The Swedest Time

We are back on the road again after 9 days in the Nordics; a quick 2 nights in Oslo and then a full week in Sweden. Meghan has family friends in Sweden that took us in and spoiled us for a wonderful week of relaxation.

[Oslo, Norway]

With the exception of the last 2 days which we spent in Stockholm, we stayed the week in Falkoping, a small farm town in the southern part of the country. Our days were spent at the gym, boxing and doing yoga, and watching movies by candle light while drinking hot chocolate and eating ginger bread cookies. It was very sweet. Our host, Linnea, could not be any more of a doll and she made sure we were enjoying ourselves. Her entire family took time to make us feel welcome and proudly show us around their towns. I'm always amazed at the generosity of others and so grateful that I have these opportunities.

[Our adorable hostess!]

If you kept up with my blog while I was in Asia then you know I love me some relaxation time! I think that's been the hardest adjustment while traveling in Europe. It is constantly go go go and with only a few days in each city we are always on some sort of agenda...even if that means wandering aimlessly for hours which is usually what we do. I miss my multiple hour spa treatments and days spent laying around on the beach in south east Asia. Maybe hopping on a scooter and finding a waterfall to jump in or spending a day bathing elephants. I fell in love with traveling for many reasons but the main one was that it caused me to slow down, to stop planning. Coming from the northeastern part of America I naturally live a very fast paced life. Always something to do, somewhere to go, someone to see. During my 7 months in Asia, I adopted a different mentality. One where I didn't make plans more than one day in advance and even that felt constricting. Because prices are so cheap and they don't change, there was never a need to book onward travel in advance. I could take my time enjoying my surroundings and when I felt ready to move on, I would book a ticket to the next destination. Europe is different. Tickets have to be booked in advance for risk of the price inevitably increasing. Which means we have limited time in each place and I feel guilty if I ever waste a day lying around and doing nothing. It's an adjustment for sure but I am still having a ball- Meg makes me cry laughing on a daily basis, she's on a roll with the jokes. And 5 days in Sweden where I didn't feel the pressure to be sightseeing and crossing things off a list was exactly what I needed.

But then we got to Stockholm and immediately I felt upset that I didn't have more time to explore. Only 36 hours in the city and I completely fell in love with it. Despite the temperature being too low, I really didn't want to leave. But as I keep telling myself, you can't see everything. The most important thing to me is that I can wander around and just get a feel for a city. Of course certain places have some attractions that are a must see/do but for the most part I am done with playing tourist. It's not who I am and I don't enjoy it. And yes there is a major difference between and traveler and a tourist.

[Made some friends at the Viking bar]

So another morning waking up before sunrise to get to the airport and now we are in Prague. We are both exhausted from traveling and lack of sleep so we didn't bother checking out any of the city today. However we have encountered some not so friendly locals and learned that beer is cheaper than water. We'll see what the next few days have in store for us!

[Here's what a true traveler looks like ;)]

Berlin is Bae

Before embarking on this trip I had many people asking me which city I was most looking forward to. Unsure of the answer to that question I almost always replied with "I don't know..I'm pretty psyched for Berlin." I try not to have expectations about a place before I get there but we all know that isn't as easy as it sounds. So naturally after all of the stories I'd heard, my expectations for Berlin were pretty high. And as often happens, my expectations were exceeded. Berlin has been my favorite city thus far and I'm totally bummed to be leaving.

Where do I even start? For one, Berlin is the vegetarian capital of the WORLD. If you know me, you know how much I love food and how excited I get when there are veggie options everywhere. Add to that all of the yoga studios, insane street art, and a party scene like no other and you've got one kick ass city. On top of that, Berlin offers some stunning architecture such as the Berlin Catherdral which leaves you breathless when it first comes into your view. It is a huge city which consequently means a lot of people but because it is so spread out, you never encounter a massively crowded sidewalk or a stampede of people rushing into a subway train. In Berlin there is plenty of space to breathe and feel fresh air rather than feeling suffocated by the masses.

It wouldn't be proper if we went to Berlin and didn't experience the nightlife. Berlin boasts one of the top clubbing scenes in Europe, and quite possibly the world. There is something going on every night of the week. Or should I say morning... Clubs don't open until 11 or 12 at night and everyone knows you never go right when they open. Things don't really get started until about 1am and they don't end until a few hours after the sun has risen. 

We lucked out getting a hostel in a prime location. Situated right between the trendiest neighborhoods, Frederichshain and Kreuzberg, we were only a short walk to the major clubs, the best food, yoga, and the Berlin Wall. We also lucked out that although we booked dorm rooms, we were the only 2 checked in and ended up having a huge room to ourselves. We borrowed yoga mats from reception and started every morning with a little music and movement. As with every other city we've been to so far, we met up with a local friend of mine. This beautiful doe eyed German from my yoga training in Bali was such a delight to see again.

I can't say enough good things about the city. It is so unique and pulsating with creativity. And the fact that I fell so in love with a city that was cold enough for me to need a hat and gloves one day is really saying something. I couldn't get over how cool all of the street art was. Almost every building has some sort of art or graffiti and instead of looking trashy, it is like stepping into an art gallery the size of a city. 

Although I'm not typically a fan of imitation meat, the currywurst is a must try while in Berlin and since they offer a vegan version of it, I had to try it. Verdict: not the bomb. The falafel on the other hand...to die for.

Sadly our time in Berlin was way too short and we're off to the land of the genetically blessed...aka Scandinavia. After only 3 hours of sleep and sleeping through our alarm, I woke up in a panic realizing that our flight left in less than 2 hours. We threw our bags together and jumped in a taxi telling the driver to get us to the airport as fast as possible. We made it with time to spare.....a lot of time to spare. After boarding the plane and immediately falling asleep, we woke up to find that we were not in fact in the air en route to Norway. We were still on the runway. Luckily the flight wasn't very full and we each had our own row of 3 seats to curl up in the fetal position as the plane sat idle on the runway for another hour. What was, I'm sure, a very irritating morning for our fellow travelers turned into a pleasant 2 hour nap for Meghan and I. Then we de-boarded the plane and they cancelled the flight. We did our best to get on the next one but as I don't speak German, communication is difficult and we got booked onto a flight at 8pm instead. So nine hours after first arriving at the airport....we are still here. Trying desperately to stay awake for another 3 hours until we board and finally head to Oslo because we both know if we attempt to nap in the terminal we will most likely miss our flight. So on that note..time for more chocolate!

Walking Circles in Amsterdam

Amsterdam was exactly the break I needed after our jam packed days in London. Arriving at Rose's apartment I finally felt like I was home, even if only for 6 days. It was amazing to be able to rest and not feel guilty that I wasn't out seeing every inch of the city. Sometimes you have to accept the fact that you can't see everything and although you have a hunger to explore, your body and mind both need a rest from time to time. Our days in Amsterdam were the perfect balance. We toured the city for hours, ate all the quintessential Dutch foods, sipped coffee next to canals, stepped back in time in the Van Gogh museum, and went clubbing until sunrise. But we also laid around the apartment, sat outside in the park, and wasted hours doing absolutely nothing. It was perfect.

I had been dying to get to Amsterdam for months after meeting so many Dutch people in Asia. I developed a mini obsession with Dutch culture and find them to be the most laid back and at the same time forward thinking country. I'm not sure exactly what it is but I just love the Dutch! That love has grown since visiting the country firsthand and I found myself wondering how I could feasibly move to Amsterdam. It was cool to feel like I lived in the city, learning the back roads to and from the apartment. Although once in the city center we found ourselves constantly walking in circles. I'm usually a very capable little navigator but Amsterdam quite literally threw me for a loop. I let Meghan take the reigns one day and after one too many right turns we realized we were standing in the same exact place we had just tried to leave. I resumed my leadership role shortly afterwards but can't say I was much better at it.

Our last full day in the city was spent eating. We had a list of essential foods to tick off of our list, mainly French fries, cheese, and chocolate. Amsterdam supposedly has the best French fries in the world behind Belgium. We googled the best fry shop in the city which can be found down an inconspicuous alley with a line around the corner and practically bulldozed through the crowds to get there. They offer an array of condiments and toppings; we went with mustard, pickles, and onions. Genius? Maybe.

The Dutch do not mess around when it comes to cheese. You can find a cheese shop on practically every corner in Amsterdam and they have everything from herbed goat cheese to lavender flavored smoked Gouda. We got ourselves a nice brick of smoked goat cheese to take with us on the train to Berlin. Three days later and we still have cheese left over. I wish I could bring myself to give it away to someone so that I'd stop eating it but it is way too good. And have I mentioned stroopwafels?! They just might be the most delicious cookies I've ever had. They are more or less mini waffles filled with syrup. They are what I imagine heaven must taste like.

Sadly, our time in the Venice of the north had to come an end and Monday morning saw Meghan and I on a train from Amsterdam Centraal headed to Berlin..... With a block of cheese, a bottle of wine, crackers, chocolate, and Dutch cookies. Why not travel in style right?

London Living

My first time in London and I was not disappointed. I love big metropolitan cities where you can feel the energy buzzing around you. London reminded me a lot of NYC, one of my favorite cities on earth, but with the added draw of foreign accents, rich history, and beautiful architecture. Plus bright red double decker busses and a subway system that could not be any easier to navigate (can't say that about NYC)

We didn't have much down time in the city as there is SO much to see and do and we had only 5 days to tick all of the sights off of our list. I also have quite a few friends in the city that I met during my time backpacking through Asia. It was so nice to reunite with familiar faces and recount all of our Asian travel memories. I have to say, it made me really want to go back to the Far East.

My friend Jenna was gracious enough to let us crash at her apartment right in central London for the week. We couldn't have asked for a better location or a nicer place to stay. We did have an issue with our air mattress which must have had a hole in it because we both woke up in the middle of the night with our backs touching the ground and our feet in the air. Every time we moved we felt like we were on a water bed. It made for a pretty hilarious scene in the morning:

Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, London Bridge, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, art museums, Abbey road, you name it we saw it. We even managed to get to a show with a friend of mine who is a music agent. It was in a big warehouse in a more underground part of the city that we certainly wouldn't have gotten out to if it weren't for her inviting us to check out the band with her.

The food in London is delicious. Being such a melting pot of different ethnicities, you can find every type of cuisine in the city and it is all authentic. While I felt like I might have shed a few pounds in Ireland, I definitely gained them in London. I lost count of all the falafels we ate and times we went out for Indian food. And it doesn't feel right to be in Britain and not have tea and cake. 

 After 5 days of non stop walking around the city, sightseeing, and meeting friends, Meg and I were pretty exhausted and ready to get to Amsterdam and chill for a few days. We were sad to leave London though as we had such a great time in the city. I will definitely be back!

A surprisingly easy 10 hour bus ride took us across the channel to France and up through Belgium into the Netherlands where we are currently relaxing at my friend Rose's apartment. I've just come back from a 90 minute hot yoga class and am feeling relaxed. Traveling is the most amazing experience but it's so necessary to find order in the chaos. I'm grateful for my yoga practice and daily runs that keep me sane and grounded during a time when nothing is consistent. 

Touchdown Europe, One Week on the Emerald Isle

Five months at home flew by and suddenly I've packed up my backpack and hit the road again. This time I'm taking on Europe and I've got one of my best friends who decided to come along for the adventure. Sometimes I question my sanity, leaving my comfortable life at home for one of constant travel, in and out of hostels or sleeping on couches, on and off of busses, planes, and trains but the second I arrive in a new destination I'm filled with the same sense of excitement and wonder as a child on Christmas morning and I remember why it is that I've chosen this gypsy lifestyle.

The first country on our trip is Ireland. Having found a ridiculously cheap flight from Boston to Dublin we figured it made sense to start here. I have a bunch of distant cousins scattered around Dublin and Cork and we were fortunate enough to have them take us in. Our landing couldn't have been softer as the two of us were completely spoiled this past week. Wendy, who is my second cousin once removed(?), and her husband Frank, took us into their home and we basically became their pseudo children for 6 days. We ate like queens and enjoyed every minute of it, knowing soon enough we'd be on our own and the meals on our budget wouldn't be quite as nice (or filling).

A day trip to the Cliffs of Moher was our first chance to see the stunning scenery this country has to offer. I always say that my photos don't do these places any justice; there is no comparison to seeing them with your own eyes. 

We had a great time in Dublin visiting my family, catching up with a few old friends, and drinking our fair share of Guinness. After 6 days in the city we hopped on a bus and headed south to Cork. We were greeted off the bus by another cousin of mine and showed all around West Cork. The uncharacteristically beautiful weather made for the perfect sightseeing day. The landscape in this country is breathtaking. We drove along the Wild Atlantic Way which is miles of windy roads passing by glowing green hills set against the backdrop of a calm and sparkling ocean. It is absolutely gorgeous. I was happy to get to the tiny town of Glandore and be able to see where my great grandfather grew up. It's always hard for me to comprehend how people can live in towns with a population of less than 100. It is beautiful to visit but I for sure would go crazy.

Today was our last full day on the Emerald Isle, tomorrow we fly to London for some bright lights and big city livin. We couldn't leave without taking a trip to the Jameson distillery this afternoon which was actually cooler than I expected. Meg and I have been very conscious of our wallets especially with overly expensive London in our near future and we are becoming quite familiar with the feeling of hunger. An empty stomach isn't the greatest thing to bring to a whiskey tasting! Needless to say we went straight to a restaurant for an early bird special after the tour.

It's been a fun 8 days and a nice relaxed start to our trip but both of us are ready for London and some city excitement. Just hoping we can afford to feed ourselves :) Time for some royal sights, late nights, and maybe a little Spice Girls. 

As the Irish say, Slainte!

Time to Go

After 3 quick weeks in northern Thailand I'm already back in Bangkok packing my bags and preparing to leave for the last time. I am flying home to America the day after tomorrow after seven months in Southeast Asia. I can't even get my head around the fact that I'm going home. I've been gone for so long it just doesn't feel real. I can't imagine myself not living out of a backpack, staying in each place for less than a week. Part of me is excited, I can't wait to see my friends and my family and I have a lot of exciting things to look forward to this summer. The other part of me is sad. The experiences of the past seven months have been life changing and I'm anticipating some major culture shock when I get back. 

This morning I checked out of the guest house where I had been staying in Chiang Mai. The lovely Thai woman behind the desk gave me a big hug and told me twice that she loved me and was going to miss me. I stayed there for 4 nights. This genuine kindness is typical throughout all of SEA and is what I love most about this part of the world. Yes the scenery is stunning and the food is delicious but the real story of Southeast Asia lies within the people. Never in my 25 years on this earth have I met more generous, warm, and friendly people. I have not once felt unsafe here, something I can't say is true even at home. There is a gentleness amongst the people here that just doesn't exist in the western world. We are too focused on work, money, and status that we have completely distracted ourselves from actually enjoying our lives. We spend our entire lives working so that if and when we make it to 65, then we can enjoy ourselves. But the purpose of life is to live. I know for me, it is not meant to be lived in one place or doing one thing. I have confirmed what I already knew, the American Dream is not my dream. I will forever value new sights, smells, and sounds over a new car or money in the bank. I appreciate the luxuries that home has to offer but I recognize that they are just that: luxuries. They are not necessities. While I am looking forward to a full wardrobe and my own bedroom, I know it won't be long before my feet are itchy and I'm ready to carry my life on my back again.

Although I don't feel ready to go home at all, I have tried unsuccessfully 3 times to refund my ticket and it looks like it isn't meant to be. So in 2 days I'm flying across the globe and settling down on Cape Cod for a few months of summer while I plan my next adventure. I'm not quite willing to give up this lifestyle and I am fortunate enough to have a home on a beautiful island where I can continue to live laid back and care free all the while making and saving enough money so that the second the temperature drops I can be on an airplane. 

I often get overwhelmed thinking about all of the places I want to go. I know that I have plenty of time to go everywhere but my western mind wants instant gratification; I want to go everywhere now! Before I left home I thought that this trip would get the travel bug out of my system and I'd be ready to return home and resume "real life"- get a job, get an apartment, etc. I didn't even plan to be gone very long, I figured 3 months would be my max. But here I am, over half a year later and still trying to come up with excuses for the airline to change my flight. It seems wanderlust is in my blood and it isn't going anywhere. The question is, where am I going?! I guess I've got a few months to figure it out..

Asia has been nothing I expected and everything I needed. I am going to miss this place so much. Reading back through all of my posts I notice a very evident theme, gratitude. Traveling to 7 different third world countries opened my eyes to a different type of living. I have been constantly reminded of how fortunate I am to live a life full of opportunities and I intend to take advantage of them. I am so grateful for these past months, for all of the amazing people I have met, places I have seen, and things I have done. It has been the greatest adventure and I'm excited to see what life has in store for me next.

America, here I come!

Livin La Vida Laos (and Vietnam and Thailand)

Six weeks in Vietnam flew by. After Rose and I parted ways I reluctantly booked a tour to Sapa. I hate doing organized tours as they are never as fun as exploring a place on your own and don't allow for much spontaneity but I found an insanely cheap price and decided to take a chance. Upon arriving in Sapa at 6am after 8 hours on the bus, there were a few local guys ready to pick up passengers for their various tours. Naturally, my name was not on any of the lists they had and after sitting on the curb for an hour after the last person had departed I was starting to wonder what the hell I was going to do. I'd met a German guy on the bus the night before who was smart enough to only book the bus and instead rent a bike and explore the town on his own. So I counted my losses and joined him for 3 days of motor biking through misty muddy mountainside rice paddies. We stayed in the tiny valley village of Lao Cai and met the sweetest locals I've come across. The husband and wife at our guest house were so friendly and helpful and ended up contacting my tour company for me and getting them to fund my stay. I swear I have the best karma. We spent the 2nd night across the street at another guest house and I'm still regretting not taking a picture of the old lady who ran it. She was toothless and adorable and the only sentences she said were "tea Vietnam" when pouring our tea and "Sapa brrr" when accurately describing the weather forecast. 

After experiencing the cold in Sapa I was excited to get to Cat Ba island where it would hopefully be sunny and slightly warmer. I had no such luck, the island was chilly and foggy and more or less deserted. Once again being on my own, I found the place eerily quiet and decided to spend only one night. I made the most of my time on the island by renting a motor bike and finally after 6 months I drove one all by myself!! It was shockingly easy and I'm now contemplating buying a scooter to zip around on Cape Cod this summer. And despite the fog I still had stunning views of Halong Bay and the enormous limestone karsts.

{Ignore the selfie stick and instead focus on the crazy limestones in the water and the fact that I'm on a bike by myself}

Back in Hanoi the following night I knew that my time in Vietnam had come to an end. Saying goodbye to my favorite country wasn't easy and I was nervous that the rest of my trip wouldn't compare. With sadness and excitement I boarded a flight to Laos, deciding that the 30 hour bus journey was too much to handle, and jetted off to my 7th country of the trip. 

{Flight got cancelled 10 minutes prior to departure though and I got one final night in Nam!}

Arriving in Luang Prabang I had no idea what to expect and was very pleasantly surprised. The city was quaint and quiet with a touch of a French influence. April is dry season, hot season, and the end of tourist season so the city was quieter than usual but I enjoyed a few relaxing days after being caught up in the hustle and bustle of Hanoi. I visited the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen, ate at a $1 vegetarian street food buffet every night and did yoga overlooking the river and mountains. I found myself a little bit bored after 4 days of relaxation though and booked a bus to Vang Vieng. 

4 hours in a mini van winding through mountains was slightly torturous and once I arrived in Vang Vieng I was so nauseous I had to go straight to sleep. I planned to spend 4 days in VV and ended up getting stuck for a full week as often happens on my travels. The landscape in Laos is beautiful and there is no shortage of activity in Vang Vieng. A pub crawl on tubes down a river, swimming lagoons, cycling, rock climbing, hiking there are lots of adventures to be had in that town. There's also lots of cheap street food and bars that play marathons of Friends and Family Guy all.day.long. It's a stoner's paradise so being lazy is quite easy as well. I found a nice balance of active days and lazy nights and was lucky enough to meet a group of friends in my hostel who quickly turned to family.

Two weeks came and went in Laos and before I could blink my eyes I was back in Bangkok, eating pad thai, drinking Chang, and spending hours at the spa. After 2 days in Bangkok, I reunited with a Dutch boy that I met during my travels in Vietnam and we headed north to Chiang Mai for Songkram (Thai new year) celebrations. The city shuts down for 4 days for this water festival and it turns into an all out war zone. You can't walk down the street without locals dumping buckets of water over your head and foreigners strapped with water guns spraying you down. It's really difficult to describe it, I don't know any country that has any sort of similar celebration but it is quite literally a 4 day water gun fight with an entire city. I spent every day roaming the streets armed with my hot pink Hello Kitty super soaker seeking revenge from every person that aimed in my direction. 

We just arrived in Pai and are planning to rent bikes and explore the surrounding area. I only have two weeks left on this amazing Southeast Asian journey and I plan to spend them all in Northern Thailand relaxing by a pool, doing yoga, eating delicious food, trying Muay Thai boxing, and of course spending the last of my budget on unnecessary clothing and accessories. It's going to be very difficult to leave this continent but knowing I have an excited welcome crew of friends and family will make it a bit easier.