April 13, 2019 Pine Valley to Noble Canyon Today ~ 33.4 Kilometres Cumulative ~ 77.4 Kilometres Highlight New sunglasses! They were $3.99 USD. Any bets on how long these will last before I break/lose/destroy them? Get the right day and I’ll buy you dinner when I’m home. Or you can […]
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Day 3 ~ Breakfast Burritos, Hitchhiking & Sunglasses
April 12, 2019 Morena Lake to Pine Valley Today ~ 11.6 Kilometres Cumulative ~ 44 Kilometres Highlight The Showers ~ that would be plural! My Day I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night because everyone around me was snoring and I think I woke up every hour or […]
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Day 2 ~ I Saw 2 Snakes!
April 11, 2019 Arrived at Lake Morena! Today ~ 20.4 Kilometres Cumulative ~ 32.8 Kilometres Weather ~ Sunny 20ºC Highlight Burger & Fries 🥰 My Day I had a fabulous sleep and survived my first night on my own. I woke up a couple times, but that is normal for […]
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Day 1 ~ And Away I Go!
April 10, 2019 Started at the Southern Terminus in Campo, California Today ~ 12.4 Kilometres Cumulative ~ 12.4 Kilometres Weather ~ Sunny 19ºC Highlight Standing at the Southern Terminus and looking ahead. My Day Sweet Baby Jesus, I’m on my way 💕. Today I’ve embarked on a thru-hike of the Pacific […]
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Day 0 ~ What Am I Doing??!!
April 9, 2019 San Diego, California Weather ~ Sunny 22ºC The Last Few Days After a fabulous week with Nancy in Victoria and then a girl’s weekend at the Oak Bay Beach Resort with Nancy, Nadine, Debbie, Kim and Sheri, I was exhausted or maybe just full. We ate a […]
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PCT Prep, Trail Angels & “Here’s Johnny”
Preparations continue for my upcoming hike! I’ve been finalizing gear and trying to decide which pack I’m taking and I need to decide soon. Both packs that I’m thinking of aren’t ultralight ~ I’m planning a few walks with both filled with my gear to make a final decision. March […]
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Where Is MY Highlander?
Soulful bagpipes, soaring mountains, fields of purple heather and songs for every occasion. Scotland is a magical place. I left the Isle of Skye and headed to Inverness. I had been there before on a cruise stop in 2009 and I absolutely love the Highlands. I feel at home. This […]
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The Isle of Skye
I want to live here, in Scotland, in the Highlands, on the Isle of Skye. I travelled to Glasgow by train and rented a car for a couple weeks. I really wanted to go to the Isle of Skye and back to Inverness. I began my Highland adventure by driving […]
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Culloden House ~ Inverness
Culloden. During my road trip to Inverness, I spent the night in Room 11 at Culloden House, an historic house with ties to Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite Uprising of 1745-1746. I love all things Scotland, especially the Highlands and Culloden. I was ecstatic staying at this hotel. Culloden […]
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Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from Mexico to Canada
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) represents different things to anyone who’s dreamed of walking on it. I close my eyes and see my feet moving along the trail. I love to hike and I dream of being surrounded by majestic views, lakes, streams, wildlife, desert, mountains, meadows, trees and fresh […]
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2018 ~ A Year of Changes
This past year has been a year of many changes, ups and downs, loss, bucket list items and establishing new goals for myself. It has been wonderful, amazing, lonely and hard and I have had many experiences that I will never forget. Minus 1 job 1 Program Manager Professional (PgMP) […]
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Dalzie Apartment ~ Peinmore House ~ Isle of Skye
During my week long stay on Isle of Skye, I rented a wonderful apartment that is in the wing of the larger “Peinmore House” just a short 5 minute drive outside of Portree and centrally located in Isle of Skye. Peinmore House is a 19th century house that was once […]
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Antarctica, The 7th Continent
I was in Antarctica!! That’s my favourite sentence ever. I’m not sure where to begin describing this spectacular adventure or even how to structure my post. There’s so much to write, thousands of pictures to sort through and I can gush about Antarctica ALL DAY LONG! I have always wanted […]
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The Other Side Of The Road
Driving on the other side of the road? Nothing to it! I’ve returned the rental in one piece, no scratches, no dents and everything still where it’s supposed to be! My first time driving in the UK was not so successful. What Do You Mean I Shouldn’t Be Driving In […]
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the first 100 days
1 pair of sunglasses dropped down the toilet 2 new pairs of sunglasses 1 big snake 2 continents that I touched at the same time with my hands while scuba diving 1 concentration camp 1 prime minister 1 tank that I drove 2 guns that I had really good aim […]
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Chernobyl ~ Inside The Exclusion Zone
Touring the exclusion zone at Chernobyl was a day I won’t forget. It is overgrown, thriving with wildlife and vegetation and has an eerie beauty throughout. Hearing the stories of the people and seeing the abandoned areas is an emotional experience. On 26 April 1986 a systems test resulted in […]
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Vacation From My Travels
Today marks 70 days on the road for me and I’m enjoying a vacation from my travels. I know that sounds silly and who could possibly need a break from doing nothing but travelling around doing whatever you feel like doing? I do! I’m tired and my heart and soul […]
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Umm Where Did My Train Go? With My Shoes?
Being the adventurous gal that I am, I booked the 15 hour long train from Budapest, Hungary to Kiev, Ukraine. My global train pass covered me to the Hungarian border and I had to pay for a ticket once I got into Ukraine. The direct overnight train was fully booked […]
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50 Days On The Road … A Few More Lessons, Updated Luggage & Friends
My mind just went to 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover … You just slip out the back, Jack Make a new plan, Stan You don’t need to be coy, Roy Just get yourself free Hop on the bus, Gus You don’t need to discuss much Just drop off the […]
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Strasbourg Cathedral of Notre-Dame and The Astronomical Clock
The Strasbourg Cathedral was built between 1176–1439. It is a masterpiece of Gothic Art and is full of stained glass. The cathedral measures 142 metres made up of the platform at 66 metres, the spire at 132 metres and the tower at 10 metres. In 1839, Victor Hugo declared that […]
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Traditional Food Specialties
I’m just an old-fashioned Newfie girl at heart. I love wild meat and dumplings! Seafood too of course. I could exist on seafood for the rest of my life. But back to the wild meat and dumplings. I met up with my best friend, her son and her sister in […]
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Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration and Extermination Camp
Auschwitz. There isn’t a word that conjures up more horror than this one does. I will never forget the day I walked here. There were 1.3 million men, women and children murdered here. Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum I learned about the Holocaust in school. I do not remember what grade […]
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A Mani, A Pedi, A Waxing and Where Next?
One of the things I wondered about before leaving on this adventure was how I was going to do the regular maintenance type things that I do. My biggest thing has always been my nails. They are ALWAYS done and I had gel nails for over a decade. Growing up, […]
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It was 20 days ago that I left home on my amazing adventure with A LOT of mixed feelings. It’s so easy to doubt whether you’re doing the right thing or not when you set out into unknown territory. Chai Tea Lattes My name is Jackie and I am a […]
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Hiking Kjeragbolten & Preikestolen
Kjeragbolten As you can tell from the main picture, I made it, but I couldn’t stand up. I was too scared. Petrified. My legs were shaking too much to even attempt to stand. I thought I was going to fall 984 metres in slow motion to my death. The slightest […]
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The Republic of Užupis ~ The Most Fascinating Place!
Nestled within Vilnius is the Republic of Užupis which is the most fascinating place I’ve ever been! The Constitution is fabulous! Užupis is a neighbourhood that was once home to the Jewish population that were mostly killed during the Holocaust. Important areas like the Jewish Cemetary were destroyed during the Soviet […]
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Snaefellsnes Peninsula, My Jules Verne Day!
I heart Jules Verne! He wrote Journey to the Center of the Earth in 1864 and it still resonates today. All of his work is compiled in the series Extraordinary Voyages, but Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea are my favourites. I must […]
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Inside The Volcano
What an incredible experience this was! “Inside The Volcano” is billed as a “Journey Towards The Center of Earth”. The descent is 120 metres into Thrihnukagigur volcano that erupted 4000 years ago. This is the only volcano in the world that you can go inside the chamber. Inside The Volcano: See […]
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Diving Silfra
Bucket List Alert! Diving Silfra was one of the most fantastic things I’ve ever done! Silfra is a fissure between the North American and Eurasian continental plates and is located in Þingvallavatn Lake in the Þingvellir National Park in Iceland. With about 100 metres visibility and water temperature between 2 […]
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The Beautiful Village of Kulusuk
While researching my stay in Iceland, I stumbled upon a day trip to Greenland offered by Air Iceland Connect. This was a great way to get a glimpse of Greenland and I highly recommend it if you’re in Iceland. It was a quick 2 hour flight from Reykjavik to Kusuluk. […]
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A Half-Marathon, the Red Cross and the Vienna General Hospital
It was just one of those days … The Vienna City Marathon (Video from Vienna City Marathon Facebook) Did you see me? I participated in this run in conjunction with Canada’s Team Diabetes. My young man has had Type 1 since he was 8 years old and this is my […]
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I’m Officially Done Work … But Can I Keep My Corporate Credit Card?
I am a little emotional. I no longer have a job? I’m unemployed? I feel very strange. I started working one week after my 16th birthday at Safeway as a cashier. That was almost 32 years ago. I’m not sure I know how NOT to work. Those were the days […]
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Kusadasi ~ An Unforgettable Glimpse of Turkey
Turkey is glorious and the main attraction for me was the Celsus Library at Ephesus. Kusadasi was a port on the Princess Cruises Holy Land itinerary in 2011 and is one of the more beautiful cities on Turkey’s Aegean coast. From Princess Cruises: From the port of Kusadasi on Turkey’s […]
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Santorini ~ Simply Beautiful
Greece. The Greek Isles. Santorini. Did blue & white images just pop into your mind? Is there a more beautiful island anywhere? I fell head over heels in love with Santorini and hope to return someday. It is the prettiest place I’ve ever seen. From the whitewashed buildings to the […]
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The Packing Ordeal ~ Bags, Lists & Tips
I’ve been packing up my house. My son moves into his own apartment the beginning of April and I’m a little sad that the “live at home with Mom” days are reaching an end. I’m thankful to be busy, but wow I have so much to do between now and […]
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Land of Kings, Queens, Pyramids, Romance and Scarab Beetles!
I had visions of myself riding a camel like Rachel Weisz did in The Mummy — all graceful and skillful and sexy. Yeah, that wasn’t me. I trip over my own feet, I even trip over the air just because it’s there. I spent 2 days in Egypt in July […]
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“If there were one more thing I could do, it would be to go on safari once again.”
That’s a quote from Karen Blixen, the author of “Out of Africa”. I started off my adventure in Tanzania by summitting Mount Kilimanjaro — a definite highlight of my life! You can read about it here: To The Roof Of Africa! Mount Kilimanjaro! The safari was next and it did […]
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To The Roof Of Africa! Mount Kilimanjaro!
Mount Kilimanjaro! Doesn’t it sound romantic? Have you seen the pictures of the glaciers at the top? Did Hemingway intrigue you when he wrote of leopards frozen in the snow? Did you see the handsome Gregory Peck in The Snows of Kilimanjaro which was based on Hemingway’s story? Kilimanjaro is […]
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Hiking The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
One of the highlights of my life has been from the Sun Gate, watching the sun rise over Machu Picchu. Extraordinary. My very first multi-day hiking trip was to Peru and I learned a lot and had a truly memorable experience. See 5 Hiking Lessons Learned The Hard Way – […]
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My Book Obsession and Top 10’s
I am an avid reader with thousands of books and I love the feel of the actual book in my hands. I love the smell, the turning of the page and poking things away between the pages. I like seeing how far I have read and when it’s 3 am […]
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Dreaming of Possibilities
Possibilities. I love that word – absolutely anything is possible! Why limit yourself? If there is something you’re dreaming of – go for it! If you try and aren’t successful, so be it, you chased your dream! The only regret you will ever have is not trying. Queen Latifah is […]
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Back in the New York Groove!
New York Groove by Ace Frehley from KISS – it certainly gets you in a New York mood! I’ve now been to NYC 3 times and this time the focus was just on enjoying Manhattan and maybe see some of the boroughs – a girl’s trip for Myrna and I […]
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5 Hiking Lessons Learned The Hard Way ~ How Naive Was I?
Today, my Facebook “On This Day” reminder was my Peru trip – in 2013 I hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. This was my first many day hike and my first time realizing that I didn’t know anything. I travelled solo, but I wasn’t originally booked alone. A girlfriend […]
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Thanksgiving in Victoria ~ Turkey, Pumpkin Pie and a Half-Marathon
Downton Abbey’s Dowager Countess of Grantham asked “What is a weekend?” I thought it was hilarious! A weekend, especially a long weekend, is a time for FUN with FAMILY and FRIENDS and let’s not forget my favourite F-word: FOOD! I spent my Thanksgiving long weekend in Victoria with my young […]
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Anyone Fancy A Weekend in Paris?
Anyone fancy a weekend in Paris? I was scrolling through my Facebook News Feed and my friend Claire had asked this question. I think I may have jumped out of my chair. Of course I fancied a weekend in Paris! My Flight After reading Claire’s post, I was booked on […]
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Might As Well Jump. Jump!
For Bryan’s 18th birthday, we both skydived (tandem) from 12,500 feet falling at 120 mph! What an exhilarating experience. This was truly an adventure! We had such a fabulous time and the rush is incredible. We were both a little nervous beforehand, but it is not scary at all […]
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St. Peter Port and Potato Peel Pie
Guernsey is located in the Channel Islands between England and France. Official languages are English and French and you can either fly or take a ferry from England or France to get there. Guernsey was a port on our British Isles cruise in 2009 so we only had a day […]
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Land’s End ~ Where Dreams Begin
I hear the words Land’s End and I believe in magic and fairies and all things good. I imagine walking the cliffs dreaming of whatever it is that I’m dreaming of. I recall reading about Land’s End in a romance novel when I was a teenager. I don’t recall the […]
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What Do You Mean I Shouldn’t Be Driving In Your Country?
My son and I went on a British Isles cruise departing from Southampton, England. We spent some time in London and being the confident, adventurous woman that I am, I decided to rent a car and drive from London to Land’s End and then back to Southampton. Land’s End was […]
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Liverpool ~ Loving The Beatles
Who does not know at least one Beatles song? Which one is your favourite? Mine is “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. “Hey Jude” and “Twist and Shout” are very close seconds. Growing up in Fort McMurray, there was a place downtown that sold pop called “The Pop Shoppe”. Pop is […]
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