doing to my body, rather than how it tasted. It works pretty well. "Hmm, I really want that donut. But that donut will destroy my body, so I'm going to pass". ha.

Was the change drastic? No. However, I did notice considerably less bloat, I dropped a couple pounds (which I rapidly gained back during my its-too-hard-to-be-gluten-free-while-camping vacation) and I felt generally lighter. I was still eating bready products made with spelt or kamut.

Then, in Spetember of last year, I took the leap. I spoke to a naturopath about some health issues, and gluten was said to be one of the things that was doing me some damage. Or rather, it was blocking the good things from getting into me. So out it went. I packed it all up and sent it away (literally).

Within a couple weeks I was noticing my body changing. I am not a large person, so a little weight goes a looooong way on my shape, and I was happy to see about 10 lbs drop off without really trying (read: exercising. I hate exercising). Miraculously, it has stayed off. Now I just need to work on the exercising thing!

The thing that made this bearable was that it was by choice. Hypothetically, if I wanted to cheat, I could. I didn't, but knowing I could made it easier. Then December struck. Christmas baking! I decided to get into the Christmas spirit by eating some of my mom's delicious boeter koek. This was the first time white flour had passed my lips in 9 months!!
Within 5 minutes my guts were in knots. I curled up in the fetal position, ran a fever, and felt like dying all night. I could feel the "grip", for lack of a better word, for 3 days afterwards. It was brutal.
I can't prove that it was the wheat, but I'm not very willing to put it to the test. They do say that you need to be off wheat for a while, and then try it, to test for allergies. I have had traces of gluten since, so maybe its just wheat flour that I have a problem with? I'm not sure. I should probably get officially tested at some point.

The hardest things to give up have been pizza and Krispy Kreme donuts (I didn't have them often, but they were my favorites). However, I am getting used to the GF pizza crust (Boston Pizza has a decent one), and donuts are just one of those things that you dream about and you're better off without them.

So am I glad that I am gluten-free...yes. I know it is better for me, and I am healthier this way. However, if I was magically transported to Germany and that big mug of beer and giant pretzel were placed in front of me again...I can't guarantee I wouldn't run the risk of the dreaded wheat belly :)

Coming Up: My Tastebuds are Changing

Birthday Letters From the Past and Rabbit Trails

Sometimes the most overwhelming decision is not deciding which path is better, but just which one you will choose if they are both (or all!) looking pretty much equal :good, bad, or maybe just unknown.

When I am torn between choices, sometimes staying where I am seems like the best option, the path of least resistance. But then I realize it's not the necessarily the indecision that is immobilizing me, its the fear and insecurities that rise up when I take a step forward in a certain direction. Suddenly I become unsure, and the other paths look more appealing. Until I take a step towards them. I find myself stuck at the fork in the road.

Fear is never a good reason to stay where you are! Fear will keep you in a rut at the fork. You can't learn, and you can't grow when you are in a rut. You are not moving forward in a rut. Ultimately, you will not be happy in a rut. Ruts are where regrets grow.

I feel like I find myself in a rut fairly frequently. Maybe I have Life ADD, and I just get bored with the paths I take too quickly. Maybe I'm a chronic short-path chooser. I meander off on rabbit trails (for the record, there's lots to be learned on rabbit trails) and then find myself looking for a new path when that one inevitably tapers off. I've never really committed to a freeway. I've seen my friends get on freeways, whether education, careers, marriage, or other long-term commitments. The idea is equally appealing and off-putting. After all, there is a certain security in short-term rabbit trails. They either end, or you can follow a different one fairly easily, so if you don't like it there are no worries. On the other hand, you're getting nowhere fast!

I hit a milestone (in my eyes) birthday this year, and I got to open a letter I had written myself 10 years previous. I had all sorts of expectations and a mild sort of dread of this letter. I didn't remember exactly what I had written in it, but I had some sort of idea and I thought I would read it and feel I had failed my 10-years-younger-self.

As it turns out, I read it and realized I really was not that person anymore, and I didn't care that I hadn't met her expectations (some of which were really bizarre) since they were no longer important to me. And I was extremely thankful that the last 10 years had shaped me into who I am today, and had not kept me as the person I was then!!

However, the letter has set off a period of reflection for me. Shortly after my birthday I left my job (for completely unrelated reasons!), which now seems strangely like the end of a rabbit trail, and I've had a lot of free time to think and ponder about the next 10 years.  What do I want to do between now and then? Who do I want to be? What is important to me? What am I holding onto that is not? Why am I holding onto it?

I've felt on the verge of something. I feel like I need a change. A big one. Or at least big for me!
I'm tired of my old fears holding me back.
I'm evaluating the fork in the road, and I am deciding which direction to take. I'm not sure yet, but I think 2013 will have a lot of changes in it.

2013

Well, I can't say I've got off to a very aggressive re-start on this blog, but the next semester is closing in and that means I will soon be looking for a venue for procrastination. This just might be the ticket.

Since I won't be doing a lot of traveling over the next couple of months, I'm hoping to expand the blog topics to some more of the things I love...food, for instance. I love food.
You'll probably hear a little bit about what I'm learning at university too...it actually can be quite interesting. I'm beginning to understand why some people go there and never seem to leave. That was always a huge mystery to me before..."wait...you're paying heaps of money to be given deadlines to write about things that hurt your brain? oooook...whatever floats your boat." Turns out hurting your brain can get some pretty awesome results. The world really starts to expand.
Loki might make an appearance or two.
And I might revisit the old Europe trip photos and continue on with the original purpose of this blog :)
But I think we can all safely assume that the scope of this blog is going to broaden a fair bit. Probably not for the better, but hey, the whole specific topic thing really wasn't inspiring me.
Happy New Year!

Email Sent

I just sent an application to Folklore treeplanting company! I am very hopeful they will be contacting me soon.

But no, I am not crazy. I am not going treeplanting. I applied for a position as a camp cook, which is something I know is physically possible for me to accomplish! I've heard they are a very good company to work for, and have friends who recommend them, so that helps ease any apprehension I might have.

The job I am at currently was really great when I started, but things have gotten kind of crazy in the past 6 months or so, and what I thought was a "phase" has turned into "normal"...I feel it's time to jump ship. Which is really unfortunate, because it could be a really awesome place...it WAS a really awesome place...to work. But I can feel in my bones that its time to go...

Here's hoping my email gets a reply!

Regis Returns!

I'd say a year is a pretty decent length for a "Christmas Break", so now I'm attempting to get back into the blogging habit. Why? I guess because I have started reading blogs more faithfully lately as a form of procrastination, and I'm getting the itch to write for fun again.
The biggest change in the past year has been my return to the land known as "school"...which means I haven't been doing a lot of traveling lately, but putting in serious classroom time is its own kind of adventure, especially because I was homeschooled k-12, and completely avoided post-secondary academic education for the past six years (unless you count a short stint in the culinary arts, which I don't). However, my attitude towards education for its own sake has undergone a rather dramatic metamorphosis in the past year, and I found myself enrolling in two courses (English and Sociology) this fall for no other reason than I was interested in them and I was bored with working full time.
I just finished off my last projects for the semester, and starting up ol' RBF was my little reward to myself.
There is more to come...whether or not it is interesting is up to you, but I intend to keep writing through the coming year because, like I said...its a great form of procrastination, and also good motivation, during the school year.

Christmas Holidays!

Dear Readers,

I can hardly believe it is almost Christmas 2011! This year has really flown by...however, I have to say its been a pretty awesome year, filled with travel, adventures, and really great people.

I have been trying to update you with pictures and stories from my Europe trip every Thursday for the last while (have you noticed its been pretty regular lately?), but with the holidays coming far too quickly (I haven't really done any Christmas shopping yet! Isn't that terrible!) I'm going to put the blog aside until the new year, so that I have a little extra time to get stuff done! You might not know this, but it usually takes me at least an hour to  create a new post, sometimes more if my photos/photosite are misbehaving!

I wish you all a very merry Christmas! And so does Regis.

Jill

Status Update

Today was my last day of work before I head out on my adventure!
I celebrated with 2 Growers ciders (my drink of choice), and 2 episodes of Departures (North Korea).

I have "temporarily" left my job for 3 months. I am hoping to figure out a much more pleasing alternative to this job by the end of the summer, but if not...I shall return in September.
That is a soul crushing prospect.
I've really got to figure something else out.

Wish me luck!