Archives for July 2015

Where to go Solo?

July 19, 2015 By Caroline Peterson

Solo travel. I’m doing it.

Perhaps.

Maybe.

(I knooooow.)

I’ve learned recently that I probably shouldn’t plan for things expecting them to happen. It’sÂ most likely a result of having to cancel our recent trip to Southeast Asia, but either way, I’m apprehensive about saying I’ll “for sure” do something.

With some extra PTO in my bucket, I’d like to plan a little getaway. A much needed getaway, more specifically. Medical school prevents the hubster from traveling with me and most people I know aren’t willing to travel as far and as much as I’d like. Which is totally okay, I’m just not willing to wait for that day to come.

I’ve always deeply admired those gals who just head out for solo travel adventures. These women have shown me that solo travel doesn’t have to be so intimidating.Â Read Be My Travel Muse and Adventures Around Asia for some rockin’ inspiration.

I do have super fun, close girlfriends (the same ones I went to Spain and Portugal with last year) who are going to Australia in December. How fun!Â I’m looking into the logistics of it and haven’t totally thrown the idea out.

A morning alone in Barcelona, Spain. — A morning alone exploring in Barcelona, Spain.

But something is nagging at me a bit.
A sort of feeling that says it knows better.
A little voice that says:

Go alone.

I’m not totally sure why. Perhaps this is the sort of time and reflection I need after an emotional couple months and an incredibly intense few years?

I’ve traveled alone in the sense that I’ve flown to far off places alone, even spending days waiting for another person’s arrival. I lived in London alone for a month finishing up an internship, but I had already been there for months prior and well, London is essentially like another home to me. I knew it well at that point. While in London, my flatmates and I had the opportunity to travel to different countries for the weekend (I love how easy that is to do in Europe) and I remember one time saying that I’d just go alone if no oneÂ wanted to come. They ended up coming and I was secretly relieved.

I haven’t specifically gone somewhere with the intention ofÂ traveling solo the entire time.

It’s a thought that both excites and scares the shit out of me.

So, basically, I know I’ve got to do it at some point. So why not now? If time, price and logistics work out…this Florida gal is heading out of town…alone.

So where should I go solo?Â

This is where I love to reach out to my readers and ask their suggestions, just as I did when you helped us choose our next adventureÂ earlier this year. You rocked it out with recommendations.

First, a few caveats:

My preference is Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Central America. Am I open to other suggestions? Absolutely. With the miles and points I have in my accounts, those are the optionsÂ I feel comfortable with for getting the best bang for my buck.
I may do a tour with a group of like-minded travelers. Do you have any groups or companies you’ve toured with that you’d recommend?
I’d like at least one city that’s a bit off the beaten path, but mainly will keep it to well traveled locations.
I’m looking towards travel for early fall. My blood has thinned and the thought of being around snow doesn’t warm my heart. (You are absolutely allowed to call me a wimp. I’ve officially lost my 23 years of Michigan winters street cred.)

If you are traveling or live in any of those areas and want to meet up for aÂ couple days or even just a beer, let me know!

Let the suggestions begin below. Where should I go solo?

2015 Goals Update: Halfway Through

July 15, 2015 By Caroline Peterson

Still here. Chugging along after having to cancel our trip to Southeast Asia.

Now may be a good time to check in and see how those goals for 2015 are going.Â Don’t you hate when you set goals for yourself only to look back and realize – whoops, gotta get that shit done. I made a post at the beginning of the year of things I want to accomplish. Since we’re halfway through 2015 (!!!), I thought it would be good to check in on what I’ve done…and what I still need to work on.

Blog:

Join a blog network and expand readers

I’ve certainly expanded readers. I’m still a bit gun-shy about joining a blog network as I’ve read some things that make me hesitant. Sure, it would be great for increased readership, but often your readers are just in numbers, not necessarily loyalty, if that make sense. I was told once in a blogging seminar, it’s better to have 1000 quality, commenting followers, than 10,000 who don’t actually read your posts. I could also potentially pigeonhole myself into a particular network and I’m about as likely to stay inside the box as Miley Cyrus is at keeping her tongue in her mouth.

Gain more followers on Twitter and Facebook

Check and check.

Choose one medium for all my social networks

I discovered IFTTT and love it. It’s not totally ideal, but it’s a great way of pushing through specifically what I want posted from Instagram to Twitter or FB, as well as links posted on Facebook to Twitter.

Include more videos

I planned on posting videos from our trip, but not all hope is lost. I have some ideas up my sleeve.

Write more about Travel Hacking

Check and check and check.

Gain more freelance writing work

I can happily say I’ve worked on a couple of cool projects. I even created a Work With Me page so you can easily contact me with any work you’d like handled by someone sassy. (Ahem. that’d be me.)

Feature sponsored post, guest writers and perhaps open up advertisements

Guest writer: Check

Life:

Travel somewhere new in July

Ouch. This one hurt a bit. Technically, we should be in Cambodia today. We are taking a long weekend next weekend to somewhere new, which I’ll disclose afterwards. Officially, I will get my hand on a Mai Tai.

Read a damn book

Sorta check? I’m the worst reader. I’m too busy thinking about my To-Do list. I started readingÂ The Happiness of PursuitÂ again after the hubster and I hit a massive wall of stress that lead to canceling our trip. It’s a really good book, I highly recommend it.

It gave me some ideas for my next “quest” and has my wheels spinning. I even brought my iPad to work so I could take a freakin’ break and read it during lunch. Has it happened yet? Nope. But baby steps, friends. Baby steps.

Give up TV for one month

Check.

Learn more Spanish

Haven’t used our Rosetta Stone yet, but my coworkers are really working on getting me hip to the lingo. (Does anyone actually say “hip” anymore?) They give nicknames to other people and they’re hysterical. I wonder what mine is? Probably “Muy Caliente.” For sure.

Actually, one of the benefits of reading The Happiness of Pursuit is giving me tips on learning a language in 6 months. It has reinvigorated me. Plus, I’m not starting from zero, I have basic Spanish skills from school. Bueno?

Health:

Lose 15 pounds

Meh. This is still very doable. I’m sitting pretty much at the same weight as I was at the start of the year, after losing some pounds when I got a reality check in May.

Incorporate lifting into my workouts

Check. I’ve noticed a big difference in my shoulders and thighs. I appreciate my strength so much more as an adult than when I was an awkward teenager grappling with having a very womanly body at a young age. I value my strength and my legs are really powerhouses…even if they aren’t the skinniest things.

Allow myself to buy pre-packaged meals

Check. Has made lunch at work so much easier. Pre-packed brown rice or quinoaÂ that you can heat in the microwave is a time-saver. Uncle Ben’s and Seeds of ChangeÂ are great brands.

Run 2 half marathons

1 down. 1 to go. It’s way too hot in Florida during this time of year. In fact, I don’t even know of another distance raceÂ in our area until October. I’d love to run the Las Vegas Half Marathon, but that may come up fast for me and I’m doing a good job mending my Achilles’ tendon.

Get up each morning at 6

Check-ish. Do I actually get out of bed? Sometimes? Oh well. Baby steps.

Eat less meat

Check. At the very least, our Taco Tuesdays are usually with vegetables or soy/tofu crumbles and they are dee-lish.

Let go of guilt

Check. It’s a work in progress, for sure. Not a day goes by where I don’t have to give myself a pep talk about something, but that’s okay. I can say I’m so much better than I was last year; can you imagine 2 years from now? Boo-yah.

So, I’d say I’ve done pretty darn well, right? What do you guys and gals think? How are you doing on some of your 2015 goals?

Canceling our Trip to Southeast Asia & How Things Will Get Better

July 3, 2015 By Caroline Peterson

I’m not sure where to begin, so I’ll just dive into the vulnerability pool. It’s been a whirlwind 6 days of emotionally epic proportions. Life has a freakishly maddening way of reminding you that you aren’t in control of anything…even a trip you’ve been planning for 6 months.

It’s safe to say that medical school is tough; perhaps even the toughest educational path to partake in and complete. Do not take that word ‘tough’ lightly. Med students possess only a shred of the stamina and dedication I could ever muster up even in my happiest, “This is my passion!” kind of moments. (Side note: My “This is my passion!” moments usually involve sipping a Mai Tai on a beach.)

There are certain sacrifices you make as a med student spouse that go completely unnoticed by nearly everyone. Silent rearrangements of plans. A casual protector for why he isn’t there or hasn’t called back. Living with the constant unknown of where the next year or two or four will take you. Pulling out your best motivational speeches even when you’re looking for some yourself. Wearing your game face in an atmosphere of constant underlying stress. Juggling multiple life goals, career paths and dreams while still trying still to findÂ time to change the damn toilet roll.Â Lonely nights. Lonely weeks. Lonely holidays. Master ninja glasses taker-offer when he’s fallen asleep.

Med school tests your willingness to make sacrifices nearly every day.

Our trip will just have to be one of them. It’s just as simple and as sad as that.

Stress has a tendency to sneak up on you and remind you it was always simmering slowly anyway. Even if this trip had been in the works for about 6 months, you never know just how you’ll feel prior to departure. Without going into details, the rigors of med school essentially reared it’s ugly head. I found out last weekendÂ just how much.

Balance is key. Hell, I think I’m funny as all get-out, (I mean, c’mon, I named my boobs Ginger and Spice in high school for God’s sake) but sometimes there isn’t as much of a need for humor in a situation like this as there is for a good ol’ regular schedule. While I’mÂ pretty good at taking care of myself so I can be the best version of me possible, the pressure of med school is unyielding; often making it tough to be able to take necessary, healthy, healing breaks.Â The appropriate decision was to cancel the trip to encourage this regularly while studying, in a routine that wouldn’t be possible while traveling.

The hubster’s health, happiness and sanity matter more to me than any trip. Sure he’s my best and favorite travel partner. But sometimes you have to take off your (adorable) travel partner hat and be the life partner he needs.

Like I’ve mentioned here, planning this trip has been my refuge from stress. (I’ve cried in my workÂ bathroom more times than I care to admit, so I don’t do it at home.) Perhaps excitingly planning this trip was my sanity check and kept me at a safe distance from the stress of witnessing the hardship of med school? Perhaps that was the only purpose it needed to serve? And, quite frankly, it served it well.

I’m slowly going through the process of canceling flights, hotels and tours and returning things to stores that we now won’t need. (I didn’t want those matronly looking white capri pants anyway…) There are frustrating rebooking fees associated with redepositing airline miles and points, not to mention the non-refundable things already paid for. I’ve become an expert at asking for a portionÂ of the fees to be taken off, Delta for instance, was awesome. We had 5 flights booked, 3 of which were on award tickets. We won’t be reimbursed for the 2 we paid in cash, but the redeposit fees for our award tickets were significantly lower after a nice Silver Medallion Delta rep took the reigns to see what she could do. I’m currently investigating travel cancellation insurance we have, but we’ll see what, if anything, is covered.

But guess what? It’s just money. That’s it. Just money.

It’s not all sunshine and unicorns farting rainbows. I didn’t have this perspective immediately. I’ve had my moments in this whole deal. I actually said this weekÂ when we were talking about med school, “You know this isn’t easy for me either?!” I stomped my feet just like you’re imagining, too.

In the throes of seeing my husband dealing with more than I can imagine and knowing our trip was going to need to be canceled, I started making a mental list of the pros and cons of this present situation. Call it a coping mechanism or relics from therapists of the pastÂ -Â it works.

Pros

I have a ton of unused PTO now
I’ve been putting off going to the dermatologist, now I can go sooner
Teen Mom 2 starts next week!
I can focus getting more blogs written ahead of time
We may be able to go on a shorter vacation
I could do a solo travel trip before the end of the year that both excites and scares the living shit out of me
I can practice and play with ourÂ new GoPro more
I have an ungodly amount of unused miles and points now
When we do end up going back to Southeast Asia (even years from now), I know exactly what to plan
I lost 3 pounds from stress this past weekend. (I’ll take it. It’s a judgement-free zone here, folks.)

Cons

Not spending quality time exploring with the hubster. To put it into perspective, I probably won’t be able to travel with him for longer than a weekend until at least July of 2016.
Not seeing the temples of Bagan, Myanmar. I had dreams about quietly exploring that part of the world that hasn’t been totally ruined by tourism yet. By the time we go, it just may be.
No lie-flat first class experience for us
No delicious curries
Being unable to shoot the videos I had pictured in my head. I even had a song chosen for the montage.
Being immersed in totally different cultures and reveling in it.
I still have to unpack because, of course, I already packed.

Traveling is an integral part of who I am; it feeds my soul. I will get a chance to feed that, it will just be at a later date and not the trip I had been planning. It may be a solo trip. It may be a long weekend with the hubster. It may be another girls trip to Europe. It may be 3-4 days on an island nearby named Cuba. Who knows? It just won’t be happening right at this very instance.

Life sometimes just won’t allow for it to be planned out 6 months ahead of time and that’s okay. Things will get better. This will eventually be a blip in the radar of life. Years from now, I’m sure we’ll look back at the end of the 3rd year of medical school and admire how we got through it. Smile at how close it brought us. Laugh at how trivial wanting a damn good dish of curry could be.

Now for a special shout-out to you guys, my readers. I know your life doesn’t revolve around our now canceled trip, but I know you would have enjoyed the posts and for that I’m sorry. I promise to continue to update my arsenal of posts from past travels and life anecdotes that I haven’t told you about yet.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need a Mai Tai and a beach.