Biking in Budapest

22 Aug 2008 In: Hungary, Travel

I arrived in Budapest yesterday afternoon and crashed at my hostel. Although I usually try to get out and do something to fight the jet lag, I just wasn’t up for it. The hostel, Budapest Bubble, I’m staying at is really small and personable. After grabbing some coffee at the hostel, I headed up to the Deak Square for a city bike tour. I had a little extra time so I grabbed a yogurt, banana, and water at the supermarket. Budapest is slightly cheaper than I thought it would be. :)  The bike tour ended up being a lot of fun. Highly recommended. We peddled all the way down Pest’s “Champs-Elysees” to Hero’s Square and City Park, stopping along the way to look at notable buildings like the House of Terror, Opera House etc. Then we rode back up past the Opera House to St Peter’s Basilica and the Parliament House, crossed the Chain Bridge over to Buda, before starting the quad workout of climbing Castle Hill. It was such a steep climb, almost like taking 4 spin classes back to back! After circling around the hill we zoomed down the west side of the hill and back over the bridge. I was starving after biking for 4 hours, so I tried find a felafel’s place from the Lonely Planet book, poor choice when I was hungry, as it’s closed for the month of August! So I ended up walking back to Deak Square and going to a vegetarian cafeteria style restaurant. The food wasn’t fantastic, but it was a fun opportunity to point and choose traditional Hungarian food without worrying about there being meat in the dishes. After lunch/dinner, I walked back to the hostel and chilled for the rest of the evening. Olga, the Hungarian girl who runs the hostel knew a jazz band that was playing so the entire hostel (only 2 rooms) went on a group outing to check out Budapest nightlife. It was really fun getting to find some local places and see Hungarians instead of just other backpackers. Budapest is such a neat city! And amazingly walkable.

#17: Do Yoga For A Month

28 Jul 2008 In: 101 Things in 1001 Days, Portland

Since I got home in June, I re-activated my 24 Hour Fitness membership. Hey, unemployed people have to have something to do during the day! I’d tried their yoga classes before, but as an employed individual, it wasn’t convenient to drive into Portland for yoga, since I already went to spin class twice a week. So I’ve been joining my sister during her lunch break, for Monday yoga. It doesn’t seem to be getting any easier, but I’m starting to remember some of it and can now differentiate “downward dog” and “sun salutation.” However, I’m still having trouble with giggling. I have a really hard time keeping quiet when they start the yoga talk, “reach down and harness that power at the base of your spine, pushing it up through your lungs and mouth and now breath like a dragon.” Hmmm… I’ll have to work on that one.

#21: Get Golf Lessons

23 Jul 2008 In: 101 Things in 1001 Days, Portland

With a month to kill back here in Portland, I switched into planner-mode and decided finish some items on my 101 Things in 1001 Days list. I called a few golf courses in the area, but most classes were around $50 per lesson. This seemed pretty outrageous to me, but I finally heard through a friend, of classes that they’re starting out at Rose City Golf in NE Portland. So I signed up for their ladies only 4 session group class. After a month of weekly classes, I feel confident enough to golf at a real course. I had only gone to pitch and putts so it was nice to learn how to hit with the other clubs, how to “read a green” etc. OK, driving the golf cart was fun too. ;)

#80: Make A New Friend

18 Jul 2008 In: 101 Things in 1001 Days, Travel

This one was probably the easiest to accomplish while traveling. You can’t travel solo and not make friends. You’re forced to make friends! ;) Anyway, my first friend of the trip is probably the most memorable as we’ve kept in contact through the rest of my journey. We had so many laughs through China and Japan. So many in fact, that I got an email several weeks later, including a list of “funny things that happened in Japan.” Yes, I’m now that person you saw in the corner of the Internet cafe, laughing hysterically.

#26: Be A Portland Tourist

14 Jul 2008 In: 101 Things in 1001 Days, Portland

After traveling for four months, it’s hard not to approach your home town with more curiosity. After hitting all my favorite restaurants that I’d been missing (Chipotle and Ya Hala), I’ve checked out a few restaurants that remind me of my travels, Malay Satay Hut (Malaysian food) and this little vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant on Powell.

Another interesting experience was taking the bus and Amtrak to Albany to get out to the Oregon Coast. I always use public transport in other countries. It’s quite a different experience here in America though. What must foreign travelers to America think as they’re surrounded by meth heads on the public bus? They’re probably wondering where all the normal people are. :)  OK, the train was just fine, it was just riding the #9 TriMet bus down Powell, that I started reconsidering my public transport idea.

How Minty are you?

10 Jul 2008 In: computer, habits, money

My only complaint with online money management software, Mint.com, was fixed today. Finally, the ability to add loan accounts! Asset (investment) accounts were added a few months ago, although my 401k provider is not listed. I was able to check it out with my IRA account though, and it’s pretty sweet, with all of the expected colorful graphs and change values.

The only drawback? My Net Worth and Cash Flow stats looked sooo much nicer without my student loan added in. Now if only they could add an Intangible Asset feature, so I could add my MBA too.

#20: Take A Rock Climbing Class

6 Jul 2008 In: 101 Things in 1001 Days, Travel

After taking a half day rock climbing class in Krabi, Thailand, I was hooked! So I signed up for a class at the Portland Rock Gym here in town when I got back. Since it was a fairly informal “class” in Krabi, it was nice to learn all the basics, like belaying.

Rock climbing is really fun. When I’m done with my travels, I think I’ll get a rock gym membership.

I kicked the coffee habit while I was in SE Asia. Or maybe I just replaced it with tea? Or Tiger beer? Anyway, my morning headaches finally disappeared and then I found myself ordering coffee drinks at dinner as a treat instead of a necessity. Good on ya’ mate! ;)

I forgot about this one!  I left Portland February 25, so March 25 I was… sailing the Whitsundays in Australia! At this point in my travels, it felt like I’d been out of the US for ages. So long in fact, that I’d started calling it “America” instead of “the US”

I <3 America

12 Jun 2008 In: China, Portland, Travel

I spent the night in Beijing, in a neighborhood close to the airport. It was funny being back in China. I wandered around the neighborhood and went to the grocery store to get snacks (and cucumber chips). After a day of exploring, I was back at the airport and on my flight home.

It was so great walking into the Portland airport and seeing familiar faces. I’m so excited to be back! I love Portland and I love America.

About

Adventures of a twenty-something Pacific Northwester who ditched her marketing job and MBA for a year-long round the world trip. Call it a quarter-life crisis or just the travel bug; either way, this blog documents the adventure.


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101 Things in 1001 Days Project:

1 Quarterlife Crisis + 101 Things + 1001 Days = The Ultimate TO DO List.


28.7% Complete
1 Start a new blog for this project
2 Take pictures of all of my 101 in 1001

CAREER/FINANCIAL
3 Max out my 401k contribution every year
4 Increase my income to $XXk/yr.
5 Finish my MBA
6 Update my personal .com site
7 Start a business
8 Make a conscious effort on what I wear to work: heels/flats for 2 weeks
9 Join a marketing networking group
10 Write in a work journal for 1 month

THINGS TO LEARN
11 Relearn Flash (learn post 2002 flash)
12 Learn to play poker
13 Relearn Spanish
14 Learn to kayak
15 Start playing the piano again
16 Take a dance class
17 Do yoga for a month
18 Learn the capitals and locations of all countries
19 Go boogie boarding
20 Take a rock climbing class
21 Get golf lessons
22 Learn to sail

ACTIVITIES/LOCAL
23 Run a marathon
24 Go wine tasting in Oregon
25 Start Geocaching again
26 Be a Portland tourist
27 Do Cycle Oregon or Hwy 101
28 Go white water rafting
29 Play real golf (not a pitch/putt)
30 Walk to the grocery store
31 Ride bike to work for 1 week
32 Use public transportation for 1 week

SHOPPING
33 Research and buy a new digital camera
34 Buy all new underwear
35 Get a dog or cat
36 Get a new bed
37 Recycling Organizer system

TRAVEL
38 Travel South America
39 Go to NYC
40 Go to Mexico
41 Visit Europe again
42 San Juan Islands
43 See New England in the fall
44 Ride Amtrak to Seattle
45 Weekend Trip to Nye Beach
46 Go on a backpacking trip
47 Do a bike ride in another country
48 Stay out of the US for 1 month (moving counts)
49 Go to Vegas
50 Go to Bumbershoot or ACL (again)
51 Visit Canada again

READ/WATCH
52 See the all time Top 100 Grossing Films
53 See Ebert's '102 Movies You Must See'
54 Re-read David Allen's 'Getting Things Done' start weekly review of GTD again
55 For one week, go to bed at 9 and read books
56 Do 52 Books in 52 Weeks, no cheating
57 Read Seth Godin books that I haven’t read
58 Read 10 classics that I’ve never read
59 Watch all five Best Picture nominees prior to the Oscars
60 Sign up for Netflix again
61 Subscribe to the Economist

FOOD
62 Find my signature cupcake recipe
63 Make crème brulee
64 Don’t go to the same restaurant more than once for 1 month
65 Bring a packed lunch or go home for lunch for 1 month
66 Quit drinking coffee for 1 month (or the summer)
67 Go vegan for 1 month
68 Try doing a wine journal
69 Eat at every restaurant in my neighborhood
70 Go to restaurants on the Willamette Week Cheap Eats List

HOME
71 Hang pictures up in the living room
72 Finish Apartment Therapy
73 Buy a house
74 Redecorate 1 room to perfection
75 Plant a balcony garden

FRIENDS/RELATIONSHIPS
76 Date a guy who makes me swoon
77 Commit to someone, maybe… but not just anyone
78 Organize a Monthly Game Night
79 Host a dinner party
80 Make a new friend

PERSONAL
81 Other
82 Other
83 Start wearing the vintage ring that Grandma gave me
84 Take care of my nails for 1 month, see if it turns into a habit
85 Get a massage every month
86 Get a wax
87 Consciously Stop saying 'yeah' and 'like' for 1 week
88 For one week, get up two hours before work
89 Take a sick day to go play

PROJECTS/DESIGN/TASKS
90 Design a calendar for family for 2008 or 2009 for Christmas presents
91 Clean up my old computer, backup, and get rid of
92 Load the rest of my CDs on to iTunes
93 Set up at least 10 useful playlists for my iPod
94 Make iTunes season mixes
95 Journal every day for 1 month

GOOD WILL
96 Become a Big Sister (volunteer)
97 Donate hair to Locks of Love (again)

MISC
98 Start going to church again
99 Go to my 10 year reunion
100 Start a new list of 101 Things on Sunday, March 28, 2010
101 Save $1 for every completed item. Donate $2 for every incomplete item.

Alternates:
Go to a concert outside of PDX area
Travel to another continent
Watch 100 classics movie list
Learn French
Learn German
Go SCUBA Diving
Apply for The Amazing Race
Finish visiting the 50 states
Convince someone else to start a 101 List
Completed In Progress
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