Six Days in Vancouver

I’ve been hearing about how amazing Vancouver is forever. After moving to LA, it became the best choice for a Thanksgiving trip. Anywhere in the US would be shut down for at least a day, and it’s only a three hour plane ride away. We loved it. The food is great, the shopping is chic, the nature is stunning, and the nightlife is fun. It did rain for nearly the entire duration of the trip, but it was hardly an issue. We didn’t make it everywhere but we checked most things off the list and got a great feel for the city. 100% would go back. Here is a rundown of our itinerary:

Eva in Brussels, Belgium

Eva was born and raised in Brussels where she studied Contemporary Art History and Cultural Management. As far as she can remember she was always fascinated and passionate about anything related to art and culture, but mostly about the people who have the ability to create and transmit an idea through any kind of medium. During the last four years she has been living and working in Tel Aviv and London. She started a blog, The Bubblist, to share her experience with the local art scenes while still keeping an eye on Brussels.

Art in Brussels

What is your background in art?
I’ve studied contemporary art history and cultural management in Brussels’s university. During my studies I was an intern at Almine Rech Gallery and realized that the gallery format was not for me. I also worked for film festivals, and organized my first exhibition last year in Brussels. I’m currently working for a Design Studio in London, so art and creation is always in my life.

Laos Part Deux – Vang Vieng and Vientiane

We were sad to leave Luang Prabang for Vang Vieng. We were also a little scared. Just days before, we had seen a news story that busses were being shot at along our very route. The shooters were in opposition to Chinese businesses that were buying up land in the mountains without giving anything back to the people who lived there. A local friend assured us that we would be fine, but I couldn’t calm my nerves. Luckily, it was an easy and uneventful seven hour bus ride with a pretty fun group of Icelandic boys and a couple pit stops for instant noodles and beer. In Vang Vieng, we headed to the hotel we had booked while on the bus – Malany Villa 2. It is a dump, but its very cheap and right in the middle of things.

Sara in Sri Lanka

Sara is originally from Northern Virginia, just about an hour outside of Washington DC. She’s lived in New York since college. She is a runner and a reader. She loves an adventure and a good dance party. She is an aspiring full-time traveler.

Getting Started

How long were you in Sri Lanka?
Only seven days. We could have stayed much, much longer. We had a last minute opening in our schedules so we jumped on the opportunity. We were already planning on being in Dubai for Christmas to see family so we decided to take advantage of the proximity and go for it.

Alex Around the World

Alexandra, or Alex, was born in Bern, Switzerland where her dad is from. When her parents split up, her mom brought her and her brother back to Canada, where she grew up. Currently, Alex is living and working in downtown Toronto and living it up! For now…

Background

How long were you traveling?
Originally I planned on traveling for two months, but I ended up getting home just under six months from the day I left.

Which countries did you go to?
Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Dubai, Qatar, South Africa, Switzerland, France, Holland, Ireland, England, Italy, Croatia, and Greece.

Wendy in Quebec City

This is a guest post by Wendy Bround, my mom! She grew up in Odessa, Texas and lived in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami before settling down in Madison, Wisconsin. Now retired, she is traveling and pursuing her love of the French language.

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Last June my friend and I visited Quebec City for a two-week French Language immersion course at Merici College. I had taken four semesters of French in high school and two semesters in college. After our family trip to Brittany and Paris in 2007, I was inspired to revisit the French language. Two weeks after retiring in 2011, I started taking continuing ed classes at the University of Wisconsin and audited a first and second year French at a local liberal arts college. I also traveled to the Turtle Lake area in Minnesota to attend a one week French immersion course with Concordia University adult language camps. Eventually, I met a group who wanted to meet weekly with a tutor, which we’ve done for two years now. Going to this course in Quebec sounded like a great next step! After the course our husbands met us and we explored the city together.

I Heart Luang Prabang

We arrived in Luang Prabang, Laos after a harrowing 24+ hour journey from Vietnam. Our trip started with a relatively uneventful 9 hour night bus from Sapa. Next, we transferred at Dien Bien Phu in the middle of the night to the mini-bus that would take us over the Lao border. After a few hours parked at the station, sleeping on our new bus and getting to know the others, it was time to leave.

Go To: Big Bear, California

Palm trees and permanent sunshine are great, don’t get me wrong, but I come from the woods where we have four seasons, and I think I need that. Fall in Los Angeles is the hardest – where are the beautiful colors? That smell in the air? The only reason I know it’s fall right now is because of the date. Luckily, just over two hours away from dusty LA, there is Big Bear.

Go To: Koh Tao, Thailand

If you go to Thailand, make your way to the islands. Bangkok and Chiang Mai are awesome must-sees, but the islands are the truly lax, tropical wonderlands that we seek on vacay. Rules go out the window, along with time schedules and shoes. Each island has its own culture, its own traditions, and its own unique features to explore. If you can, hop around for a wide range of experiences. If you only have time for one, decide on your priorities and find the best fit.

Go To: Seonyudo Park in Seoul, South Korea

If the weather is nice, the beautiful parks in Seoul will be busy. Families head to Yeouido Park on the Han River to play in the fountains and pools, or to listen to music and dance by the band shell. Tourists climb or take a cable car up to the top of Namsan. Beyond the gorgeous botanical gardens there, you can get in line for Seoul Tower’s Digital Observatory, the highest point in the city.