#kanda2014 in Croatia

I'm prettttttty sure my mom gave up all hope for me inheriting her love of travel the spring break of my freshman year of high school. We spent 10 days in Italy and I pouted through the Sistine Chapel because I wasn't with my friends in Panama City (in hindsight, what friends?) and she cried over me being an ungrateful brat. Understandably so, and she really ought to have just slapped me.

 

The good news is that 10+ years later we alternate jealousy of the other's wanderlust and upcoming trips. Last year after I up and went to Iceland, I created a travel bucket list. Thus far I'd call it a raving success. I spent 9 days in London and then into Scotland, checking off #7 on a list of 7.

 

 

 

And now, just a few days into 2014, I'm already planning for another check off the old bucket list. My bestie & I have booked a 11 day trip to Croatia, flying from Atlanta to Zagreb, picking up a rental car and spending 2 days making our way to Split, where we will hop on a boat for 7 days to explore a few islands on the Dalmation Coast. The sailing ends in Dubrovnik where we stay overnight and then spend 18 hours traveling back to Atlanta. Maybe this is cheating but it's my bucket list so who cares: I am counting the week on the boat as equivalent to my bucket list goal of spending a week on the beach and giving myself a pat on the back.

 

Even more exciting, Croatia has made several lists for being a top place to visit in 2014. For once, I might be ahead of the curve. Let's not get used to it.

 

Have you already made big travel plans for 2014?

The City of LOVE

For the second year in a row, I spent the last weekend in October in Philadelphia. One of my best friends from work is in his 2nd year at Penn, and another one just started, so I was able to see 2 of my favorite people in 1 weekend. We celebrated Halloween dressed as a cookie (with a mouse counter-part a la if you give a mouse a cookie), a Wal-Mart employee, and a minion (with many other minion counterparts). We started the night catching up and reminiscing while getting ready, went to another friends apartment for a little pre-party, and then scurried off to the big party. 1,000+ MBA students in a large club... crazy things can happen. We found ourselves in the middle of the dance floor yelling and screaming and jumping and dancing and singing along. I had yellow smiley face stickers with me due to my costume, and successfully "stuck" everyone around me. In fact, people were coming up to me and ASKING for stickers. My costume was a complete and total success, and I'd highly recommend. Vest purchased here, stickers purchased here. I wore a sparkly white Old Navy t-shirt and a pair of shorts, plus my favorite boots. Comfortable, a little revealing but nothing skanky, and creative. Checks all 3 of the boxes for a Happy Halloween!

I woke up on Friday and knew my friends had schoolwork and other commitments, so planned to spend the day with my girlfriend who flew in from London. We met up for lunch and paraded around Philadelphia. We took each other's pictures in front of the LOVE landmark, had way too much fun viewing the Liberty Bell, poked around on the country's oldest street, and then deemed ourselves tourist-ed out and plopped down at Khyber Pass Pub on 2nd Street for a couple afternoon cocktails. I had taken the day off work, and usually taking 1 day off means not really taking a day off at all. This time, though, I didn't check or respond to emails, I didn't take phone calls, I enjoyed a true vacation day. Let's be clear, I certainly paid for it later, but at the time it was worth it to be completely present with a delightful friend. At the end of our afternoon, another friend picked us up on her way home and we headed over to their absolutely gorgeous loft in Fishtown. I gotta tell you, the more I hear and see of Philadelphia, the more I love it. In part because it's completely different from Atlanta and the south, and in part because so many people that I love live there.

 

Friday night I found myself back with my work friends for a family dinner and the most entertaining game of Cards Against Humanity. We stayed up far later than we should have laughing until we were crying, rolling on the floor because our stomachs hurt from the belly laughs the game brought on. It was the best medicine I could have imagined, being completely uninhibited with friends who take me for what I am, love me no matter what, and push me to be the best person I can be.

 

Saturday morning we woke up late and lazed around. Anna had to go in to work, Andrew had a paper to write, David & Ali had beer games to attend, and I had a brunch to be gettin' to! The girls all met at Honey's where we gabbed, ate, spilled coffee... all the things you'd expect. After brunch we meandered over to Whole Foods to pick up the necessitites for a homecooked dinner, grabbed a fresh juice to make us feel like we were eating healthy, and decided to check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We spent a solid 2 hours in the museum looking at the art, nearly getting kicked out twice, laughing until our sides hurt, and just genuinely enjoying a Saturday afternoon with no plans, no places to be, no agenda... just being. It was glorious. We literally got kicked out of the museum at closing time, and of course no trip to Philadelphia is complete without a detour to the Rocky steps and statue. Somehow it didn't surprise me that there was a huge line waiting to get a picture in front of the statue, so we killed some time taking group pictures in front of the museum. It was the perfect time of night to capture our silly friendship.

 

It still blows my mind that I met these women on a soul-searching trip to Costa Rica, and they have somehow etched their ways into my life, into my every day. Sometimes you meet people and have a connection, but as soon as that event is over the connection fades. Not this time, and for that I am so thankful.

 

The trip continued on from there - another night in cooking dinner and spending time together. Another brunch with friends and old coworkers. Mani/pedis and shenanigans. Fried pickles on a plate. Moving my flight back 4 hours just to grab the last remains of the weekend. And a businss class upgrade on the trip home, on top of a weekend that already had more cherries-on-top than I could have imagined. It's weekends like this, both home and away, that remind me of all the goodness in my life.

 

This fall has been tremendously challenging. Going back to school, traveling way too much, losing my grandma, weddings, birthdays, work overload, and so many other things. Sometimes, all it takes is a word, or a picture, or a memory, to remember that every single minute is worth it because I love what I am doing, I love the life I am so privileged to live, and I chose it. I chose where I am, who I am, and who I'm doing life with and I have pretty darn good taste. <3 p="">

The right kind of weekend

I've been MIA and I owe y'all a bunch of updates but for now all I can think about is how excited I am to be spending the weekend in Philadelphia. I have had a hellish 4 weeks between work, class, my grandma passing away, doing homework, group projects, and traveling extensively. I'm just mentally, emotionally and physically spent. I had no idea I would be feeling this way when I planned my trip but sometimes timing is awfully uncanny...

These dudes are some of my favorite people around and I'm actually thinking I may cry seeing them. I'm tearing up just typing this! I can't explain it but you know those friends...the ones that just like you for YOU and ask nothing more than for you to be YOU. That's them. 

And then, if that weren't enough, 3 of the girls I met when I went to Costa Rica live here and another is flying in from London. I mean, y'all, FROM LONDON!! FOR ME!! And the others but come on. Costa Rica was such an incredible, life rebuilding experience and I can't wait to catch up with these ladies. 

This weekend I have such high expectations and I know they will be met 1000 times over. 

Happy Halloween!

Friday Favorites

 

Visiting these jokers for Halloween. It's going to be friend super overload and I.CANT.WAIT.

 

 

Orange is the New Black. Hop on the bandwagon, it's worth it.

I found a Groupon although secretly I still want the BaubleBar one.

 

 

Etsy finds. (thanks Whitney)

 

 

 

Owl decor. This little dude sits on my mantle. I have another one from Typo on my dresser in my bedroom, and can't forget my ($50) Scottish owl pillow that I had to have. Obsessed.

 

 

 

Your turn!

 

Pura Vida

Sorry I disappeared. I've been busy!

 

 

My dream came true. I visited Anamaya Resort & Spa in Montezuma, Costa Rica for 7 perfect days. Rather than try to document my entire trip, I'll give you a top 10 list and lots of pictures.

 

10. Two 25 minute flights in a 12 passenger caravan airplane.

 

 

9. Jumping over a 15ft waterfall into the pool below.

 

8. Listening to a sweet new friend serenade us on the guitar in the evening.

 

7. Driving 45 minutes across part of the country to find La Playa Secreta en Malpais. In a car crammed full of 8 beautiful, wonderful girls.

 

6. A bonfire on La Playa Hermosa while a thunderstorm rolled in.

 

5. Spending Friday night at Chico's with the locals and our favorite resort staff.

 

4. Twice daily yoga. (And watching the geckos chase each other on the ceiling during evening savasana)

 

3. Teaching an entire bar of Costa Ricans how to do the Wobble.

 

 

2. Enjoying 3 beautiful, delicious meals every day with friends.

 

1. Meeting 12 incredible people who will remain etched on my heart forever <3 p="">

 

Ya'll, this trip was perfect in every. single. way. possible. I wouldn't change a single second. I found myself again. I smiled so big I thought I was going to explode. I sobbed and sniffled my way through yoga one night because emotion just overcame me. I met people who inspired me, who motivated me, who helped me be me. I remembered what it felt like to have people in your life who care, who are invested, who take you for you, nothing more and nothing less. I was inspired to re-invest in personal relationships, find a new focus in my professional relationships, and chill the heck out. I am finally excited about starting school (in less than a week...!!), I have finally allowed myself to be done with toxic friendships once and for all, and I'm just excited about life again.

 

 

 

Pura Vida, indeed.

 

(And back to regularly scheduled programming.)

Current Dream Vacation

Several months ago, a friend from work went on a week long yoga & surf retreat. She came home happy, rejuvenated, excited about life, and just... renewed. I didn't ask a lot of questions at the time, other than how it was, and got a pretty generic "AMAZING!" answer. Shame on me for not probing more at the time.

As I was researching trips, I remembered my friend's experience and asked her about it. Upon a few And then I decided that I have to go. The reviews on TripAdvisor are nothing but glowing. Yoga junkie I am not, but couldn't we all spend a week practicing yoga, surfing, and enjoying the company of strangers? Plus, there's a 6-passenger plane ride involved, zip-lining, cooking classes, massages, and so much more.

Anamaya Resort in Montezuma, please have me! And Delta, please lower the cost of your flights. Anyone want to join me? Right now I'm tentatively planning to go July 20-27, because nothing says relaxation like booking a trip less than 2 weeks in advance.

Calphalon Convection Oven Giveaway

Many moons ago (actually more like 2.5 years), a friend of a friend moved to town and was job-searching. We met up for a Friday evening drink and talked about life, work, moving to a new city, sorority life, and a million other things.

Even though our mini-date went splendidly, our paths just never really crossed again, intentionally or unintentionally. However, we've both kept up with one another via blogging, and she emailed me last week and asked me if I would mind posting about a giveaway she's hosting.

Ya'll, this girl is inspiring! She's planning a trip to Africa this fall and is working hard to raise money to fund said trip. I am a kitchen gadget fanatic, so I am super thrilled about sharing her convection oven giveaway with you! Plus, it supports one of my favorite things in the entire world, traveling. Win, win, winning all around.

If you are feeling so inclined, please help Whitney out on her journey to Africa with a small donation. I traded in my beloved Starbucks to help a friend make her dreams come true, so perhaps you could do the same?

Click here to donate. Click here to read more details about the giveaway. Click here to read more about her plans in Africa. The rules/guidelines/requirements are below.

• From now until next Friday (June 28), for every $5 you donate to the Africa campaign, you'll be entered to win. So if you donate $5, you'll get an entry. $15? Three entries. $30? Six for you! Whoo!
• If you Tweet a link to the giveaway, you'll get another entry. Be sure to mention @wbiber
• If you post the link on Facebook, you'll get an additional entry. Again, be sure to tag Whitney so she can track it :)

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The Scotland Portion of #kanda2013

The second leg of our trip consisted of renting a car, driving through Manchester and up to Edinburgh, spending a day there, and continuing north to the Scottish North Highlands and Inverness to see Loch Ness before returning to Edinburgh, and then back to London through the Lake District.

Basically, this means we spent a crap-ton of time in our beloved rental Volvo looking at sheep and gorgeous landscapes.

 

We named her Bridget, and she was seriously awesome. My car is 10+ years old so driving a brand new car was a dream!

Landscapes and sheep on the way to Edinburgh. Lots and lots of sheep, but given the time of year, there were lots of adorable lambs hopping around. Seeing them actually didn't get old.

Another beautiful day in Edinburgh -- visiting the castle first things first. It was quite windy though, and it rained for about 10 minutes every hour. Otherwise, perfect! 

A view of the castle.

Looking up. Can you believe this castle was never overtaken? It was torn down and re-built, but never taken over.

 

We also did a whisky tasting. Guess what? We hate whisky. I would have loved to do a distillery tour through the Highlands but unfortunately we ran out of time and had little to no reason to do it given that we didn't even like the whisky we tried...

 

A room full of whisky -- the most expensive collection in the world!

 

These landscapes were nuts -- rolling green hills one minute, snow-capped mountains the next. Some things I never thought I'd see in Scotland!

 

Beautiful, beautiful rainbow over Loch Ness. It rained just before we got on the boat, stopped for the hour long boat ride, and rained as soon as we got back to the car. Perfect timing I'd say!

 

Erqhart Castle from the lake. It's way more ruins than castle it was still beautiful! I guess that's what I realized about Scotland... the whole country is like one giant postcard. Beautiful to look at and photograph, but not very day-trip friendly. If we'd spent a couple of days in the Highlands region, we could have done hikes and explored the neighboring towns, but since we were only there for a short couple of hours, we could really only take it all in from the car. Plus we didn't really want to get soaked and then have to ride home all wet.

 

We stopped in the Lake District on our way home at a marina to snap a few pictures. It was another beautiful, perfect day with a few scattered showers.

 

We drove back to London, stayed at an airport hotel, and got the heck outta dodge the next morning. The flight home was perfectly pleasant, I napped, worked, and read. Coming back from vacation is always such a relief for me. I have waxed poetic about my love for traveling, but I also thrive on and crave routine, consistency, and predictability.

 

I got to spend 7 days with one of my favorite people. Sure we argued and had our spats, but in the end we were both sad to leave each other and go back to our respective homes. The good news is that she's moving here in August, the bad news is that August is a long time away!

 

We're already talking about our 2014 trip and where we want to go...one of my girlfriends from work just moved back to South America so that's on my bucket list for this fall, but we'll see. I've got a few other surprises up my sleeve that may take up more time & money than I'm prepared for, so I'm not really making any definite plans. But there's nothing stopping me from dreaming!

 

 

London 2013 #kanda2013

Fair warning: this is going to get very, very long! I'll start with London & do a separate post for Scotland.

 

We left ATL on my 27th birthday and after many, many cocktails in the crown room (what's it called now Delta?), got lucky enough to have a completely empty flight. The flight attendants were also awesome, so both Mandy & I got a row to ourselves and slept for 7.5 of the 8 hour flight. Success!

 

First stop, the Waldorf by Hilton to drop our bags. Our room wasn't quite ready yet, so we headed out to explore and eat.

 

 

We saw street performers in Covent Garden (who knew Mandy was so into these characters? Not me),

 

And stopped for lunch and a quick persusal of the guide book. Good thing we opened these in advance of the trip... but they came in super handy. I prefer Lonely Planet and Mandy prefers Rick Steves, and between the 2 we felt really confident with all of our choices. I still prefer Lonely Planet though, I used it in Australia, too! The books are colorful, offer great suggestions for food and tourist stops, and the format is really easy to read. I'll stop plugging now but really... highly recommend!

 

 

After Covent Garden, we walked down through Trafalgar Square, pausing for pictures. Judging by all the people milling about, you can tell that the weather was spectacular! We got really, really lucky.

 

Continuing past Trafalgar Square, we found Westminster Abbey & Big Ben. We did a tour of the Abbey but no photography is allowed inside. There are so many famous people buried there, particularly famous scientists, which we found fascinating.

 

We walked back to the hotel and made it in time for happy hour and hors dourves, and then got a recommendation from the hotel for a light dinner. Dinner was eh, but the company couldn't be beat :)

 

 

 

We got up the next morning with every intention of making it to Buckingham Palace in time for the changing of the guards. Everything took us twice as long as we expected, so we missed that but bought tickets for the double decker bus tour instead. We hopped on and away we went. 3.5 hours and a sunburn later, we had a really great time. The guides were phenomenal. I was so impressed by the museum guides, taxi drivers, tour bus speakers, and everyone else who was willing to share information. The pride and passion for their country and what they do was so obvious, and it was contagious!

 

 

 

We saw the London Eye...

 

 

Took selfies on the bus...

 

Watched as all of London basked in the beautiful weather...

 

Found PK's horses...

 

Checked out Buckingham Palace...

 

Floated under the Tower Bridge...

 

Hung out with soldiers at the Tower of London (and saw the Queen's jewels!)

 

Rode the London Eye on the most beautiful day...

And took the quintessential London tourist picture.

 

We packed SO MUCH into 2.5 days in London. Not pictured was a Jersey Boys viewing, some great meals, visiting the oldest craft brewery in England, and a boat cruise to Greenwich. We had beautiful, perfect, even HOT, weather. I knew London was a big city, but I had no idea just how enormous it really is. I've always thought I'd be overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of a city like that, but instead I found it inspiring and exciting. I was excited to see everything and take in all of the people.

 

I haven't ever felt so comfortable in another city. I felt like I could see myself there, like I could live there, walk the streets, be friends with the people. I loved the busy-ness, the excitement, the pleasant people, the culture. Maybe there are more trips to London in my future?

 

Scotland up next!