Hey gang, I’m participating in BootsnAll’s 30 Days of Indie Travel challenge for the month of November. Basically they give you a prompt each day, and you interpret it to your liking. Since I can’t be arsed to do the daily thing, I decided to do a little weekly round-up. I do, after all, need the inspiration.
Prompt #1: GOALS
What were your travel goals last year? Did you accomplish them? What travel goals do you hope to accomplish this year?
Hilarious, I was just reading an old blog post about how 2011 was supposed to be my year to move abroad. I didn’t do it, obviously. But I did travel abroad, and I figure that’s kinda equallyawesomemaybe.
So my new travel goal this year is to actually leave St. John’s for a certain amount of time. Whether it’s enrolling in a French study program in Montreal or doing a SWAP year in Ireland or Australia, I’ll figure something out.
I’ve also become more badass. Self explanatory.
Prompt #2: EMBRACING CHANGE
Change can be exciting and bring new joys into our lives. But it can present challenges that frustrate or annoy us. How has travel changed you in the last year? Did you welcome these changes or resist them at the time, and how do you feel about them now?
Travel keeps me inspired to travel and live an unordinary life. I’ve recently avoided applying for jobs perfectly tailored to my skills because they’ll destroy my freedom, but I often find myself wondering if I can make it as a freelance writer. I’m surviving, but barely.
Change, baby. Change.
Prompt #3: MUSIC
Music and travel memories often go hand in hand. A song can inspire our explorations, or it can take us back to a specific place and time. Tell us about your travel playlist and what it means to you.
“Home” by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros will forever remind me of my Cross-Canada trip.
“Shuffle” by Bombay Bicycle Club will forever remind me of South America.
BUT Hey Rosetta! takes the cake. Ever been to a concert where you’re actually so into the music that you can’t move? That’s what happened at the Woody Point Writers Festival.
Prompt #4: MISTAKES
Everyone makes mistakes. We forget to ask for Coke without ice in Mexico and spend the rest of the trip in the bathroom. Or we arrive at the airport for a 7pm flight only to realize the flight left at 7am. Tell us the story of your worst travel mistake.
I got lost in Vancouver for four hours. Not kidding. The cab driver dropped me off at the wrong train station, I was completely lost trying to find the Skytrain for about an hour, and then my ride back to Burnaby was all rerouted due to maintenance on the rail. As I was negotiating directions with Dawne, my phone died. Then I realized I had about an hour to catch my flight to Ottawa, and I only made it with 20 minutes to spare. The attendant told me I couldn’t get on the flight, but when I started crying, she gave me priority boarding.
What a day.
Vancouver didn't like me