Whether you're traveling abroad or just across the town, there is adventure wherever you look! Check out this blog for travel destinations, ideas and experiences abroad as well as hidden food spots and activities in your very own city!
Spending time with our niblings (nieces and nephews) is something that we don’t take granted for. Because of corona and long distances, we don’t get to see them often enough. Therefore, when we do spend time with them, we aim for a high quality time with lots of fun and activities. When we are inside, we bake together, play games, talk, dance, do arts and crafts and do many other activities. When we go outdoors or take trips, we’ll go to parks, zoos, trails, attend events, visit places, get ice cream and have picnic.
The main thing we have learned from spending time with our nieces and nephews is that it doesn’t take much to keep them happy and entertained. They don’t require expensive gadgets, fancy meals, or big luxurious trips. It’s the little things they will remember and cherish for a long time.
Over the spring break in March, our nieces came over for a sleep over and a day out with us. After dinner, we spent the evening playing games, watching a Disney movie and talking. The next morning we had breakfast and then walked over to a nearby park. We spent the whole morning at two playgrounds and open field. During lunchtime, we picked up some pizza and had a picnic at a bigger park. We walked on the trail, enjoyed the outdoors, picked wildflowers and played with bubbles. We had ice cream for dessert and packed a few snacks for afternoon. Even though it was a simple day out, they said it was the best day of their Spring Break! Check out this video to see our day of events.
Check out my latest post on bluebonnets here. We were able to enjoy them in Brehnam, tx with my nephews! Stay tuned for our day trip to Waxahachie coming soon!
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“Travel is a matter of courage, not money” -Paulo Coehlo, Aleph
Traveling to an unfamiliar place takes a bit of courage and leaving your comfort zone. Traveling to Morocco was more of a challenge. It was not only a test of courage, but also a test of faith. Before I go abroad, I do all the research I can about that place and the people. So, I did the same for Morocco and the outcome for that research yielded some different results. It was not the trip itself that was the test of faith, but the anticipation of it. Although what I had anticipated never happened, it still made me think deeply about life and in faith in particular after the trip.
So, what was so important that opened up new perspectives for me?
When I did my research, two people mentioned that they were asked their religion while in Morocco. This made me think, if I was in a non-tourist area and someone came and asked me about my religion, how open would I be about it? I turned the question into a different scenario and asked my mom, who prays fervently. Even she hesitated for a minute.
Even though this never happened while we were abroad, it gave me some insights to think about. Once I returned, these were the thoughts that made me ponder. Firstly, how grateful am I to be living in a country with freedom of religion. Secondly, how easily it is for us to practice our religion and express it when our circumstances allow us to. How much harder it is for the many people living in other parts of the world who are not able to worship openly as we are in America. Another thing I realized was how much more I need to deepen my faith and stand still, even in anticipation of danger. Lastly, I had to travel to the other side of the world to really think about this.
What I took away from this travel thought is this: There are some things that school and religion can’t teach you. And that is why I love travel.
Check out how I planned out the Spain and Morocco Itinerary by <<CLICKING HERE>>
Why I recommend traveling during the Academic year
The academic year is slightly different depending on were you live; in Texas, it’s between August and May. I love traveling DURING the school year. This does NOT include Thanksgiving week, Christmas vacation and spring break. Now, I understand if you have children who are in middle school and up, this might be hard to do. If you are a teacher or if your job revolves around the academic year, then this might not help you either. This is for the rest of y’all; the single travelers, married couples, families with young kids and for people who don’t work in the education field. Throughout my few years, I’ve learned there are several pros to traveling at this time… and here are my reasons! Let me know what you think below!
Main reason first; during the school year, all the other people I mentioned above are busy going to school or picking up kids from school! That means less crowds at the tourist attractions. Having less crowd is a great thing, regardless of which destination you go to, international or local. Your wait time in lines will be significantly lower than the peak season. If you’re traveling with younger kids, it’s also easier to keep an eye on them in a smaller crowd.
The difference between peak season and off season prices are big. Prices for airfare, cruises, and other methods of travel will be significantly lower. Hotels and resort prices also make a big difference and they will be less crowded- so more room for you in the pool!
My husband and I both drive a lot for work and with driving comes the obvious dislike of traffic. I love working during the summer because there are so much less cars on the road than during school season. As soon as classes start in August, I automatically have a 15-30+ drive time in the mornings. So to avoid this as much as possible, I like to work long hours and all day during the summer and travel during the school year.
For those of you with young kids in pre-school or elementary, GO NOW! The experience you give these kids out in the world is so much more than what they get in a classroom. Once they start middle/high school, you’re stuck until they move out for college.
Get away from the cold weather (from October to February) and travel down South, to South or Central America or Asia. I live in Texas now, where the cold doesn’t compare to the New York cold I’ve once suffered. But I still dislike any amount of cold and if for one day, I am ready for a getaway! One October, my friend and I went to Belize, where the sun was still shining bright and the beaches were beautiful and warm. Another November, we went to Thailand- it was a great 2 week break from the cold. In February, my husband and I went to Dominican Republic; yet another great getaway from the cold, gloomy season.
You’re more likely to get days off during the school year. This is because many people are not vacationing or taking any days off at this time. This makes it easier for your days off request to be granted!
So, what are you waiting for? Book that trip this October or March! If you are in school yourself, have kids in higher grades or work with the education system.. you can do smaller weekend getaways. Stay tuned for these weekend getaway ideas! Now, it’s time to hear from you. Which months do you usually travel and why? Do you think the reasons above are.. well, reasonable?
When it comes to traveling locally or internationally, knowing your geography is key. It helps you to get around much quicker and make decisions on what to do and where to go next. Some people may be naturally inclined with direction sense. Others, not so much. But with a little bit of practice, it’s not difficult to navigate your way around your city or even an unknown one (without relying solely on your GPS!).
Since we are able to rely on our phone’s GPS anywhere in the US, its easier to travel locally. But when you’re traveling abroad, things are a little different. You might not always get the range or data you need. Some places might not even have names/numbers for all the highways or roads. For those of you who want to up their directional sense while traveling (or for daily use), here are some tips to work on!
Direction Sense within your City:
First off, start by looking at a map and locate the major city around you. For example, I base everything off of Dallas city even though I live in the suburbs. The next step is to know where North, South, East and West is. Now locate your home or work place and know where you are in relation to the city. Look at all your surrounding cities and take in all the information you can regarding where each city/town is located. The next step will be to learn the major highways and smaller roads near your home. Know which highways run in a loop, which run East to West and which North to South. When you are trying to figure out which way to go, picture the map in your head and think which general direction you are headed.
When you go somewhere, actively look for street signs and landmarks that will help you remember the way to this location. If you go somewhere often, try avoid using the GPS and try to recall the landmarks you saw. Remember which streets you turned at by noticing the corner store or building there. It’s not easy, but with more practice and a little bit more focus and mindful driving, you can boost your sense of direction.
Knowing Geography Internationally:
This is a little different, because you don’t need to learn where all the streets and specifics are. However, if you are touring a new country, it’s good to look at the map and learn where all the major cities are located. It’s also important to get an idea of the location of the major attractions that you are visiting. Before you start your journey, make sure you know the location of the places you will be staying. Find out what all you have nearby your hotel and figure out how to get home from each major attraction. Know which direction your hotel in relation to the city, so that you can group activities closer to each other on the same day!
How cute it this compass!
If I am traveling internationally, I usually have a printed map of the city or sometimes one of the whole country. Or I just take a travel book with me! National Geographic offers maps of any place you can think of. I have looked in several book stores, but Amazon has it for a cheaper price. If you still need a bit more assistance to navigate, you can also download offline maps from google of the cities you’ll be traveling to. If you need help locating direction, think about getting a travel compass!
<<Next Adventure ALERT>>
Something I had never pieced together until I read the book The Alchemist, is how close Spain and Morocco are. Ever since I finished the book, Spain and Morocco became two top places on my Must Go To list. I guess the world mostly works in favor of our goals and ambitions. We found a great deal to Spain recently and booked it right away! The trip is only a few months later, but in the mean time, I will be learning all I can about the geography of Spain & Morocco!
Got the geography down? Great! Stay tuned to check out my how to make an itinerary post while I plan out our Spain and Morocco trip! Comment below and tell me what kind of travel info or tips you need for your upcoming trip!
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We often hear people say ‘what a small world’… but in reality, the world is not small at all. We are. And when we start traveling around the world, we begin to see that. We begin to realize what little space we occupy in this world and how tiny we are in relation to other living things. Begin to learn that the world doesn’t actually revolve around us! We realize how little of the world, in all it’s beauty and natural wonders, we have experienced so far. We notice how tiny we and our problems are in comparison to that of the rest of the world. Most of all, we start to realize that our time on this Earth is very limited. But that there is soo much still left to see and do! That is why I encourage traveling as often as you can. No matter which stage of life or situation you are in. After all “Travel is never a matter of money but of courage” as quoted by Paulo Coelho in his book, Aleph.
I’ve made a personal goal of traveling to at least one new country, one state in the United States, and a few nearby cities each year. This way, I hope to visit and experience at least a small portion of this beautiful world. Comment below if have any similar goals! Or if you’re just not sure how to get started or where to start traveling and need some advice.
Travel puts life into perspective. It forces you to adjust with situations around you. It makes you realize how much we take for granted in our own lives. Living in America, we tend to think we are entitled to everything we have or want. Traveling abroad and seeing how other people live allows you to see how easy life comes for most of us.
Now, I’m not talking about the ‘big’ things like owning a phone or laptop. Or being able to drive to work or even attending grade school for free. I’m talking about the little daily things that we don’t think twice about. The things we feel like we are just supposed to have, as if it’s the norm. I’m talking about very simple things, like the free glass of water we get when we go to a restaurant. I’m referring to being able to use the public restroom without paying a fee.
In Italy, you must pay for water at a restaurant. At the same time, you can get free drinkable water from a fountain outside. In India (and some European countries), you have to pay a mandatory small fee to use a public restroom. Majority of the time, these restrooms are far from clean! We fail to notice or be thankful for these little things that are readily available to us. It isn’t until we travel somewhere where the ‘norm’ isn’t the norm that we notice them.
What else?
Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle – Leak Proof, BPA Free, 22 oz
Vapur Element BPA Free Water Bottle 1L
**To work around the water dilemma in the restaurants, we all had water with us in different containers. My sister carried around her 12 oz glass water bottle. I carried a plastic bottle that I bought from a supermarket. My friend’s choice of a collapsible water bottle, similar to this one I found on Amazon, worked the best. She was able to refill it at the water fountains and hook it onto her backpack. When it wasn’t being used, it was folded and tucked away, taking up less space. Another great one is this fold-able, flexible and slightly cheaper Vapur Element water bottle.
For a list of other travel essentials and a full on gift guide, check out the Travel Must Havespost!
