I spent a bit of last week in Vancouver, BC for the World Hosteling Conference by Gomio. It’s always fun to learn more about niche industries within travel. Overall an interesting experience. I spent a lot of time in hostels while on my RTW trip, so it was cool seeing the other side of hostels (from the owner/manager perspective), instead of just as a traveler or booking site.…
Just about two weeks left until Christmas, and I’m feeling like there are a million holiday-ish things I want to do still. So I made a list of options on my phone (make eggnog, craft something, wrap presents, get cool stocking stuffers, bake something etc) that has me feeling much more prepared for the holidays, no matter how quickly it’s going to fly by anyway. I’m also looking…
Another three months, another 52 restaurants it seems. I had a little help this time from my trips to New Orleans and Florida. I’ve been focused more on cooking at home this month, but there are loads of new restaurants that opened in the last month or so here in Portland, and I’m anxious to start checking more off my list. In time, in time. So without further…
And welcome back to regular Powered by Tofu blogoland. If you hadn’t realized, November was 100% 30 Days of Indie Travel project around here. I had a ton of fun reading everyone’s stories and blogging everyday (ok there were 2 days in there that I was really not feeling it, so it was a struggle, but I did all 30!). Woo! This week: -Florida – I spent eight…
Prompt #30: Where are you going in 2012? Why is that place great for indie travelers? “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” –Saint Augustine I’ve become a little obsessed with Torres del Paine national park in Chile the last few years. It’s breathtakingly beautiful like New Zealand and I have yet to visit the South American continent, so South…
Oh how I love packing, and packing lists, and clever gadgets. The right gear can make or break your trip. What is your favorite/must-have gear item? I originally found this bag after returning from Panama with a bag even the customs agents didn’t want to open. Mildew happens. I took a 35L backpack on my round the world trip. Occasionally I wished I had a bigger pack, but ultimately it…
Every few months I come across a video on Vimeo that definitely makes me want to pick up and leave, and then I find myself repeatedly searching for deals to Japan or Iceland or {Insert ANY country} deals. Here are a few that did that to me in the last year… “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” –Seneca Travel videos that give me…
I don’t have ONE favorite place. I can tell you about one of my favorite places though: New Zealand. During my round the world trip, I ended up staying in New Zealand for a month. I couldn’t get enough of this country and hope to get back to ‘the land of the long white cloud’ in the next year or two. This photo is from a a rainy…
Prompt #25: Family shapes who we are, but sometimes the family we create plays a bigger role in our lives than the one we were born into. Tell a story about how your family has impacted your life and your travels. “The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing” –your mom We didn’t do much traveling growing up — other than moving — so I spent the…
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” –Buddha As I sit here on a plane somewhere between Portland, Oregon and Tampa, Florida, I’m thankful for…
Prompt #22: Where would today’s travelers be without smartphones, GPS, iPods, iPads, or even the internet? Share one item of tech you can’t live without or tell us how has technology changed the way you travel. “Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything.” –Steve Jobs No surprises here, my must-have piece of technology is my iPhone. When I did my career break,…
Something I’ve learned to appreciate from traveling is the waiting and the process of “getting somewhere”. After returning from my RTW trip, I waited to re-purchase a car, and almost three years later, I’m still car-free in Portland. Just like when traveling, I’ve found that when I’m actively engaged in my journey (transit) by walking or biking or taking public transportation, I’m experiencing my community and city in…