Travel History
Sweden
This country is beautiful inside and out. And not everyone is blonde. There’s a country side and a city side. You can easily find the up-town feel in Stockholm. People dress it, talk it, walk it. The architecture is amazing with the cobble stones and yellow buildings. There are some awesome museums there and the boat ride is a must in the summer otherwise prepare to freeze in the winter. There are charming hotels located everywhere and things are walking distance, but transportation is fairly easy to navigate. The country side is beautiful. My favorite are the Falu Red style homes. Many Swedes tend to keep to themselves and their social circles most of the time. I notice this a lot in airports-you know it’s the right gate when no one is talking, but everyone is staring. The younger generations are more “outgoing”. Tourists are very much welcome in most parts of this Scandinavian country. Knowing the language can help when visiting smaller towns (obvi). The food is delicious, fresh, and healthy. There’s this fast food chain Sibylla that I drool for though. Sweden plays a big role in science and invention. You may have heard of the Nobel Prizes. Or dynamite and Ikea. There’s this thing called “fika”! It’s like a coffee hour, where you relax and chat over some pastries and coffee. Happens everyday. Prepare to get fat. I think they love the color white because most homes I’ve seen have white everything. Financially, you’ll want to save up a great deal if you plan on visiting here. Language wise, english is widely spoken so you are in luck. You can see the northern lights in the...northern parts. I want to visit northern Sweden sometime and attend a reindeer race.
Norway
Crossing the Swedish/Norway border...there was literally a bald border line-no trees nothing. Otherwise it all looks the same- green forests and beautiful people. Until you get to the coast. Fjords will blow your mind. A picture doesn’t suffice. I remember taking a car boat thingacross a body of water. Never done that before. There are cute tourist friendly towns throughout the way to bigger cities. If you like seafood, this is a wonderful place to be. Financially, you’ll want to save up more than what you did for Sweden.
Thailand
Depending on how you plan your visit, you can really get in a lot of culture in less than a month. We all know that flight tickets are the expensive part. Once you get here everything is affordable. I’m not a pro on how to travel here as a tourist because I went as part of a group where I paid an amount for the trip and the itinerary was scheduled. There is an airline that flies you around Southeast Asia for very cheap though and I forget the name. The rural villages I saw were life changing. Riding elephants near Chang Mai was amazing. The shopping here is fun and wallet friendly. (Atleast from $ to Thai Baht). You’ve most definitely heard about this country’s diverse selection of food. If not, you’re in for a piece of heaven when you visit. The CURRY. VEGGIES. MEAT. THE SPICES. The people here are friendly and always smiling. Thailand isn’t called “the land of smiles” for nothing. Bangkok is quite the specimen. Aside from the smell, there is some beauty to see like the temples. You’ll find temples all over Thailand! Buddhism is very much prevalent here and like they say, it’s not a religion, it’s a lifestyle. I’ve heard Phuket is a place to visit. Never been. Also heard it’s fairly dirty. Can’t forget about the islands! There are many. The one I went to had resorts all along the beach as well as restaurants and bars. You’ll be sure to get whatever you need outta your system visiting Thailand.
USA
I may be a little biased, but California is the best state around. You’ll notice that it’s pretty diverse all around. All you need to do is follow the US 101 and you’ll see all the good stuff. Unless you want to see Yosemite and other inland places. Check out the rich agriculture. San Diego has got a good vibe, LA has night life, and concerts. Santa Monica has an eventful pier. So does Santa Barbara which also has good shopping and farmers markets. San Luis Obispo has a cool college town. Obviously you have to see San Francisco, the city by the bay. Don’t forget to hit up the beaches as you visit. Venice, Santa Monica, Carpinteria, and Santa Barbara are some good ones. Good food is found everywhere. Coastal towns will have tasty seafood. Oh and when in SF, try the clam chowder about a quarter mile south of Pier 39, by the famous sign. I have yet to visit sea glass beach in northern Cali.
New York is also a big state. I spent 2 days in New York City and that was not enough. There is a lot to see there. Went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and saw The Thinker and some of my man Van Gogh (Starry Night is at the other museum). Walked the Brooklyn Bridge. Went to the top floor of the Empire State Building. The transportation via subway is good as long as you’re paying attention. It was freezing and windy when I was there, but the sun was out so it wasn’t all that bad. Gotta visit the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero memorial next time. The other part of NY I’ve seen is upstate. The Niagara Falls are a must see. Beware, make sure you have your passport so you can visit the Canadian side if you decide to drive there, it’s prettier. Otherwise you can walk without needing a passport.
I’ve spent some time in Seattle. Hip and busy city. There are some good outdoor things to do like a walk through a modern art gallery and shop the market. Don’t forget to visit the first Starbucks! I was there for a wedding and it rained LOL.
Oregon has two halves, the dry farm country, and the hipster west coast. There’s more I promise, I haven’t seen it all. The country side, atleast where I was, there are a lot of hardworking, pro-gun, farmers, and Republicans. Portland has got a mix, and I’m pretty sure there’s a majority of tree-huggers, and Democrats. It rains a lot here like Seattle so prepare for that. I went on a few outdoor runs and the air is fresh. There’s also this really awesome ice cream shop that has the random-est mix of flavors. Colorado is a another state that is geographically split down the middle. There's the dry desert east and the ski-town, agricultural west. One of the highlights you may have heard of, CO was one of the first to legalize marijuana. There is some great skiing here. You may have heard of Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge. Utah is tbh a beautiful state providing some of the nation's best outdoor adventures. No offense to the Mormons, but they ruin it. They chose a perfect place to settle themselves long ago. They do keep the city clean and trimmed I'll have to admit. So just ignore them and their views when you visit here for world renowned snow. There are I think about 5 resorts within 45 mins of the airport. There's also national parks in the southern parts (Moab and Zion are big ones).
Can’t forget about Hawaii. Kauai is known as the Garden Island of the chain. It’s beautiful here. Again ABC stores are pretty pricey so save up folks. Jurassic Park was filmed here. Lots of beaches to snorkel and lounge at. Some are less touristy. The big island, Kona, has the volcanic parts and green parts. Take a helicopter ride around to see it all! Be sure to buy a good tourist book that will help you find your way around these islands. ----------
Well folks, I’ve been to a few other places (Australia, London, Germany, Poland) but I was too young to remember all of the details. One day I’ll add photos of my travels to my gallery. Hope you enjoyed this! Let me know what you think. Where have you been?
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