Personal
21 Times the Burmese People Stole My Heart
Where are the kindest people in the world? It’s a popular question, and something everyone seems to have an answer to. But when I spoke of my plans to visit Myanmar the kindness of the people kept coming up. In fact, many told me that the Burmese were the nicest people they had ever met.…
Read MoreSearching for Hope in Mostar’s Sniper Tower
I scanned the buildings across from me as I walked down Bulevar Revolucije in Mostar. This street, only 22 years earlier, had been the front-line. The buildings I was looking at were remnants of war. Like so many other houses and apartments here, the walls were riddled with bullet holes. But unlike so much of…
Read MoreFat, Tall, Tanned and…Beautiful? My Surprising Experience as a Curvy Girl in Thailand
I was afraid to go to Thailand. Maybe afraid isn’t the right word, more like intimidated. When I think ‘Thailand’ I think beaches, snorkelling, and scuba diving. Which, let’s be honest, basically equates to boys with toned abs in board shorts and girls in teeny string bikinis. In case you haven’t guessed yet, I have…
Read MoreMy Top 5 Misadventures of 2015
2015 has been another year for the books. The first half was a struggle both to save and to stay sane. Having not travelled outside of Canada since September 2014, and not travelling outside of North America since April 2014, I was going stir crazy. But with an epic adventure on the horizon I knew I…
Read MoreThings to Know Before You Fall in Love with A Girl Who Travels
There’s a lot of controversy lately about us girls who travel. Some people tell you to date us while others warn you away. I’m not going to do either, it’s your choice whether you want to date her or not. But what you can’t always choose is whether or not you fall in love with…
Read MoreHas Tourism Already Ruined Myanmar?
Myanmar had been on my radar for over a year. I knew when I made my plans to come to Southeast Asia I HAD to visit, and although things were a bit up in the air with the election, and my original plan of 12 days was cut to 7, I made sure to make…
Read MoreDaring to Discover Singapore
After nearly a month in Thailand, I went through a bit of culture shock in Singapore. No one called after me asking if I wanted a massage, a taxi, or a tuktuk. There were no chickens or stray dogs in the streets. And, amazingly; I could flush toilet paper and drink tap water. I’m not…
Read MoreMotor Bikes, Waxing, Whale Sharks, and Being Stranded at a Beach Bar: The Shenanigans of Koh Lanta
After my (too short) visit to Koh Tao, it was time to hit up the west coast and do some diving in the Andaman sea. Friends in the area warned me that Phi Phi was insane at the time, so I skipped over the famous “Beach” island and headed to the lower-key Koh Lanta for…
Read MoreSpreading the Love at Koh Tao Animal Clinic
It’s no secret. Ask me what I miss the most when I travel and I’ll tell you hands down, no questions asked, I miss my dog more than anything. The first 3 years of travel I had a beautiful GSP named Kya who was my baby. I got her when I was 14 and desperately…
Read MoreDeath By Massage: My Brutal First Thai Massage Experience
“You’ve never had a massage?” My group looked at me in shock as we drove through the busy streets of Bangkok last Thursday morning. I balked a bit at the 7 pairs of widened eyes, all staring at me. “Errr nope.” I was attending TBEX Bangkok; my first TBEX, my first time in SE Asia,…
Read MoreDubrovnik, I’m Just Not That Into You
When you think about Croatia, the first city to come to mind is probably Dubrovnik. At least it was for me, and I couldn’t wait to get to this famous city. With it’s towering walls, and impressive history, I was more than a little excited to finally see Dubrovnik in real life. On paper, it was…
Read MoreSolo Dinner Gone Wrong
I have no problems eating alone at a restaurant. I do it often enough that it no longer phases me. I’ve learned to grab a seat at the bar and chat to the staff, or sit a small table in the corner with a book or magazine. When I don’t have those I’m happy to…
Read MoreConfession: I Bought a Mini Vibrator in an Irish Pub
I’d like to start this story by saying that I did not purchase a mini vibrator for personal use. Whether you choose to believe me or not is up to you (seriously though, it was NOT for me!). In fact, I didn’t want to purchase it at all but was forced to by (ready for…
Read MoreTwo Slovenian Grandmothers vs One Sweaty Canadian: The Battle of the Sweater
For anyone that’s been following along, you know by now that public transportation and I are not the best of friends. I have a nasty habit missing (or taking the wrong) busses and trains. And let’s not forget planes. I’ve missed a couple of those too. Needless to say, I’ve tried to be a little…
Read MoreExploring Tallinn: Fairy Tale Houses, Friendly Locals, and a Toy Horse Named Billy
Tallinn had been on my ‘must visit’ list for years. A random place? Probably. Especially considering most people I spoke to at home had never heard of it. But, after hearing about the Baltic city from my uncle in the military, I was pretty set on seeing it for myself. Mainly because he told me…
Read MoreTravel Memories: The Best and Worst of 2014
As another year comes to a close its fun to look back and reflect on the good (and the bad!) that came with 2014. Like every other year, I had my fair share of both during my adventures, but thankfully most of the bad have turned into funny stories rather than all around nightmares. And…
Read MoreThe Weirdest Thing I’ve Done For Travel Money
A couple months back I wrote about how I save money for all of my travels, indicating that it was all very normal and nothing creepy or weird. Well I might have lied a bit- I have done something weird for money, and I have zero regrets. Curious now? Well here’s the story. I had…
Read MorePart 2- Birkenau: Experiencing the Horror A Visit To Auschwitz Death Camp
As indicated in part 1, Birkenau didn’t exist prior to the Nazi regime. It was built in 1941 as the largest of 40 sub death camps that made up the Auschwitz complex. It was open for a total of three years, and was the place where more than 90% of the Auschwitz victims were murdered…
Read MoreExperiencing the Horror: A Visit To Auschwitz Death Camp Part 1
My day started out rough before I even opened my eyes. Whether I woke up on my own, or my pounding head did the work for me I didn’t know. What I did know is that last night was coming to bite me in the butt and I clearly had way too many vodka shots.…
Read MoreTesting My Luck in the Monte Carlo Casino
The Monte Carlo Casino is an icon, and not just for its role in many Bond thrillers. The epitome of glitz and glam, wealth and stature; the Monte Carlo Casino is a must see for everyone playing at being rich and famous in the French Riviera. Even if you can’t roll up in something this…
Read MoreOne girl And a Bunch of Scotsmen: The Un-safest I Have Ever Felt While Travelling
I spent two and a half days in Belfast as part of my 2 week Christmas market extravaganza before I went home in 2011. It definitely had a different vibe than the cities I’ve been to in the Republic of Ireland, but I liked Belfast’s gritty exterior: the bullet holes in the buildings, intimidating street…
Read MoreBreaking the Law for a little Kindness on Charles Bridge
It was my last day in Prague and I was freezing. Despite my sweater, wool coat, mitts, and scarf, the chill in the air drove right through my bones. For most of the day I stood, with a group of strangers, huddled against buildings in an effort to avoid the wind as we learned about…
Read MoreIn Search of The Loch Ness Monster
We shivered on the dock as we waited for them to let us on board, standing as close as we could to the thin chain that separated us in the wet weather outside from the, presumably, warmer and much drier interior of the boat. Typical of the Scottish Highlands, we had experienced every season at…
Read MoreDiscovering The Vasa: The Museum That Changed My Mind
I dislike museums. Really dislike museums. People think I’m insane to have been to Paris twice and not gone to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa. Even more look at me like I should be locked in an insane asylum when I tell them I have no idea if the David was incredible or…
Read MoreBlack Balsam: A Latvian Grandmother’s Medicine
Travelling is the best thing ever. At least until you’re sick. Then all you want is to be in your home, in your bed, with your mom checking in to see if you’re ok. Sadly, if you are overseas, that’s not quite an option. I learned this thi hard way after ending up with bronchitis…
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