How do you decide your next travel destination??
Recent vacation photos from someone seen on your Facebook feed? An ad seen on TV or magazine or billboard? Conversations with friends or colleagues? An overhead conversation while commuting?
I have done all the above. Travel inspiration can come easily but how to do it affordably as well? Continue reading
What I haven’t told anyone, including myself is that – I pushed and shoved myself to live in Germany. That’s why I didn’t do any research beforehand and just showed up with the wrong clothes and completely unprepared. I am fortunate that I have no dependents and have a bank account with money and willing to live cheaply so one less important thing that I don’t have to worry about.
My luggage consisted of typical clothes I would wear in Toronto during summer time, however, Continue reading
With my recent return to Hong Kong and then a visit of the Philippines next week, I am contending with family issues. Within the past few years, I have significantly shifted my perspectives, broken down and rebuilt my own version of my belief system, more so since my journeys in 2013 and 2014. I appreciate these changes in me, however, they contrast the belief systems held by my family but do form the basis of my evolution.
This post is in regards to traveling outside of one’s psychological boundaries and barriers. What happens when you’re the lone dove who wants to test out your wings?
To me, “leaving the nest”, typically relates to finding financial independence and creating my own home and life. What about the mental and emotional aspects of “leaving the nest”?
Finding the courage to break away from familial structure and mind set is challenging, if not at times – impossible. I would know. Despite the fact that I have been alive for 40 years now, this is still a struggle of mine. My mother, does not approve of my ways, neither does my brothers. I receive more love and support from friends and complete strangers. Sad, I know.
Continue reading
Today, the day after a new moon, a full solar eclipse and Spring equinox, please allow me to present my new business venture – Spiritual Radiance Tours.
It has been my intention for the past few years to share my joy of travel. Within this time, I wasn’t sure what was the best method, in addition to this blog. The experiences I have gained by combining spirituality and travel has been life changing to say the least for me.
My journeys have taken me to various corners of the world, however, it has also taken me to the deep and sometimes dark corners of my inner world. Aspects of myself that I have neglected or forgotten. Aspects of myself that needed resolution. Aspects that I needed to accept as a part of me.
I am nothing without my past. I live in the present and embrace the future.
We meet ourselves time and again in a thousand disguises on the path of life.
~ Carl Jung
We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us so that we become increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us, and make us kinder.
We always have the choice.
~ H.H. Dalai Lama
Looking at my WordPress Dashboard, it’s reminding me today it will be posting my 500th post.
I migrated my Single Woman Travels! site from Tumblr to WordPress back in November 2013. It’s been quite the journey because I traveled for 8 months in 2013 and now I’m in the middle of a 6 months pilgrimage/journey in Europe.
I have been very fortunate to have found this outlet to share my images and thoughts with you.
Thank you for your time, attention and acknowledgement of my thoughts and ideas.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Solo travel has helped shaped me to be who I am today.
I started traveling alone out of necessity and not for pleasure.
As you see, my family immigrated to Canada as a whole when I was young. However due to various circumstances, they all drifted back to Hong Kong. I was left in Winnipeg, Canada to finish school alone. During my summer vacations, I’d travel to Hong Kong to see my family. That was the only way for me to spend time with them physically. Fortunately, my family was able to finance these visits each year.
It’s a mixture of complex emotions that I did not realize until much later. That was life as I knew it. I was in survival mode without conscious awareness.
After the fact, some friends and acquaintances see it as a sad childhood. Maybe so, however, it definitely helped shape my independence and ease with international solo travel. It also inspired an intrigue to learn from exploration and feed my curiosity.
My Canadian Passport with airline stickers
Vineyards and glacial river seen from train to Zermatt, Switzerland
The top of Gornergrat is at 3135m (10285 ft) above sea level. This is the location which many tourists and locals travel to for a perfect view of the famous Matterhorn (Monte Cervino) with peaks at 4478m (14691 ft). This is also one of countless places in Switzerland which locals enjoy hiking and mountain biking on gorgeous summer days.
On this day in August, I considered the dreary weather report and hoped for the best. Left my friend’s home before 8am with my day pack and a sense of adventure. Inside the day pack was a lunch, snacks, water, prayer flags from Nepal, fleece, rain jacket, gloves, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera, phone, money and my Swiss Flexi Pass. I just brought the basics but enough in case I decide to hike a bit.
The ride to the top was beautiful. I forgot what city life is like with pollution and traffic noise. Glimpses of hidden waterfalls. Watching the train bank a corner to reveal another valley, another village. Little wooden chalets in the distance. Cows eating grass, ringing the cow bell around their necks. I felt like a little city girl, giddy and jolly – fascinated with what nature has to offer. A couple of times, I wanted to turn to the person beside me and say “Did you SEE that!?!”
Glimpse of waterfalls from SBB train
Single Woman Travels! 