Category: Travel

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp: The Itinerary

"Kathmandu Valley Sunset" by Mike Behnken https://flic.kr/p/8PWb5s
“Kathmandu Valley Sunset” by Mike Behnken https://flic.kr/p/8PWb5s

I think it’s fair to say that my mind is slowly checking out. That’s what happens when a trip I’ve been thinking about for years is right around the corner!

It’s the last minute dash to make sure I have everything I need. My vaccinations are up-to-date, and I’ve even added the fancy and expensive rabies vaccine to my list. I’m still deciding on what luggage to bring, how much fleece will be needed for those frigidly cold Himalayan nights, and what comfort snacks I’ll throw in my day pack. I’m sure the dal bhat (lentil soup with rice) will be tasty throughout the trek, but after many days and the inevitable bouts of altitude sickness and diarrhea, a protein bar or Real Fruit gummies will taste like a king’s dinner.

Continue reading “Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp: The Itinerary”

World Domination Summit: An Inspiration Punch to the Face

Chris Guillebeau of "The Art of Non-Conformity" and creator of the World Domination Summit. Photo: Armosa Studios / Chris Guillebeau
Chris Guillebeau of “The Art of Non-Conformity” and creator of the World Domination Summit. Photo: Armosa Studios / Chris Guillebeau

inspiration [inspəˈrāSHən], noun: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative

A few months ago I was feeling fairly blah in my job. As a statistical analyst in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis research, there’s always something new to learn, but a sense of complacency seemed to seep into my day-to-day work spirit. What if there were other paths to take? If there are many people travelling the world and making a living abroad, or even while doing the 9 to 5, then surely I could work my way toward a similar goal, right? I took to the interwebs, and perhaps I Googled how to not conform because somehow I landed upon a book called The Art of Non-Conformity, by Chris Guillebeau. The premise: don’t live your life the way others expect. It’s something that I know logically, but reading this book re-emphasized that I really could do what my heart desired, even if that meant having to take an unconventional approach. I highly recommend the read! By happenstance, I stumbled upon an event in Portland, Oregon called The World Domination Summit (WDS), also created by Chris. It’s a bold title. I didn’t really know what it was about, but it looked awesome! So I signed up. Continue reading “World Domination Summit: An Inspiration Punch to the Face”

“Take Imperfect Action” – Jadah Sellner

Jadah Sellner of Simple Green Smoothies. Photo: Armosa Studios / Chris Guillebeau
Jadah Sellner of Simple Green Smoothies. Photo: Armosa Studios / Chris Guillebeau

“Take Imperfect Action” – Jadah Sellner

One of my favourite talks of the World Domination Summit 2014 was by a woman named Jadah Sellner, the co-founder of Simple Green Smoothies (www.simplegreensmoothies.com). At one point, her and her husband were living pay cheque to pay cheque and both had multiple jobs to provide for their family. Jadah had the entrepreneurial drive but a few businesses failed to take off. When she gained weight due to stress, she began drinking kale and spinach smoothies each day. She felt better. She felt healthier. And she wanted to help others benefit from her recipes. Fast forward less than 2 years later, Simple Green Smoothies is empowering hundreds of thousands of people to put their health first. It takes determination and perseverance to make your dreams happen. Jadah’s wise words were delivered in 3 ideas: Continue reading ““Take Imperfect Action” – Jadah Sellner”

Aeroplan: On My Way to Elite!

I’ve reached Aeroplan’s dSilver Distinction!
I’ve reached Aeroplan’s dSilver Distinction!

In January, I made a declaration that I would achieve “Elite status” with a frequent flyer rewards program at some point in 2014. At the time, I wasn’t sure what that would look like or how I’d get there. Would I focus my efforts on Aeroplan and increase my points there? Do I fast track to Star Alliance Gold via Aegean Airlines’ Miles & Bonus? And once I achieved some sort of status, what does that mean exactly? Continue reading “Aeroplan: On My Way to Elite!”

Maui: A Needed Escape

Sunrise from the summit of Haleakala. Image courtesy of M - Pics / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Sunrise from the summit of Haleakala. Image courtesy of M – Pics / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So by this time next week Robbie and I will be in Maui. To say that this is a needed escape is an understatement. I don’t like to think of vacations as escapes, as it makes me ponder the current status quo and why I need an escape. If I need to escape, then maybe I need to redesign my life so I’m not always yearning for an escape. Hmm. Regardless, I’ve had a few motivational setbacks in the last few months, which I’ve concluded are due to too many projects and interests on the go at the same time. The result? I can’t seem to focus on just one thing! I know, the woes of having too many things to do. Also, I’ll acknowledge this Canadian winter as one of eternal cold and the abyss called the Polar Vortex, which has managed to stretch and contort the feel of winter beyond what I’m used to.

The plan is to fly into the Kahului airport on Wednesday night, pick up our compact car, get supplies at Costco (I hear this is a MUST in order to keep costs down), and then proceed to our ocean-view condo. And then for 11 nights, we plan on… well… Continue reading “Maui: A Needed Escape”