Un Mil Gracias a Argentina!

Steve and I spent the last 4 days doing what we do best: EATING. The week we spent in Buenos Aires was great because all we did was just walk around the city, enjoy the different sites, did more shopping, and eat great meals. We spent time in the following neighborhoods:

La Boca
We went to the Boca Junior vs. Arsenal soccer game. Wow, what an event! This was the first international soccer game for me and Steve. We've seen plenty of games on TV but to be in the midst of all the action was definitely a great experience! We loved all the chants and songs the crowd would sing during the game. I wish I knew all the words to the songs because I would have loved to sing along. I was also amazed by how many different songs/chants there were. We probably heard 7 different songs for different moments in the game: a song to get things started, a song for offense, a song for defense, a song for corner kicks, a song for scoring, a song for just the heck of it, a song for the final 10 minutes, etc. It was a lot of fun and we loved seeing the passionate fans really stand behind their team!

We were also glad that we made it out of the game in one piece. Since the Argentines are so passionate about their soccer, we were told that the games can get very hostile and intense. We were advised to take an escort to the game so that we will be out of harm's way. Escorts cost around $100 per game. Fortunately, our hotel arranged for us to go with a group or travelers like us and everything turned out great.

San Telmo
We spent a day in San Telmo which is the Tango District and the Antiques District. I'm awful at designing rooms so I typically have little interest in looking for unique decorative items. However, when we were walking through the different shops, it gave me ideas and inspired me to put together neat things when I have a home of my own. After walking through the shops, we grabbed ice cream and beer at Plaza Dorrego. This Plaza is in the center of San Telmo and it is basically a big outdoor cafe where you can sit and enjoy the tango performances at the center of the Plaza. I love watching Dancing With the Stars so this was like watching a live performance! Too bad I'm a horrible dancer.

Puerto Madero
We stayed in Puerto Madero because it is central to all the neighborhoods. This is the area where all the boats and ferries dock. There is also a lot of shopping in this area. Before Steve and I arrived in Argentina, he told me he wanted to find a leather jacket and a leather overnight bag because Argentina is known for their leather. There are so many leather shops in Puerto Madero and each shop aggressively wants to earn your business. You can bring in a design that you want to have made for you or you can shop from the many choices that they offer in the store. Since there are so many shops, you have the opportunity to price hunt and negotiate a good deal too. Steve ended up going with 2 different jackets and a new overnight bag. He was a happy camper!

Back to Palermo Soho
We spent a few nights drinking in Palermo Soho. This is the area that reminds me of NYC Soho with all their boutiques but the nightlife in Palermo Soho reminds me so much of Chicago. You have many outdoor patios with lots of people having drinks so it's a great place to wrap up your day. It's so funny how much energy you have on vacation. People know I'm not a night owl so one night Steve and I were having drinks and talking on this rooftop bar in Palermo. I asked him what time it was and he said it was 3:30am. Surprisingly, I managed to adjust to Argentina time very well. We typically would go out to eat at 11:30 pm and finish up around 1:00 am.

El Tigre
We took a boat trip out to this vacation area where the Argentines have weekend/summer homes. All these homes were located on mini islands where cars are not allowed. People have to get around in boats. We were advised by several people that this was a great tour and El Tigre was comprable to Venice, Italy. This place was okay. It was neat to see some of the homes but this was nowhere near Venice. When you describe something to be like Venice, that is raising the bar REALLY high. The only thing similar to Venice was the water and the fact that cars were not allowed. Anyways, Steve and I joked that this was comprable to the Swamp Tour in New Orleans (and the Swamp Tour was actually really cool, El Tigre was not as cool).

Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving was spent at our favorite restaurant La Estancia. We had to eat our share of meat once again. Seriously, the food was my favorite part of Buenos Aires. Here's a tip though...we had heard that you could get by on $15/meal in BA. Okay, that is true but you might not be getting the best that BA offers. We tried a couple of these $15 meals for lunch and they were so-so. You definitely have to a pay more to get the higher quality meals. The meats are amazing. Seriously, the best meat we have ever had. We were eating Morton's caliber steaks every night. Since BA is more affordable than the US, your "Morton's" meals would end up being $75 for 2 people instead of paying $150 in the US. These meals would include a bottle of wine too.

Steve and I loved exploring Argentina and we definitely plan to come back. Aside from all the great hiking, food, culture and shopping that we experienced, I really enjoyed being able to speak Spanish. In the beginning I was very rusty but by the middle of the trip, I started to pick it up again. It made me feel great to be able to have a conversation and understand everything that was going on. Steve really impressed me with his Spanish too. He has taken a few Rosetta Stone courses and he was able to pick up on the gist of most of our conversations. He is also a good student because anytime I would teach him a phrase or a word, he always knew how to use those phrases/words at a future time in the correct way. Nice work Steve! Now time to learn some Korean!

We arrived in the US yesterday morning. Yesterday was our first day not eating any type of red meat or having any ice cream in 2 weeks. Steve looks up at me at 11 PM and says, "I'm hungry." I replied, "Really? We just had salmon and pasta." He responded with, "I really want a steak." I felt the same. We are having major withdrawl. Anyone up for Fogo de Chao?

Repeat Twice Daily: Steak, Wine, Ice Cream

We have spent the last 3 days in Buenos Aires and enjoyed every minute of it. So many people have asked me how I decided on coming to Argentina. In early 2009, my friend Jaclyn took a trip to Argentina and raved about it. I always trust Jaclyn´s traveling advice because she has been everywhere and she also knows me well enough to understand what type of cities and places I would like. So Jaclyn planted the seed, then Keith took a trip here in late 2009 and told me it was one of the best places he´s been to (just like Jaclyn, Keith has traveled a lot too). Thanks guys for painting a great picture of Argentina --- you both were totally right!

Steve and I love the energy behind this city. We love the hustle/bustle of any large city but Buenos Aires isn´t just a big city. It´s a big city with a charming Eurpoean/NYC/Chicago/DC twist plus more! It´s a city that everyone can fall in love with because it offers something unique for anybody.

Buenos Aires is known as the Paris of South America. When you walk down the streets of Recoleta, you will find buildings and architecture that remind you of the streets of Paris. Then you walk through the outerparts of Recoleta and you will see tree lined streets of high rises and brownstones that remind you of the Upper East side of NYC. After going through this neighborhood, you can walk into Plaza Serrano - an area with lots of outdoor bars and cafes. This reminded me so much of the summers in Chicago!

Then you can walk to the Palmero Soho neighborhood and find blocks and blocks of boutiques. There are hundreds of boutiques - imagine Soho in NYC but 10 times bigger and this is Palmero Soho. I could definitely see myself living in this neighborhood. It´s picture perfect: tree lined streets, boutiques with character, lots of cafes, great people watching. With all the great shopping on this street, even Steve was inspired to shop! Steve hardly goes shopping back home. I´m the shopper so typically I buy things he might like and bring it home. Then he can decide if he likes it or not. When we were in Palermo Soho, he was jumping into stores and excited about shopping. It was great! Good thing we wear the same size, I´ll just borrow whatever he bought :)

Aside from walking around the city, shopping, and checking out different parks and national monuments, Steve and I have been eating. EATING A LOT. EVERYDAY. I don´t need to get into much detail about the food because it´s straightforward. We eat steaks. We drink wine. We have ice cream. We repeat this routine 2x a day. Seriously, the steaks here are that good and it is basically the "national" food. There are 10 parrillas on EVERY block so it's hard to resist. Each morning we wake up and we say, "Hmmm, maybe we should give our bodies a break and try some fish today." Then we get to the restaurant and we order a Filet or Rib Eye.

Another thing we do everyday is drink. Steve and I are not big drinkers back home but we have been drinking everyday since we got here. I love the wine here. I'm not even drinking anything fancy but it's sooo good. My Chicago friends would be proud.

After our steak and wine dinner, we walk over to an ice cream parlor. Again, ice cream parlors EVERYWHERE. I usually go with the 1/4 kilo of ice cream which is a mini bucket of any flavor you want. I typically go with dulce de leche and a lemon sherbert. So delicious. Sometimes I feel like a dog when I'm eating ice cream because it's gone in 2 minutes as if I slurped it down in one gulp. By the time I´m done, Steve is only scratching the surface.

In between our meals, I stop into the many bakeries located everywhere. This has been my M.O. since I studied in Spain in 1998 --- Buy a baguette and eat it while I´m walking around doing my sight seeing. I can do this everyday for the rest of my life. On that note, we need to grab breakfast and head out for our day trip to Tigre. We'll write more soon!

Gracias y Adios Bariloche!

Thank you Bariloche! We couldn´t have asked for a better place to start our Argentina adventure. When we first planned this trip, we wanted to combine two of our favorite things: outdoor activities and a vibrant cosmopolitan city life. This is how we decided on Bariloche and Buenos Aires.

Aside from all the amazing hikes and the great food we had in Bariloche, here are a few of the major takeaways from the last 4.5 days....

Smile at Work???
After we did the hike up Lopez Peak, our clothes were filthy. We took our laundry to a laundrymat that washes/dries your clothes in a few hours. They charged us $4/load so it's a steal! When we went to pick up our clothes, we thanked the clerk that did our laundry for us. She was so appreciative and had the biggest smile on her face. Steve and I were happy campers because all our clothes were clean but the enthusiasm and smile this clerk had for us was indescribable. I really don´t think it had anything to do with me and Steve. I think she just enjoys what she does because I saw the same smile and perkiness when she was handling other customer transactions at the store. It just made me think, ¨Do I have the same gusto for my job? Do I do my job with a big smile on my face and with the same skip in my step?" Well, I should. I have a great boss who teaches me something valuable everyday. I have the job that I always wanted - a position where I can teach and develop sales reps. At the same time, I learn just as much from them. I´m also challenged by the obstacles we face everyday in the marketplace - so I continuosly grow and learn from these challenges. On top of it all, I have the flexibility to work from home, anywhere in the US, with great pay and benefits. I think I have a lot to be smiling about. It´s too bad I sometimes get bogged down with the minor issues (aka my annoying reps) that drive me crazy. There is no perfect job out there and based on what I listed, this is close to perfect for me and my expectations. If the girl at the laundrymat can be skipping for joy at her job, why can´t I? Seeing her really made me evaluate how good I have things and put a big smile on my face.

This is the Life!
Speaking of being grateful and appreciative....Steve and I were having dinner on the patio of our house in Bariloche. We had great steaks, fresh vegetables, wonderful wine and the most unbelievable setting. We were eating at the traditional Argentina dinner time: 11 PM. As I was eating my dinner, I looked up in the sky and saw a bunch of stars shining. Then I looked to the left and I saw the moon in the background right behind the Andes Mountains. On our left, we have the cutest house that we rented which is a mini Paradise (pics to come!). I sat there thinking, "This is the life!" This is what I love the most about traveling. I love being inspired and energized by new surroundings. We are fortunate to have everything accessible to us in the States but sometimes I get caught up in the hustle and the daily grind of my normal responsibilities that I forget to take time out of my life and create these special moments. I shouldn´t have to travel to another continent to experience this. I can create this in my own home (minus the Andes Mtns).

Charming City
We can´t say enough about this great city. Bariloche offers so many great activities: skiing, hiking, swimming, spas, boating, biking, shopping, fine dining, sight seeing, and above all great people. You walk around town and you feel like you are at home. Bariloche is also the home of the best chocolate in South America --- you literally see 3 to 5 chocolate shops on every block. Shawna, are you booking your flight right now? So quick food recap.... there are hundreds of steak restaurants, chocolate shops, bakeries, and wineries in Argentina. Why w0uld anyone leave here?

Traveling with Steve
Most of you know that my blog title is Traveling with Nancy because I started this when I quit my job in 2008 to travel. Well, I definitely want to note that this trip has been great spending it with Steve. I love sharing all these neat experiences with him. I get excited thinking about the future trips we plan to take. He´s a great boyfriend and a great traveling companion. I know I can be a pill at times but he´s good about going with the flow :) Aside from enjoying his company, here´s another great thing about travling with Steve..... We wear the same size shoes and same size clothes! This came in handy because I didn´t pack hiking boots or enough long sleeved layers to go up the snowy trails. This was a tough trip to pack for because we had to pack for 3 different temperature ranges: 80s, 60s, 40s. I packed well for the 80 degrees and 60 degrees but not so much for the 40 degrees. I purposely didn´t pack my hiking boots because they are so big so I figured I would use my running shoes for running, walking, and hiking during the trip. Besides, I would rather pack an extra pair of heels instead of my boots. Nina Garcia would understand. Well, Steve let me wear his outdoor shoes (looks like running shoes but sole can handle rough terrains) because he brought his own hiking boots. Perfect - we´re the same size! Then he let me borrow several of his dry fit long sleeve shirts to layer up for the cooler hikes. Once again perfet - we´re the same size! Glad Ranger Steve packed for me and for him :)

We arrived in Buenos Aires a little after midnight. We are excited to experience the city life here this week. You know where my focus is - food and shopping. Plus, I´m thrilled that the temperature is in the 80s here. Time to put our hiking gear away....it´s time for heels and flip flops!

Bienvenidos a Bariloche!

Steve and I arrived in Bariloche on Monday! Bariloche is located in the Patagonia region of Argentina and it is known as the Aspen or Vail of South America. It is Spring in South America so we weren´t planning on skiing but we decided to come here and take advantage of the incredible hiking trails and beautiful views.

Wednesday was our first full day here. We took a ski lift to this area called Campanero to get a 360 degree view of the area. When we reached the top we were amazed by our surroundings. It is a post card worthy view of snow capped mountains, green forests and rich blue water all around. This was a great way for us to start our trip. It gave us an idea of the type of mountains we wanted to hike and it gave us a glimpse of what we would be seeing when we reached the top of the hikes.

Tuesday afternoon we drove around the area and took a lot of pictures at scenic points. Then we tackled our first hike. This was called Cemetery Mountain for obvious reasons - there is a mini graveyard at the bottom. After we walked through this mini cemetery, we started our hike. Our hike was about 3 miles up and it was mostly a rocky trail so we had to do a lot of scrambling or climbing our way over the rocks to make our way to the top. Fortunately, Steve is an expert. He gave me a lot of great tips to tackle this course and helped me get through it. There is no way I would have attemped this on my own. (I´ll write more about Steve´s hiking navigations skill later). When we reached a nice scenic point, we took a few pics and made our way down. We had a full day of hiking for Wed so we wanted to take it easy on Tue.

Dinner was prepared by Steve on Tuesday night. He wanted to take advantage of the Parilla that we have at our house. We rented a cute house nestled in between the Andes mountains. This house has a huge outdoor fireplace that is attached to a large grill space for you to cook anything. It´s big enough to roast a pig. Steve decided to prepare filets and chorizo. The Parilla is a slow cooking process so it takes about 90 minutes. When he was finished we had the best dinner. Hands down this was the best meat we´ve ever had. After dinner we were thinking about how we could build one of these outdoor fireplace-grills back in VA....Steve´s main concern is HOA rules but otherwise, he´s on board!

Wednesday was a big day of hiking for us. We did 3 hikes:

Casita del Sol Peak
This hike was right behind our house. A very short hike (1.5 miles up and down) to get us warmed up. At the top, we saw incredible views, took a few pics and made our way down.

Llao Llao Peak
This hike was about 10 miles away. A medium hike (6.2 miles up and down). Again, when we reached the top, we saw incredible views, took a few pics and made our way down.

Lopez Peak
A very difficult hike. (11 miles up and down). All the hikes were difficult - no matter if they were short distance or long distance. They are difficult because none of them were smooth trails. They were all very rocky or there was hardly a path to hike on. You basically had to create your own path. Steve said it best, "Anyone could get themselves killed on any of these hikes". Lopez Peak was on a different scale. We had to battle weather conditions and a huge incline all the way. Now, all the hikes had incline (obviously we´re going up a mountain) but Lopez was consistently a 45 degree incline for long stretches. Another obstacle was the weather conditions. At the base of the mountain it was very mild Spring weather. As we started working our way to the top it started to drizzle. The drizzle turned into rain and then it stopped. As we got even closer to the top of the mountain, we reached the snow capped areas so we were hiking through the snowy trails in an incline. We wanted to reach Lopez Refugio ( at the top). There we could rest and grab something to eat before we made our way down. 75% of the way there, I was exhausted. I wanted to turn back around, especially once we reached the snowy parts. Steve kept on pushing me to go further and tried to motivate me with ¨When we get to the top you can have some cafe con leche¨. In my head I was thinking, ¨COFFEE??? I can have coffee on land!¨ However, he kept my spirits up by painting a great picture of what we would see at the top and then saying that we were almost there. He was right. We made it to the top and we enjoyed our cafe con leche and embraced the amazing scenery. We also made it in great time. The Park Ranger told us it would take about 3.5 hours to reach the top but we made it 2 hours and 20 minutes. After we had our mini break at the top, we made our way down. We were proud to complete 3 hikes in one day but we were exhausted.

Enough of the details of what we´ve been doing. Here´s the little stuff that I´ve pick on since Steve and I started our trip:

Man vs. Wild
Steve loves the show Man vs. Wild. Steve loves adventure and outdoor activities. He definitely brings out the adventurous side in me. When we go on our hikes, he´s always giving me a great lesson on the types of plants we see and what type of things to look out for in case we are faced with an emergency. He also gives me an education about natural erosion or anything nature related . Steve is also brave and at times fearless. I might look ahead at a trail and think, "Where is there to go? I don´t see anywhere for us to hike." Steve´s response, "Just walk over the bush or push all the branches and bushes out of the way and march on through!". Again, these are things I would never do on my own but when I´m with him, I just follow along. The best part of it is the rush I have when we do finish a hike. I´m really proud that I was able to tackle my way through. I have to agree with him when he says, ¨It´s all going to be worth it when we get to the top." He hasn´t been wrong so far. I have learned a lot from these hikes and I admire how resourceful he is. He always packs our backpack with the necessities and food. My contibution to the backpack: My Hairbrush. It is windy at the top so I need to brush my hair out because it gets knotty.

Our Quirks
After being together for almost 2 years, we are fully aware of each other´s quirks. We both love food. I´m obsessed . Steve will be driving and he is counting on me to give directions. Instead every few minutes I´m screaming out, ¨Pizzeria¨or "Ice Cream Parlor" or "Carne Asada" . His response, ¨Are we on the right track?". My response, "We have to go back to the chocolate store on our way out."

Then you have Steve´s positive attitude all the time. ALL THE TIME. When we were climbing up Lopez, I just wanted to throw off my backpack and just roll myself down the hill. Unfortunately the hill was rocky and too steep so I´d be throwing myself down a cliff. Through it all, Steve was upbeat and cheered me on. He would say, "You ran a marathon - you can do this!" or "Think about what we´ll eat for dinner tonight!" Then he would start singing my favorite songs to keep me going. He would even sing Michael Bolton songs because he knows I like Michael Bolton. The truth is, he likes Michael Bolton too :) Anyways, I love Steve´s positive outlook on EVERYTHING. I have my grumpy moments but he can always snap me out of it.

Life in Bariloche
The Argentines have been very kind and gracious. Everyone is very helpful and eager to accommodate. For example, when we reached the top of Lopez, the place where we wanted to rest was closed. We bumped into the owner as he was heading down (by foot). Since this guy is a pro hiker, it was only going to take him an hour to get back back. Even though he needed to be somewhere, he said he would turn back around and open up the shop for us so that we can grab coffee. Steve and I grabbed coffee. We wanted to pay and leave immediately because we didn´t want to hold him up. Instead, he did not rush us at all. We were there for almost a half hour and he just sat in the other room reading and writing . We really needed that break and we really appreciated his hospitality.

Also, as we have been walking around all the stores and street markets, people are very friendly and eager to talk to us, inquire about where we are from and help us if we need anything.

Today is Friday. Our 3rd full day here. We are not doing any hikes today. Instead we are walking around the city and checking out the stores, hanging out at cafes, and putting together a list of restaurants we want to check out. We´ll write more before we head off to Buenos Aires! Also, please excuse my typos in this blog....I´m tying as fast as I can and didn´t get a chance to proofread.

What I Know For Sure............

Most people in my life know how much I admire Oprah. I admire her so much that I often steal her ideas. For example, I love buying products that she promotes on her annual Oprah's Favorite Things episode. I also stole her Legends Party idea when I had my own Legends Party a few years ago to celebrate the special people in my life in Chicago (To my dearest DC friends, a Legends Party is definitely long overdue). Now, I'm about to steal another idea from Oprah. Each month in her O Magazine, she always ends with a one page article titled, "What I Know for Sure". I love this section of her magazine because she shares insights about her life. I also enjoy this section because we have all had feelings of certainty in our lives, no matter how small or large. My four month trip has given me a chance to think about "What I Know For Sure"....

*I love Facebook. It's such a great tool to stay in touch with people and it gives you the opportunity to create your own web page. I love 'Status Updates' because it gives you a glimpse of your friends' every day lives and brings your far-away friends closer to you. Let's face it, it's the best stalking tool without getting arrested.

*I have a weakness for guys with bright blue eyes, dimples, and a British accent. Seriously, if you have all three of these traits and you're not a psycho, I'M ALL YOURS. Now, if this guy with these exact qualities also checks out my profile on Facebook frequently because he is so interested in me that he really wants to know everything about me, I'M ALL YOURS and I'll even learn how to cook. One more thing...diving instructors, I love you too.

*I hated my last 8 months at YB but that was the best thing that happened to me. If I still loved YB, then I would still be there right now and I wouldn't have gone on this trip. At the end of the day, YB gave me 5 and 1/2 happy years plus 8 questionable months. YB gave me a taste of what it feels like to love a job. It brought me to Chicago, the city that I love. It also provided the means for me to take this trip. Thanks to YB, it also made me want to walk away in 2008.

*I'm looking forward to my next job. This will be my new adventure of 2009. I'm looking forward to applying my passion and hard work towards something that I strongly believe in. I have new expectations for job satisfaction. Before this trip, I needed to have 100% job satisfaction or else the world was crashing and I was ready to jump off a building. For my next job, I would be completely fine with an 80% job satisfiaction level or higher. I don't want to settle for anything else than 80% but there is more to life than Corporate America. I used to not think this way.

*My "dream toys" have changed. I've always wanted to own a Porsche 911 convertible, own a nice house in the city, and have a Crib Style Walk-In closet. These things are still on my list but it's now at the bottom of my list. If it came down to it, I would give up all my possessions to travel around the world and continue to meet incredible people.

*My dream job is to be an English teacher overseas. I would teach English during the school year and then travel throughout the country during the summer before I moved on to my next country and teach English again for another school year followed by another summer of traveling throughout the country. Ideally, this cycle would be repeated over and over again.

*I am glad that I experienced this trip as an American. During my travels, people would often refer to me as "Nancy, the American" or "Nancy from Chicago" and I would see and hear so many different reactions. I couldn't help but compare Americans to people from other conturies. During these last four months, I have had so many thought provoking conversations with different people from all over the world. These conversations opened me eyes and made me appreciate the great things we have in our country but at the same time it allowed me to see our downfalls. The biggest thing that would always leave me speechless was the fact that everyone I met knew so much about U.S. history, U.S. foreign policy, PLUS world history and world foreign policy. The minute people wanted to have a political conversation I was seriously dumbfounded. These political conversations weren't meant to be negative or argumentative, just a mere exchange of our thoughts on world affairs. I'm a chatterbox but those type of topics would leave me mute. Shame on me for not knowing anything else but my life in my American Bubble. This will be one of the first things that will change in my life.

*I already miss this journey tremendously. Even though I've only been home for 2 days, I truly miss the feeling of adventure and the butterflies I would get in my stomach because I wasn't sure what was in store each day . I'll miss the feeling of seeing something new for the first time and experiencing a whole new culture. I miss the people that I have met on this journey. AHHHH, these people have really touched my heart and soul in so many ways. I already miss the person that I would be meeting tomorrow if I were still traveling. ALSO....I'm going to miss traveling with my backpack. I've come along way since the backpack and I went to Greece 4 months ago. I hated it back then and now it's been my loyal buddy that's been with me through every city. I started to call the backpack Wilson after Wilson in Castaway.

*Even though I have raved about the people that I have met on this trip, this DOES NOT take away from the incredible people I have in my life in the U.S. I couldn't have done this trip without my friends and family. I spent plenty of money at internet cafes just to read and respond to all the thoughtful emails everyday. I seriously looked like a lunatic at times because I would be laughing hysterically at the funny emails my friends would write and I would also cry when my friends were going through a tough time and I couldn't be there for them, then I would have the moments when I would have the biggest smile on my face just seeing the kind words of my friends on the screen. I'll never forget the time when I went to pay for my internet usage in Munich and the cashier said, "You were reading a love letter." I told him I didn't have a boyfriend and he was surprised because he said the smile on my face when I was reading my email was the smile of someone who was in love. I am always happy and giddy when I read emails from friends. I guess the cashier was right. I am IN love....with my friends :)

Traveling through Europe and Asia has been the best thing I've ever done. This experience has inspired me in ways that I never imagined. Right now, I have no job and I have no home to call my own. That sounds depressing. However, I don't feel down about it. I feel so fulfilled and grateful from this experience. I am in this no job/no home situation because of my incredible journey and I wouldn't trade this journey in for anything. Am I nervous about not having a job and having my own place? OF COURSE. However, for the first time in my life, I'm actually calm and I'm working through it and doing everything I can to put the pieces together. I'm looking forward to applying all the great things that I have learned on my trip to the typical crazy hustle/bustle life that I love in the U.S. I'm also looking ahead and dreaming of my next 2 week vacation.....Australia 2010?!??!?!?

My Last 13 Days....

The last 13 days of my trip have been spent in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Bangkok.

Koh Samui --- Christy, Steve, and I spent 4 days in Koh Samui (an island on the eastern shore of Thailand). Our first 2 nights were spent in Chaweng, a very popular and busy area with a lot of night life. We enjoyed our time here by taking long walks on Chaweng Beach and relaxing by the pool. Christy and Steve took a day trip to go for an elephant ride and to hang out with monkeys. Since I already went for the elephant ride with Keith in Chiang Mai, I decided to just hang out at the pool.

After our 2 nights in Chaweng, we made our way down to another region of Koh Samui and stayed at Lamai Beach. The beach in Lamai was definitely one of our favorites The water was a beautiful turquoise color and the beach was not very crowded so it made it more special. Our hotel was in a great location and we had a fantastic infinity pool that we enjoyed very much. The 3 of us are obsessed with infinity pools! The night life in Lamai was definitely not as beautiful as Lamai Beach. The night life was pretty seedy because there were so many old Westerners with these young Thai prostitues all over the place. All the bars and restaurants cater to these old Westerners by having these young Thai girls parade around the bar or dance on top of the bars. It's really a sad and unfortunate scene. It didn't ruin our fun but it made us realize that there are two different sides to Lamai....During the day time, it's absolutely picturesque. During the night time, not so much. After 2 nights in Lamai Beach, we jumped on a ferry to head north to another island.

Koh Phangan --- Koh Phangan is also on the eastern shore of Thailand and it is north of Koh Samui. Koh Phangan is famous for the Full Moon Party held each month. We were fortunate to arrive in Koh Phangan during the Full Moon time and enjoy the festivities. The Full Moon Party was on our last night in Koh Phangan so we spent the other 3 days just relaxing by the pool AGAIN! We rented a jeep to take around the island and that was definitely an interesting experience. Koh Phangan's roads are in horrible condition. It makes Chicago's pot holes look like a nice smooth basketball court compared to the roads on this island. Steve was our driver and Christy was the navigator. I just sat in the backseat. I was really impressed by Steve's driving skills and Christy's accurate navigating skills. Since everyone drives on the left side of the street in Thailand, their cars are designed to fit this driving model. Steve had to drive stick using his left hand, PLUS drive around the windy roads all over the island. I was just a passenger and it was exhausting and stressful to even go through this drive because there were so many high cliffs and the roads were so windy and bumpy. Steve was great under these circumstances and thanks to Christy, she got us to all of our scenic destination points.

The Full Moon Party is held at the Haad Rin Beach of Koh Phangan. This party attracts thousands and thousands of people from all over the world each month. We estimated that there were 6000 people at the beach celebrating the Full Moon with us. The beach has 10 different dance areas with 10 different types of music. Steve, Christy, and I danced the night away at the house music dance area. Dancing with Steve and Christy brought back a lot of fun memories that we have shared together in Chicago. We had a great time and we were glad that our schedule matched up with the Full Moon in January.

After 4 days in Koh Phangan, we flew back to Bangkok. Christy and Steve went on a shopping spree and found a lot of great crafts for their home, pretty dresses and accessories for Christy, and a new spring wardrobe for Steve. I'll never forget the look on their faces when we met up at the hotel after they bought everything. They walked into our room with a HUGE duffel bag that they had to buy because they couldn't fit their new goods into their luggage. They looked so cute because they were so happy and so giddy about their newfound stuff! They only spent 24 hours in Bangkok but that's all they needed! Christy and Steve left Bangkok on Mon night. It was really great to see them and have them enjoy this experience with me. I was so happy when we would meet new people and these new people would share their traveling experiences with us. I wanted Christy and Steve to get a glimpse of what I've been experiencing. They were both amazed (just like I was) by how much the rest of the world travels so much and embraces these life experiences. During our many meals together, Christy, Steve, and I had so many enlightening conversations about our lives in the U.S., our priorties, and what makes us happy. It was great to hear their thoughts and share our ideas to lead a more balanced life.

After Christy and Steve left, I still had 3 more days in Bangkok. I spent these last 3 days with my new friend Chris. I met Chris about a month ago when I was in Bangkok with Keith. Chris and I went our separate ways after we met but we remained in touch through Facebook. We managed to coordinate our schedules to meet up again before I left for the U.S. Chris is from England and he is traveling for 14 months. He started in India and he has been making his way through Asia and he is going to Australia and New Zealand next, then heading to Canada and the U.S. Needless to say, I'm extremely jealous of his traveling plans! Spending time with Chris has been wonderful and it was a great way for me to end my 4 month journey. Hopefully our paths will cross again in the future....

My flight leaves in less than 12 hours. I will write one more blog when I get back to the U.S. with my final thoughts. Right now the big decision that I have to make is, "What am I going to have as my first meal? Steak or Mexican?" BTW....I had to get a new cell phone number. I will explain in an email when I get back and I will give you the new number in the email. I look forward to catching up with everyone soon! Your text messager is BACK!!!!!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! Keith, Steve, Christy, and I celebrated New Year's Eve at Koh Phi Phi island in Thailand. We were all at the beach waiting for the countown as fireworks went off in the sky. The beach scene was incredible as we were surrounded by so many people from all over the world. It was so neat to see everyone having a great time and celebrating the promise and hope of a new year. After our New Year's celebration, Christy, Steve, and I went to bed around 3 am. We were all beat and then Steve handed me the best gift: Ipod loaded with all the Gossip Girls episodes that I have missed. Even though I was beat, I managed to stay up all night to watch 6 episodes. I still had 3 episodes remaining so I wanted to save those for my flight home. I love you, Steve!

After New Year's, Keith made his way back to Bangkok to fly back to Chicago. Steve, Christy, and I decided to take a boat ride to a few of the island's special hotspots....

Monkey Beach --- A beach with monkeys roaming around! We were able to feed the monkeys and take pictures with them. Lots of fun!

Snorkeling at Phi Phi Ley --- I went diving again in Phi Phi Don before Steve and Christy arrived so this time we all went snorkeling. We enjoyed checking out the bright corral and fish swimming around us. The best part of this trip was when Steve and Christy said they definitely want to try diving in the future because they wanted to get closer to the undwater life after their snorkeling experience. I can't wait for our diving trip soon! Sarah Starr and Jason Cohen....you better join us!

Maya Beach --- This is the famous beach where they filmed "The Beach". Keith checked out this beach a few days before we did and he described it best, "It just doesn't seem real because it is THAT beautiful. It all seems made up." We all witnessed it for our own eyes and we fell in love with it too. We took so many photos but unfortunately our pictures don't convey the incredible beauty....Everyone must come here and see it!

After spending 3 days in Koh Phi Phi for Christy and Steve, 7 days for me, we started our island hopping tour of Thailand. Our next stop was Railay Beach. Railay Beach was another paradise. Railay was very nice because it was much smaller and more private. It was great to just relax and not deal with so many people everywhere. We spent 2 days here before we left for Koh Samui, an island on the east coast of Thailand. We've been here for 3 days now and we are loving every minute of it. I will write more about Koh Samui in my next blog. Right now, I want to write about my fellow traveling mates, Keith, Christy, and Steve.....

You always learn so much about someone when you are around them 24 x 7. I thought I really knew these guys because I spend a lot of time with them in Chicago. I am so comfortable with Keith, Steve, and Christy that I am completely fine just eating their leftovers off their plates. Just when I thought I really knew these guys, I was quickly reminded of new things I didn't know. The best part of a friendship is growing together and learning more about someone. I definitely have learned a lot of fun things about them these past few weeks.

KEITH aka The Gelmanator aka Button....The Gelmanator because Beaver named him this (I think). Button because my GFs from home used to call him Cute as a Button (which originated from Kate). Keith and I met through our mutual friend Dave 6 yrs ago and he was my first friend in Chicago. Keith and I couldn't be more opposite. We disagree on almost everything and the only thing we have in common is our love for clothes and Peking Gourmet. Oh, we are also from the DC Metro Area. Since we are complete opposites and we don't see eye to eye on things, I wasn't sure how everything would go on our trip together. We both wanted this trip to be great but we also had different agendas on our list. When push came to shove in Thailand, Keith was there for me when I needed him. He put aside his agenda and stepped it up for me on several occassions. Ex. He got rid of my Stage 5 Clinger...aka The Mayor. Keith could have been talking to plenty of single girls that were hanging onto him but he actually took care of my situation first before he went back to his girls. I didn't think he would but I was wrong. It's nice to be wrong sometimes.

CHRISTY aka Small Fry aka Vinny Chase....Small Fry because she's petite, under 100lbs, and in great shape. Vinny Chase because she is an actress and I'm waiting for her to make it big so that we can be a part of her Entourage. I didn't go to Cannes when I was in France a few months ago because I'm planning on going when Christy gets nominated for an award! Since Christy is petite, I told her it must be nice for her to wear a bikini any day of the year and KNOW that she'll look hot. She said that she does have issues because it is very hard to find a bikini that fits her well because she is so small. We decided to go shopping today to find her new bikinis because she usually has to order them online. When we were shopping, I couldn't help but notice the bikinis were so cute because they were so small and pretty. I felt like I was shopping for a doll. It was fun dressing up my doll Christy! Shopping with Christy made me see what she was talking about in regards to finding the right small size BUT I think the majority of us would be happy with that problem :)

STEVE aka Popper aka Stevie....Popper because his last name is Popp. Stevie knows me too well and truly gets me and my absentminded/neurotic tendencies. When he found out I was leaving for this trip, the first thing he said was, "Now Nancy, I'm going to need a copy of your passport before you leave because you know you might lose yours." I lose everything and Steve knows this and he is always one step behind me picking up anything I leave behind like my cell phone, wallet, purse, etc. We are basically like Hansel and Gretel since Hansel would pick up the bread crumbs that Gretel left behind. I thought I knew Steve pretty well but here's another little tidbit.....Steve sleeps with his clothes on. Not his PJs, but his clothes that he wears out at night. He says he only does this in the summer when he is wearing shorts. Ex. Since it's hotter than hell in Thailand we are obviously wearing summer clothes here. Steve went to bed wearing his cargo shorts, polo shirt, and his belt! When I woke up in the morning, I thought he just passed out that way so I didn't think anything of it. Well, I saw him do it again the next night so I asked him and he said, "Yeah Nance, I just sleep in my clothes." Interesting........

Keith, Christy, and Steve are also finding out about my quirks too....Even though Keith and I have probably shared over 100 meals in the last 6 years, he was amazed and shocked by how much I eat while we've been on the trip. He has been encouraging me to enter an Eating Contest. Steve and Christy have now witnessed my Early Morning routine when I get up and disappear for a few hours. My gal pals from DC know this about me all too well. The funny thing about my Early Morning routine is the different responses that I got from Keith, Christy, and Steve. Keith told me, "Don't wake me up when you leave. Just leave quietly." Christy and Steve told me, "Wake us before you leave. We want to go with you!" Thanks guys for a great time in Thailand! You guys brought Chicago with you and I'm looking forward to going back to Chicago soon!!!