Our year away in photos (part 1)

Wednesday 22 May 2013

This is the first of two posts with my favourite photos from our year away travelling America and Canada. I wanted to share a few of these on my blog as it was such an incredible experience. I am sure all my family and friends are sick of me talking about it (yes, stilll, a year after we got back). Hopefully I can do it all again one day. It was hard to choose just 40 to spread across two posts, but I didn't want to bombard the blog with reams of travelling photos, and it's nice to have little highlights like this.

In 2011 and 2012 we backpacked around Canada and America for 5 months and then lived and worked in Vancouver for the rest of the year. I would definitely recommend Canada and America as places to travel around - I want to go back and travel around all the states and provinces we missed!

The quality isn't the best as I had my little point and shoot camera, i'd love to return one day with my DSLR!

Anyway, on to the photos....

View over Lake Huron, Kincardine, Ontario
Looking out over Montreal, Quebec
On the Staten Island Ferry, NYC
Portland Harbour, Maine
On a 19 hour train from Quebec City to Halifax
View from the Rockefeller, NYC
Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia
Tilt shift Boston from the Providence building
Grand Canyon
Bat watching in Austin, TX
Inside The Venetian, Las Vegas
A diner in Nashville, TN
Korean War Memorial, Washington DC
Walking along the beach in Santa Monica, CA
Zion Canyon, Utah
The Vegas sign!
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Pike Place Market, Seattle
Vancouver, BC - view from Granville Bridge
Snowshoeing in Lake Louise, Alberta with my parents

Currently #2

Sunday 19 May 2013

[Grand Canyon - October 2011]
Thinking about: A weird limbo stage of growing up and "becoming an adult". Now that it is approaching a year since we returned from travelling, I am starting to feel a bit older. (I fully realise that at 25, I am already an adult). I say limbo stage because I don't think I'm fully into that "settled" part of my life (my own choice), and I'd ideally like to backpack around somewhere again (Europe or NZ!). Obviously there are no set ages for anything in life, but I feel like I do fight a constant battle between wanting to grow up and not. In my opinion though, your twenties are for lots of new adventures and experiences that maybe buying a house or having a child would restrict. Let's hope finances will allow another big trip at some point.

Watching: Very late to the party, I have just started watching Game of Thrones and really liking it so far. Can't wait for the last series of Dexter this summer and as always I am still enjoying my guilty pleasure shows, i.e Revenge. Also - I do love a bit of The Apprentice, even if they are all idiots.

Listening to: Next week I am seeing Andrew McMahon and am rather giddy with over excitement, Something Corporate have been one of my favourite bands since I was 16 (Will most likely revert to 16 year old self at the gig). Also still on my commute playlist; the new Frank Turner album, Tape Deck Heart, and some Gabrielle Aplin.

Reading: The Secret History by Donna Tartt, which I am really enjoying. Hoping to start The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle soon. I have been recommended this book many , many times by my good friend James, but never seem to get round to starting it. If you hadn't guessed, I am awful with books, I need to push myself to read more! In terms of blogs, a few of my favourite daily reads are; Rachel Phipps, Betsy Transatlantically & Incurably Curious.

[Me & Lizzie at her hen party]
Looking forward to: A wedding & a christening! Next bank holiday weekend one of my friends, Lizzie, is getting married (the first one of our friends to get married, makes me feel like I am definitely getting older!) then Aled's nephew is getting christened the day after. Plus it's a four day weekend for me, so that will definitely help me get through work this week!

Researching: London neighbourhoods. It's rather hard to find somewhere that is relatively safe with great atmosphere, good transport links AND cheap(er) houses. Gosh. We've spent a few days checking out some of the places we are considering. Our move date might be postponed a month, so we don't have to properly start looking till June/July. I am just hoping for a smooth, hassle free house/flat hunt - which almost definitely won't happen.

[ This post was inspired by the "Currently" posts over on one of my favourite blogs Sometimes Sweet by Danielle. ]

Life lately

Saturday 11 May 2013

I'm not if anyone reads this, but hello if you are! I keep meaning to post a little more regularly, and hopefully i'll start a better posting routine soon.

I'm currently trying to research different neighbourhoods, as we're moving in with friends in a few months and I am trying to find the perfect location equidistant from all our workplaces. I'm looking forward (and slightly stressed) about starting to view places. Only a year since the last estate agent hassle and I hope things run smoothly.

For now, I thought i'd share a few photos from the past months..