on the road again

That special place called home

Booked a flight to Vancouver for little sister’s high school graduation. It’s great to be here even if it’s just for a short while. Fresh coastal air. Smiling faces of family members. That special place called home.

Congratulations Miranda! The world is yours.

One Year Abroad

jlau:

One year ago today… stepped off a plane in Glasgow for the summer of a lifetime. Where has this year gone?

Jacob, you sure got me thinking…

One Year Abroad.

It’s been just over a full year since I left Vancouver to go abroad—minus the Christmas stopover for loved ones.

It’s been a journey that transcends geography—much more about the personal growth and people met than the places explored.

It’s been the shortest, longest, most transformational year of my life and one that I will never forget.

And it doesn’t end here.

Little Sister Prepares for Europe

mirsuzara:

dude i just realized that in 16 days i’ll be on my flight to europe and theres still a buncha shit that has to be done:

get hotels and stuff

transportation stuff

clothes

i dont even have a big luggage yet

money$$$$$$$

this is my last week of high school too. commencement is on sunday. last week was grad and it was awesome. after grad and camping was even better..wish that was a bit longer.. thats all for now..

Also just realized that i wont have a computer there, so there goes my idea for this tumblr mumbo jumbo

get hotels and stuff

I think I heard you guys mention something about Amsterdam? All hope is not lost for your “age situation” (minimum age can be hostel-specific, ranging from 16-18):

• Hostelworld
• HostelBookers

transportation stuff

• Ryanair
• Walking instead of taking a taxi (see the .gif for visual assistance, pretty easy once you get the hang of it). My roommates and I saved a ton of money in Paris by never taking a taxi. If you’re in a group and know the way home (I admit that this can be a challenge at times), take the stroll or you’ll pay the toll.

clothes

•  H&M and Topshop in the UK have affordable clothing in styles that you won’t find at home (people will be like “yo, where’d you get that from” and you can be like “from the UK, dawg”) 

i don’t even have a big luggage yet

• You do not need a big luggage (almost everyone has a tendency to overpack)
• You do not want a big luggage (it’s annoying to lug around with you)
• …that is, unless it’s an *empty* big luggage that will be used to store all the stuff that you will surely end up with by the end of your journey

money$$$$$$$

 This is true, but there are plenty of ways for budget travelers to survive (besides the above cost savings in accommodation, transportation, and clothing):

• Food: whenever you have the chance, buy groceries and snacks beforehand to bring on walks and make picnics. You can easily save a few euros daily by purchasing things like water before entering the ultra-touristy zones. Also, picnics in Europe are just fun.
• Have a home-base, try to visit family, or stay at a friend’s place to cutdown on accommodation costs. Lucky for you, you’re visiting people in Wales, so when you aren’t out and about in other countries you’ll save greatly on accommodation costs (and maybe some food). As an added bonus, you will get to experience the rich culture of Wales. Worst case scenario: if you run out of cash you can always scurry back there for the rest of the trip. 
• Avoid checking-in bags on budget airlines such as Ryanair. Just bring a carry-on (a simple backpack will do).

this is my last week of high school too. commencement is on sunday. 

Congratulations Miranda, I’m very proud of you! Lot’s of love from your big brother!

Also just realized that i wont have a computer there, so there goes my idea for this tumblr mumbo jumbo

Most hostels will have internet-ready computers for a quick post here and there (might cost around a euro). And yes, the internet exist in Wales.

Another week in Europe.

Recent travel exploits courtesy of your favourite Eurasian Canadian Vagabond.

Saturday, June 5: Salzburg, Austria

Sunday, June 6: Dachau Memorial Site

Monday, June 7: Müller’sches Volksbad (public bath house in all its nude glory)

Tuesday, June 8: Olympic Swimming Pool

Wednesday, June 9: Nymphenburg Palace

Thursday, June 10: Munich International Airport (of course a biergarten is inside…)

Friday, June 11: Evening jog to Garching from my flat in Ismaning

Saturday, June 12: Road trip to Liechtenstein with a bunch of friends

National University of Singapore (NUS) International Exchange. It’s official.

My schedule (now I just need to drop in on some Chinese and Buddhist Philosophy courses and I’ll be set):

Looks like I won’t be tenting on campus grounds after all:

Sunday Grocery Shopping in Munich???

Contrary to popular belief, it exists. I assure you that the picture below was taken on a Sunday. And no, it’s not a mirage.

For anyone that’s ever looking to get some grocery shopping done on a Sunday in Munich (a rarity considering almost everything is closed), check out the Edeka at the Munich Airport. It’s open until 10PM every night, the prices are reasonable, and the selection is just unreal. In fact, there’s enough Oriental and Indian spices to make you believe that you got sidetracked and ended up somewhere on the Silk Road.

So, just hop on the S1 or S8 direction Flughafen, and you’ll be ready to make a pad thai dinner in no time…on a Sunday!