The beginning stages of our travel planning…

Destination: Southeast Asia

As some of you may know, my husband, Tanner, and I have been working hard and saving money to travel and volunteer abroad for quite some time. Over the last few days, we’ve made tremendous strides in our plans.

We’ve decided to focus our first trip in Southeast Asia to suit our smaller budget, our love for natural settings, tropical weather and diving, and to take a much needed break from the western lifestyle and go off the beaten path to observe new cultures. I’ve wanted to revisit the coral reefs in the Philippines and to share the unforgettable diving experience with Tanner. Also, I have extended family in the Philippines who I can't wait to visit and introduce to my new husband. :)  And I’ve always wanted to volunteer in marine conservation, see the stone temples of Angkor Wat, experience a Full Moon party on the beach in Thailand, and to get back into travel photography. And Tanner simply can’t wait to learn and travel overseas.

So we took all of this into account and put together a rough itinerary according to our budget. We will be on the road starting January 2012 for at least 3 months. We plan to volunteer and participate in marine research and conservation for at least 4 weeks on the island of Koh Rong, Cambodia with Marine Conservation Cambodia; then continue our adventures through Southeast Asia; spending up to 4 weeks in Thailand, and 4 weeks in the Philippines.

There are many things to consider when planning a trip so every few days or so I will post updates and share what we’ve learned along the way. So expect to see more travel oriented posts in weeks to come!

I can fly!!!

Working towards my dreams of becoming a Cirque Du Soleil peacock performer…

You Are An Explorer

You are an explorer.

Your mission is to document and observe the world around you as if you’ve never seen it before. Take notes. Collect things you find on your travels. Document your findings. Notice patterns. Copy. Trace. Focus on one thing at a time. Record what you are drawn to. Take photos.

We are all visitors to this time, this place – we are just passing through. Our purpose is to observe, learn, grow and love. And then, we return home.

All I ever want is to live in a little shack by the sea…no car, no TV… just you and me.

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011

This year sure flew by fast while at the same time it feels as though I’ve been in California for years. I had no problem assimilating to my new home, I had always known I was made for California. No doubt, this was a year of tremendous growth and change. A transition year, if you will, because 2011 is sure to bring new opportunities and even bigger changes. It’s already in the works. But first, here’s 2010 in review

This year I (in no specific order):

Turned 27.
Followed my heart.
Packed my bags and bid farewell to all my dearest friends and family.
Started my new life and new job in California.
Cried myself to sleep.
Fatefully opened an account with Chase which is where I...
Fell in love with a boy and quickly discovered that he was the one.
Made plans to marry him... but all of this not til after I...
Had my heart broken.
Gave him another chance.
Let go of regrets.
Got matching origami crane tattoos with my best friend.
Tattooed another cherry blossom behind my ear.
Pierced my lip 3 times til it finally healed properly.
Attended 5 big outdoor music festivals and too many concerts to count.
Saw over 50 bands/musicians live.
Took an epic road trip down the Pacific coastline on highway 1.
Camped for 3 days in Indio, CA for the ultimate Coachella experience.
Heard Thom Yorke perform "Everything In Its Right Place" for the second time.
Danced like no one was watching.
Snorkeled with leopard sharks and sea lions in La Jolla Cove.
Visited Lake Tahoe 3 times.
Took a spectacular 72 mile drive around Lake Tahoe.
Witnessed a double rainbow over Lake Tahoe and pondered what it meant.
Witnessed a shooting star with someone special from inside a tent.
Saw dozens of whales in the ocean off the coast of Monterey.
Camped in the Sequoia National Forest and gawked at the largest living things on Earth.
Watched the most beautiful sunset I've seen to date from the top of Moro Rock.
Watched many beautiful sunsets over the Pacific.
Learned to paddleboard in Half Moon Bay.
Conquered Class III rapids in the American River.
Watched the Star Wars series in its entirety.
Paid off my credit card debt.
Fulfilled my real life Incubus music video on the beach.
Got spit in the face by a very belligerent llama named Ula.
Raised a snail family.
Adopted a new family member and named him Sir Darwinius the Gray, Prince of Westlake.
Viewed original Banksy street art in the Mission just a few days after he visited.
Dressed as a super hero and partied with other crime fighters at a street fair.
Moved in with my fiancee in the city... Daly City, that is.
Learned to play "New Slang" and other favorites on the ukelele.
"Visited" DC for the first time.
Attended the Future of Web Design conference in NYC.
Took a nap on a park bench saturated among autumn leaves in Central Park.
Visited Texas for the first time.
Shot a gun for the first time.
Met my fiancee's friends and fell in love with my future in-laws.
Established a sense of "home" on the west coast with my extended family and my new family...

In 2011, I am...
Arriving in Maui within 12 hours.
Marrying my true love.
Seeking a career in marine/wildlife conservation.
Moving abroad.

When there's nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire.

Truer words were never spoken. I can’t tell you all how liberated I feel. Knowing that the last few months I’ve taken some huge risks. It took me so long to get over the fear of other people’s perceptions and expectations. I spent far too many years trying to fit into some sort of model that wasn’t me. A business casual job, relationships that I knew wouldn’t make me happy, but I stayed regardless. It took so long but once you let go of the fear and just embrace what it is you love, everything becomes so clear. I am not sure why it took til this past year to figure all of this out but I know that I have been on cloud nine since my move to California. It’s not as hard as you think. Let go of the fear, the rest will follow. I just knew that I just wasn’t cut out for DC and I was sick of banging my head against the wall to make it work. I knew there had to be more to life than the false sense of security I found in shallow relationships and the endless rat race to climb the corporate ladder. Life is so short, I want to do so many things and I know that I will and I’ve already begun… and I have never been happier.

My Good Luck Charm

I may have "settled" meaning I have a job and I have unpacked my bags for the time being but that sense of wanderlust is never far away and it rears its beautiful, glorious head at all times reminding of the world that is waiting out there for me.

So where are we going?

Life Lessons

Every day on my way to work, I walk past a cute little quaint art and paper store. Each time I pass the window, I notice a canvas bag hanging on display with the following quote:

"Find life experiences and swallow them whole. Travel. Meet many people. Go down some dead ends and explore dark alleys. Try everything. Exhaust yourself in the glorious pursuit of life."
- Lawrence K. Fish

I've always been drawn to such greeting cards, magnets, mugs etc. These items are simplistic as simplistic can be, the back drops are black or white and the writings are in the opposite color but what draws me to them are the words written on them... such beautiful words.

Most of the words come in the form of quotes and some of them have really touched my heart. This is because not only could I relate to the simplistic beauty of the words written on these things but I could also learn from these words.

I am definitely going through a stage of my life where I am learning so much about myself and the world around me. Even though this stage can be trying at times I am happy. I am happy because I see so much developing in my life. Only a few months ago I had no idea where I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. This is such a departure from where I am right now.

Although I have been reminded lately that my path is not one that is "traditional" whatever that may mean I could not imagine a better path than the one I am on. When I started this blog and this new found spirit of adventure less than 2 years ago the reason behind it all was because I always have known there was something bigger out there for me than the natural American progression through life and this has proved more and more true for me as time moves on.

There are so many experiences I have yet to engage in, so many places I have yet to see... I hunger to participate in this life of mine... to taste every experience to its fullest. And this is exactly what I will search out until this ache of mine has dissipated.

California Sun by Jem

Well I feel like I'm lost in time
Watching the world go by
Everything looks the same
Tired of playing games

It's been getting me down
I know what I need, what I need
California sun
California sun
California sun is calling, is calling me

Now I don't know what I'll find
Just want to get in the car and drive
It's time to escape the shade
Been living too long this way

It's getting me down
I know what I need, what I need
California sun
California sun
California sun is calling, is calling me

Leave my worries behind
Start a new life
Where no one knows me
It's just what I need

California sun (12 times)