Two Years

It's been two years since my move out west.

I'd be lying if I said it has been all peachy
but I can say that
I've been there, and done that...

and that's a pretty good start.

The Hills are Alive

The hills are alive with the sound of music

With songs they have sung for a thousand years

The hills fill my heart with the sound of music

My heart wants to sing every song it hears

My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds that rise from the lake to the trees

My heart wants to sigh like the chime that flies from a church on a breeze

To laugh like a brook as it trips and falls over stones on its way

To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to prey

I go to the hills when my heart is lonely

I know I will hear what I've heard before

My heart will be blessed with the sound of music

And I'll sing once more.

~ 'The Hills are Alive' - The Sound of Music

It's the Little Things

You might need to zoom in on the card but it's just a little something I came across tied to a park bench last February 14th...

I Still Love You!

A few pics from today's walk...

Rewind

The Most Dangerous Risk of All

Should I Travel Alone?

Is it better to travel alone or as part of a group?

That's a common question people ask when they first consider travelling.

And of course, the answer is "It depends!"

It usually is safer to travel as a group but safety shouldn't be your only concern. 

Travelling is supposed to be fun! 

Remember, you are on vacation, after all. 

So let's focus on yourself for a few minutes...

What's your temperament? 

Where do you stand on the introvert/extrovert continuum?

The what???

Extroverts are energized by the external world - by activities, people, places, and things. They are more likely to want to travel in large groups and meet new people.

On the other hand, introverts draw energy from their internal world of ideas, emotions, and impressions. They are more likely to prefer exploring on their own or with a very small group of close friends.

If you are an extrovert, you probably wouldn't have even considered travelling alone but if you're temperament is more inclined towards the introvert side of the scale, you might have a tougher time deciding. But don't worry. You are not alone!

Travelling alone has its advantages.

You can do things at your own pace with fewer distractions.
Squeeze into a busy restaurant.
Assimilate into the local environment more easily.

But it can also suck at times.
You'll need to rely on strangers to take your photo. (Joby can only help you so much).
And perhaps most importantly, there will likely be no one special to share those special moments with.

But if you are an introvert, you might be willing to accept these risks and see travelling alone as an opportunity to recharge yourself because travelling with others, even those you know and care about, may take you out of your preferred element. Combine this with the stress involved with travelling, and you may place your relationships into jeopardy.

With that in mind, here are two books I suggest both introverts and extroverts read to have a better understanding of how people with different temperaments perceive social situations. You'll end up having a better appreciation of those around you as you'll be less likely to make snap judgments of one's character which could lead to misunderstandings and lost opportunities.

So is it better to travel alone or as part of a group?
It depends but I think that deep down inside, you already know the answer.

Three Days, Three Hikes, and One Heavy Backpack

The last time I was out in these parts, there were small hints that things were about to turn around, and with that, came hope that better days were to come. That was back in 2009 and a lot has changed since then. Things didn't turn out exactly the way I would have liked and recently, reality decided to remind me of this yet again. So like a lone wolf, I took off from Vancouver for a long weekend along the Sea-to-Sky Highway to re-energize myself with the one thing from those days that did come true: my move to the west coast.

Day 1: Joffre Lakes

Situated past Pemberton, Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is well known for the trail that shares its name. Joffre Lakes Trail takes you past three spectacular alpine lakes to what may be one of the most picturesque camping spots in British Columbia at the far end of Upper Joffre Lake.

There's nothing quite like just finding a big boulder to bask in the late summer sun while relaxing to the sounds of glacial melt making its way to the lake below.

Day 2:  Garibaldi Lake

The weather forecast called for sunshine and unseasonably hot temperatures but it couldn't have been more wrong. It was overcast, foggy, and cool. Irregardless, I followed through on my plan to hike up to Garibaldi Lake on the hope that weather conditions would improve.

Going back and forth, slowly up the mountain with very little to see but some trees in the mist, the expectation that the fog would burn off with the late morning sun was slowly fading away.

Upon finally reaching the outskirts of the lake, the promised views were no where to be seen

but hope was still there, and sure enough after about half an hour or so, the sun slowly peeked its way through the clouds, and the clouds were whisked away to reveal yet another amazing view.

And then almost as quickly as it cleared up, it disappeared again behind a curtain. With hope that this was just a momentary phenomenon, I stood my ground and did not scurry on back down into the forest, and just when my hope was fading while exploring the lakeshore, the far end of the lake started to clear, and within moments, it was like there was not a cloud in the sky. But this again was a tease, and now somewhat predictably, the veil covered Garibaldi Lake in less than a minute yet again. Well, at least it was great while it lasted.

Day 3: The Stawamus Chief

The Chief was on my to-do list since I learned about it prior to my last trip out here. It was a misty December back then, and looking at the trail, it was probably a good thing that I didn't try. But on this day, it was different. Partly sunny skies with only a bit of haze from a nearby forest fire afforded pretty nice views of Squamish and Howe Sound below.

Like the weather on the west coast, things change all the time. One moment, things are calm and beautiful. The next moment, they can turn foggy and grey with no sense of direction. Looking back to the past, I regret letting external forces beyond my control get the better of me. I have to learn to accept those things I cannot change and just enjoy the moment for what it is without any further thought. In my travels, I have seen many interesting and unique things. While I doubt I'll ever call anything awesome again, I suppose there are plenty of other words to describe the things I'll come to appreciate and love. And with that, my journey through life continues one step at a time...

Jumbo

I look ugly...

but
I am Sweet!

Gotta get this on a t-shirt!

Just Another Day

Missing E

Despite all the time that has passed, you are still very much missed.

Don't Talk to Strangers

Walking through Gastown, I came across a little reminder of what Mom used to always say...

but I think the reasons were a bit different...

or maybe not!

The Bench

Some benches are just that.

Benches.

But others have a special place

In our hearts.

Be it
The start of a dream,

A cherished moment,

Or the promise of a new life.

Complicated by its simplicity,

A bench can evoke many emotions.

Some amazing.
Some gut wrenching.

But a bench is just that. 

A bench.

A clean canvas to share your life.

Hope you find a cherished bench in 2012.

A Manifesto Worth Living

The Holstee Manifesto is one I'll be following...

It's so true.

Some opportunities only come once, seize them.  No matter what.

Stop over analyzing.

Accept that you can't control absolutely everything.

Let past mistakes go.

Live life with no more regrets.

West Coast Soundtracks

Sometimes I wonder if I'm just unknowingly playing a part in a movie with the cliché scenes with sudden downpours, a music soundtrack and all....

Here's the latest case in point on my recent trip to the West Coast as I'm about to start a new chapter in my life:

As the plane enters Vancouver air space, the movie I was watching comes to an end and I switch to a random album on the on-board entertainment system, and the song Let Go from the previously unknown The Japanese Popstars starts playing as we're cruising into YVR...

And then, here's the song that was constantly playing on the various radio stations while I was driving throughout Victoria...

But like Becca said to Hank in Californication, "I think it's all going to be ok. Chapters end. Sometimes you gotta shake things up." Let's hope the same can be said for me.

Home is Wherever I'm with You

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros nicely sum up what's really important in life with their song "Home"...

So it begins...

First off, welcome to my travel blog!

While I have always dreamed of traveling the world, I always found excuses not to go anywhere too far, be it school, work, finances, not being able to find travel companions, or simply not knowing what opportunities are out there.  Heck, I didn't even know "Round The World" tickets existed until a year ago!

But recently my whole outlook on life changed and I'm now no longer willing to waste my time waiting for the opportune time to come along. Life's too short for that!

Anyways, enough about that.  My intent for this blog is to document my journeys around the world and possibly help my fellow travelers explore the possibilities our planet has to offer so I encourage you to bookmark this site or better yet, subscribe to the RSS Feed to never miss a post.

Please feel free to explore this blog at your leisure.

Thanks for dropping by and please come again!


Cheers,
Mike