A Wandering Sole

A Warm Welcome to Chiang Mai

// November 30th, 2010 // 11 Comments » // Thailand

We were so bored after hanging around Vientiane, Laos for a few days while we waited to secure our 60-day Thailand visas. If entering Thailand by land, they only issue a 15-day visa compared to a 30-day visa if you arrive by plane. After getting our visas at the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, we grabbed our bags at the hotel and made a run for the border. The overnight trip to Chiang Mai required taking a tuk-tuk, taxi, another tuk-tuk, a local bus, a sleeper bus, and a sawngthaew. It was  uneventful, with the exception of meeting this creepy German guy who builds bamboo houses and thought he was leading the way for innovative architecture (no, he’s not even an architect). Once we arrived and found a room, we made plans to meet up with all of the fun residents from Team Chiang Mai later in the day. A quick walk around our neighborhood within the Old City took us through a local food market, and we also found a cheaper place to stay the remaining nights. (more…)

Montage Monday: Planning My RTW Trip

// November 29th, 2010 // 6 Comments » // Photo of the Week, Trip Planning

Just over a year ago, this is what the top of my dresser looked like. I wanted to take off for an 8 month around the world trip and a.) Am the most indecisive person you will ever meet and b.) Have a not-so-secret love for the library. I could go anywhere I wanted in the entire world, pending that it fit within my budget, and found that to be one of the most exhilarating parts of planning my trip. I checked out lots of guidebooks and travel related books from the library because it was free and because I was there pretty much every week. Sadly, I’m not as avid a reader as many people I know,  but I just love the idea of having all of these books at my fingertips. On my lunch break, desperate to get away from my torture chamber (aka my job) I’d flee to the library. I’d hit up the travel section, and if I had time, I would visit art and architecture, non-fiction, and new releases. Travel books + Library = Bliss

And in case you were wondering, Bhutan was at the top of my travel list, I just couldn’t afford the government mandated travel costs! However, I will gladly accept a government sponsored trip (hint hint Bhutan).

RTW Travel: The Last Stop (Part Deux)

// November 26th, 2010 // 5 Comments » // Oregon, Travel Review

Reunited at last!

Note: This is a follow-up to my first post on my trip to Portland. To read the first post, click here!

Oh how I love a good surprise! And, you may have read that I made a stopover in Portland on my way home last week to surprise my best friend. It was fantastic! I know many of you are dying to hear the details, so here’s how it went down. (more…)

Gobble Gobble… Home for Thanksgiving

// November 25th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // America

I went around the world in  8-1/2 months. And the best part? I lived to tell about it AND I made it home in time for Thanksgiving. Although I don’t have all of my family with me this Thanksgiving, it doesn’t mean I’m any less excited to eat delicious food. And, scarily enough, since my mom had back surgery recently I’ve been promoted from my usual role as sous-chef. Really, I’m clueless about cooking a turkey but my new title as head chef just means I will put the turkey in the oven and pull it out when I’m told. So while I’m making a mess of everything in the kitchen (let’s just hope I don’t catch the turkey on fire), I hope you’re sharing the day with loved ones and stuffing your face full of scrumptiousness!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Montage Monday: Stained Glass, La Sagrada Familia

// November 22nd, 2010 // 4 Comments » // Photo of the Week, Spain

La Sagrada Familia: my favorite cathedral and also one of the top five most inspiring pieces of architecture that I’ve seen to date.  Gaudi draws inspiration from nature and organic shapes which is apparent in the ‘tree canopy’ inside the cathedral. Anyone who tells you it’s not worth the entry fee is either a.) lying or b.) not an architecture fan. I found it so inspiring that I just stood in the center of the cathedral and spun circles until I could get a grasp on the overall structure. Places like this remind me why I went to school for design, and I can’t wait to post more photos. If you visit the cathedral, be sure to take the elevator ride to the top and walk down. Beautiful!

Confessions of a Backpacker

// November 21st, 2010 // 22 Comments » // Travel Reflection

“Just remember, if you run out of clean underwear, you can always turn them inside out.”

This was the last piece of advice my dad gave me before leaving on my around the world trip, much to the dismay of my mother who gave him the look. You know- that look that anyone who has been married 30+ years can give to their spouse which will be completely disregarded. Little did my mother know, I would be taking my dad up on his advice. There are many things about my trip that are probably best left unpublished on the World Wide Web- but, being ‘professional’ (aka serious) just isn’t my style, and I like to keep things interesting so it’s time for me to go to travel confessional. (more…)