Trip Recap: Favorite Moments in PICTURES (July 2012)!!!!

July 1st, 2012

Still in Cannes......

One of my all-time favorite picnic combinations: fresh basil, tomato, and fresh mozzarella cheese.  Mmmmm mmmmmmm good!  AND so pretty!!  =)  LOVE the colors!

 

Dinner by the port.  Starting with one of my new-found drink discoveries: un panache (half beer, half "lemonade").  Yum!  Delightfully refreshing and delicious! Cheers/Sante!

My meal that night - yet another favorite: paella!!  Scrumptious!

 

 

 July 3rd, 2012

Isle Saint Honorat

Most amazing moment of the Cannes trip . . . turn a bend while walking the perimeter of the island to find THIS awaiting our shocked and enthralled eyes!  SO COOL!!!

And this is what it looks like inside.  Deceptive, eh?  It was a gorgeously sculpted former monastery - who'd 'a thunk?!

 

July 4th, 2012

Eggplant pizza picnic by the Mediterranean. And made delicious left-overs for breakfast the next morning on the train ride to Normandy . . . .

 

  July 6th, 2012

Helping prepare for my aunt and uncle's 50th Wedding Anniversary!!  What a whopping balloon to celebrate a whopping milestone!!!! (the sad part: this balloon popped later that afternoon, when he was trying to tie it shut.  I was outside and I heard it.  He had impaired hearing for a few hours).

 

Crazy French Parties!  They know how to live it up . . .well into their seventies and eighties!!  Yes, I did take a picture of my watch with my salad, because that is what time we were eating salad - still not the last course . . . that's not PM - that's AM!!!  Dinner started around 8:30 pm and we had dessert around 2:30 am.  It was an absolutely marvelous celebration full of fabulous food, care-free dancing, group singing  and lots of talking.  I'm so happy I was able to be there. 

 

July 9th, 2012

Guard Geese in Normandy.  Love it! 

 

July 12th, 2012

Bike riding on the lovely island of Noirmoutier.  Also have an odd obsession with "bike in front of window" pictures.

 

July 13th, 2012

"Fishing" for clams.  SO FUN!!  and delicious with garlic butter =)

 

July 16th, 2012

4 day exploration of Lille with Rose!  A beautiful city and my first ever Couchsurf experience.  Totally got me hooked!!!  Thanks so much to Rose, Karine and Coline!!

 

One of my favorite parts of Lille.  A mini little Arc de Triomphe.  =)

Oh vegetables, how I love you!  Here, the bulk of our ingredients for the dinner we cooked for our hosts. And also noteworthy because it was one of my first cooking experiences after the severe withdrawal of traveling and visiting family since June 1st.  I was a happy happy girl!!

Stunning and awesome park for morning workouts and TRX!!!

One of the most awe-inspiring churches I've seen in Europe.  (Lille - Eglise Saint Andre)

Touring the now museum, but former home of Charles de Gaulle.  Fascinating!  Plus an incredibly well-done temporary exhibit on Anne Frank.  So glad I was alone in the museum because I was in tears by the end.  Simultaneously horrifying, heart-wrenching, and inspiring.....incredibly powerful.

 

July 21st, 2012

Brussels!!!

Overall, not impressed with this city, but here are my favorite bits: 1.) comic-style murals scattered randomly through the city.  Provided a very fun scavenger hunt.

I had the lucky chance of being in Brussels for the Belgium National Holiday.  All kinds of cool stuff like fighter jets, and helicopters on display, an air show, a parade and fireworks!

This had nothing to do with the national holiday.  =)  Just a sign I found hilarious.  I especially love the detail taken on the man's posture.....he's really got his hips into that ..... please, gentlemen, refrain from urinating in such a manner!!

Best "view of the city" from a 10 story parking garage . . . that's the Atomium in the background - constructed in 1958 for the World Fair - I didn't have a chance to visit it, but it looked pretty cool!

Favorite part of Brussels?  My scavenger hunt for the 3 pissing statues! Here the most recent.  =)

And here the original - Manneken Pis =)  I didn't know he had outfits until I got to Brussels!  There's a whole museum dedicated to his various outfits.  I find that hilarious!

The Grand Place.  My favorite place in Brussels.  Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.  The amount of ornate detail on each building is mind boggling.  I rank it as the "Most Gorgeous" square I've ever seen!!!

More of the Grand Place.

Upon strolling around the city, (still the 21st here, their National Holiday) I hear the ominous sound of . . . .these guys!  An air show for the big day.  Very cool.

So excited to have found a vegetarian place with delicious combinations of veggies, grains and legumes!  Here, enjoying a picnic on the cathedral steps.

And the final statue in my quest.  =)  The sister, and second statue.  Jeanneke Pis.

A trip to Belgium couldn't be complete (in my book) without a Belgian Waffle.  With bananas and dark chocolate? Yes please!

My favorite part of the holiday celebrations?  Free concerts!!!  This group was absolutely AWESOME!!!  African style music with such a fantastic rhythm that I COULD NOT stand still.  I usually feel a bit inhibited and silly being alone and dancing at concerts, but this music just squelched that inhibition with its awesome-ness!!! 

 

July 22nd, 2012

Day trip to Gent

 Just another "no public urination" sign that I found hilarious.  They've got both genders covered this time. And I find the guy to look more thuggish with his baseball hat and love that they gave the girl a pony tail.  Oh street signs, they have provided abundant entertainment for me!

Fabulous view from a clock tower.  Gent has this fantastic, massive pedestrian zone in the city center and here you can see part of it to the left of the cathedral with all the lightrail tracks.  This town was one of my favorites!  Plus I got to experience it during a music festival - bonus!!

hahahahaha!  While eating lunch at a café by this canal, I was treated to this sight.  FAN-tastic!!  Love it.

What I did not love was finding a little centipede thing in my salad. I may or may not have taken this picture of myself standing in the street outside the restaurant after my lunch, being grossed out from the surprise critter in my food.  Yes, I drew my best rendition of the bug on the receipt of my lunch.  This is how I capture memories. hahaha.

Loved the architecture.  This is still Gent, but Bruges was very similar.  I took nearly 300 pictures each day in each of these towns.  This is how I ended up with over 15,000!!!

Perfect day for a music festival.....or a beer by the river....or a paddle on the river - awesome!

A bike-friendly town!  Reminds me of Seattle!!!  =) I love it.

While journaling at one of the many music venue/tents, I met a really nice local couple who ended up buying me a local beer!  The Gentse Tripel - a beer made and sold only in Gent!  So cool!  It was actually quite delicious.

A very happy Gentse Tripel consumer.  =)  Refreshing!!

And yet surprisingly strong!  (for me, who knew very little about beer at the time... 8% what what?!).  This beer was one of the helpful stepping stones in my crossing from non-beer-lover (imagine a kid's face who just tasted something horribly displeasing) to appreciater-of-stouts-porters-and-ambers.  =)  I'm even more excited to live in Seattle now that I appreciate beer!! 

 

July 23, 2012

Day trip to Bruges

Drawn to this town as I'd heard it referred to as "The Venice of the North," and it did not disappoint!  Here, my first encounter with a Brugian canal . . . =)

Absolutely adored the combination of unique architecture and the plethora of canals that is Bruges.

Swans everywhere!!  Tried the get the back two in a pose where their necks created a heart, but I JUST missed that picturesque moment.

Beautiful blossoms added a gorgeous splash of color to windowsills, parks, and . . . yeah, everywhere =)

This was my view for my picnic lunch.  Can you imagine having this as your backyard?! Incredible!

More of the typical architecture here.  My level of obsession can be seen in the 278 pictures I took this day.  And notice the stunning blue sky??  Yeah, had a marvelously perfect day for exploring Bruges.  So grateful!

AND there are windmills!!  What more can one ask?  The stunning contrast of that gorgeous green grass and the beautifully bold blue sky makes me happy.

 

Oh yes, how about horse drawn carriages?  That's a good topper.  =)  Modes of transport here included boats on the canals, horse-drawn carriages (though both primarily tourist attractions from what I could tell), cars (in reasonable quantities) and TONS of bikes!!  Also a plethora of pedestrians.

One of the best busking groups I saw in all of my travels!!  They were incredibly talented!  I ended up staying and listening to them for so long that I missed the last entry into the clock tower (which I was bummed to find out, but still wouldn't trade).  They didn't have a cd for sale, which made me sad as busker's cd's became my absolute favorite souvenir.  Lightweight, compact, a fantastic reminder of my wanderings in those cities, AND creates links to all of the activities I do while listening to those cd's ....ie. my favorite is my Dublin violinist's two cd's that I listened to on loop while driving 2000 km around Ireland.  Now I listen to those cd's and mentally re-live my trip.  It's AWESOME!  (and that was a really long tangent caption for one picture - ha!)

My personal favorite spot & favorite picture I took in Bruges.

However THIS was apparently the #1 most photographed tourist spot . . .

See - my little tourist map to show me . . .

 

But I am very perplexed because it is not nearly as pretty as my favorite spot . . . or any of multitudes of better spots to photograph . . . in my humble opinion.  I made it to the little star on the map, but must say it was a bit anticlimactic.

 

July 24th, 2012

More of Brussels

And more of me being perplexed!!  I had this map of suggested walking routes for tourists and I was really disappointed by all three that I tried.   Really??!!  That was the best they thought Brussels could offer??  This was part of the reason Brussels didn't impress me - the bulk of what I saw was really bland, run down, or terrible clash of modern and not-so-modern.

Favorite discovery of that day: finding the European Parliament!!  Unfortunately didn't have time to take a guided visit, which would have been really cool, but I chose Bruges and Gent day trips instead, and I'm going to go with: No Regrets!!

 

July 26th, 2012

Luttange, France

Back with the family!!!  Met up with my parents at a cousin's house (yes, that is a huge above-ground pool you see in the background, and yes, we did take full advantage!)  But what is that in my hand?!!  WOAH!  It's a monstrous zucchini from their garden!  Holy shlamola!!  Amazing!  And delicious. Here we were preparing it for ratatouille.  =)  YUM!!

July 31st, 2012

Sarrebourg, France



On to an aunt and uncle's house, and more food from the garden! (oh, heavenly!)  Here I am reverting to the 5 year old child that lurks in me and am terribly entertained by this potato I dug out of the ground that looks like butt cheeks.  Hahaha.  (I realized later that some people might interpret that shape as something else, but I maintain my butt cheek interpretation). 

 

Trip Recap: Favorite Moments in PICTURES (June 2012)!!!!

If you like pictures, this blog post is for you, and it's my make-up for the last ........mmmmm, too many months.  Stay tuned because I have a feeling it's going to take me close to an eternity to actually get all the pictures uploaded I want.  My goal is to cover my whole year-long trip, represented by pictures of my favorite moments and places.  Are you ready?  Let's begin.  =)

 

ICELAND!!  June 1st, 2012

In my whopping 19 hours (lay-over) in this country, I visited and swam in the Blue Lagoon.  Yay!  But uber touristy.

 

Also walked around Reykjavik for 10 hours.  LOVED the colors of the houses and roofs.

 

 

Do you see the lime green roof?!  Magnificent!  Couldn't get over the bright colors!

 

Fish stew for dinner.  Absolutely splendid!

 

FRANCE 

June 2nd, 2012

My first day in France: went to the market, drooled, took pictures, and rejoiced at being back in one of the most gastronomically sophisticated countries in the world!!

Hello fresh fish!  And if I have any questions about where the fish comes from, how to best cook it, or tips on how to fillet it (or have it done) there is typically a super friendly, passionate fish expert to help.  So nice!

Mmmmmmmmmmmm cheese!!  Need I say more?

 

June 3rd, 2012

I picked these cherries!!!  So fun!! AND deeeelicious.

 

 June 5th, 2012

I didn't actually drive that motorcycle, but got to play passenger.  Woo-wee, motorcycle riding in Paris is one of those unforgettable experiences that dances right on the fringe between exhilarating and terrifying!

 

June 7th, 2012

 Nutella crepe!!  One of my all-time favorite things.  =)  Here, my happiest moment after a day of exploring Paris, getting drenched in a downpour, finding refuge and fascinating artifacts in Le Petit Palais, and being intoxicated by exhaust fumes from a sickening amount of traffic.  Give me country-side any day.....

 

June 8th, 2012

So I chose to spend the next day just walking around a far-removed suburb of Paris, surrounded by fields of wheat and barley, scattered with red poppies.  Fabulous!

 

AND there was a castle!  Doesn't get any better.  Except for a fabulous frolic in another downpour. 

 

June 16th, 2012

My cousin's wedding.  In this fantastically quaint little church.

 

 

And dance party until 4:30 am!!  =)  All generations danced together, it was so fun!!!

 

June 21st, 2012

Visit the Volvic Water source and factory.  Free samples. Oooooh!

 

June 22nd, 2012

Collonges La Rouge - one of my favorite, unique, quaint little towns in France.  On the way down to Bordeaux, stopped for a little lunch break here . . .

 

Apperitif! Sante!!

Incredible.  Decadent.  Exquisite.  All such adjectives are appropriate here.

YUMMY!!

 June 23, 2012

My body was still up for running at this point, and this was one of my favorite little roads to run down.  Running through vineyards in Bordeaux: definitely one of my "happies"

Hellooooo ripening grapes.  How I love you in your many forms. =) 

 

One of the most phenomenal combinations ever: succulently ripe melon with port in the center, paired with "magret de canard."

 

June 24th, 2012



Visiting St. Emilion.  Picturesque to a T.  And production site of one of the best wines in the region.  What more can one ask? 

Ah yes, panoramic views from an ancient bell tower.  Do I find rows of grape vines so beautiful because I have a particular bias for their end product?  Perhaps.

Panoramic of St. Emilion.

Same place.  Obsess much.  =)  Looks so quaint and peaceful, right?

But Oh the horrors!  Locked behind bars at St Emilion.

Wait, we were actually outside, and more numerous.  Still petrified, though.  =)

Oh my.  One of my favorite discoveries of the day: Un Café Gourmand.  An espresso accompanied by a variety of mini desserts.  This one still has the record with a whopping 9 different desserts (the norm, I came to learn through my year in Europe, is around 3 or 4).  My cousin ordered this for dessert that wonderful day in St Emilion, and was quickly followed by nearly everyone else in our party.  A marvelous discovery for we uncultured Americans.  =)

 

 

June 25th, 2012

Winery Tour of Chateau Pontac-Lynch.

Wine Tasting at Chateau Pontac-Lynch.  Yipeee!!  Does my body language scream how giddy I am to be tasting wine in Bordeaux?  Hooray! 

 

June 27th, 2012

Shrimp salad appetizer at a restaurant on the sea. Amaaaaaaaaaazing.  Ha, and smirking at the memory of when seeing the heads of shrimp used to freak me out. 

Very fun waiters....

Main meal.  Such scrumptiously fresh fish.  Again, pondering over the progress I've made from hyperventilating at the sight of a fish head as a child, to being able to semi-efficiently eat a whole fish, learning where the bones are, how to avoid them and get the most delightfully eadible meat, discovering the delicacy of fish cheeks, and even trying a fish eyeball (though one time will suffice for me).

 

June 28th, 2012

On the drive back from Bordeaux, stop for lunch in Tourenne.  Another quaint favorite French town.

Birthday cake!  Myum!!

 

June 29th, 2012

I love riding trains!!  AND heading to the Cote d'Azur for the first time.  Sooooooooo stoked!

 

 

How to best start a visit to Cannes??  Why, with a picnic on the beach of course!!  A friend from Seattle, Aaron, met me in Cannes to explore this spectacular & renowned Cote d'Azur destination.  I look ravenous (glad that's not your hand, aren't you?) but really just super excited to be having a picnic on the beach - one of my favorite things!!

 

June 30th, 2012

 

FIG TREES!!!  There were fig trees just scattered around the city.  I LOVE IT!  And would have loved it even more if they'd had ripe fruit, but sadly,  not the season yet to be able to pick a fig off a tree and enjoy.  (Normandy in August offered me this ecstasy!!)

Favorite part of Cannes: "Le Suquet" - Old Cannes in all its charming glory of narrow roads and alleys, restaurant tables arranged in these narrow ways (brilliant marketing tactic) and steep streets leading to views like the one behind me.

 

 

Trip Recap: My Struggles

As absolutely fantastic as my year-long travel sabbatical was, I definitely struggled with a huge variety of things, some of which I'd foreseen, but most of which shocked the heck out of me.  I had serious doubts about writing this post, but have come to the conclusion that the struggles were as much a part of my trip as the euphoric, elated moments, and it if helps fellow travelers to relate, or can help a traveler-to-be feel better prepared, then at least something constructive comes out of it!

You'll also get quite the in-depth look at Elodie and her darker, more shameful corners.  = / . . . .are you ready?? (top 3 are at the bottom)

4.) Constantly unpacking and repacking.  WOW did I get sick of packing.  This was one that I had foreseen, but the frustration mounted to such a peak that I nearly cut my trip off after 8 months . . . the draw to see Budapest, Prague, Tuscany, etc . . . was stronger though, so I packed it up and accepted that my 40 pound pack was my new best friend and would be the one accompanying me and permitting me to see lots of amazing places.

5.) Planning trips.  Oh.My.Gosh.  This was soooooooo not fun.  I ended up despising the amount of time it would take to search online for what cities I wanted to visit, best airfare deals, train tickets, hostels, couchsurf hosts, how to get from one place to another . . . . being on a tight budget it would take extra time to compare prices and towards the end I became less thorough in my comparisons. I just couldn't handle the hours of research.  Ugh.

6.) Not having a place of my own to settle. (I just counted last night, because I'm a dork like that and I was curious, but in my 12 months of travel, I slept in 87 different beds - haha!  You know that feeling when you wake up and aren't sure where you are?  Yeah - had that innumerable times) =)  I realized that I wouldn't have my own home for the duration of my travels, but I hadn't considered how much that fact would bother me.  Whenever I stayed at people's houses, (be it family, friends, or couchsurfing) I always felt like an intruder because let's face it, that's what a house-guest is! Granted there is a scale of wanted to unwanted house-guests and I gave my all to be the best house-guest possible (I actually considered myself a professional house-guest by the end. . .that was my job - ha!).  But truly, constantly being a house-guest, intruding and being on others' schedules became very irksome.  Staying in a B&B room all to myself was a HUGE luxury: my own space and my own schedule!  Hostels were shared spaces, but at least I could follow my own schedule as well. I was amused and challenged by the vast array of dinner times I experience while traveling . . . anywhere from 6 pm to 11:30 pm..... I definitely learned more flexibility and adaptability. 

7.) No routine.  I reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally miss things like grocery shopping, cleaning my house, training for races and exercising regularly (I've never missed going to a gym so much in my entire life!)  I realize that may sound insane - who misses cleaning their house regularly??  I definitely didn't foresee this one, but after about 6 months I found myself severely missing the regularity of routine.  When my last WWOOF in Scotland fell through and I ended up working for my stay at a hostel, I was cleaning rooms 3 hours/day and I actually found it surprisingly satisfying.  Not a line of work I'm interested in pursuing for a career, but at the time, it fulfilled this void I'd had for 8 months!

8.) Defining what friendship means to me.  I really struggled with feeling abandoned by friends and found myself repeatedly examining how I defined friendship.  If a friend doesn't make an effort to email, skype, or stay in touch at all while we are apart, is that still a good friend??  What about just a few months??  If we have an awesome skype conversation after 4 months, does that make up for no communication in that time lapse?  I know that life is ridiculously hectic, so what do I expect and need from friends while we are on different continents and struggling to coordinate with 6 - 9 hour time differences?  Am I being a good friend?  Are my friends asking themselves the same questions?? Am I meeting their needs and expectations? So many questions, and still so few answers.

9.) Seeing troubled marriages. Over the course of 12 months of traveling, seven countries and numerous hosts, I witnessed more struggling marriages than solid ones.  I find that incredibly discouraging.  It really makes me doubt our capability as human beings to find a compatible partner, someone with whom we can spend our whole adult lives.  A lot of the relationships I saw made me never want to get married.  =/  I found myself often wondering: "Will I ever find someone I want to spend the rest of my life with?  A relationship where we challenge, love, inspire & support each other year after year? Is it possible to be kind to someone after you've been married 30 plus years??"(I'm still hopeful for  YES answers!!!)

10.)  Balance.  Holy cow.  I never thought I would struggle so much with balancing time when I was unemployed.  Unreal.  Truly unreal how difficult of a time I had making time for everything.  The juggling act I ended up failing quite miserably involved 1. sleep, 2. exercise, 3. visiting with host friends, family, or couchsurfers, 4. sight-seeing / exploring, 5. keeping in touch (skype dates, blog, emails, etc . . . ) and 6. reading.

I remember one of my original goals for my travel sabbatical was to sleep 8 hours/night.  Fat chance!!  If I wanted to get a workout in first thing in the morning (which is, if I'm honest with myself, the only time it ever realistically happens) then that means waking up before a. the WWOOF day starts or b. my family or friends wake-up because I feel rude missing breakfast with my hosts.  An early wake-up would be OK if I went to bed at a reasonable time, but typically the best time for skype dates, writing emails, updating my blog, planning the next trip, etc . . . . was late at night after my hosts have gone to bed.  Again, a component of feeling rude - I don't go visit family and friends internationally so that I can spend hours at the computer. 

Then there's the side when I'm not visiting anyone I know, but visiting a new place: I just want to be out exploring as absolutely long as possible!!  Working out and doing ANYTHING on a computer means less time exploring. 

"10b" Not being able to run - If you know how incredibly excited I am about running in new places, you might be questioning that last sentence, and that is one thing that killed a little piece of my soul: not being able to run in all of my new surroundings.  After my sacrum went so wonky in August, I went through a period of 6 weeks of not being able to run at all.  My months in Ireland and Scotland were spent really really slowly building my running back up.  There are not enough words to describe how much I was looking forward to running though unexplored territory (especially of the Irish and Scottish variety), how much I adore running through gorgeous car-free countryside, and how crazy I went not getting my running endorphin fix or expending the prolific amount of calories I was consuming.  I realize to non-runners it may sound absurd, but not being able to run was heart-wrenching and maddening.  Exploring via running is one of my absolute favorite things to do, and I couldn't.  It was depressing, frustrating, and fattening.  For months, I oscillated between celebrating my progression (from 10 x 1 minute intervals to 6 x 5 minute intervals in a 4 month period) and grieving my lack of grand exploratory runs and pathetically short outings. 

11.) Sick of social interactions. I got sick of talking to people.  What?  Those who know me may think I am joking, but it is true.  By the end of my travels, I found that I had become very discouraged by getting to know people that I would never see again.  It felt useless and depressing.  I got to meet some really phenomenal people on my trip, and the shitty reality of it is that I will probably never see most of those people again.  The upside is that I got to meet them at all - I do see that side of it also, but the whole "living in different countries" hurdle is a painfully tall one. . . . I find that depressing.  I became very demotivated to continue meeting and talking to random people.  I think I also severely craved interactions with people who know me well, and sharing more meaningful, deeper conversations. 

And my TOP THREE biggest struggles:  (these three all fall equal by rank, but for the sake of organization, I've numbered them below)

1.) My body.  As a former personal trainer, this was the hardest one for me to decide whether to "publish" but such it is, full disclosure.  Before becoming a personal trainer, I never would have imagined one struggling with things such as such body image, motivation to exercise, or gaining weight.  I don't know why, it's not like I considered trainers to be super-human, but somehow they were immune to these issues.  After three and half years in that role, I learned that there is no immunity.   And it doesn't take a super-human, or an Exercise Science degree to figure out what will happen if you stop exercising and eat significantly more than usual.  To eat, or not to eat??  That was my question.  I LOVE food, I always have, and I especially love trying new foods in new places.  That's a huge part of the experience for me.  But I also couldn't run, and there was a significant period where I couldn't do TRX either and honestly, many days when I chose not to exercise for a multitude of reasons.  End result?  I gained nearly 20 pounds.  Weighing myself was sporadic at best, and always on different scales, so I'm not sure of the exact number, but I do know that I don't like the way my body feels or looks. (working on that now).  Every time I considered reigning in the food, I'd be presented with some new, delicious, unique opportunity and the effort was thwarted.  I didn't want to miss out on any terrifically tasty treats, and to compound it - the meals that were "normal" (no terrifically tasty treats involved) were typically not the kind of food I would eat on a regular basis. . . . . which leads to struggle #2 . . . .

2.) Not being able to cook for myself.  I had no idea this would be so difficult for me, which was perhaps completely naive of me considering how much I love to cook.  By the end of the 12 months, it was to the point of withdrawal and at times I just wanted to cry from lack of control over what I was eating.  Not having my own kitchen meant not having my regular food stash, and although some of my hosts were incredibly considerate and tried to have some of my favorite foods on hand, (and I very VERY much appreciated those items), it's just not the same.  What I wouldn't have done for a slice of Great Harvest Dakota bread, all-natural peanut butter, greek yogurt, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, tempeh, the list goes on and on!!!  Just eating veggies steamed instead of doused in Bechamel sauce and covered in cheese.  Most of the people I stayed with cooked foods in very rich and heavy ways.  It was delicious, but not at all what my abnormally sedentary body needed.  Whenever I did get to cook for myself in a hostel or at a WWOOF site, it was sheer ecstasy!!  The hostels that didn't have kitchens available were on my serious shit-list. 

3.) Not having people with whom to share amazing experiences.   There were definitely moments when this feeling was more acute than others.  For the most part, I adore traveling alone.  It allows me to do whatever I want, whenever I want, for however long I want.  =) It opens possibilities that wouldn't otherwise present themselves.  It creates opportunities to meet all kinds of fantastic people!  But it can also become incredibly lonely.  My first overwhelmingly lonely experience was in my 11 days gallivanting around Ireland.  I got to see such breathtakingly beautiful places, but I didn't have anyone to share it with.  I could tell people about it later, show them pictures, but it's simply not the same.  Later, in Scotland, I was watching Into the Wild with some WWOOFers and there is a quote in the movie that says it all and makes me cry.  It goes something like this: "Happiness is only real when it is shared."  I have been incredibly lucky, and have gotten to experience countless marvelous experiences that have brought me immeasurable joy, but it would have been that much better shared.

Trip Recap: Top 10 Favorite Moments WWOOF-ing

1.) Driving a tractor at Pillar's.  SO FUN!!!

2.) Harvesting raspberries, purple beans, and runner beans. Like a treasure hunt (one of the best treasures ever! so yummy!!)  The stuff we harvested was part of what we got to eat on a daily basis.  I cannot express how much I adore eating foods I pick myself.  It's phenomenal the difference in taste and just makes me so very happy.

3.) Picking a huge variety of salads for mix salad bags.

4.) Sowing lettuce seeds. So exciting to see little baby greens popping out of the soil and growing into lettuce plants. 

5.) Planting cabbage plants.  So satisfying to have rows of baby cabbage plants at the end of the day.

6.) Being one of 10 WWOOF-ers at Cambo with a fantastic mix of cultures: American, French, Spanish, Polish, Swedish, Swiss, and English.  It was such a fantastically fun group!  Not to mention the awesome gardeners we got to work with, one of whom became a very dear friend and invited me to join her family for Christmas.  Just fabulous.

7.) Bonfire at Pillar's my first night there with 4 other workers.  A great way to bond!

8.)  Regularly making dinner with two other workers who lived at Pillars.  We would take turns cooking for each other.  Another great way to bond.  =)

9.) Being able to walk to the coast when living at Cambo.  Depart house..... arrive at beach within 7 minutes.  Stupendous!!

10.) Cataloguing books!  May seem out of place on a list regarding WWOOFing and in the context that I despise computers...... but it was really incredibly fun and fascinating to see so many books dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.  They all felt like treasures!  And some of the titles were uproariously funny.  It ended up being a hugely entertaining task.

Trip Recap: Favorite People Interactions

Upon reflection of my year of traveling, I decided there were four people interactions I experienced that really blew me away.  These are my best "people inspiring faith in the human race" moments....

1.) The random couple on the ferry from Malaig to Skye in Scotland who offered me a ride to Kyleakin when there was no public transportation.  Amazing.  Crammed me and my substantial bags into their small car, drove about 40 minutes out of their way to drop me off at the door of my hostel and wouldn't accept any money.  I realized after they drove away that we hadn't even exchanged names or contact information, just went straight into chatting on the ferry.  I kicked myself for not having given my email and offering any help / advice as the wife was training for a half marathon.  BUT the world working its fabulous mysteries, I ended up seeing them in a restaurant the next day in a tiny town called Plockton back on the mainland (what are the chances??!!  I was ecstatic!)  Introductions were made and email addresses exchanged.  Satisfaction!

2.) Couchsurfers I met in Cassis, who were not hosting me, but just two random people I met after I finished my hike along the cliffs.  We were about a 20 minute walk from town center and I had asked them if they knew the hours for a little grocery store I'd seen.  We ended up chatting for about 40 minutes, well past sun set.  There was still a bus or two from town center that would take me to the train station, but the Couchsurf host very generously offered to drive me to the train station and wouldn't take no for an answer.  The complication arose because his car only had room for one person, and he already had his Couchsurf guest.  His brilliant solution was to take her to the train station first (about 5 miles away) drop her off, and then come back and get me, which he did willingly and enthusiastically.  So appreciated!

3.)  A Swiss family (parents and three daughters around 18-24, all French-speaking) I met at a Graham's Port tour  in Porto, Portugal.  We were the only ones taking the tour so we were all asking a bunch of questions and started chatting.  At the end, we had a tasting, and originally the tour guide had me set up at a separate table from the family, but they invited me to join them so we just continued chatting.  In the end, they invited me to their house in Switzerland to taste some of their amazing food (can you imagine, the main topic of our conversation was foods we find scrumptious that pair well with Port, and just delicious things in general)  =)  They gave me their contact info and we had an original email exchange but that is one of the trips that didn't have a chance to materialize before coming home . . . perhaps for another time . . . Inspiring!

4.) A man I met doing covoiturage (car-sharing in France) contacted me a week later to ask if I wanted to live in their house in Nice for three weeks and watch their three kids.  What?!  He said I seemed trustworthy.  I'm very happy to hear that I inspire confidence in people, but I was still shocked!  We'd literally spent maybe three hours together on the drive from Nice to Aix-en-Provence and the ride was shared with 4 other people (covoiturage is a website in France that allows people making trips to publicize their departure and destination, and others looking for rides that fit within the parameters can contact the driver and coordinate to join - it's such a splendid idea!)  This was my first time using covoiturage so I had no "reviews" and the profile you create for yourself is super limited, basically just your name.  I guess he could just sense the goodness spewing from me.  =)  The house and child-sitting didn't end up working out either, but I remain flattered by the offer.  An intriguing idea!

Things that make me happy. =)

When I first thought of doing this post, I had no idea what a fascinating psychological experience it would be for me. 

I was on a train, and started making a list of random things that make me happy.  After my first barrage of thoughts were jotted down, I felt like my list was absurd and people might mistakenly think that everything makes me happy . . . so I decided to make a list of things that frustrate me.  HOLY HELL!!  The shift in my mental mood was immediate, remarkable and significant!!!  When I was making my list of "happies" I was in such a good mood, smiling at all of these wonderful things that kept popping into my mind.  I was truly and deeply content, reveling in my "happies." 

When I started the list of "frustrations" I got through about three of them before I felt myself becoming really angry.  Just thinking of things that frustrate me was getting me seriously riled up.  I continued on until I had about 10 things written down and then I stopped and decided that was a horrible idea.

So I continued on with my list of things that make me happy, and I've just slowly added to it as a new item pops into my mind (and I plan to continue adding to it, making it grow indefinitely!!!).

I want to share my list in hopes that it can make you happy too!!  Maybe there will be something on the list that you hadn't thought of before, but once you notice it, you can garnish a little extra joy from random moments in life (simple pleasures - I believe them to be critical for maximal happiness!).  I also think it would be SPECTACULAR if people want to add their own "things that make you happy" in the comments section.  Let's spread the joy!!!

So, without further ado, here is my List:
-hooks in toilet stalls so you don't have to put your bags/coat on the floor
-sunshine
-shade when it's too sunny!
-bright colors (and brightly colored anything: suitcases, shoes, shutters, doors, houses, roofs, etc. . . )
-quaint villages
-narrow streets
-cobblestones
-train rides (especially when reasonably priced)
-picinics (on the beach, in the park, in the forest, on a mountain, you name it!)
-well-behaved kids
-people being generous, kind, or caring
-smiles
-well-defined brachioradialis muscles =)
-"I'm Sexy and I Know It" song, video, and video spoofs (SpandyAndy)
-funny YouTube videos in general (especially Lonely Island songs or "Call Me Maybe" spoofs)
-music (all different kinds to match my mood, from mellow to "pump you up!")
-having that inspiring song at just the right moment in an endurance event
-seeing people complete goal races
-helping people complete goal races
-endurance events in general (especially triathlons, marathons, and trail runs)
-trail running
-hiking
-swimming (open water and pool - different joys!)
-biking where there is not a lot of traffic (Normandie is my biking heaven!)
-movies that make me cry or inspire thought, or make me laugh
-reading
-beautiful landscapes
-driving around Ireland, listening to my Dublin buskers' music
-painting
-knitting
-going to concerts (especially smaller, more intimate settings)
-CanCan Cabaret show in Seattle
-Seattle in general
-friends
-reunions with people after being seperated a long time
-buses that have screens to let passengers know what stops are coming up
-flowers
-taking pictures
-looking back through pictures and re-living moments that were special
-getting emails / letters /  texts / phone calls /skype calls from people dear to me
-walking on the beach with soft sand (not frozen!)
-dancing like a crazy person, completely hyper and uninhibited
-receiving compliments
-giving compliments
-being able to do small acts of kindness for people
-seeing other people do small acts of kindness
-the FREE HUGS video
-blue sky
-clouds that have shapes to inspire the imagination
-different / noticeable textures in the sky / sea / land
-running high (from endorphins)
-completing a kick-ass workout
-getting my clothes completely sweat saturated from the stepmill
-problem-solving on my own (technology, finding my way in a new town, etc..)
-rain (as long as I'm not stuck in it when I don't want to be)
-comfy pants / clothes
-fun slippers
-brightly colored running shoes
-adrenaline rushes (sky diving, bungy jumping, motorcycle rides....)
-CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!!!!
-petting a cat that's purring
-playing with animals (especially 100+ pound dogs)
-supporting local, sustainable, organic (at its core, not industrial) foods
-Chaco Canyon and Thrive in Seattle
-tiramisu made just the way I like it (saturated "sponge cake" and light on the cream)
-wine, stinky cheese and bread - phenomenal combination.
-port
-muscat
-baking and eating oatmeal cookies
-cooking
-chopping vegetables
-getting my tax refund
-covoiturage
-couchsurfing & all that it entails
-traveling
-exploring new places
-moments of serenity
-being alone on a mountain trail
-snowshoeing
-snow (playing in it / being in a secluded, quite spot / having magical, peaceful snowfall / snowball fights / etc . . .)
-perfectly juicy, ripe orange (picked straight from the tree is a HUGE added bonus)
-exquisitely ripe and tasty fruit
-a really good night's sleep
-warm and cozy winter hat
-hot tubs
-spa days
-girl nights / bonding / talking late into the night
-Super Troopers (favorite comedy and Best Quote Movie ever!!)
-kahlua (with milk, mmmmmmmmmmm)
-a good hair day (aka: I don't have to do anything with it and I think it looks cute)
-nutella crepe
-pizza-making nights with friends
-getting real mail
-heat pads that warm up a bed before you get in (amaaaaaaaaaaaazing!)
-chivalrous men
-trying any variety of ethnic cuisine
-teaching group fitness classes
-people telling me I have infectious positive energy
-sleeping under the night sky
-taking off shoes after my feet have been captive for too long / too hot
-getting a hat wet with cold water when too hot
-smell of garlic and onion simmering in olive oil
-smells of nature (pines, lavender (hmmm, I may just make a "smells that make me happy" section.....)
-burying myself in warm laundry straight out of the dryer
-walking in winter wonderlands
-showers
-getting foot massages (any massage, really)
-fields of flowers (esp. the tulip festival!)
-other people who get really excited about life and cooking and food
-running through vineyards
-sharing a bottle of good wine with friends
-wine and cheese soirrees
-Seattle's wine and cheese festival
-handbags with pockets to keep my stuff organized
-being able to identify plants in nature
-creating a new and awesome recipe
-chatting for hours with friends
-eating food straight from the tree / plant
-driving without traffic (max 90 minutes)
-sunsets
-sunrises
-shooting stars
-flying in an airplane just above super fluffy clouds
-magnolia trees, cherry trees, rhododendrons, and forsynthias in bloom
-luggage racks on trains with space for my big bags
-pretending I'm on a cooking show when I cook and have all veggies pre-chopped =)
-vacuuming (the clean lines in the carpet after are so satisfying!)
-"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" song by Dublin busker
-Great Harvest Bread Company (Dakota bread specifically)
-running in the rain
-running in the snow
-when all 4 judges turn around on The Voice
-Justin Timberlake's appearances on SNL
-pristine white snow
-skyping with friends, especially when there is video connection - makes my heart happy!
-homemade jams
-making jam
-a bunch of fresh vegetables - esp. when its my meal!!
-trees blossoming
-springtime with everything in bloom
-autumn colors with all the reds and yellows - I adore this color combination and all the various shades from magenta to orange and more.
-bare branches with snow, beautiful!
-seafood (esp. mussels in white wine sauce, shrimp, crab, fish, scallops, all caught locally and sustainably)
-achieving a goal
-finding really good prices on material goods
-seeing "red numbers" by the FB messages or notifications
-seeing results of hard work (ie: goal time on a race, field of cabbage plants planted, etc . . .)
-stone houses or wood-frame (colombage) houses
-willow trees (esp. weeping willows)
-tile or slate roofs (or stone!)
-lavendar
-cologne (ie: noticing a man walk by who smells amazing!)
-karaoke with good friends
-moments of being completely and utterly hyper (and creating music videos in such a state)
-lychees, mangoes, pomegranites, . .. ..
-beating up a punching bag to de-stress
-seeing people I haven't seen in years and picking up where we left off
-seafood salads
-confit de canard
-margaritas (esp. Cactus' ritas in Seattle and their chips and salsa!)
-UW Campus (esp. when cherry trees in bloom)
-picking blackberries & having a BBQ on Mercer Island
-swimming in lakes (esp. Rattlesnake Lake)
-impromptu swims in lakes / sea with clothes on!
-renting a canoe from the WAC and paddling through Arboretum, on Lake WA or Lake Union
-sea kayaking
-TRX
-being able to do chin-ups
-singing without inhibition in the car (esp. with friends or family)  =)
-being woken up by a sweet little child who comes in and gives me a kiss on the cheek
-having a little kid stop crying and come give me a hug when she sees me
-being adored by a little child
-laughing until I cry
-having a good cry
-treating people to a meal / coffee / dessert / etc . . ..
-having people treat me to a meal / coffee / dessert / etc . . .
-Blue Man Group performances
-Cirque de Soleil permanent performance at Disney World
-classical music concert, closing my eyes, and being lost in the music
-seeing a "hang" instrument being played
-wandering around a new city and getting "lost"
-being toasty warm in bed when it's chilly outside
-hot chocolate
-cuddling
-swing dancing
-surprise dates
-taking off my socks and being surprised to have my toenails painted because I hardly ever paint them and typically forget when they are painted =)
-seeing other people dressed in brightly colored clothes
-surprise birthday messages hidden around the house
-birthday song voice-mails!!!
-FB birthday wishes =)
-pictures of cute animals
-cute animals in general, "in the flesh," especially when I can pet them
-seeing a guy carrying flowers. . .  he'll make someone's day!
-relief of peeing when you really have to go!
-libraries!!
-getting lost and completely engrossed in a good book
-HALF PRICE BOOKSTORES!!  They are like crack for me.  I cannot walk out with less than 6 books.
-Cookbooks!!!  (looking at pictures of delicious food, and getting inspirations for new recipes)
-Recipe nights =)
-discovering a new and favorite recipe to add to my arsenal
-Gaelic Storm, Dervish (and Celtic music in general)
-Live Irish Music sessions at any pub (to be enjoyed with a delicious beer, OR maybe some Graham's Port!! =)  yum yum yum and yay for music that makes you want to move!!!)
-Ceilidhs (most awesome dance party I've ever been to!! It's a traditional Gaelic social gathering with a prolific amount of twirling - soooooooooooooooo fun!!!)
-turning the page each month for a new picture in my snapfish calendar
-the way aspen leaves look when they rustle in the wind
-gawking at mansions
-just watching clouds drift by, feeling unhurried & tranquil
-bonfires
-making s'mores
-Golden Gardens in Seattle
-watching ducks.  They just make my heart happy with their playful nature, the way they stick their butts up in the air to get food, and then after, wiggle their butts with vigor . . . I sound like a duck pervert, but I assure you, it's all innocent and good fun.  =)
-in Seattle, when "The Mountain" is out. 
-finding healthy, wholesome, local food when eating out.
-when a PT helps me solve a mystery that's been causing me pain for over a year. 
-low hanging fog / mist in the early mornings
-how prepared public transport in Portland is for bikes!
-Tabor Bread, Laughing Planet, Tea Zone & Nicholas in Portland
-Forest Park and Washington Park (especially rose garden and arboretum) in Portland
-Foggy Lake hike and swim
-Cougar & Tiger Mountains and their wonderfully runnable trails
-planes (transport in general) being on time
-being able to splash water on my face and make my bed in the mornings without having to support the weight of my torso!!  (so simple but so appreciated after months of being unable to do so)
-people using the passing lane appropriately!  It almost feels miraculous!!
-my own freshly ground pepper from a TJ's pepper grinder!
-O Fortuna from Carmina Burana
-Completing crosswords
-Seeing strangers help each other
-Reliving parts of my travels when listening to certain songs or seeing pictures come up on my electronic picture frame
-Finding something after you think you've lost it - yay!
-80's Pop Pandora station. =)
-Progressing on climbs
-Motion sensor light working on my back porch so the light turns on when I come home - so simple but so very very nice!
-Cat Crap - this stuff is amazing!!  (to de-fog lenses of glasses for those that are wondering)
-Days getting longer and riding home in daylight / sunrise.  =)
-TJ's pumpkin ice cream with crunchy peanut butter - yum!
-Brian.  And all the immeasurable joy he brings to my life.