Falling In Love With Tromsø, Norway

It seems that everywhere I travel to, whether it be Boston, Austin, Reykjavik, or Oslo, I always seem to fall in love with that city. It's like each city casts a spell on me and I become mesmerized by its fascinating sights and different people. Every country, city, town, and village I visit always takes a little piece of my heart forever. I have become pretty used to this routine of falling in love with places for a short period of time and then having to depart from them. Usually I don't mind it, and I'm content with leaving a place with the hopes that I will one day be able to return. But recently, I have fallen for a city harder than ever before.

I just finished spending a magical 10 days in the beautiful northern city of Tromsø, and it stole my heart completely. 

Tromsø is located in northern Norway, 350 kilometers (217 miles) inside the Arctic Circle, so for a girl who had been living in Texas for 3 years, it was quite cold. And I loved every second of it. The air was so fresh. It just made you feel alive as soon as you walked out the door. 

My heart belonged to this beautiful place the second I laid eyes on the scenery around me. Everywhere you turn, you are surrounded by gorgeous towering mountains that are so captivating, its so hard to look away. And to make this sight even better, I got to see this gem of a city covered in a blanket of white sparkling snow. There is nothing better than waking up, looking out your window, and seeing mountains as far as the eye can see covered in snow (especially if it's been quite a few years since you've seen proper snow!). No matter where you go in Tromsø, you will be blown away by its beauty.

And then of course, there are the Northern Lights.
If you're lucky enough to get a clear night in the city, you can actually see the lights from inside the city. They may not be bright inside the city, but you can still see them. A good place to see the auroras on a clear night is Prestvannet Lake; just a 15 minute walk from the city center. And they are the most beautiful, fascinating sight you will ever see in your life.

The one thing that may have been better than the amazing scene that is Tromsø, is its people (and maybe its drinks?). While in this city I met so many new and beautiful people every single day that I was there. They all kindly welcomed me into there lives, whether it be for a day or 4 days. Some were even kind enough to welcome me right into their homes. I know that I have made some life-long friends in Tromsø! So thank you to all of my new Norwegian friends for teaching me about your culture (and mine), your country, and for sharing in some great times!

Now that I've told you about all of the reasons that I fell so hard, I thought I would show you. Here are a few shots from my trip to Tromsø that captured my heart. I hope you enjoy and are inspired to see this beautiful place for yourself one day.

Special thanks to Steph, Suzanne, Theresa, Mariana, Aleks, Sondre, Ole, Jonas, Torstein, Petter Pan, Katie, Josephine, and all the other friends who welcomed me in Tromsø! You're all wonderful human beings and I can't wait to see you all someday again!

Monday Buzz 5.11.15

Hello! Welcome to Monday Buzz! Here I'll be posting some of my favorite articles from the past week. I hope you find much insight, inspiration, and travel tips from these amazing authors! Have a beautiful week of adventures! Xx


How to Pick the Best Hostel - The Brave Little Cheesehead

My Plan To Unplug: How To Get Back To Zen - Julianne Hough

How I Overcame My Fears of Eating Alone - Alex Pendleton (via Pink Pangea)

20 Little European Islands That Should Be On Every Traveller's Radar This Year - Hand Luggage Only

10 Best Things To Do In Cape Town (and why you can't miss any of them) - World Of Wanderlust

How I Saved and Made Extra Money To Travel - Grease And Glamour

Why You Should Let Travel Break Your Heart - Travelettes

10 Easy Ways to Save Money to Travel the World - The Blonde Abroad

Weekend Getaway: Boston Highlights

This time last week, I was back on the East Coast enjoying the pouring rain and freezing weather. I was in America's walking city, The Hub; Boston, Massachusetts! I was there for the Women in Travel Summit and had an amazing time. This being my first time in Boston, I tried to do as much exploring as I could in my packed weekend. Also, the fact that Boston is such a compact city made this a lot easier for me. Just about everything is within walking distance.

So, without further ado, here are my weekend in Boston highlights!

Logan Airport

Now, you're probably thinking "why is she including an airport?", BUT I am a sucker for a cool airport location. Flying into Boston's Logan Airport, you first have to go out and fly over the Atlantic before landing. I love those types of landings. During those few minutes of flight over the ocean, you get a gorgeous view of all the small islands off of the Massachusetts coast. Great for people who love to take a million photos while flying.

Hostelling International USA, Boston

This weekend was my first time staying in a hostel. I was not expecting much at all, but HI Boston blew me away! It was one hell of a hostel! With free breakfast every morning, free wifi, a TV room, and loads of comfy places to hang out, it's the perfect place to chill out after a day or night of exploring the city. And the staff was really nice as well. But now I have to lower my expectations for all the other hostels I'll be staying at in the future! If you are ever in Boston, I very highly recommend staying at HI Boston.

Fire & Ice Restaurant

Located on Berkeley Street, this restaurant was a great place to start my weekend in Boston! My cousin came down from Maine to go to dinner and a movie with me and she took me here to eat. I loved the feel of the restaurant and the way that it functioned. You pick out all of the ingredients that you want (any kind of pasta, meat, vegetables, grains, anything you could think of!) for your dish, put them in a bowl, then pick out any kind of sauce or seasonings that you want, put them in a separate bowl, then give them to the cooks working in the big circle grill in the middle of the restaurant to cook up for you! And you could go back for as much food as you want. The food was delicious and so was the dessert! 

On Location Tours: Boston TV and Movie Sites

If you ever wanted to see the city of Boston and all of it's TV and movie history, On Location Tours is definitely for you. It is about a 3 hour bus tour that goes all around Boston to all of the sites of your favorite movies or TV series. The tour guides really know what they are talking about, and they take you to the famous L Street Tavern for some mid-tour drinks! Since I was only in Boston for a short amount of time, I felt like I got to see a good portion of the city because of this tour. They also host their tours in New York City! Visit http://onlocationtours.com/tour/boston-tv-movie/ to book your tour today!

Boston Common

I had one morning where I was free, so I decided to take a stroll through the snowy Boston Common. Boston Common is the oldest park in the country and is where the Freedom Trail starts (while I did not get a chance to actually walk the Freedom Trail, I heard it's great especially if you're a history fanatic). The park is beautiful and a lovely touch of greenery in the city. It was great to be able to explore the park on my own before spending the next two days in conference sessions.

Our Lady Of Victories Church

This church was one of the most beautiful churches I have ever been in. I went to mass here on Saturday evening and was in awe when I walked in. From the outside, the church doesn't look like much, it almost blends in with the other houses around it. But once you get inside it is amazing. Every little detail is unique and makes the church beautiful. This church is tucked away on Isabella Street and is definitely worth a visit.

Winsor Dim Sum Cafe

In the heart of Chinatown on Tyler Street, is some of (in my opinion) the best dim sum you can get in Boston! Oh, and it's super cheap too! Myself and 3 of my roommates went out to Winsor one night, ordered a bunch a food, and the bill all together was only $40 with tip. How incredible is that?! I highly recommend.

Trident Booksellers & Cafe

If you love food and books, this is the place for you. Trident is a book store inside a cafe. It was so nice to eat while being surrounded by thousands of books! While waiting for your table you can browse around for your favorite book upstairs and downstairs. If you ever get the chance to visit Trident, I recommend getting a freshly squeezed lemonade and the deluxe grilled cheese (yes, it is as good as it sounds). This book cafe is on the enchanting Newbury Street in the Back Bay area of Boston.

Picco Restaurant

A pizza place like no other! In the South End on Tremont Street, Picco has some of the best, most unique pizza I've ever had (and I'm a New Yorker!). If you want a pizza with a bunch of delicious toppings and a super crispy crust, go to Picco!!! They also have a large selection of beer and wine. Oh and they make their homemade ice cream right in the back of the restaurant! I found it was a super unique twist on normal pizza and ice cream. Next time I'm in Boston again I will definitely be back for some delicious food and dessert!

And there you have it! I loved the time that I spent in Boston, and these places and experiences just made it even better. If you have ever been to Boston, what are some of your favorite places to enjoy the city?!

How To: Kill It At Your First Travel Conference

 *Photo credit to sheswanderful.com

This past weekend, I attended my very first travel/blogging conference (woo!) in Boston, Massachusetts; Women in Travel Summit. Now before I start this how to, I would just like to thank Beth Santos and everyone else involved in the Women in Travel Summit. You all put together such a fun, inspirational experience for all of us there!

I've never been to a travel conference (or any conference for that matter), so I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into. Before I went, I was really concerned if I would get anything out of it and if the other women there would be way more traveled than I was.


As it turned out, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. As a new traveler/blogger, it was one of the most beneficial experiences of my life. I met so many new people, explored a gorgeous new city, and learned some extremely valuable tips and lessons. So, here's how to kill it at your first travel conference:

• Be open - this is probably the best way to get the most of your experience. If you are open to trying new things and listening to people's different opinions, you will leave your conference having learned more than you ever expected.
  
  
•  Make friends with your hostel (or hotel) roomies - for me, this one was especially easy because we were all in Boston for WITS. But even if you are not there for the same reason as your roommates, still make friends with them! You never know where a conversation can lead. Who knows, maybe they live in your favorite European city. If you befriend them, maybe you'll have a place to stay next time you're in their city! Also, shout out to Hostelling International Boston and to my roommates of the weekend for being so awesome!
  
  
• Talk to new people each day - At least one new person each day! It is so important to make connections at these events, especially if it is a travel event. Like I said before, you never know where a conversation can lead! Make as many friends as you can, and try to keep in touch with them after you go your separate ways.
  
  
• Go exploring - Especially if the conference is located in a city you've never been to! Take some time to go out on your own and explore the city you are in. Take their buses and trains, walk their streets, ask the locals where to eat. Just explore!
  
  
• Have confidence - "Confidence is key". Super cheesy, super right. Be confident in yourself and in your beliefs. Know that you are there for the same reason as all the other conference goers. They may be more traveled than you, or more experienced in the blogosphere, but they are there to learn just like you. So hold your head high and be proud!
  
  
• Ask questions - In school, my teachers used to say "There's no such thing as a stupid question". And in this situation, that saying holds true. Ask as many questions as you need to. You are there to learn and to grow. You won't look stupid, you'll look like you are serious and passionate about travel and your blog.
  
  
• Take notes - This is so important to do!!! Whether its taking physical notes, or taking pictures of presentations, you should leave the conference with as much material as you need so you can put it all to good use. Also, it is good to take notes to share with others! Sometimes there are more than one session going on at the same time and, to my knowledge, we can't be two places at once. So find a friend to exchange notes with!
  
  

• Tell people about yourself - It's your first travel conference? You're pretty new to the travel and blogging scene? You're quitting your job to travel the world for a year? Tell people these things! We're travelers. We're bloggers. We love a good story!
  
  

• Listen to other people's stories - Just as it is important to tell people your story, it is just as important to listen to others stories. I heard so many inspiring stories this weekend that have made me want to go to so many new places in the world.
  
  

• Have fun - Last, but not least, HAVE FUN!!! If you're going to a travel conference, you're probably going because you love to travel. So have fun while learning about what you love! You're surrounded by so many like-minded people. They understand your wanderlust. These are your people! Go out there and embrace every second of this experience.

I hope these tips were helpful! I will definitely be attending more travel conferences in the future. Especially WITS'16 in Irvine, California!! Thanks to all the amazing and inspiring women I met this weekend. You're all changing the world by doing what you love to do, and it is awesome.


Do you have any other tips on how to kill it at your first travel conference?! Let me know in the comments below :)


xx

"A Budget Traveler's Bible"

Hello! I feel like it's been quite some time since I wrote a post. But here we are now!

On Friday, I went to this cute little bookshop in Houston to attend a book signing/talk for Matt Kepnes's (Nomadic Matt) book, "How To Travel The World On $50 A Day", and it was pretty awesome.

I've been a reader of Matt's for a few months now. Once I found his site, I literally spent weeks reading every post on there. Anything that I had questions about, or was concerned about when it came to traveling, was all in his posts. When I needed to decided which travel credit card to get, the first place I went was to Matt's post on credit cards. When I was trying to pick out a backpack to travel with, the post on how to pick a good one helped lead me to my perfect match.

Also, when I was very much doubting myself and considering not taking the year off to travel, because no one was supporting my decision, I emailed Matt and he very quickly responded and calmed my nerves. He probably doesn't know this, but he gave me that little push and boost of confidence to follow through with what my heart was set on, even if no one was supporting my decision at the time. (Now my family thinks that it is the best idea ever and are behind me 100%!)

So, as you could imagine, I was pretty excited to go to this book signing. I met some cool people there who are all on different travel journeys of their own. Some where very seasoned travelers, while others, were just about to start their journey, like me. Oh, and there was free wine!

Before signing everyone's books (there was quite a large turn out!), Matt gave about an hour talk on the book and just traveling in general, and then let us asks questions. I really enjoyed this, because it was much more personal. He told us some awesome stories about some of his early adventures as a traveler, and the mistakes that he has learned from. Hearing Matt's stories and knowing that he started out just as some of us have, made me really feel like I can do this.

Oh, and we also talked about our favorite places in New York to get pizza! No one can top NY's pizza! (And bagels, but that's another story..)

The whole event was great. I left there feeling more inspired and confident in my decision to travel then ever before. And when I got home that night, I nearly finished the book.

One of the praises for the book says "The bible for budget travellers.", from BBC Travel, and they could not have summed this book up any better. If you are trying to travel on a budget, whether it be for 2 weeks, or a year, this book is your go to for everything you need. It is broken down into 3 parts; Part One: Planning Your Trip, Part Two: On-The-Road Expenses, and Part Three: Breaking It Down By Region. And it also has appendix's for travel companies, a suggested packing list, and vaccinations. The book shows that even if you are not rich and don't have a lot of money, you can still travel! It all comes down to budgeting, saving, and learning how to find everything at a price you can afford, while still being comfortable.

All in all, this book is amazing. If you need tips or suggestions on almost anything while planning a trip, I highly recommend getting Matt's book AND reading his blog. It's pretty cool how someone can run a successful blog and write multiple books just by living out his dream.

To any traveler out there who hasn't read any of Matt's stuff, you're missing out on some of the most helpful tips you can get! Thanks for all the inspiration and help, Matt! See you on the road!

xx

THINGS ARE HAPPENING!!!

Just a quick little updating post..

The excitement is real!!! Things are happening and I am extremely excited about it!

By things happening, I mean that I booked my first hostel, in my first stop, on my first trip (I just said first a lot)! This was a big step for me. Now everything just seems more real. I was going to wait a little while longer to book the hostel, but I found such an amazing deal for a cute little hostel in Reykjavik, Iceland, and I could not pass it up.

Reykjavik is going to be my first stop. I'll be there for about 4 days. Then it's off to Tromsø, Norway for a bit. And then traveling down Norway to Oslo!

Booking the first hostel for this trip gave me such a feeling of joy like I have never felt before. This may seem silly, but it made me feel so much more confident in myself and my trip. It was kind of like reassuring myself that I can and will do this. And I'll do it on my own.

If just booking my first hostel for this trip made me feel the way it did, I honestly cannot even imagine what it's going to be like while I'm full on into this. Soon it will be October and I'll be on my way to living my dream. This is such an exciting thought, I cannot even contain myself!!!!!

Thanks for bearing with all of my excitement. And also the fact that I said excitement/excited too much..

Have a fabulous weekend and go find an adventure! My adventure this weekend is finding a second job to fund my travels :)

Until next time!
xx