I Want To Ride My Bicycle

I've been telling myself for a while now that I wanted to get a bike. I haven't ridden since elementary, or maybe junior high school and I thought it was time to get back out there and I finally did it!!

It happened to be quite cold and I was busy with a lot for about 3 days after I brought it home and all I could think about was how much I wanted to ride and couldn’t. It actually worked out ok though because in the time I was waiting to be able to ride Ryan also bought himself a bike and now we can enjoy them together!

The bike I found is a Schwinn Sanctuary 7 and I absolutely love it!!

Ryan and I have been cruising all around the area where we live and we've found some really great spots. Last night we even spotted 2 beavers working on their dams!

We also stumbled on an old overgrown campground within the city, I think it would have been a really awesome places before the city grew around it.

I was a bit concerned when I bought my bike that I wouldn't be able to ride it, or at very least it would end with a few scraped knees. Much to my surprise, and pleasure, it really is quite easy. You know what they say, "It's like riding a bicycle," well, it really is.

I'm happy and confident while riding around and all the little benefits keep me excited! Exercise, getting outside, fun and exploration.

Riding around has become one of my favorite things to do. I try to convince Ryan almost every day that we should go out, rain or shine. And one of these days I'm going to strap my picnic basket on the back of my bike and have the most charming bicycle picnic!

I think we will be taking the bikes camping and to BC this summer when we go. I'm pretty excited to cruise around the coast and around the national parks. The summer is looking good!

Summer 2016 Travel Hopefuls

As is always the case, traveling has been on my mind lately. I spend my time day-dreaming of far off lands, and some not so distant places. These are the places that top my list and I'm hoping to get to at least a few of them this year!

I was really hoping that this would be the year I FINALLY get to go to Iceland but I'm not sure that it will be. I'm not giving up hope yet though! Ryan doesn't get as much vacation time as me and I would feel bad making him take a big trip that meant missing work and pay. It is also possible that I could make this the solo trip I mentioned at the beginning of the year. We will have to see where the year takes us and if I can find a great seat sale!

Instagram photo by @the_kafka

What we have decided on is the Canadian West Coast. Vancouver Island to be specific. It'll be our first trip to somewhere that neither of us have been before. We will be driving there and probably camping which helps to keep the cost down. I'm hoping to leave on a Saturday and return the following Sunday which allows for a longer trip but missing only 5 work days. 

I've been looking up places to go and things to see and I've gotten really excited about this trip. The coast looks absolutely beautiful.

Instagram photo by @beckylynnsim.

Before coming up with the idea to road trip to BC I was feeling hopeful toward a few other locations. Both Hawaii and Nova Scotia had AMAZING seat sales. Round trip to the islands for $400 and road trip to Halifax for $250. I've been kicking myself pretty much every day since I didn't book those flights. I'm not so secretly hoping that another great deal comes around and I can still go..  to both..

A little more locally now, I need to hike, camp, canoe and explore within Alberta. Jasper, Elk Island, The Icefields Parkway and Crescent Falls top my list. 

Elk Island is the perfect afternoon getaway; a quick drive, no over-nighting required and plenty to do.

Jasper is, as always, a perfect mountain town with perfect surroundings and I love it.

Crescent Falls, which I don't think has ever been on this blog before (except our quick stop a few weeks ago) is my favourite place to camp. You can put your tent up a stones throw from the water and listen to the river rushing all night. The hiking is amazing and offers the most incredible views. And of course, waterfalls, lots of them. Finding nearby Abraham Lake would be great too!

The Icefields Parkway was incredible when Ryan and I drove through it before. It's the kind of place that makes me want to stop every 5 minutes to take pictures. I would love to explore it further and maybe get to Peyto lake!

And (finally?) the less-known parts of Saskatchewan that are, believe it or not, not flat. Table Mountain and Great Sand Hills look like great adventures. Sand Hills offer "desert like" conditions within Saskatchewan and 1900km of active sand dunes. I'm sure I'll get all the sand in my eyes, but it'll be worth it!

Instagram photo by @cecile_maillard

I suppose that's it for now, even though I want to see all the places. One day I will. 

Capsule Wardrobe - Spring edition!

Having lived with my first capsule wardrobe for 3 months now there are a few things I've learned:

•  It feels pretty much like it did before
•  Because the items I chose to keep were things I loved, I rarely felt limited
•  Some tweaks were necessary because Edmonton got unusually warm, unusually early this year
•  I’ve finally reached the point in life where I want quality over quantity. I’m willing to spend a bit more on pieces that I love and that will actually last. 

And now, because that's how it works, it's time to change it up for the new season! Spring means lighter fabric, brighter colors and retiring some of the heavy and warm clothes until they are needed again.

I started shopping around for new items near the end of March. Mostly just browsing online, seeing what was out there.
Eventually I did order a few things from one of my favorite online shops; Modcloth. I told myself that if I didn’t completely LOVE the things I got they would have to go back. I’m leaving no space in my closet for things that don’t make me feel great.
Early in April after the package arrived and I decided on what would stay and what would go, I did a bit more shopping around here to find other pieces.

My spring time additions:
-[Modcloth] Blue striped sleeveless top

-[Modcloth] Grey polka-dot top --> Sent back (Super cute, but looks like a maternity top on me..)

-[Modcloth] Plaid sleeveless top --> Sent back (Didn't fit)

-[Modcloth] Blue top --> Sent back (Not what I expected)

-[J Crew] Anchor button-down

-[Lululemon] Black leggings
-[Reebok] Colorful running shoes (Similar)

 -Black slit-side T-shirt

Things I would still like to add:
-Shoes:

• Comfy casual shoes (Converse)
• Nice flats for work
• Ankle boots

-2 more tops:

• Light fabric, colorful, short sleeves or sleeveless, maybe ¾ sleeve

All of my mitts/scarves/hats have been put away, my winter jacket is out of sight and my boots have no other home so they are organized but still out. Most of my sweaters are put away too.

Unfortunately some of my favorite items have seen better days and it’s looking like time for them to go. I’m going to have to say goodbye to at least 2 pairs of shoes, 1 pair of boots and a few tops. I suppose when you have clear favorites that you wear constantly for several years the time will eventually come when they just don’t cut it anymore. I had a pile of clothes sitting on my floor for a while now too, trying to convince myself I would still wear them and I haven't. They will all finally be going as well!


My final item count for spring is 30 items!

10 Eye-Opening Travel Experiences

ONE) Trying new food sometimes seems scary, but it’s mostly rewarding! If you are anything like me then you may not be very willing to even try new things, you’ve already decided you don’t like them. You should get over that. Since going to Greece and falling in love with the food I’ve been really open to new things and it has paid off!

TWO) How you pack is so important! In today’s world of Instagram and Tumblr, where looking good and getting that perfect picture while wearing the perfect outfit in front of the Eiffel Tower is more important than taking in all the history surrounding you, people tend to over-pack. Let me tell you, as someone who did over-pack (for a totally different reason) it is a serious hindrance. There were times where I felt so overwhelmed by what I had to carry around that I couldn't enjoy the journey. Part way through I ended up paying 100Euro to mail stuff home. Moral of the story; pack as light as possible.

THREE) Seeing the sun and stars from somewhere else in the world is a new experience every time; I remember looking up at the stars from the desert in Arizona and somehow they seemed totally different, like I’d never seen them before. Watching the sunrise in Greece was new too, when do we allow ourselves time in daily life to watch and appreciate the beauty of a sunrise? When there is no skyline blocking the view or light pollution to swallow the stars the natural world around you is so much more beautiful.

FOUR)  Getting lost is a fact of life from travellers. Sometimes you will be lost with a forty pound bag on your back when you haven’t slept in 2 days and you will want to sit on a curb and cry until you can figure out where to go. Other times you will allow yourself to be lost, you are prepared to walk until you get anywhere and if you never get anywhere then you will get somewhere. Getting lost can be really enjoyable if you let it.

 

FIVE) Your language, whatever that may be, is not THE language. You will never know how much you take speaking, reading and even listening for granted until you can’t anymore. You know when they say “English is the universal language” it really doesn’t mean that everyone everywhere knows it and that it shows up on every package and sign. Take it as an opportunity to learn a new language, or at least a word in a new language.

SIX) Eventually you will be really and truly alone, even with hundreds of other people around you. I wasn’t expecting this, and I was very uncomfortable with it at first, but eventually I could open my eyes and truly see what was around me. Valuable life lessons are learned when we can be appreciate our own company.

SEVEN) Over-planning a trip is a wasted experience. Allow yourself the freedom to discover what you would have otherwise missed. Deciding you MUST see the Eiffel Tower: Great. Deciding you must visit the Eiffel Tower on a Wednesday between 2 and 3pm and that you have to go to Laudree for Macarons before and then be at the Louvre for 3:35 at the latest so you can make dinner at La Fontaine de Mars by 8 is a wasted opportunity. Walk places. Stop when you want to. Skip things that don’t interest you, even if the guide book says it’s a “must see!” Allow yourself every freedom.

EIGHT) When you see an icon, whether it be ancient or from a black-and-white movie you watched with your Grandma, it will blow your mind. When I walked around a corner in Athens with no destination in mind and found myself looking up at the Acropolis I was speechless. Built over 2500 years ago, how is this standing here in front of me now?  I’ve still not been able to wrap my mind around it.

                             Yes, I consider Mummies iconic

NINE) You will fall in love. Maybe you meet the person you will spend the rest of your life with, maybe you fall in love with edible insects, or perhaps with a country or city; I am certainly guilty of that. But what got me the most was falling in love with the travel experience – Wanderlust. When I got home and realized it, I was knocked off my feet. Having seen that piece of the world and been so affected by it I wasn’t sure what to do with myself in ‘real life’ anymore. Prepare yourself for that, you will probably never get over it.

TEN) No matter what happens, home will always be home. And no matter how much you love to travel, having somewhere to go back to (whether it be your parent’s house or just your home country) will always be a welcome comfort. You may not feel ready for your trip to be over, you may be planning your next trip before this one is even over, but for whatever short a time it lasts you will love your home just as much as you love the rest of the world.

My Wanderlust Routine

Maybe it's strange, but when the wanderlust sparks for me and I really need to go somewhere there are a few things that take over and must been done. To be honest, I do most of this on a daily basis..

1. Search flights. Do a specific destination, during a certain timeframe or just checking out what kind of deals are on.
I've recently discovered the Hopper app and I absolutely love it!! It monitors the flights you are interested in and gives notifications when the price goes up or down. It also has a predictor that lets you know what the expected pricing changes may be.
WestJet, my standard go-to airline has also just released their "Low-Fare Finder." Instead of searching for a specific date, now you are able to se an entire month at once and see what days have the cheapest flights for a certain destination. Check it out, here!

2. Check Pinterest and Instagram for pictures that inspire and fuel me. With Pinterest I usually get some kind of click through that will also tell me "the 10 best places to eat in ____" or "must see beaches in ____." It's a fun activity for me. Instagram allows me to see beautiful photos from all around the world, sometimes helping me to discover somewhere I've never heard of. If you are an Instagram-er too you can follow me: @danihub

3. Try to convince someone around me that we should go/it's vacation time/lets book immediately. It rarely works though so I just have to repeat steps 1 and 2 until I've seen so many photos and flight prices that I can be somewhat satisfied for a while. Plus, if I've searched for flights far enough in advance then I get to convince myself that it can still happen!

Inevitably this "routine" always leads to me finding a new place to add to my list of "must visit" locations, even more online searches and the cycle continues.

I really love this whole thing actually. Making plans, or coming up with ideas for future getaways is a really pleasing way to spend my time. You may not think it's a very productive but I find it to be the most basic version of world exploration. And in case you were wondering, yes, I'd love to help you plan your trip too...

A spontaneous mountain drive

The day always comes when you have to go home, and here it was. We didn’t have any plans for the day but I hate going home early and wasting a day that could be spent exploring.

We eventually decided to check out Banff, since it is so near to Canmore, and see what it had to offer. We found a good parking spot, turned a corner and ended up right on the main street. This is the best place for shopping, eating and people watching in Banff. That being said it is also very busy. The mass amounts of people that clog the streets remind me of being in Europe. Honestly, I love it.

We slipped in and out of the shops, occasionally toying with the idea of a purchase and then moving on. Most shops that caught our attention could be found in the malls at home.

You know what can’t be found at home?? Cows Ice Cream. Born on Prince Edward Island, most of the locations are located there but Banff is home to the only Cows in Alberta!

I believe my flavor was “Brownie Explosion” and Ryan had “PEI Strawberry.” Both were excellent. In fact, I may have finished half my scoop before we left the store..

Ice cream in hand, we made our way back into the cold crowded streets and did a bit more window shopping. A short ways down the road, back at the car, we tried to decide what to do next. I still was not ready to go home. I wanted to go to the hot springs until Ryan made an even better suggestion. Drive the long way home and stop at Crescent Falls.

Crescent Falls is near Nordegg and it’s my absolute favorite place for camping and hiking. It also has some pretty beautiful waterfalls.

As it turns out, it’s also only about 2.5 hours up the road from Banff. Unless you go the other way, back through Canmore, then somehow its 3.5 hours. So we drove from Banff to Canmore, realized it was the ‘wrong” way and went back to Banff to find the right road.

This way takes you through the Ice Fields Parkway, a place I don’t remember ever being, and it’s incredibly beautiful. If you ever drive this way make sure to give yourself plenty of extra time because every corner you turn offers another incredible view and picture opportunity. I found myself quite amused by the amount of snow here too. Canmore had barely any and then all of a sudden everything was covered in deep snow, until we came out the other side and it was all gone again.

Before we came out the other side though, we found one spot that I couldn’t resist stopping at. Everything about it was amazing. We had to go down a steep shale covered slope so that we could climb a big rocky hill and really appreciate what was around us. I could have stayed there all day. However, I was freezing my buns off so we climbed back down and back to the car. A quick look at the map told us we were only 18 minutes from Crescent Falls, so off we went again!

The dirt road down to the falls is slow and muddy and winding. Occasionally, when another car passes, you have to be uncomfortably close to an edge that goes a long way down. It’s worth every moment of it.

At the end of the road we walked down a big hill to get to the top of the falls. I’d never been there in winter but it’s just as lovely. A frozen waterfall has a certain appeal, different than a summertime fall, but appealing no less. Ryan didn’t want to climb down the steep slope to see the falls from the front so we took a few minutes up top, decided to return in the summer and then went back to the car again.

After 8 total hours of driving we finally made it home. This trip was so great; I can’t wait to try it again in the warm months!

Hiking the Bow River

The perfect start to our second day in Canmore was doing something we don’t often do. Sleeping in.  Really sleeping in. 4 hours longer than we usually do and that still had us up before 10.

Our hotel had free hot breakfast so we took full advantage of that, even knowing that we were going to get juice when we finished.

After eating we got ourselves dressed up for hiking and packed a bag with a few warm layers, snacks and water bottles. When we first set out it was a bit cold and we were concerned that the day would be less than ideal for walking around, but by the time we walked down Main Street and got our juice it was already warming up beautifully and we were excited to get exploring.

The trail we planned to take starts just at the end of the road along the bright blue river. Instead of taking the paved path we went down a small ridge to walk along the rocky shoreline. Spending time by the river with the mountains in the not far distance was such a lovely way to spend the morning. We eventually ran out of shore to walk on and had to climb up the bank between the trees where we found ourselves back on the ‘proper’ path. Not seeing much more ahead we turned back to explore the rest of the path on the opposite side of the bridge where we started.

This side was much more exciting. We climbed a giant set of stairs up the side of a mountain and found some really amazing views. We explored the area up top for a while before making it back down the stairs to continue following the river.

Just further up we crossed a bridge leading to an island where we abandoned the path again in search of our own route. We found more views and soaked in more sunshine while exploring and then eventually thought to check for any geocaches in the area. There turned out to be one very near to us on the island so we searched it out, signed the log book and moved on back to the main trail.

Across another bridge again we got to the opposite bank and a path leading back into town, fortunately, since it was late in the afternoon already and we hadn’t eaten lunch.

We quickly walked back to the hotel, stripped off a few layers and ditched our backpack before going in search of food.

Along the way I couldn’t resist stopping to buy myself the leggings I’ve been drooling over. I had to be quick about it though because Ryan was about ready to pass out from starvation.

We chose to visit Grizzly Paw for lunch. It’s a local brewery/restaurant and it looked like a great place to try out.

Because neither of us drink we got the soda they make instead. Ryan got a burger and fries and I got a Caesar salad and poutine! It was a really great meal.

After lunch we went for another walk in search of a garage sale that we had seen a sign for earlier. We didn't find it but since we weren't looking far anything in particular it wasn't a big deal. 

Back at the hotel we sat around being lazy for a bit (and feeding bunnies!) until Ryan suggested we look for another geocache that was just down the road. It was barely 2 minutes away from us but in an awkward spot overlooking a swimming pool. Considering all the kids in the pool it may not have been an ideal place for someone to hide it. We found it and got away as quick as we could..

From there we found that a couple more caches were around and so we went to collect them. None were very difficult so it was a pretty quick trip. Actually, the highlight was walking underneath a train bridge on our search just as a train was unexpectedly passing above. I screamed and we both ran out. Even though it's perfectly safe it seemed very wrong to be under there!

With our adventures finished for the day we stopped to pick up a late snack before going back to the hotel for bed. 

Only one day left in this trip!