To Carolina Beach We Go

Hello friends! It has been some time since I posted on the blog. I guess a pandemic really halts the travel experience. That being said I’ll admit, it wasn’t until I was reading through my old blog posts that I realized how much I enjoyed blogging itself.

Anyways, this past week I took a short trip to Carolina Beach near Wilmington NC. If you back up a couple weeks, one of my best friends was dealing with a really shitty guy, and as we all know MEN SUCK! so the best thing to do when you get broken up with, you go on a girls trip!

she sent me a bunch of airbnbs that night and that was all we needed to get going. The following week we packed up the car with a bunch of snacks and two dogs and headed on down the coast.

As soon as we got there, we knew we had to take a walk on the beach. The beauty of work from home is that you can go anywhere. And so for the first half of the week we did a little work and Thursday hit and we kicked our feet up and enjoyed the warm weather. From walking around the lake to walks on the beach. Laying out in the sun and eating on the water it was the perfect little getaway for the weekend.

Head over to the gallery section of my page and click on North Carolina to see more images from the weekend!

Edinburgh. Scotland

Well this past weekend concluded my final European trip while being abroad!

I stuck close to the United Kingdom, but not too close given it was a 5 hour train ride. I headed up the UK to Scotland where they still speak english but had a much more laid back vibe to it. 

On saturday morning I got on the train and headed North. Like always, I had my handy list of places to photograph which did not disappoint. 

However tip 1 of this trip: Though it can be nice to travel with someone... pick your travel partner wisely. 

Once putting our stuff down we headed out to the Princes Gardens where I came across a phenomenal fountain showing the castle of Edinburgh in the background.

July 21, 2018

We continued to walk through the gardens till we came across the Castle itself. Unfortunately the ticket entry was a bit out of budget so we headed down the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile is exactly one mile long and starts at the top of the castle. 

Down the walk there are shops as well as local stands which you could pick up your ideal souviener. 

that time i spent $3000 on a dog

hello my friends, i have a fun little story for you. so as you saw back from all my traveling videos, i am impulsive. if i come across something that is fun, adventurous or would make me happy, im most likely to say ah what the heck and follow through and do it.

this could be anywhere from getting a concert ticket with no way of getting there, or buying new clothes when i still have tags on the ones sitting in my closet.

however, i took a big leap and went and got a dog. now let me preface it for you…

i have always wanted a dog.. probably since i got to college

that being said i never knew much about getting a dog, how much dogs cost (that’s a lie i do know that) or the place to get a dog. i knew about rescuing, i advocated a lot for it throughout college, but there was a specific breed that i was interested in based off of my desire to move into the city, find a cute apartment and know that i still would have this puppy with me.

well after a lot of researching, and googling, i learned that adopting is significantly harder especially when they have preceding health problems. so i did what any sane 22 year old would do, and i googled puppies and came across a third party that connects you with a specific breeder after you choose it. now i know what you’re thinking, this is a horrible decision, are you insane, they could be puppy mills, and the answer is yes.. yes they could but i did my googling as well

well i input Cavalier King Charles and i’m looking at all the puppy photos and i see this one

and of course, my heart explodes and i just think i have to have this dog. i submit an email for an inquiry and someone replies back instantly telling me, he is still available would you like him, i look at the price, and think, okay jackie, you def do not have this money right now, but you have two jobs and by the time you are approved you should be okay

i look to my roommate, she tells me go for it, (she has never had a dog before and has pushing the puppy concept on me for quite some time. i would also like to point out that i wasnt planning on getting it so early in the school year either, but sometimes fate just hits you hard)

well i reply back and say sure, what are the next steps. next thing i know im getting a phone call, and they are telling me as long as i have good credit i can finance him with paypal. i thought okay thats fine, 6 months to pay it off.. lets do this thing. they say GREAT hell be there in 2 weeks.

Here he was 2 weeks after i got him, once i got him to trust and love me.

Washington D.C. and a mini roadtrip

Hello people!

I know I have been M.I.A. but I have finally made it back to school following my 5 day road trip down the east coast.

We started in D.C. where we went to a couple museums and walked around the major monuments.

Washington Monument

Following D.C. we made longest leg of our drive to Charlotte, NC where I got to see my old friends from freshman year.

Though our visit was short, it was great to see everyone. However we had to continue on to do Charleston SC as well as make it to Savannah before night fall.

Charleston was a cute little town on the water that offered history and class. From rainbow colored homes to local markets on the street. It was the perfect lunch stop.

Bruges, Brussels- Belgium, oh my!

Hello all, Im back, I know i forgot to write about Dublin but i was mainly with my parents!

Anyway, this weekend i ventured off to Belgium to explore Bruges and Brussels.

It was absolutely gorgeous. I definitely preferred Bruges.

I got in late friday night and settled in to head out first thing in the morning. Once there, I headed to windmills since I knew they would be the farthest away. Though they weren't the most exciting they still were really cool and I was able to get some really pretty photos of them peep the image below.

Tip 1: The downside to traveling alone is trying to take photos of yourself by monuments as you can see a funny blurred photo of me trying to capture the windmill behind me (this was like the fourth attempt)

July 7, 2018

Once I snapped my shots I headed back to the centre of town in order to capture some of the other well known areas in Bruges. 

One of the most famous is the Markt with its colourful building on top and cute restaurant shops underneath.

Unfortunately I didnt realize my battery charger was in fact dead and had to make a quick escape back to Brussels.

Bruges was really cute but much smaller then i anticipated and I walked through it quite quickly.

Once back with a full charged battery I walked around Brussels for a bit in hopes to scope out the perfect sunset location. Hitting the main points like the massive arch that is also similar to Berlin's Brandenburg Gate Bridge.

After having a lovely dinner by the main walkway of restaurants I headed out to Palace Justice where I was told is a prime spot for the sunset.

Tip 2: If you sit alone in a restaurant, theres an 80% the cute waiter will give you a free shot of tequila/margarita on the house out of pity.

July 7, 2018

Pictured above is the sunset.

The next day i got to in fact, sleep in! i booked a later train then i thought so i decided to enjoy the sleep knowing that my day would be long.

after check out I locked up my belongings and headed off to explore more of brussels.

I hit the main points but spent most of my time in Grand Place. With a variety of shopping, eats, and historical buildings I listened in on some of the tour guides.

However, by 3pm I was quite done but new my train wasnt for 4 hours. 

I headed back to the hostel where I charged up my phone, journaled and relaxed.

If you run off a mountain will you fly or will you fall?

This weekend was a whirlwind of city escapes, Swiss Alps, and adventuring.

Upon arriving to Zurich we hopped across 3 trains to get ourselves to the Interlaken. There we settled in with our hostel before asking the front some of the best things to do. 

Being told of a phenomenal view of waterfalls and the alps, we had no choice but to rent bikes and take the 1.5 hour bike ride to this view. Unfortunately we miss judged just how difficult it would be and got a little lost along the way. Though we didnt see "The View" we were expecting, we still came across some gorgeous views of our own.

On our bike back down the mountain, I misjudged how well the people in front of me were doing and hit a hill too fast before flipping my bike.

Luckily the camera was saved for I threw my whole body to avoid any damages. Nothing a few bruises wont make for a good story.

Along the trail there were these fresh water fountains that just flowed with icy water from the top of the alps. A truly refreshing experience. 

Post bike ride, we took a power nap in the hammock room before embarking on a ride to Neuhaus for the sunset: Another recommendation

Unfortunately, I think the girl and I had two different minds because the sunset wasn't as "amazing" as I was hoping for. We were able to get a couple shots however the darker it got the colder we were.

We headed back to the bus stop where we met a few other people studying abroad from Florence who go to Syracuse University. 

Once returning in for the night we debated on showering or not: the struggle was that the office had closed and we had no towel. Eventually we chose the use of a spare t-shirt and made do with what we could. 

The next day was a day I will never forget. We took about a 25 minute drive up to a high point on the mountains and prepared for take off. 

Somehow I was talked into paragliding regardless of my irrational fear of heights. And let me tell you. It was absolutely worth it. I wish I had been able to take my camera up there because the views were something spectacular and I will forever remember it. 

The photos the guide took were mostly of me and horrible looking. I chose not to keep them haha. Honestly though, the most memorable part is probably running off of the mountain until the wind just picked us up and my feet lifted off the ground. 

We wandered around Interlaken a bit before our next train and got Swiss chocolate. Im definitely convinced that chocolate is now ruined for me. 

Once back in Zurich, we had about 4 hours to explore the city. Unfortunately, most if it was closed since it was Sunday. But we were able to walk around, get a couple good photos and enjoy the remainder of our holiday.

Alas it was time to board our final plane and we headed back to London. 

June 24, 2018: Interlaken, Switzerland

Back to the States: Volume 1

Though this weekend wasn't Paris, It was still something quite memorable. After boarding on a 7 hour plane ride and 45 minute car ride, I pulled off the second ultimate surprise in my life and came home to see my sister graduate High school.

The feeling was bittersweet as it is a great feeling to be able to leave high school behind but also sad to realize just how much she has grown up.

The weekend was filled with festivities left and right between Graduation, the family party, and father's day. Father's day was spent relaxing by the pool and a home-made breakfast.

Unfortunately, It was also the day I returned back to London.

As I sit here in the office I cant help but feel a little sad over the whole thing. I loved going home, and I knew it was much needed but it also made it tough to come back, readjust to the time difference and go back to work knowing it would be another 6 weeks here.

After getting off the plane and on line for customs at 6:40am. I couldnt help but feel the wave of fatigue overcome my body, knowing full well I'd have to make into the office at 9:00am.

June 14, 2018

My Overall Paris Adventure

So this weekend (June9-10) I boarded a Eurostar and took of to the lovely city that is Paris France.

Paris has always been a city i hold close to my heart. From the traditional monuments that draw people in to the quiet streets on the forgotten parts. 

Unfortunately being there for only 36 hours did not give me a lot of time to sleep. In fact I maybe had slept a total of 10 hours in total from when I left the night before to the night I stayed. 

Of course the first stop that I made was off to Tour de Eiffel. One of my favourite landmarks since I was young. I stretched my jacket out before lying down in the grass and enjoying the people watching before the hostel was ready to go in. 

Once unloading all of my belonging I paused for a quick 2 hour nap (part of my 10 hours total) before jetting off to the next stop.

Learning that you can get a student fare for the underground is truly a blessing. I headed out to Montmatre to climb Sacre Coeur. Given it was on the list of top views I knew I had no choice but to make the 300 step climb. (my legs are obviously feeling it now).

Let me tell you, the view was absolutely breath taking, and after taking certain photos and playing with various lighting you could see touch of pink on one sight while the other side was clear blue skies.

Once combing down from the climb I checked my watched and hoped that I could catch the sunset from a slightly closer view point of the city.

Trekking off to Arc de Triomphe I willed my legs to climb a couple hundred more stairs. If you thought the view from Sacre Coeur was nice, Arc de Triomphe was another view in itself. 

*Small tip is if you show your student ID you can typically get a discount in order to climb these places*

Unfortunately I misestimated the time of the sunset and knew that I wouldnt be allowed to sit up top the Arc for 2 hours and headed off to the famous pyramids at Musee de Louvre. 

There I had to awkwardly take the typical tourist picture, which came out horrible, but I did get a stunning view of the sky changing pink as night fell upon Paris.

Alas the dreaded *rain will begin falling in 20 minutes* flashed upon my phone, but not before I could hussel myself off to Eiffel Tower for the traditional night shot.  

By then we had hit 11:30pm and I knew i needed some much needed sleep. Especially if I wanted to go off to see the sunrise in 5 hours. 

Post my little 3 hour nap by the time we were back, I was up and ready to rumble again. I headed out to Place de Trocadéro to take photos of the sunrise over Paris. Though it was a cloudy morning, I wasnt completely disappointed with the photos I took. I came across a couple taking their wedding pictures and couldn't help but sneak a few photos myself. 

Post sunrise I snuck off back to bed for a couple hours knowing that check out wasnt until 11 and our train was at 5. Once i felt more refreshed I headed off to Notre Dame. I lit a candle for my grandmother who passed last summer and toured around the Cathedral. Unfortunately my main reason for the visit was short lived due to needing tickets in advance in order to climb to the top. I told myself, do i really need ANOTHER photo of the city scape of Paris. 

I headed along the Seine river and took photos of some famous bridges. Sometimes stopping to sit and enjoy the people walking by.

I plugged in a couple more top photo spots and headed off to a little known cafe that had flower walls and purple seats. Though it sounds like a stereo typical Parisan cafè but it makes for a perfect photo opt. 

Finally, I took myself over the river and through a mini island before coming across Rue Cremieux. This street is known as one of the most colourful streets in Paris with each house painted a different colour.

Though my weekend was action packed and offered a lot of tourist stops and quiet destinations, it came with a heavy cost. Unfortunately after my first nap I noticed my phone notifying me of a 8pm train ticket. It dawned on me that I booked a return trip same day and had a huge decision to make. Do i pack up and go home only to have seen soley the Eiffel tower or do I hunker down and pay the change fee and fare difference.

I could fly out Early morning enjoying the rest of the day but miss the sunrise, I could fly out a bit later in the afternoon watching sunrise and cutting the day in half, or spend the most on a new train ticket and getting the most out of my 36 hours. 

I decided to hunker down with the fee and limit myself to other spending in order to enjoy Paris, after all the last time I was here was 4 years ago. 

Paris, France June 10th, 2018

French Cusine

Well I have officially returned from my weekend getaway to Paris. Honestly, it's one of my favourite cities in the world. I went once 4 years ago and knew some day I would be back, and knowing me I will gladly be back again.

I went non-stop but I will explain what I did in a different post.

The main reason I'm here is to tell you about the single meal I had while I was there.

Being there for 36 hours didnt leave a lot of time to sit and enjoy all the food, but on my Sunday morning I decided to stop for a moment and enjoy a full breakfast.

Ordering a traditional Croque Madame. Simply put a grilled cheese with ham in the middle and a fried egg on top.

Now I know what you're thinking why on earth would you choose something so simple while being so far away. However, this was amazing and I do not regret one moment of it. 

Finally, I feel as though your thought process is why did you only have one meal while you were in Paris. 

Well my friends, I might have messed up slightly with my train ticket and had to use all of my budget and then some in order to change my train ticket and stay a tad longer. 

Long story short. Dont let me book things all by myself. 

Journey to Tower Bridge

If you click on the first row of photos in photographs you'll notice that they are taken at the iconic Tower Bridge in London, United Kingdom

My journey to the bridge was not as exciting as the photographs I took. 

However, along the south side of the river there sits a small garden bar as long as a large monitor showing films every night. 

While I waited for the sun to set I watched the movie and walked along the river (unfortunately I was unaware of just how late the sun sets here in the summer.)

As it finally began to get dark, I took off to the bridge where I set my phone and camera up to capture the right amount of light that would pass through allowing for me to capture the "perfect" shot.

Small Eats

Yeah, avocado toast is quite the trend, but so is fresh goat cheese with fried egg on top. Just saying

Brunch

Went to a local place in convent garden for brunch with my roommates. 

This led me to make a decision i normally do not make due to my extremely picky habits.

However, I ordered two eggs Benedict over toast with a side of sausage and was not disappointed. 

But I think the part of the meal that really blew me away was the fresh squeezed orange juice.