Photos of the day - Love, Travel, and Dating

Lovers dancing to the beat of the drum. Ferry at Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Hand in hand on Florida Street. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

My German friend Tina and her boyfriend taking in the gorgeous view of Tortuga Bay Beach. Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos.

Young love walking together. Panama City, Panama.

You can love your best friend too! Isabela Island, Galapagos.

Having fun with a big screen in the airport before departing. Benito Juárez International Airport. Mexico City, Mexico.

Soulmates taking a stroll. Teotihuacan, Mexico.

 

I don't know what's gotten into me lately but love has been on my mind more often than usual. And it's making me think twice about what I'm actually doing today and how it coincides with my travel plans coming up. Should I stay here and wait for love or if I leave and live abroad, will that ruin my chances for love?

 

I guess the more I think about it, the more it's starting to scare me. I've been ready for awhile now but I don't know if I'm making the right decisions. Of course I want to see the whole world and live abroad, but I think I want to do that with someone else! I don't want to be alone. And it doesn't help when you have a mom that is constantly telling you that you need to get married before your eggs shrivel over!! I'm definitely not old! I'm 28. Not old but at the age where it is time to somewhat start to figure things out.

 

It's not that I need someone to take on this journey because I have always been independent and tend to rely on myself more than anything but I keep thinking about all the memories I'll make that I won't have to share with someone special. I completely enjoy traveling by myself but is it time to bring someone in?

 

A few years back, I let someone in that I knew was going to hurt me bad (it's the ones you really like that make you vulnerable) and that's exactly what happened. I don't know if it had to do with me, but all I knew was that he was the first person I came across that came pretty similar to me --and that is rare! From travel to food to everything in between, I finally was happy to know that I would be understood in that way.   

 

I've dated other guys, tried relationships out, making sure that they either want to travel or if they'll let me keep my traveling ways, but nothing comes close, they don't work out, and they don't last long. It's just not the same. I don't know how to describe how I've been feeling but I do know it's affecting my love life and what I want for my future.

 

I guess I've but nothing but time to figure out what direction I want to take...

 

Am I the only one that feels this way? What are your thoughts about love, life, and travel? I really would like to know what your opinions are!

Nomination for the Liebster Award from Jenna!

My wonderful friend and SMC partner from a few months ago, Jenna over at Jenna in Abu Dhabi, nominated me for a Liebster Award!:) The Liebster Award is for up and coming bloggers. According to the rules and Jenna, I need to answer questions related to my blog and I get to nominate three up and coming blogs that I love to follow! :) I would have definitely nominated Jenna but someone got to her first.:) She is so kind and I love the friendship that we've built though we have never met and we lived thousands and thousands of miles apart! Check out her blog about living in the UAE!

What does blogging do for you?

My blog is a way of expressing myself and about the way I love travel and how it has changed my life. It also allows me to to let others in and to be more understood. I feel like I've lived most of my life so far constantly looking at things differently and never really felt understood by those closest to me. The thoughts, actions, and I things I see daily in my hometown are completely opposite than what goes on in my head! And to live like this for a long time before finally figuring out what I want in life is the BEST feeling in the world.

I am allowed to express myself here and I finally have the opportunity to have people: family, friends, and new understand me. There really are no words to express this great feeling!

What blogger(s) feed your soul?

I can't name just a few bloggers! I love delving into multiple blogs of all kinds! Each blog I follow teaches me something new each day. Everyone brings their own perspective into the blogging world and I appreciate everyone I follow!

I will say the first blog I did lay eyes on when I first started blogging many years ago with peaceloveandblueberries was Alex and Mina's blog: http://sending-postcards.com! They inspired me to stick to blogging and I enjoyed following them from dating life and traveling to engagement to running away and getting married here in Los Angeles and traveling the world for their honeymoon! All the things I dream about....someday soon. :) Check them out if you haven't yet!

What is your favorite subject (category) to blog about?

Travel AND Food! :) I enjoy posting anything from simple pictures, adventurous stories (ones that scared my own parents!), opinions on solo female traveling, and I love love love good food! If I can inspire anyone to try something new, explore this wonderful world more, or even just get hungry from looking a food pictures...now that is an amazing feeling!

What post of yours means the most to you and why?

Everything from getting hungry in South America: The best thing I ever ate in... - I am absolutely passionate about food! I will eat EVERYTHING! Or almost anything. ;)

To standing up for Solo Female Travelers out there: Misconceptions of the Solo Female Traveler - YOU as a female CAN travel and be safe! It's important for me to express to everyone, especially the females, that we should not be afraid to explore our world! It's truly an amazing place to see. :)

Showing my huge love for adventure: Danger Ahead - Part II - Probably the most thrilling and dangerous thing I have ever done in my life! The first thing my mom asks me whenever I see her after an adventure --- So how many mountains did you climb while you were in (fill in the blank!)?

And sharing some of my own experiences that I would never wish on anyone while traveling: Are you really safe with a tour guide? - Please be safe out there and watch who you trust!

Why did you first start your blog?

I started it when I felt I knew that I was ready to. I have a previous blog (http://peaceloveandblueberries.blogspot.com) that I have since changed to a food blog. Before that, I felt like I was too scattered and not really connecting with anyone. Now that I feel ready and have more ideas and thoughts, I am still scattered but it is solely on travel now! Th main reason why I started this blog is for a place to write about my feelings and thoughts. And a way of inspiring others to go out there and live their lives to the fullest! I am not about telling anyone what to do. I merely enjoy showing others to take their own paths in life, to not be afraid, and maybe even keep the places they've seen on my blog on their travel itineraries if they happen to go to the same country!

What do you hope your blog will someday become?

I hope my blog stays the same. :) I would love this to be a great place to look back upon in my elderly years of life and see what my crazy self did when I was younger! Even show this to my own future kids one day when they are ready to do their own exploring...if they choose to do so! Hopefully, to others, it will be a blog to inspire and to look upon if needed or to just allow me to transport you to another country for a day!

 

What are you most passionate about?

I'm passionate about people. Life. Travel. This world. Pachamama (Mother Earth to the Peruvians and Bolivians). History. Our future. World Cuisines. I will forever put people and life over things any day. I appreciate what I have here in life - both in my surrounding area and throughout this whole world. There is so much more to life and I will forever be a student for life. Grateful to be taught anything from both the people closest to me to the ones I have met on my travels and those I hope to meet in the future. 

If your writing were discovered a hundred years from now, what would people learn about you, today’s world, and your interests?

I would hope that these people in the future would learn that there are still humans in this world who want more to life than the usual taxes, jobs, and materialistic things. To continue to be inspired about our incredible world. And to continue the traveling cycle for many more years to come.:)

Who do you most want to read your blog? You mom? The president?

I welcome anyone to my blog. :) Whoever allows me to inspire them just as much as they inspire me. For that one person who grew up with similar circumstances like mine who need that push to help discover who you are as a person. Whether you are an expat or vacation once a year, I would like to inspire anyone that I can reach in the world. Can I say I'd like Adam Levine to read my blog? :) Angelina Jolie???? Johnny Depp? ;)

Now here are my three nominees:

1) Bri over at http://chaiandbri.blogspot.com! She contacted me over twitter one day months back and we turned our conversation over to email and wrote pages back and forth to eachother! She truly is a sweet girl living the life in South Korea! Check her out!

2) Sarah over at http://thewanderblogger.com! She is so kind and I love reading her blog about wandering around Europe! And from talking to her a couple times and the vibe I get from her, she has a good heart. Go and say hello to Sarah!

3) Amy over at http://tidethatleft.blogspot.co.uk/! I love reading her stories in Africa! Her blog transports me to wherever she posts about! :) Head to her blog and see where she is right now!

If you accept this wonderful nomination, please fill out the questions I filled above and nominate 3 of your favorite up and coming blogs! Make sure to let them know you nominated them! I love this award to support other bloggers out there!

Love,

 

Reima

Photo of the Day - Chile

There are all these posts I have in mind that I've been wanting to write about but I have to memorize a long page of Chinese characters for my oral final exam coming up in my Chinese class, so for now I'm posting a wonderful picture of SNOW in the Andes! 

I am also currently working on a post for "Things you have found on your travels that you must have but can't get in your hometown!" Please contact me if you fall under this category! :)) There must be something you have found that you loved but can't get it anywhere else! I'm posting your response in a future blog post so it's a win situation for YOU and a free ad! :)

Flying into Santiago, Chile, I managed to capture a beautiful picture of the snowy Andes mountains.

 

For the people living above the Equator, winter is HERE and I might add, early, for us Southern Californians not used to these freeeezing temps! I am in love with this weather! Rain. Clouds. Cool temperatures. Snow is falling everywhere...EXCEPT where I live! But I figured what better picture to show during my favorite season. :)

 

Although I am not a snowboarder or skiier....more like an avid snow player, :) Chile is known for good fun with their mountains full of snow for those who are interested in these types of activities. Maybe something to consider this coming summer? Remember, their winter is June-August so plan wisely and get out there!

Photo of the Day - Galapagos Islands

Sea Lions resting near the shore. Floreana Island, Galapagos

 

Happy Wednesday! We are half way through the week! Woo hoo! Hope everyone is enjoying the winter weather above the Equator and warm summer below the Equator! :)

 

Love,

 

Reima

Photo of the Day - Guatemala

La Nariz de Indio - Indian Nose, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

 

The year is coming to an end and I thought it would be great to post a picture from Guatemala, since I was there around this time last year! This is me on top of the Indian Nose mountain watching the incredible sun rise while sitting on a very unstable deck on top of the mountain! Yikes!

 

Norrmally I do not like taking guided tours, but when it comes to any sort of nature activity, I put my likings aside and I go with a guide -- who happens to be taking other people too! I'm known to trip and such so I'd say it's wise of me to make the smart decision to go with a guide!

 

The guide picked me up around 3:45am and we walked through the empty and calm town of San Pedro to meet up with the others, grab a bus, and go to the bottom of Cerro Cristalino. It is freezing around that time and pitch black! Bring a flashlight --- I repeat ---- bring a flashlight!! For some strange reason, I left my flashlights in my bag back at the hostel because I don't think I would need them...it was a foolish thing to do!

 

Bring warm clothes, snacks, and plenty of water. The hike is about 1 1/2-2 hours to climb. I think it took us under 2 hours total. It actually went by quickly. The mountain is really steep and unsafe if you do not bring a flashlight! The guides and a couple others had flashlights so I tried to remain near someone who had light but it was still a difficult climb when you cannot see.

 

The walk down the mountain was the most surprising because it's light outside and you realize that you were very lucky to not have fallen when you see how small the path was! I'd say anyone can do this hike, in-shape or out-of-shape. Just take your time and you'll be fine.

 

As for the sunrise, it was magical. And just so incredible to see overlooking the other volcanoes and the wonderful Lake Atitlan. You literally just sit there and stare at it --mesmorized by its beauty. If you ever head to Guatemala and Lake Atitlan, I highly recommend this hike up to the Indian Nose.