You’d think that the more I travel, the more fun and outgoing I’d be. But I’ve realized that I am really quite boring. The other night, D wanted to go out for some drinks. Well, because it was a Saturday night. (Even though technically, every night is a Saturday night for us.) Let me explain that this is very out of character for us. Most of our nights are spent watching Netflix or working on our laptops (after all, D…
Another Not-so-charming Colonia Story
In my last post about Colonia, I may have given the impression that there was absolutely nothing else to do. That’s not quite true (I’ll get to that). And I may also have given the impression that the entire trip was happy and joyous. That’s also not quite true. In fact, on that 2nd day, hours before our return to Montevideo, I literally wanted to wring D’s neck. It all started when D only brought 2000 pesos to Colonia, and forgot…
Reflections in Transit
I write this as I sit in an airplane, on the journey back to Los Angeles from Uruguay that would take us across 5 countries in 36 hours. Read: a lonnnng and tiring day. Even though I should try to settle in for a much needed nap, all I can think about is: how am I going to meet my blogging goals this week? Believe it or not, when I first adopted my new full-time travel lifestyle, I was a…
On Approval, Criticism, and How I Know I Made the Right Choice
Approval. We all seek it. I still don’t quite understand why we feel the need to gain approval from our family and friends to live a certain way, take a certain path, or even make a certain choice. But we do. And I wanted approval to travel the world. When I first told people I was going to quit my job and travel with D, the responses were not positive in general: You can’t travel with your boyfriend unless he…
Montevideo, Uruguay: First Impressions
We sailed towards Montevideo into a gorgeous sunset, the horizon exploding into streaks of pink and gold. Is there a better way to be greeted into a new country?! By the time we docked and disembarked, the sun would have completely set and we would be met by a gust of crisp evening air. We follow our host, Greg, as we walk from the Buquebus terminal to our apartment for the next month, wheeling our luggage over the cobblestone streets. We…
Thanks for the memories, Santiago!
“You know, I think Santiago is my favorite city I’ve been to yet.” D says as we walk back to our house from lunch at the market one day. Our tummies are happy and full and we take turns sipping on a jugo natural, or fresh juice, just blended 3 minutes ago. An addiction that must be fueled daily. “Hmm really? But you’ve been to Paris and you love Berlin and Prague.” “Yeah, I do. But I really see us…
Rise, Death, and Chase of a Dream
aka. A confession: How we fund our travels aka. Another confession: When traveling wasn’t my dream I’m just going to get it out of the way: traveling was never my dream. It was never my dream simply because it was never an option. I grew up in America, and I’m Chinese, which means that “a good job = a good life” is doubly drilled into my head. Which was exactly want I had. And so I was taught to hold…
Santiago, Chile: First Impressions
“Wow, kinda a dump,” I thought as I peer out of the the taxi window. It’s just after 6:00 am and we are driving into central Santiago from the airport. To be fair, it is dark out and the streetlights cast an unnerving glow unto the old buildings and empty streets. We finally made it to Santiago, Chile! Our first destination of our 3 months stint in South America. D and I sit in the back of the taxi heading…
That Day I Quit my Job to Travel the World
I seem to have gotten myself into quite a pickle at work. I am sooo nervous, more nervous than I can remember ever being my whole life. My hands are clammy and sweaty, even as I continuously wipe them down on my jeans. My heart’s threatening to jump right out my chest. And you know the expression “scared shitless”? Yeah… no idea where that came from, for I had the exact opposite problem (but ok..TMI). For today was the day…
Obligatory 2013 Round-Up and Leftover Pictures
2013 has come and gone, and a lot has happened, although not very eventful too at the same time. I’m happy to report that I’ve been able to do a little bit of traveling this year and have gotten slightly more adventurous. I’ve already mentioned that this is the year I found a new dream, and I’m finally taking steps to make sure it happens in 2014. But a lot of this year was also bad. Apparently, I don’t deal with life-changing…