Packing for an International Adventure

So when I began planning for my Eurotrip in June, I really had no idea what to pack or how to pack it. My friend's Kit and Andie had gone on International Adventures before and gave us a quite a few tips and ideas however I was still left a little overwhelmed. I wanted to write a blog on how I packed for Europe and what exactly I packed. I give credit to my always list ready friend Andie for several of the items that were in my pack and on this list.

Items you will definitely need

-Plug adapter
          So most items that you will need to charge already convert over to the proper voltage for other countries, therefore I did not need to bring a power converter. However when traveling to other you will need a plug adapter which switches your american plug to the appropriate plug. Different countries use different plugs so just make sure you do a quick google search to assure you are using the correct plug adapter.

I personally bought this adapter. It is an international adapter and should cover you for most locations.

http://www.amazon.com/eForCity-Universal-Travel-Charger-Adapter/dp/B000YN01X4/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1408071341&sr=1-6&keywords=plug+adapter+usa+to+europe

Now the exception to this rule can often be hair products such as a curling iron. I was not 100% sure my curling iron would convert to 220V so I simply went on Amazon and typed in 220V Curling iron. It was 30 bucks and worked great.

http://www.amazon.com/Ceramic-CT155S-Voltage-Professional-Curling/dp/B00092M36I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408071613&sr=8-2&keywords=220+v+curling+iron

Shower Caddy (Assuming you are staying in a hostel)

Now I want you to go back to a time where you had to share a bathroom with a large group on people.  You have no idea who most of these people are nor do you know their showering habits. That being said you most definitely want to bring a shower caddy. A shower caddy will allow you to bring all of your showering goods into the bathroom with you without having to put all your items on the floor or hold on to the. Personally the shower caddy I bought was lacking but it did the trick. Make it a light one so you don't weigh down your bag unecessarily.

http://laundrybagsusa.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=43&item=Dorm-Shower-Caddy

Shower shoes 

See above. Seriously don't be gross.

Map

So I am a little torn on this one. On our European adventure Kit and Andie brought detailed maps of the city (rainproof) which just really saved our butts quite a few times. You never know when you will encounter a random rainstorm and still need to navigate the town. So I do highly recommend a waterproof map, however that being said most hostels do offer free maps at the front desk. So if you are on a budget you could probably survive just fine on the free hostel maps. IF YOU ARE DRIVING don't risk it, buy a map!! We were stuck in a crazy crazy crazy traffic jam somewhere in the middle of Germany and if we had only had the GPS we might still be there trying to get to Luxembourg. So don't skimp here!

http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog&parent_id=179


Microfiber towel 

Per Andie and Kit's suggestion I purchased a microfiber towel and they generously send us an extra towel they had purchased. They are super light and pack nicely plus they try extremely fast. Trust me if you are staying in a hostel you will want to purchase this towel. If not most hostels charge for a towel.  I also purchased a microfiber washcloth.

http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=150&id=158

 
Locks 

If you are staying in a hostel when you get to your destination often it is morning and you cannot yet check in. Therefore instead of carting your bags all over town most hostels will have a luggage room. Instead of leaving your bags fate up to traveling strangers the best thing to bring is a bicycle lock. You can wrap it around your bag and whatever wood or metal stands are in the room. On top of that it is a great idea to bring a few smaller locks to keep people from getting into your zippers. Lastly you will want to bring a locker sized lock for inside the hostel. Check beforehand however several good hostels have lockers that allow you the opportunity to put any valuables away when you are out on the town. 

All this being said if someone really wants in your bag they are simply going to cut it open. So this is more to deter someone rather than completely stop them.

http://www.meritline.com/anti-theft-steel-bicycle-security-password-lock---p-94084.aspx?source=fghdac&gclid=Cj0KEQjwvLGfBRDfkrr19KDS-7YBEiQA8CoFJxGPzbEk9Mx1b8ot_02Z5cCFBT9DscqsB4ZfPiQU4OgaAnpQ8P8HAQ

http://www.rei.com/product/714382/eagle-creek-tsa-lock

Compass

Trust me you will need this when you are in a foreign city. Just bring it.

Headlamp

When staying in a hostel you will find yourself in situations where your roomates go to bed earlier than you or perhaps you are the one in bed early. Chances are you are going to come home late one night and don't want to turn on the light just to find your sleep clothes then waking up the sleeping monster across from you. A head lamp came in handy more than once during my trip.


http://www.rei.com/product/839967/black-diamond-cosmo-headlamp

Money Belt

So something you discover while traveling abroad is some of the things you thought 100% necessary became completely overkill. So this applied to a money belt. Luckily for Shawn  and I our lovely traveling partners sent us an extra of theirs so we didn't spend the money. Once we got to Europe we found we never were in a position where we needed to put our money under our shirts.

Purse

Since I do not recommend a money belt I do instead recommend being smart about your day bag. You really need to consider what you will be doing most days, whether you will need a packback or if a simple purse will do. I decided I could carry most of what I needed in a purse.

I personally decided to purchase a new purse that was simple and not an easy target for pick pocketers.

The purse I ended up going with slung across my chest and was water resistant. Another perk I found was that it had a spot on the inside for a water bottle. When traveling it is such a waste to continue purchasing water throughout the day. Instead bring a Nalgene bottle or even purchase a bottle of water before hopping on the plane and keep refilling it throughout your trip.

Luggage

If you are backpacking across Europe I highly recommend using a backpack instead of a regular suitcase. You will be quickly surprised at how much you walk with your bag even if it is just to and from the airport. Being able to have a backpack that you can carry instead of a roller bag makes the transition so much easier and definitely helps lower the stress. I personally decided to purchase a higher end backpack simply because I plan on traveling so much over the next few years it only makes sense to invest my money in a bag that will last and be comfortable. If you do not have the funds or simply do not want to spend $300 on a bag there are several other choices which will definitely get the job done.

http://www.rei.com/product/809322/gregory-deva-60-pack-womens

Now Something I HIGHLY recommend purchasing for your trip is packing cubes. I purchased this exact set from amazon and I am SO glad that I did. What is great about these cubes is you can separate your undies, shorts, and shirts so that you don't end up forgetting about an outfit or have to empty your entire bag to find something. Personally I put undies/bras in the small container then bottoms/dresses in the medium cube and shirts in the large cube. Do not skimp on this, I promise your life will be so much more pleasant when your in your tiny bunk bed trying to find something to wear.

http://www.amazon.com/eBags-Slim-Packing-Cubes-Black/dp/B0014DSUQ8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408847142&sr=8-2&keywords=ebags+packing+cubes+-+3pc+set




Overall these are my must have items.To my experienced traveling friends, what would you add to the list? Let me know in the comment section!

Sin City, Bitch

My latest adventure was a quick but utterly epic trip to Sin City with one of my best friends Vanessa. Whenever this girl and I get together there is always bound to be trouble, so combine that with the biggest playground in the US and you will get an epic memory meant to be pulled out of your hat during old age.

We flew in on Tuesday morning and started the day out right by heading to the adults only pool. 

We immediately got a tasty beverage

My poor skin hasn't seen the sun all winter!

One drink in and she was doing her swim-aerobics

After a few hours in the sun (all my vampire skin could handle) we decided to head upstairs and get ready. Since we were leaving Thursday morning and we didn't want epic hangovers to add to a plane ride we decided tonight was going to be the night we went out and painted the town.

Ready to cause some trouble

We decided to try "Sushi Roku" in Caesar's Palace. Now if you have been to Vegas then you understand that even with a taxi ride, NOTHING is close.  I swear it took an hour just to walk from the front of the hotel to when we FINALLY found food. However once we got there it was more than worth it. We had a great happy hour along with a few drinks to get the night started.

Say "Epic night ahead"

You can't take this girl anywhere I swear

We call this the "Prom photo". It looks weird but it felt right

Vanessa making friends with the Pegasus

About this time we began to get offers from every club promoter on the strip. It was Wednesday a less popular night which means only great things for women. Every club out there was offering free admission and ladies drink free all night. You're kidding me right?? We drink for free all night, just for having lady parts? Umm Yes and Thank YOU! However since it was still early and no clubs were bumping quite yet we decided to head over the Chandelier Room and relax with a few cocktails.



                     "The faces of Vanessa during the shot that started it all"

After a few shots and drinks we naturally were already thinking about food. So we grabbed some appetizers at a nearby bar. I remember the appetizers being delicious but as to what they were well your guess is as good as mine.  Next we decided to head to Pure the first night club that was offering free drinks.

The night was crazy, I remember bottles of Vodka everywhere and money being thrown in air. You can bet your bottom dollar we grabbed those ones too. We were the only scrawny white girls grabbing the air and swooping the ground like we didn't have money for breakfast. It was a moment I realized how much I loved Vanessa. I don't know many girls that would help me stuff dollar bills into my purse in a crowded night club. After that the night gets blurry. It was full of dancing, free drinks, and a ton of laughs. A night only Vegas could provide that is for certain.

I didn't take this picture but yeah that's about right

Epic Night= Epic Hangover

Have you ever been so hungover you want to lean over the bed and throw up? You are so sick you can't possibly imagine taking one step off the bed. Yeah well that was us the next night. We literally fought over the toilet. So as we had planned we made a phone call to "Hangover Heaven". For those of you who do no know what "Hangover Heaven" is, they are a clinic that will provide you with medical treatment for your hangover. They sit you down in super comfy chairs and while watching your movie of choice they give you saline solution via IV, Nausea meds, and a solution full of vitamins.  After about 5 minutes of being hooked up the IV you start to feeling 10x better than you ever thought was possible. After 15 your headache is gone and suddenly you don't feel so nauseous. Once you are done with the saline solution you feel like you only had maybe 5 drinks the night before. Then after 45 minutes BAM! You are a new woman with a new lease on life.

Naturally Alan was there

Bandage Buddies

We slept the remainder of the day and barely had time to have a quick dinner at a steak restaurant before the Britney Concert.  If you don't understand why we chose to see Britney then you couldn't have possibly been a teen girl in the late 90's.  There is something to be admired about Britney Spears including her rough years where she went through her crazy years in front of the media.

Britney was amazing, the sound and effects were so incredible. Britney had dark hair which was different but she still is beautiful. She sang every old song you just HAVE to hear and even played us a new song which was incredibly beautiful, sad, and eerie called "Perfume".  

Overall the trip was an absolute blast. I was a little disappointed that due to our epic hangovers we did not have time to indulge the foodies within us. We had wanted to try the Gordon Ramsey restaurant however we simply did not have the strength or the time. However that just gives us a reason to make it back! I'm thinking next year our trip will be New Orleans or Kentucky Derby? Both sound like tons of fun and a bunch of trouble! Love you girl!

Discovery Park

Since moving to Ballard we have had our fair share of perfect shiny days. However since the winter we try to take full advantage of every sun filled day we get. During these days we try to get the dogs out and explore our new neighborhood.

We have found baseball fields, dog loving bars, patios, Golden Gardens (Beach 3 miles away), and the Ballard Locks. Recently we decided to head to the Ballard Locks. The Locks is a beautiful port which connects the Salt water of the Puget sound and the fresh water of the Ship Canal which connects to Lake Union. It is also home to the fish ladder which was built so Salmon could also make their way upstream. If you come visit during warm weather make sure I take you here!

Amtrack is one of many trains that use this bridge

Boats headed to Lake Union

Salmon making it's way to the fresh water. It looks easier than it is for these little guys!

On the south side of the Ballard Locks you will end up in the neighborhood of Magnolia. There you will find signs leading you to your next destination; Discovery Park. Now mind you it's about 1.5 miles to Ballard Locks so we weren't sure how much more difficult it would be to make it to Discovery Park. It was such a nice day we simply couldn't pass it up!

Leaving Ballard Locks.

To get to Discovery Park there is a fun short cut that takes you over a bridge which is taking you over a railroad. It is a nice pedestrian only detour which makes you feel like you are in the middle of the country rather than a bustling city.

The rest of the route is scenic with small coffee shops and boutiques. We even stopped into Shawn's new favorite running store "Seven Hills".  Before you know it, you find yourself at 534 acres that is Discovery Park.

The Dogs LOVE the open fields

Me? Well I love the view

From a wooded trail all the way to a beach with a mountain view

The day was a complete success with the pups tired and it ends up being about an 8 mile walk which makes Shawn and I both feeling very accomplished (and our fitbit count is usually pretty high too).

 These pictures were a combination of several days where we were blessed to enjoy this long walk. These days are the kind of days that make you smile, give a small sigh and realize how beautiful life can really be when you are where you should be. Every time we go exploring I begin to realize how lucky I am I followed my heart and made it to the Emerald City.

Paleo Cookies

So on Day 3 of our Paleo Challenge Shawn and I decided we HAD to have something sweet. After some searching online we discovered that dark chocolate is Paleo friendly, we were thrilled! Shawn loves chocolate chip cookies so we started there. Online there are a million recipes so we just chose the easiest one.

Recipe:

• 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp coconut flour 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk 
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

http://justjessieb.blogspot.com/2013/10/chocolate-chip-coconut-flour-cookies.html

The most difficult thing is trying to find the most natural dark chocolate chips. We ended going to the natural food store and getting some from surplus there.

The recipe is super easy, simply add all wet ingredients to the sugar. Mix them together then add the dry ingredients. Bam! Make little balls like you would any cookies and throw them in the oven!

Note: Don't use parchment paper

So we cooked them for about 14 minutes and found they were fairly crispy. The only problem was we could not get them to come off of the parchment! So we will try cooking them a different way next time.

We added pecans for some texture

I thought the cookies were really great! Shawn on the other hand wasn't as satisfied, I blame this on the lack of crunchiness on the bottom of the cookies. (Even though he managed to eat 6 of them!)

Let me know if you find a way to keep the cookies from sticking!

Coming home to the motherland

To start my year out with a bang one of my best friends Jen came to visit. Jen and I met in college, Nathan and and I sat beside her in class hoping we could make a friend to cheat off of, she is Asian so we figured our odds were good. Well we made a hell of a friend however she was horrible at marketing (that's what stereotyping will do for you!). **

So Jen and I hadn't seen each other since I left Oklahoma in 2012, so with a little persuading we planned a visit!!

The first night Jen arrived and we had to try some delicious Sushi in Ballard. Although we both feel exceptionally old we managed to hit up a few bars, have some beers and of course Jen attracted weirdos. It's a curse really.

These are the treats Jen brought. Take note friends ;)

Unfortunately the next day this meant we were both fairly hungover. Jen is a trooper and we managed to make it downtown by noon and see the city.

The disgusting but famous "Gum Wall"

We knocked down a few kids to get on this guy!

Look at those mountains!

An amazing view at the Space Needle. It was the first time I got to see Rainier from the top!

Day 2 we headed over to Bellevue to see Isabelle de Borchgrave collection at the Bellevue Art's Museum. This woman is incredible, she makes the most beautiful dresses all out of paper. You would never believe it unless you saw it in person. We went to see the collection because Jen works for a fabric company who has a line that is based off of Isabelle's designs! So neat! 

The sad part is there were two rent a cops who wouldn't allow us to touch or take pictures of any of the collections. They did however stop long enough to flirt with Jen, quite fun. 



One of her dresses...Yep all paper


The second half of our second day I took her to Fremont (I know I just love it there) to see all my favorite sights!

So we figured out that the Fremont troll is actually in a scene on "10 things I hate about you"

Look closely, you will find pants only the 90's would allow

We finished our afternoon at Golden Gardens with a famous Paseo Sandwich. Seriously best sandwich ever. Sorry Kit and Andie, next time!!

So as exhausted as were we dragged our butts out to enjoy some Zayda Buddies Pizza! It's one of my favorite places in Ballard with great beers on tap.

Shawn made it out!

That's right my main man Tom Selleck hanging out in the Ladies room.

I guess this is what happens when you combine alcohol and Lactose-intolerance

On Sunday we braved the cold and headed to Crystal mountain. So we both had been skiing once but never had tried snowboarding, so in the spirit of adventure we both grabbed a board and headed down the slopes.

There is no denying how badass I look in this picture. However pictures LIE. On the bunny slope alone I fell at least 10 times before making it down to the bottom. Seriously I thought for sure I would break something before I made it down the bottom. I do not understand snowboarding nor will I be attempting it again. I am very proud of myself for trying it once. That's my rule, I'll try MOST anything once. So at the end of my first "run" I quickly changed into skis and was once again happy and sliding along fall free.

Jen however refused to give up. This girl was a rockstar! She would watch other snowboarder's and see how they moved, slowed down, and even fell. She quickly picked it up and preferred it over skiing. Do not put a challenge in front of Jen Yeung, she will squash it!

Jen getting it!

The great thing about having been friends during college is we both know we can party. We have seen each other very wasted and bought each other shots. The best part is, we are both aware we are no longer in college. So once we got home we happily ordered some Thai and watched HP6. Now that is how you end a night my friends!

On Monday we filled her final hours with as much adventure as we could find. I took her to Discovery Park so she could get a little hike in and see some of the glory the NorthWest has to offer. It was so foggy at Discovery Park but in an errie beautiful way. 

View from West Seattle on such a foggy day

The trip was an amazing success and I am so happy my friend made the time to come visit. Step 1 is complete and now I just have to find her a job so she can permanently move to the Emerald City!








**Joking aside, Jen had a 4.0 or something ridiculous. She just hated marketing. She's basically a genius.

2013....How did I afford you?

So this began last night when someone started talking about their new SouthWest credit card. I began to count how many times I flew out of Seattle last year. It was a little sad that I had to count and recount several times. I think I have a correct number but for my memories sake I am going to do a quick count of places I have gone and people I have visited. For reference I will note visitors as a H (for home) and A (for away) for when I was the visitor.

January

1A. Ah how could I ever forget my first trip of last year? January 10th I was so blessed to be able to see my sweet niece Aleithyia the day of her birth. I will say I saved for that pricey ticket ($800!!)

February


2A. In February I flew to Dallas to throw my college roommate a bridal shower. Luckily that ticket was pretty cheap (only $200)

 1H. In Febrary of last year, Keith a friend Shawn and I both went to high school with decided to come for a quick trip! So nice to see him!

March

2H. In March my oldest niece came to visit me during her spring break and birthday! I just love this smart girl! Hint: Buy tickets in Jan-Feb they are so cheap then!

3A.  At the end of March I just couldn't stay away, so I went back to Boston to see my sweet family once more!

 May 


4A. In May of 2013 we had a training meeting set up in Dallas for work. This meant I not only got to see my fun work friends but I got a free trip to see my sister and her family! Love it!

I love these girls!

My sweet sister in our badass shades

3H. My 77 year old Grandpa missed me so much he traveled all the way to Seattle just to see me and my new home!

 

June 

5A. Almost immediately after my Grandpa left I flew off to see my favorite Florida girl Andie. We were so blessed to be able to see each other. This trip was special since her Hubby Kit was deployed. The cost was cut in half as she helped me pay half because we missed each other that much!

We make the beach look good

4H. As soon as I got home one of our best friends Kyle Hicks stopped in for a whirlwind visit! 

 August 

5H. In August I was so blessed for my brother and SIL to come visit me! We were able to work with Elena's parents and they paid for their tickets to Seattle and I paid for them to fly to San Fran. (I got the good end of the stick. Her parents are great ;) ) This came to around $200.

September

6H. One of Shawn's first family  visits was in September for his Birthday! His Mom and Stepdad came to Seattle to see Shawn and enjoy a little relaxing vacation. I love when family comes to visit!

October 



6A.  A day after Shawn's parents left I flew off to Colorado to work and to see the one and only Vanessa. It was so great to have a free trip to meet her family! I miss Cam, she is such a doll!

7A. Although I never thought I would go back to Oklahoma voluntarily I decided my family needed me and I spent a week back where I grew up! It was great to spend time with friends, family, and the cows in Wetumka.  It also gave me the opportunity to throw Jenn a bachorlorette party!

My Uncle Corley the original Indian Cowboy

My Aunt cracking me up

November


7H. Ah one of my favorite visitors of the year. The time finally came and my favorite couple came to visit me! I love these two people! I cannot imagine my life without them.

8A. In November right before Jennifer's wedding my work decided we had to fly to LA for a mandatory meeting! Whew! Talk about some stress!!

We still had time for some fun!

9A. I flew straight from LA to Jennifer's wedding! I was so glad I got to make it.

It was a fairytale wedding

8H. The last weekend in November my friend Cuong (We have been friends since I started working at Samsung) came to Seattle for work and got to visit Shawn and I!

December 



9H. Finally Vanessa got a chance to come see Seattle, we had so much fun!! This girl is just a hoot!

For fun I made an estimate of the airfare I spent in 2013.....and the total is:

$2100

Hey not too bad considering all the places I saw!



Whew just writing about all my adventures has worn me out! I know I am so blessed to have so many friends that I can visit and that want to take the time to visit me! Thank you to everyone!!!


I cannot wait for 2014 adventures! Jen Yeung you're up next!! See you soon!