A Lot Can Happen In A Year!

Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. 

Write a good one!

Indeed, a whole lot can happen in a year!  And boy, did it ever!  On September 6th 2017, I sat in the Montreal airport, anxiously awaiting to board my flight to Paris.  Probably the most important flight I had taken thus far, the one that would be carrying me towards my new life for the next year.  Adventure awaited!

The planning for this trip began in the summer of 2013 , at a time where I questioned my professional future and was desperately looking to shake off the status quo.  Fast forward 4 years and I suddenly saw myself second guessing my choice to leave and somewhat reluctantly saying goodbye to nice, comfortable, predictable life.   Would everyone forget about me when I was no longer around?  How would my absence affect my treasured relationships (proximity is key, right)?  What professional opportunities would be waiting for me when I got back?  Would there even be any?   Did I even really want to do this?   All of these questions and doubts swirled around in my head as I fastened my seat belt and returned my seat to its upright position.  Here we go!

It’s crazy to think how much my life has changed in the last 365 days!  I have a new apartment, I’m shopping for a new car and actually landed a shiny new job!  (Surprise! I ended up returning to work earlier than planned, 2 months ago to be precise.  An amazing work experience materialized at the most opportune time, almost by sheer magic!).  When I was thinking of names for my travel blog, Out Of Her Comfort Zone started out as a catchy title more than a travel theme.  Well, my subconscious self clearly knows me exceptionally well and pushing out of my comfort zone was exactly what I needed and what happened!  Immediately upon my return to Canada, I found myself ready to tackle new challenges.  In fact, I was craving a challenge, something that was going to push my boundaries.  And lo and behold, I found exactly that!

Now, since my return to ‘normal life’, I’ve been asked a million questions about my trip but the one that re-occurs the most is: How was it?  Amazing.  Exhilarating.  Thrilling.  Mundane.   Indescribable.   Enlightening.  Terrifying.  Entertaining.  Long.  Crazy.  Surprising.  Boring.  Special.  Fulfilling.  It was…everything!  It’s almost literally impossible to describe in a single word or even in a single sentence!  How do you even begin to describe the experience of a lifetime?  It took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, invigorating highs and demoralizing lows.  I’ve thought long and hard on how to succinctly sum up my 215 days of travel.  The following two words are the best I’ve come up with: no regrets!  

Other than the BIG questions, I’ve answered many others and I’ve compiled my answers here for your reading pleasure!  Enjoy!!

What’s your favourite place so far?  How can I chose? It’s like picking your favourite child!  But if I must…Favourite country: Vietnam, Hawaii and switzerland; Favourite city: London, Paris and Barcelona

What can’t you travel without? My phone, laptop, superfeet insoles, a travel power bar & my electric toothbrush

Do you prefer solo travel or with someone else?  For long-term, solo travel by far!  However, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed traveling with various friends and family as well!

What home comfort do you miss the most?  Hanging my clothes in a closet!  Suitcase living gets really old, really fast

What has been the most interesting item of food you’ve tasted?  Ca Phe Trung (egg coffee); fresh, grilled octopus (dried on a clothes line on our boat) & some type of mystery meat which I’m hoping wasn’t horse…

What food from your home country do you miss the most? Greek yogurt  (which is impossible to find in Europe outside of Greece)

Which country makes the best coffee or tea? The Big Island of Hawaii with its sublime Kona coffee; Vietnam, because you haven’t had coffee until you’ve had it with condensed milk & New Zealand for its flat whites

Which country has the friendliest people? Many countries have super friendly locals, however the politeness level of Scots and the Irish was remarkable: every single passenger personally thanks the bus driver when they disembark!

What’s been your scariest moment?  8 words: I survived the Hawaii missile crisis of 2018.

What is your biggest travel pet peeve?  Paying to use the public toilets.

How many different currencies did you carrying?  I used 7 different currencies and came back with several hundred thousand vietnamese dong (any takers??)

What have you brought that you haven’t used?  a stopper for the sink

What has been the most useful item you’ve brought? my laptop which I used to blog, watch movie, pay bills and keep in touch.  Packing cubes were also a godsend!

What’s the best piece of travel advice you’ve received?  Use packing cubes!  Seriously, life changing travel advice here.  Look it up.

How did your relatives feel about your trip?  My parents were likely apprehensive when I initially threw out this crazy ideahowever all my loved ones were enormously supportive, encouraging and understanding! (and helpful too!)

Why did you return early?  It’s complicated… however I needed some grounding, some stability.  I missed my life and those cherished souls in it.  And then there’s the money…

Where would you most like to live in the world?  Right here!  Seriously, Canada is amazing!

How many countries have you visited? 16 countries over 4 continents

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learnt?  That fellow travellers are fundamentally kind, helpful and will go out of their way to lend a hand.

What has surprised you about yourself?  How much I could learn and grow without even realizing it!

Is there one place where you wouldn’t return?  : Marseille, enough said!

What was your favourite snack while travelling?:  So, so many!! France: almond croissant; Madrid: napolitana (the savory one) @ La Mallorquina.  Don’t even ask how many I ate….; Barcelona: sangria; Hawaii: shaved ice; Vietnam: green tea ice cream sandwich (in the shape of a fish!), iced coffee with condensed milk & Ca Phe Trung at Giang Cafe in Hanoi, creator of the original egg coffee; New Zealand & Australia : salted caramel Tim Tams (OMG! AND, you can get them in Canada by the way!)

          

Dorm or private room?  Hotel room 😉

Who is the most interesting person you’ve met?  So many colourful characters,  however the ex-IRA militant turned taxi driver in Belfast stands out.  

What’s your top travel tip?  Use packing cubes! Seriously, I can’t stress this enough.  Also, go to places that mean something to you, not just because you think you should or because everyone else is going.  At the same time, stay open to new possibilities!

What’s your biggest first world problem? Crappy wifi!

How much stuff have you lost? only 1 thing: a travel adapter.  Technically, I lost two!

How much stuff have you posted home?  Two boxes, the first after my visit to Buckingham Palace (oops…) and the second was stock full of Hawaii souvenirs for my family and Kona coffee!

What do you miss on TV?  Nothing!  Netflix was a life saving distraction.  The only time I found myself missing tv is when a special on Queen Elizabeth was on the airwaves!

How many gadgets are you carrying?  A few: a fitbit, camera, smart phone, laptop, earphones, electric toothbrush, mini tripod and power bar

What do you wish you’d brought that you haven’t?  a better umbrella ! 

Did you send postcards?  Weekly to my niece and nephew.  Various friends & family received some as well

Strict schedule or go with the flow?  Surprisingly, go with the flow!  I often had a vague idea of what I wanted to do / see however I mostly “winged it” and didn’t plan ahead.  As a friend told me about this “new attitude”: who are you?

What’s been the best street food you’ve had? Banh mi in Hoi An (Vietnamese sandwich)

What destination have you found to be overrated?  Santorini.  Great to experience once however too crowded!

Which country has the best weather?  Hawaii, Spain & Portugal

Window or aisle seat?  Window for short flight however aisle for long haul flights (easier to get up and go to the washroom without crawling over your seatmates)

Do you suffer from jet lag? Nope!  It’s my travel super power

Is there anything you wish you’d done before you left home?  Researched more about some of the places I planned to visit

What’s the best thing you’ve bought?  So.  Many.  Awesome.  Things.  However, the one thing I use daily is the gold claddagh ringI bought in Dublin

What’s the most interesting animal you’ve seen?  Australian white ibis, the scariest, meanest bird I’ve come across

Didn’t solo travel make you feel lonely?  Not at all!

How do you AFFORD to travel so much?  I saved 20% of my salary for 4 long years!

How many photos have you taken? 19 462 (give or take)

What place is at the top of your travel bucket list?  Italy, Antarctic, Jordan, Croatia, Malta, Bhutan 

What’s a favourite moment from the trip?  Snorkeling with wild dolphins in New Zealand & watching the sun set over the Eiffel tower from the roof of a Paris museum

Did you do everything you wanted?  My “bucket list” had 5 things:  Drink Champagne in the Champagne region.  Check!  Visit the German Christmas markets.  Check! Spend one month on the beach in Greece.  Substitute Hawaii for Greece and Check!  Visit Buckingham Palace.  Check!  See the tulips in Holland.  Check! (sort of) . 

And that’s a pretty good way to sum up one of the most amazing years of my life!  And a big part of my enjoyment was because of you!  To all those who followed my journey, sent me messages and cheered me on: thank you!  Knowing that I had so many people along on this journey made it feel like I wasn’t in this alone and that I had a whole community sharing my adventures!

As all you loyal readers now, there were moments when time got away from me, that I was living in the moment and didn’t document my adventures.  Spain, Germany, Portugal and Greece, all these stories are still coming.

Mostly because this blog is my personal travel journal and I want to put pen to paper and capture my memories for the years to come. 

 

Stay tuned, you never know what is waiting just around the corner!