Dreaming of What Could Be

October 15, 2020

I turn 34 today and like many of you, this year has been a challenge. I have often joked that this year has aged me a decade and in reality, I feel a lot older than just 34, but here we are. Another year down, another year ahead and another trip around the sun, living in an era that seems like a constant uphill battle. This year I battled depression, removed toxic people from my life, grieved for lost relationships, and had to figure out how to fill the hole that travel usually fills within me when it was taken off the table indefinitely. All that was just my own personal journey this year, adding that alongside everything that the whole world and my own country battled: the pandemic, a fraught election year and political system in the US, fights for equality, my home city of Portland being an epicenter of that fight, and devastating wildfires up and down the West Coast. 2020 will go down as a year in history that will forever be remembered and studied. A year that tested us, a year that took us to the brink.

This year I found myself in extreme highs and extreme lows. The little things mattered more and the big things hurt like hell. I think the one big lesson I learned from this year was this: learn to pivot, learn to swerve, learn to flex. I pivoted a lot this year, from professional opportunities that came about suddenly to changing schedules at the last minute. I swerved a lot this year, from being able to change my vision of the future and be ok with it to being ok with open-ended life plans. And I was ultra-flexible this year, being able to change habits as needed and allowing myself time to feel and grieve when I needed to. Things got moved, pushed or altered and for maybe the first time in my life, I felt ok with that. I felt ok with no plan and the moments when I really did let go of that control, doors started opening. New paths emerged. If I’ve learned anything from this crazy year, it’s that it really is true that things come your way when you least expect it.

For me personally, I like to use my birthday each year as a new awakening, a new year ahead to mold, a new journey to take. This year ahead, I’m hoping will bring about a new beginning, a world headed in a better direction and a personal journey that I’m proud of. Instead of new year’s resolutions, I like to think of my birthday as my own new year and I am looking ahead at the next year for a source of growth and inspiration, holding onto what I’ve learned and dreaming of what could be.

Daytrip to Ojai from LA : Explore California

October 13, 2020

To celebrate our 15 year dating anniversary and my birthday, Nick and I were supposed to be in Europe this week. But obviously due to COVID, that trip got canceled and it was definitely a huge hit for me to not have that trip happen. Instead though, we decided to still take last week that we would have been traveling anyways and spend it in Southern California at my parent’s house in Pasadena. We worked a few days from there, but we also threw in some day trips to areas we’ve been wanting to explore in SoCal and Ojai was top of the list for me!

Nick and I snuck off on a quiet Monday morning and drove the hour and a half to Ojai, a tiny, sleepy town near Santa Barbara but about 20 minutes inland. The Spanish style buildings covered in moss, tiny little antique shops and beautiful parks were just what we needed to explore in a quick day trip out of the LA area. This town is tiny though, as in the town is pretty much one main block so it won’t take long to explore but the scenery around the area is beautiful and it feels a world away from LA.

Overall, Ojai felt a lot like Santa Fe, New Mexico to me with a little bit of Ashland, Oregon thrown in. It was an effortless little town to visit and the perfect place to just wander without a plan, showcasing beautiful Spanish style architecture and was a super easy afternoon escape away from the heat and crowds in LA.

More Explore California Posts

How to Fully Embrace the Day Trip

October 9, 2020

With COVID still lingering around the world and our movement greatly hindered as far as travel, I’ve had to get creative this year with adventures. After canceling more trips than I’d care to count due to COVID, I knew I had to find ways to still travel but to do it safely this year, so as not to loose all my travel momentum. One of the ways we’ve been able to explore but still stay safe and healthy is by fully embracing the day trip. Without having to stay in a hotel for the night, you can spend most of the day in the car or in open natural areas and then return home to your own bed that night. Win win! Here’s how to fully embrace the day trip as a great option to explore but to still stay safe in the current situation.

Base yourself someplace to explore

We’ve done day trips from our home base in Portland around the Pacific Northwest as well as using other bases with family members to explore different areas. For example, my parents live in the LA area and we’ve road tripped down there to stay with them for a week and then done day trips from their house to explore a bit more, while still not having to stay in a hotel. By staying at home or with family, you can utilize areas around your base to really explore some interesting areas that you might not have thought to explore before.

Don’t be afraid to make it an entire day affair

While I used to cringe at spending hours upon hours in the car, this year during COVID, as long as I’m getting out of the house and able to explore, I’ll drive a lot farther than I normally would have in years past. Even if your day trip turns into an all day adventure, that’s fine! We’ve done long day trips and even though you’re tired at the end of the day after lots of driving, it feels good to be home in your own bed at the end of it!

Enjoy the car ride and scenery

I’ve learned to embrace the long car rides because they mean I’m headed somewhere different. If you can learn to like your time in the car and taking in the scenery along the way, your whole trip will end up that much better!

Make it an adventure

For each day trip that Nick and I have done this year during COVID, we approach it as if we’re headed out on an adventure and that makes it even more fun! Just like that feeling of arriving at the airport, headed somewhere far away, make the day about the excitement of where you’re going and it makes a big difference. We might not be jetting off to Europe this year but getting as excited about our day trips as we would be if we were headed to Paris, makes the day trip so much fun.

The Places I Still Want to Explore in Oregon

October 6, 2020

I’ve lived in Oregon now for fifteen years and in that time, I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of this beautiful state that I call home. I’ve seen a lot of the world and I still really believe that there are not many places on planet Earth that compare in natural beauty to Oregon. This Pacific Northwest state ranges from dense forest to open deserts to cliffside coastlines. And while I’ve see a lot of my state, there are still some places that are on my travel list. Here are the places I still want to explore in Oregon!

Alvord Desert

This area of Oregon in the South Central part of the State has long been on my list but due to its location, I haven’t made it there yet. This desert that stretches for miles in the Southern part of Oregon is such an opposite landscape to what I’m used to in the North of the State, that I want to see it that much more!

Photo by David Baker on Unsplash

Wallowa Mountains

On the Eastern edge of Oregon, the Wallowa’s are known for their extreme beauty. While it’s a trek to get to this part of the state, it’s well worth it once you arrive to these snow capped peaks and dense forests.

Photo by Adrian Smith on Unsplash

Pillars of Rome

Located in the South Eastern quadrant of Oregon, almost to the Southern Idaho border, the Pillars of Rome are a rock formation that offers stunning views of the landscape in the area.

Photo via

Steens Mountains

In South Eastern Oregon, the Steens Mountains offer an incredible natural landscape. Known for it’s snow capped peaks and incredible surroundings, this spot is hard to get to but oh so beautiful.

Photo via

Oregon Dunes Recreational Park

Close to the town of Reedsport on the Southern Oregon Coast, this recreational park transports you to sand dunes of the Middle East. For beach views and sand dunes, this part of the Oregon Coast is pretty unique.

Photo by Robbie Palmer on Unsplash

10 Places to See Along the Western USA Coastline

October 2, 2020

The West Coast of the United States has one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world. From the bottom of California to the top of Washington, this part of the USA has stunning vistas, golden sand beaches and the cutest little coastal towns along the way. I’d love to someday do the entire drive from the Mexico border to the Canadian one, but while I haven’t done the drive in one go, I have had the opportunity to see most of the coastline in different trips over the years and it’s an area of my home country that really shouldn’t be missed! Here are my favorite 10 places to see along the Western USA Coastline and the places that will take your breath away.

1. Malibu

Starting on the Southern California coast, Malibu is one of those famous spots you just have to see for yourself. A little beach town, as famous as the famous people that live there, Malibu is full of cute shops and restaurants and offers gorgeous views out over the Pacific Ocean.

2. Santa Barbara

One of my favorite spots in SoCal, Santa Barbara feels a world away from LA. The Spanish style buildings with red clay roofs stretch as far as the eye can see, as tall palm trees line the streets and the golden sand stretches along the beaches.

3. Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel is a beautiful little “European” style town in the mid to Northern Coast of California. Bordering 17-mile drive and Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a must see along the California coastline.

4. San Francisco

While San Francisco is definitely not my favorite as far as American cities, it really is a must see, at least once. I prefer to stay out of the city center and spend time exploring the neighboring suburbs and beaches with stunning views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge.

5. Bandon

Perhaps one of the most beautiful places on the planet, Bandon, on the Southern Oregon coastline is breathtaking. From sandy beach dunes to cliffside vistas, the coastline in the Southern Part of Oregon rivals the most beautiful coastlines in the world in my opinion.

6. Cannon Beach

Heading North in Oregon, Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast is a beautiful little seaside town complete with shingled houses and open stretches of beach. Beautiful haystack rocks line the coastline here and create a very unique ocean view.

7. Astoria

One of the most Northern points in Oregon, Astoria is a beautiful seaside town where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. It doesn’t have beaches like some of the other Oregon beach towns but it does have stunning vistas and beautiful water views.

8. Rialto Beach

Located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, Rialto Beach is famous for its beautiful beach, complete with driftwood and ocean views. Located near where the Quillayute River meets the Sea, the rock formations here are stunning.

9. Olympic National Forest

While not a coastal town, the Olympic National Forest on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is well worth exploring if you’re driving up the coastline. It’s huge and gorgeous and it will feel like you’ve stepped into another world.

10. San Juan Islands

In the Northern section of Washington State, across the Haro Straight from Victoria, BC, you’ll find the incredibly beautiful San Juan Islands. Only accessible by ferry, the San Juan’s are naturally beautiful with lavender fields and views of orcas swimming in the water off of Northern Washington State.

Which to Choose : LA or New York

September 29, 2020

I often get the question, if you had the choice to travel to place A or B, which would you choose? Or do you think I’d like place A or B better? And to answer that question, it really depends on the destinations you’re looking at choosing between. There are some cities that many people try to choose between if you only have one opportunity to head somewhere so if you end up having to make that choice, here’s how I’ll best help you decide in this Land of Marvels series.

So, you’re headed to one of the USA’s most famous cities and you’re wondering if LA or New York would be a better choice for you to explore and base yourself?

Well… both are incredible cities but if you can only pick one, here’s my best information to help you choose!

Choose LA if you…

Love the Ocean – LA is famous for it’s beautiful coastline and beaches!
Want a more laid back vibe – you won’t get more laid back than SoCal.
Want to rent a car and drive around – LA is a huge suburb basically so if you want to rent a car and drive around to different neighborhoods, the City of Angels if the place for you.
Want scenery – The area around LA has some incredible scenery, from the ocean to mountains to national parks.
Want to take day trips to other areas of California – Within a few hours of LA there are endless places to explore California from Malibu and Santa Barbara to Death Valley National Park or Joshua Tree.
Want warm weather year round – No matter the time of year you visit Los Angeles, you’ll probably have decent weather as it stays sunny and fairy warm year round.

Choose New York if you…

Want a true big city feel – There is not city quite like NYC and if you want that environment, New York is the place to be.
Want a foodie experience – With literally thousands of choices for incredible food, NYC is a foodie town on steroids.
Don’t mind spending more money – You’ll definitely need a large budget for NYC than LA but it’s worth it!
Want a multi-cultural experience – You’ll get a look at a ton of different cultures in NY and people from all over the world converging on America’s first melting pot.
Want to walk or take public transit to explore – If you don’t want to rent a car and instead walk everywhere or jump on the Subway, then NYC is perfect to explore.
Want Seasons – For very unique seasons, New York will offer whatever you are looking for in each one.

Travel Tips : The Items I Never Travel Without

September 22, 2020

While we’re all starting to figure out how to travel again, albeit safely and regionally, during COVID, there are a few items I never travel without. Over my years of traveling, I’ve come up with this list of the absolute necessary items that I end up needing more than not and all of these items still make it into the bags I bring with me on a trip. Today I’m sharing, not only the items I never travel without, but some travel stories to go along with them to keep it real here on LOM because travel isn’t always as glamorous as travel bloggers would make it seem!

NyQuil Gel Tablets

I learned many years ago that getting sick while traveling is not fun at all, but it happens! And after many trips when we’d get sick while traveling, I learned that the only thing that makes it any better if you can medicate yourself while on the go and get a long night’s rest to help your body heal quicker. I always travel with NyQuil Gel Tablets, no matter where I’m headed in the world because if I get sick, I want to at least be able to sleep through the night!

I’ve been sick on so many trips I can’t even keep track anymore, from a horrific flu on the way home from Stockholm to having a horrible cold and bloodshot eyes on our first trip to Iceland years ago. I swam with dolphins in Hawaii when my parents first moved there 12 years ago with one of the worst head colds of my life and had strep throat (without knowing it at the time) while whale watching in the San Juan Islands. So let’s be real, getting sick while traveling happens. Keeping NyQuil Gel Tablets in your bag will at least allow you to be able to medicate yourself while on the go.

Bandaids and Neosporin

From blisters to other injuries, a little first aid kit with Bandaids and Neosporin is a must to keep in your travel bag. You never know what lovely adventures await you when traveling and having items to keep you safe and protected is definitely a must. Funny story… in December when I was coming home from Myanmar, I was in the Beijing airport after a really rough travel day when I had to go out of each airport I was connecting in (4 airports) and then go back through security in each one for some odd reason. So by this point, I had already taken 2 flights and was in my third airport of the day, going through security for the third time when I looked down as I put my bags on the conveyer belt and saw blood all over my white carry-on bags. I immediately started looking around for the source and realized that at some point in the last half hour I had cut my hand on something and created a huge gash in my knuckle and blood was just pouring out. Still being 2 long flights away from getting home and in a foreign airport, thankfully I had bandaids and Neosporin in my carry-on with me and could at least stop the bleeding on the go. So long story short, always have bandaids and Neosporin with you when you travel.

Imodium

To be completely honest, I’ve had worse food poisoning in the US and at home here in Portland than I’ve ever had abroad, but I am of the belief that I’d rather be safe than sorry and Imodium is one of the things I keep in my luggage just in case. The honest truth is that you never know what might make you sick when traveling and having something to help in that case is really important.

Chargers for All Devices

When we started traveling really regularly, I found out really quickly that it was way easier to buy duplicate chargers for all my devices and keep them in my luggage instead of using the same ones I use daily at home. I basically created a travel packet of all my chargers and that way when we’re leaving for a trip, that packet is already in my suitcase and I don’t have to do anything with it. I have an extra charger for my laptop and a few extra chargers for my phone and I love a plug in like this with multiple USB ports.

We’ve gotten pretty used to always having enough chargers for all of our devices now, but when we first starting traveling there were definitely times when we would get to a destination and be running all over cities trying to find chargers for our stuff!

Travel Kleenex Packets

You never know what you might encounter when traveling, whether getting sick or spilling something, I always have several packets of travel Kleenex in my bag at all times. When I cut my hand in the Beijing airport, it was Kleenex that I used to wipe away all the blood and clean my hand up. In Hong Kong, when restaurants weren’t giving out napkins, I used Kleenex. When you’re sick and can’t stop sneezing, Kleenex are going to be your best friend. In short, stock up on travel Kleenex and keep them in your bag always!

2 different credit cards

I try to travel with as few credit cards as possible, mostly for the reason that if my wallet ever got stollen it wouldn’t be so bad. I usually travel with my debit card and 2 different credit cards for a few reasons. My debit card is necessary so that I can get cash out if I needed to. And I always take at least 2 different credit cards because if one doesn’t work, the other probably will. I also find that abroad, certain cards are easier to use than others. For example, my Barclay Arrival card has a pin with it, which is what the rest of the world uses these days and that card is really nice to have to buy train and metro tickets as most of the kiosks around the world require a pin and chip card. Unfortunately you can’t get that card anymore, but it’s worth looking into what the options are for pin and chip cards available for use around the world. I also always take my Chase Sapphire card with me when I travel as I get double points for anything travel related.

Years ago when we went to Europe with Nick’s parents and Grandma, we landed in Paris and headed to the kiosks to buy metro tickets into the city and none of Nick’s parents’ credit cards would work for some reason. I ended up using one of my credit cards and it went through. Sometimes there isn’t really a rhyme or reason why they work or not, but in that moment, it was so important to have multiple people with different cards as they wouldn’t have been able to buy tickets at the kiosks because their cards weren’t working.

Cash

I never travel without cash, period. If I’m traveling within the US, I bring less cash but I still always have some cash with me no matter where I’m going. If I’m going abroad, I bring more cash and usually pay for almost everything with cash. I do this for a few reasons, first, it’s easier to stay on a travel budget if you know how much money you have for the trip and can count your cash as a way to figure out how much you’re spending and how much you have left. Second, a lot of places around the world still use cash as their primary mode of payment and a lot of places, especially smaller destinations, prefer to get paid in cash. And third, sometimes it’s just easier and quicker to pay cash rather than deal with credit card issues.

My tip for bringing cash is to get the local currency for wherever you’re going at your bank before leaving home. You’ll pay a lot less to do it this way than you will doing it at the airport or on arrival. The only time you wouldn’t be able to do that is if the country doesn’t have cash available internationally. For example, when I went to Myanmar in December, you can’t get the Myanmar currency outside of Myanmar so we had to get it on arrival. What’s particularly important about that situation is remembering to cash out that local currency back to USD or Euros or something interchangeable before leaving the country!

Where to Go on the West Coast if You’re Missing Europe

September 18, 2020

I love Europe. It’s one of the most interesting and visually stunning places in the whole world. And while we’re being turned away from traveling to most of the world as Americans during COVID, I have found myself trying to find places in the US that remind me of Europe, in order to somehow feel as if we’re traveling abroad. Even though the places on this list are definitely not in Europe, sometimes, even just a remnant of that feeling of being there can help cure some of the wanderlust many of us are feeling right now. So if you’re craving an escape to Europe, here’s where to go on the West Coast if you’re missing Europe!

Leavenworth, Washington

This little town nestled in the mountains about 2 hours outside of Seattle is where to escape if you want to enjoy all things Bavarian! Modeled to look like a German Bavarian town and serving German food at most of the restaurants, Leavenworth is both scenically beautiful for where it’s located but also an amazing escape to feel like you’ve been to Germany for a few hours.

Mt. Angel, Oregon

Home to an Octoberfest festival every year (well maybe not this year with COVID), this little tiny Oregon town about an hour South East of Portland is a quiet little escape that has a German feel. Fill up on German sausages and beer in Mt. Angel for the afternoon and it will feel a bit like being in a beer hall in Germany.

Solvang, California

Wishing you were in Denmark for the day? Head to Solvang, a tiny little hamlet about an hour and a half from Santa Barbara, tucked way up in the mountains. The drive to get to Solvang reminded me of Provence actually but then when you arrive in the tiny Danish town, you’ll immediately be transported to Scandinavia. It might be cliche Scandinavia, but I’ll take it!

Napa Valley, California

Want to drive through winding roads through vineyards and cypress trees and lavender and feel like you’re in Tuscany? The Napa Valley area of California will get your European fix. Couple that with castles that double as wineries and cute little towns and great wine, if you close your eyes, you can pretend you’re soaking up the sun in Tuscany.

Oregon Coastline

I have long said that I think the Oregon coastline is one of the most beautiful in the world, but parts of it also feel like rugged parts of the coastline in the UK and Scotland and that’s comforting. From stunning cliff vistas and rocky shores, put on your wellies and pretend you’re on the shore in St. Andrews, looking out at the Atlantic.

Poulsbo, Washington

For all things Viking, head to little Poulsbo on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington and you’ll feel transported to Norway. With beautiful scenery and a little downtown known locally as “Little Norway,” Poulsbo is an amazing escape that’s just about an hour outside of Seattle.

Fires All Around

September 14, 2020

As I sit here writing this post, looking out the windows from my house, the sky is orange, the air heavy with a thick smoke. It smells like I’m next to a campfire, even when indoors. Ash is falling from the sky like snow. People are loosing everything they own and their houses are burning down. Entire cities and suburbs are being evacuated. This is Oregon right now, with fires all around.

If you haven’t seen the news about Oregon and the entire West Coast right now, please take the time to understand what is going on. The wildfires burning right now, specifically in Oregon, aren’t burning just forests as we do tend to have in the Summer. These fires are burning towns to the ground. These fires are on the outskirts of major towns and cities in the state. Currently as of writing this, we have almost 1 million acres of land burning and 500,000 people are on evacuation orders. To put that in perspective, that’s 10% of Oregon’s population. Another way to look at it: that’s basically half of Portland on evacuation orders.

This wildfire season will go down as the worst we’ve ever had to date. The loss of land, of property, of life will be the worst on record. But I fear that those “worst’s” are just going to keep getting worse each year ahead. Climate change is creating this system where each year it keeps getting worse. Fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, every year we brace for worse to come. Each year we pick up the pieces afterward but we don’t make any real changes to fix what might be coming in the future.

Fifteen years ago when I moved to Portland, it rained several weeks of the Summer. It was actually kind of a joke in that people moving to Oregon knew that it basically rained the whole year. Now, fifteen years later, I can count on one hand the days of rain we’ve had this Summer and in the last few Summers previously. That’s climate change. And we must do something about it. It’s threatening our lives, our businesses, our homes. And it’s getting worse and worse every year.

I am so devastated by what I see around me in Oregon right now. Family members being evacuated, skies orange with smoke and flames. Towns gone, wiped off the map in a few hours. Homes burned, natural landscapes charred. The destruction is everywhere we look. I wish I could look outside at blue sky and green trees. I wish I could walk outside and breathe in a fresh breath of Pacific Northwest air. Instead, I see thick bands of smoke, air quality that is the worst in the world (seriously), and an orange haze that reminds me every minute of every day that there are fires all around.

Don’t Push Travel Off until Later

September 11, 2020

I have been struck several times through 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic with thoughts of how grateful I am that I pushed myself to travel so much this past decade. Never in my life did I envision a day where I wouldn’t be allowed to leave the borders of the United States, when it was literally forbidden to enter some of the countries I hold dear or to explore the world beyond my own country. Never did I think that travel would, literally, be off the table.

Before 2020, I had visited 30+ countries, countless cities, seen world landmarks and explored both on the beaten path and off of it. Exploring for me was a lifeline, a passion that I hoped would continue my entire life. Now, do I think travel will eventually return to our lives? Yes, absolutely. But will it be the same? No, I don’t think it will. I will forever be thankful for my travel experiences pre-2020, exploring the world without a mask and breathing in the air at Machu Picchu or standing without a worry in the world under the Eiffel Tower.

I have found myself thinking a lot about this notion that so many push off travel until later. I hear people all the time say, “I’ll travel when I retire.” “I’ll travel someday.” And the thing is, as we’re witnessing first hand right now, it may not be there. The places you want to see may not be the same. The places you want to explore might not be open to you, depending on where you’re from or how healthy or not healthy you are. The places that we hear stories about may be illegal to visit depending on what state our political relationships are with other countries around the world.

Today on 9/11 particularly, it’s vital that we acknowledge how much the world has changed in just the last couple decades. When 9/11 happened almost 20 years ago, I remember it vividly. But what I also remember was the sudden onset of the hate towards Muslims. I remember the bigotry and the violence that was aimed at a general population of people that was just as distraught as everyone else at what had happened. I remember my friends and later, my students, going through enormous amounts of hate from that one single day that they had absolutely nothing to do with. I remember how for a while, traveling abroad, with Saudi Arabia stamped as my place of birth in my passport, began to hinder my movement and brought about lots of questions. I remember being pulled aside in the Amsterdam airport to be triple searched and I remember being stopped at the Canadian border and questioned way longer than the other cars as the officer threw question after question at me and Nick, trying to make us prove something. All of that and more over the years, happened to me, a white woman that doesn’t look Arab at all, so imagine for a moment, what that one morning on 9/11 did to a generation of people who look Arab when they were traveling around the world. That one morning on 9/11 changed our world in so many ways and travel and free movement was one of the many casualties of that day for many people.

Just like 9/11, 2020 will be another moment in time that changes everything. People will be looked down upon when traveling going forward, whether that means that Americans will once again be looked down upon abroad because of our handling of the pandemic. Or whether it means that people from Asia are more harshly criticized because the virus originated in China, even though the Chinese people had nothing to do with it and suffered just as much as the rest of the world. 2020 will be a moment in our history that will change everything again and I’m sure travel will be entirely different going forward.

I hope that we get to go back to traveling like we used to, but I just don’t think it will be the same. And while we can reminisce about the “good old days” when we could cross almost any border and explore a new horizon without a mask covering our faces, we must also acknowledge the changes and do our best to come back as better travelers. If you were one of the people who kept pushing travel off into the distant future, I urge you to reconsider. Travel now, travel when you can, travel frequently. See this big beautiful world before we can’t anymore. Take this reminder of 2020 that nothing is guaranteed and we don’t know what else is ahead.

When the borders open up and we are able to travel safely, I’ll be back on those planes heading somewhere far away, looking to the horizon and watching the sun rise on the other side of the world. I’ll be back exploring when it’s safe enough to do so because in the end, I don’t want to look back on a world that I never got to see, I don’t want to look back on a life where I kept pushing things off until they weren’t possible anymore. My advice to you as someone who will be forever grateful that I had so many travel experiences around the world pre-2020, don’t forget that we’re fragile, that sometimes waiting means never doing something at all. Sometimes pushing things off, waiting around until it’s the right time, means that you by-pass amazing experiences and intriguing people that could have altered the path of your life. So once it’s safe to travel again, book that ticket, go and see the places you’ve always wanted to because we might never get that opportunity again.