cusco

I've made it! Machu Picchu has been on my bucket list for who knows how long and I'm finally here in Cusco, the city just south of it (but 1,000 ft higher in elevation). Not that I know any better but this city must be the quintessential Peruvian city. It is darling! It almost reminds me of Europe with its old buildings and stone roads. It's got the old world charm that I love with little old Peruvian ladies selling there fruits and vegetables at the local market in their authentic native apparel.

After a long day of travel and airplane food, that I do not eat, I was tired and famished! Upon my check in, I looked on travel advisor to see what the top restaurants were in Cusco. I wasn't feeling adventurous in trying new regional dishes just yet so I found myself at a little Italian place just outside the plaza del armas (the main square). Glass of wine and pasta? Couldn't be more up my alley.

The next day I wandered the central part of the city, taking photos of the Plaza de Armas and surrounding areas. I was amazed by what a difference in temperature the daylight could bring. A jacket was totally unnecessary. After being hassled one too many times by local men while people watching in the main square (one of the downfalls of being blonde in a dark haired society), I wandered over to the San Pedro market and purchased a few "souvenirs" indigenous to Peru. Textiles are one of the hugest exports of Peru. Peruvians are excellent weavers and have gorgeous assortments of brightly colored textiles and soft (and warm!) Alpaca scarves and blankets. In the market they also have fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as breads, meats, and other foods. You can get a three course meal there for under US$5. One of the popular dishes is alpaca (yes, same animal as the blankets and scarves) which tastes similar to lamb but more gamey. I didn't try the native cuy (or guinea pig) because it is served with the head, neck, and usually organs attached (however, some places will remove the organs with your request). Call me crazy but I prefer it when my food can't look at me while I'm eating it. I did hear that it's quite good but I just wasn't up for the challenge.

I was picked up for my "City Tour" around 1pm. While I certainly wasn't disappointed, the city tour is really not of the city of Cusco. First stop with my small group of 8 was a Spanish cathedral that was built on Inca ruins. For those of you who don't know, the Spanish conquistadors came in with great force and eventually destroyed the Incan Empire. In fact, archeologists didn't discover the Incan ruins in the cathedral until and earthquake destroyed the city in the 1950s. The cathedral was fascinating with both the Spanish and Incan history that make up Peruvian heritage. Most Peruvians are Catholic, although many pray to the Gods of nature during the week and then go to mass on Sunday. Many people in the surrounding hills of Cusco are of indigenous heritage and speak the native language, Quechua, as well as Spanish.

While Lima may be the actial capital of Peru, it is clear that Cusco is it's most important and valued city. Cusco is the old capital of the Incan Empire and is believed to be the navel of the earth. This is why all of these important ruins surround the city. Our next stop was Sacsayhuaman (think "sexy woman" when pronouncing). Sacsayhuaman was a fortress built overlooking the city of Cusco. The complex is as many other Inca constructions made of large polished dry stone walls, each boulder carefully cut to fit together tightly without mortar. There are zig zag walls that surround the area that represent the mouth of the Condor, an important symbol of Peru, said to protect the city of Cusco.

From there, we headed to Tampu Machay, the bath of the Incas, where you could see their extremely well made aqueducts that still to this day have running fountains. One has to keep in mind that water meant power because without it, life cannot sustain. Right next to Tampay Machay is Puca Pucara, another fortress said to be a stopping point for Incan's traveling elsewhere. Our last stop was at Kenko, another Incan ruin (what do you know) with carefully constructed architecture. It is said on the 24 of June, when the sun is just right, the big stone casts a big shadow of a sitting Puma on the floor beneath it. The Puma and Condor are both of high importance to Quechua and Peruvian culture. You can see representations of them all over the nation.

Once the sun goes down, it gets quite chilly in Cusco. After the tour I got a sandwich at a cafe down the street from my hotel and retired early for the night. Early to bed and early to rise, for the next day is the one I have most looked forward to of my entire trip... Machu Picchu!

locas en bocas

Our journey to Bocas del Toro began early Friday morning. Having gone out the night prior (and drank in excess to be able to sleep in those dodgy beds), our 7am wake up call wasn't pleasant to say the least. We took the Caribe Shuttle departing from Rocking J's for $32 each, which provided a shuttle to the border, a guide to walk us across, a shuttle to Almirante, and a boat ride to Bocas. There was a group of 15 of us that went together, most of the others were on a weekend trip from San Jose (on a study abroad trip for law school in Chicago). The border crossing in Sixuloa? was a bit dilapidated but the process was easy. You cross over this bridge that is missing entire boards which made crossing with a hangover and a suitcase trying. One misstep might land you with a limb through the bridge. Concentrate, Allison. Once we got to the Panama side, they asked for our passports and proof of departure. (If you don't have this, they will make you purchase a return bus ticket out of the country for US$14.) Once we paid our $3 entry fee, we got in the taxi with the groups bags and a girl with the law school group. Turns out, she was the best person to get in our car. Her name is Rachel and she was a Pi Phi at ASU, fellow Greek Sun Devil.. Whoop whoop! We all clicked instantly and formed a friendship with our "Bocas bestie". The ride from the border to Almirante took about 45 min and then we hopped on a boat to the islands. Our hostel for the night, Aqua lounge, came recommended from my friend Alexa and was located on Isla Careno? A 2 minute ride costing us $1 from the main island, Isla Colon.

Rachel and another fellow Sun Devil, Tyler and his brother Zach met us an hour later at Aqua lounge where we swang on the swings and jumped on the trampoline into the ocean. We ventured on to explore the island and made a pit stop for $1.50 cervezas at The Pickled Parrot, a bar/restaurant on the water owned by a 60 something year old from Kansas who's lived on the island for 20 years named George. George and his friend Nebraska Jim were the only ones there and we had blast hanging out with them! When the boys left to explore more, we ordered these delicious wings and a burger (and more Balboa's - a Panamanian beer). The longer we hung out there, the more we talked to Jim and George (who referred to himself as Jorge Rodriguez). Both are rednecks turned pirate beach bums who used to race cars in the states. They were a blast without being the slightest bit creepy, giving us free beers and koozies and good advice about Bocas. If you should ever visit you MUST go to the Pickled Parrot if only to try their BBQ and a Piña colada (made with real fruit and rum, then blended - deliciouso)!! We stayed there till sunset when the boys came back and we got a water taxi back.

That night Kristin and I stayed in but noticed that these dodgy accommodations were worse than we originally thought. Our private room with no AC or mirror also had bed bugs! Sick!!! Needless to say, we hosed ourselves down with bug spray and slept on our towels that night.

The following day we checked out of Aqua lounge and checked in to Rachels hotel.. A mere $33 a night (split in 2) as opposed to the $26 price tag at Aqua lounge. Hotel Christine is located on the main island, Isla Colon on Calle 3. It had a private bath, AC, and hot water! Talk about and upgrade and totally worth the additional $3 each. Side note: the everyday perks of AC, a hot shower, and drinkable water in the states is a luxury. I completely recommend anyone travel to somewhere these don't exist and you will have a reality check as to how good you really have it.

That day went to Red Frog beach on Isla bastemientos, a $7 round trip water taxi ride from Isla Colon. This is a MUST DO in Bocas! There is a $3 entrance fee into the National park and a truck will take you directing to the beach (or you can walk). Red Frog beach is gorgeous! Warm blue waters, soft white sand, and stunning scenery. What more can you ask for? However, the waves and undertow is strong so be careful when swimming in the ocean. After some fun in the sun Rachel, Tyler, Zack, Kristin and I went off to explore the rest of the island, but similar to the previous day the girls only got 15 minutes away and headed back because the terrain was too intense. The rest of the afternoon was spent sipping on Bloody Mary's and munching on nachos.

When night came, our "crew" had dinner at Gringos, a Mexican restaurant recommended by our redneck amigos at the Pickled Parrot. This place was the bomb.com. Large and strong $5 margaritas and food worrying of stuffing your face without feeling bad about it later. If you ever go, get the enchiladas. Deliciso!! After some pre-gaming back at the hotel with our crew and some additional law school folk, we headed to Aqua lounge. Yes, the same place we moved from the previous night.. Just because it isn worthy of sleeping there, doesn't mean it isn't the Saturday hot spot. We met up with Karen and Julie (our Irish gals) who had arrived earlier that day and had the time of our lives dancing and drinking the night away. Who cares if it was rainy or we were sweating our faces off? It was a blast! The native bartender might even have had a little thing for me because he kept giving me free Panama's mixed in with a few tequila shots all night. The night came to an end and we said our goodbyes to Rachel, who was leaving early in the morning. She was wonderful, a trip to Chicago is most certainly on my list of places to go next!

Our last day in Bocas was a little dreary, kinda like our hungover moods but we mustered up the energy in the afternoon to make the boat taxi ride to Playa del Drago on the opposite side of Isla Colon. This was quite expensive at $20/person compared to the $2 bus ride but time and that underlying hangover overrode the money factor. This place would be a wonderful place to go snorkeling. Calm, warm waters with starfish, stingrays, and fish galore! Not the nicest beach though, dark and hard sands... Nothing like red frog. That night we went to a place on the main street for dinner with Karen and Julie. This place had quite phenomenal food as well. We stayed out and talked for hours before heading home to sleep. Karen and Julie were amazing girls to be able to spend a week with. So happy to have met them in Monteverde, hopefully a trip to Dublin will be in the near future to visit! From there, it was off to bed - our 7:30am flight to Panama City would come sooner than we would have liked the next morning.

puerto viejo

Oh the joys of backpacking travel! Kristin and I arose nice and early at 5:50am to catch the first bus ride of the day to San Jose. We most certainly have travel karma on our side! We arrived at the bus, put our luggage underneath it and went to purchase tickets ($4 each!) when the agent said the bus was full. Thankfully, a party of 2 did not want their "standing room only" seats so we grabbed theirs and hopped on the bus. Luckily, we were able to snag 2 seats next to one another and just hope that no one with the assigned seat above would arrive to kick us out. We made it to the connection stop (two hours away) and transferred to a different and even smaller bus where one of us inevitably had to stand. Having not felt so hot the night prior, I got the seat and Kristin stood until a lady got up to exit an hour later. Thanks, Pookie!

When we arrived in San Jose, we got off the bus and grabbed a taxi with these two Irish girls, Karen and Julie, to the next bus. Between the 4 us made each of our shares only $1 (or 500 colones) each. Turns out they stayed at our same hostel in Monteverde and are going to be staying at the same hostel in Puerto Viejo, Rocking J's. I must say its nice traveling in a bigger group. For one, it's cheaper but for two, the more english people you're surrounded by helps you feel a little less, well, foreign. The bus made a stop in Limon, a grungy little town on the Caribbean side not worth visiting. After a quick stretch and toilet break we were on the road again to finish our 4.5 (or technically 9) hour journey to our final destination.

Puerto Viejo de Talmanca is a very "rasta" town in the Caribbean side that exudes the Bob Marley spirit. It's incredibly laid back party vibes are what calls it's backpacking travelers to visit. It's also the perfect departure city in between Costa Rica and Bocas del Toro in Panama.

The transition between bus and arrival didn't improve much. We all checked in to our hostel and were not impressed with the facilities. No air conditioning, jail cell bars posing as a window with a sheet covering, mirrors all over the room, a fan that we had to prop with a water bottle for it to sit right and a cozy top bunk double bed. Needless to say, not impressed. The grounds however were very unique. It was located right off the ocean and had mosaic tiles covering the entire surface of the facility. If you didn't want splurge on the $26 private room ($13 a piece) or a $11 bunk... There were tent and canopy sleeping arrangements as options as well.

We walked into town for an ATM and had dinner at Tex Mex for an unimpressive meal. The supermarket was our next stop... If we were going to sleep here, it was going to require us to be good and drunk. We stocked up on a few liters of Clos boxed wine and water before getting a taxi back to the hostel. (Even though it was only a short walk, we had been advised not to make that walk past dark.) A town that makes you feel all warm and safe inside, right? The rest of the right was spent playing drinking games with the girls and these Israeli boys, Bar and Alone. They ventured into town while Kristin and I took a sleeping aid and retired for the night in our cozy little room.

We woke up the next day feeling impressively refreshed and decided to make it a beach day. So it was off to the supermarket for picnic items before riding out bikes to Playa Cocles,the nice beach just south of town and our hostel. It was a gorgeous day to get our bronze on! The beach was lovely, clean with soft sand and warm blue water. We stayed there until late afternoon when Kristin and I went back into town to do some souvenir shopping. Can I tell you how obsessed we are with those Pura Vida bracelets? We bought multiple to wear along with those we purchased in each town we had visited earlier.

The night to follow was a wild one! To say our hostel was a party hostel would be a mild understatement and out fellow backpackers were out in full force! Kristin, Karen, Julie ad I munched on nachos while playing a few card drinking games before we were launched into a large game of flip cup followed but multiple rounds of free shots from the owner. When 10pm hit, the 30+ of us went to Mangos and danced the night away.

adventuras locas en monteverde

Here I am sitting outside our Hostel, Pension Santa Elena in Monteverde. It's a bit chilly and gloomy out but otherwise, quite nice. We just got back from our Adventura Canopy Tour where we went zip lining across 16 different lines, did the "superman" zip line in which you are hands free and glide across a long line with crazy views of the cloud forest. If you are having trouble visualing, I suggest you picture Superman flying through the air. That's what we looked like. Okay, maybe a little less heroic-like and without a cape. But still, you catch my drift. We got photos taken and at the end of the line and both Kristin and I look like retarded baby dinosaurs because we were afraid that we weren't going to get stopped before crashing into the tree in front of us and therefore brought our arms in. It was fast and exhilarating! Such a cool experience. Next up was the Tarzan swing. Once again, the experience was similar to what it sounded like. (Without the banging of the chest BUT with the "Ahhhhhhhhhh!") We grabbed hold of a rope and dropped 120 feet before swinging across the forest (yes, we had the proper equipment... No need to worry Mom). I would like to say I looked cool doing them both but truth be known, I screamed my guts out like a little girl. Overall, Monteverde has been an amazing experience. We arrived yesterday from Montezuma (2 hour Costa Rican bus ride to the ferry, 2 hour ferry and then upon arrival to the next bus by taxi.. We decided to just sack it up and pay the extra money for a private and much more comfortable ride to Monteverde.) It was a pricey $100 for the 3 hour ride but boy-oh-boy was it worth it. Our taxi driver was awesome! When we got off the ferry in Puntarenas, he greeted us with such impressive English and when we decided to venture on with him, he asked if we minded if he picked up his daughter to take her to school. (Cue the "aww's") Of course we said that was fine so we joined them in dropping her off at the bus stop. Let me begin by saying, this was probably the best decision we could have made. He was so helpful. He called and booked both our hostel and excursions for us, took us to stop for food -- truth be told, we were both suffering from a combination of both lack of sleep and a hangover from the night before. We talked about Costa Rica and the fact that he had been to California -- Sacramento (Pollack Pines to be exact).. Or as he said "Pollacks Pine". Gotta love the latin accents! The ride up to Monteverde was a rather steep and bumpy one. Most of the roads we unpaved so I can't imagine how uncomfortable the bus ride might have been. (Guess we'll find out on the way back...) He let us stop and take multiple pictures along the scenic drive and once we arrived, made sure that all of our reservations were in order. All in all, he was such a great man and we were incredibly grateful for him and his assistance. Next up? For now, probably a cerveza and a burrito from the "Taco Taco" place next door. Tomorrow we venture on to Puerto Viejo on the southern Caribbean side. A 12 hour journey in all. Wish us luck! Until next time...

Pura Vida, y'all!

on the road again

I have found myself at a new beginning. Once again. And what better than to start off this transitionary time in my life than to go somewhere I've never been before? This next adventure is taking me to Latin America. My sister and I are leaving for Costa Rica and Panama on August 3 and then I will continue on to Peru and Ecuador by myself until August 25. Can't wait to see where this next journey takes me! Here's a sneak peak at my itinerary in pictures.

Montezuma, Costa Rica

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Bocas Del Toro, Panama

Panama City, Panama

Cuzco, Peru

Machu Picchu, Peru

Sacred Valley, Peru

Lima, Peru

Quito, Ecuador

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

life lessons

1. Just Keep Going
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

If you keep going down the right path, you will eventually get to your intended destination. The hard work is being consistent; anybody can do right for a day. The person who succeeds is the person who stays committed despite the circumstances.

2. Your Friends Matter
“Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.”
Your friends are a prophecy of your future; where they are is where you’re headed. It would serve you well to find friends who are going where you want to go.

3. Good Things Come With a Price
“It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.”
This explains a lot! It’s easy to hate, it’s easy to be negative, it’s easy to make excuses. It is love, forgiveness, and greatness that require a great heart, a great mind, and a great effort.

4. Sharpen Your Tools First
“The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.”
Confucius said, “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.” Whatever you are called to do, if you are to succeed, you must first be prepared.

5. To be Wronged is Nothing
“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.” Don’t sweat the small stuff; to be wronged is no great offense. Don’t let the wrongdoing of others ruin your day. Don’t let they’re negativity occupy your thoughts. To be wronged is nothing!

6. Consider the Consequences
“When anger rises, think of the consequences.”
Solomon said, “He that is slow to anger is greater than the mighty.” Always remember to keep your temper in check and to consider the consequences.

7. Make Adjustments
“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”
If its looking like you’re not going to make your goals this year, now would be a good time to adjust your plan. Don’t accept failure as an option, adjust your sails, and you will sail safely to your goal.

8. You Can Learn From Everyone
“If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.”
You can and should learn from everyone, be it a crook or a saint. Every life is a story filled with lessons ripe for the picking.

9. All or None
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
Whatever you do, do it with everything, or don’t do it at all. To succeed in life requires your very best, give your very best, and you will live without regrets.

DIY: kentucky derby hat

1st Step: Find a look you like.


{I chose Marisa Miller from the 2011 Kentucky Derby}

2nd Step: Find a hat and 2" thick ribbon. Secure ribbon around the hat with a glue gun.

**Note: I have found that pinning the ribbon in place it very helpful to secure the style.

Step 3: Cut ribbon into five 6" strips. Fold them into a  bow. Using the glue gun, glue the combined ribbons of the bow together in the center.

Step 4: Once dry, put on hat to figure out the bow(s) placement. Use glue gun to secure.

Step 5: Place center object (whether it's feathers, or a flower, or a charm) on hat. Once you have found the spot you want it, use a glue gun to secure in place.

Step 6: Add other finishing touches to the hat. Use pins to help get a good idea as to how the final product will look. Once you're satisfied, Glue in place and take out the pins.

Voila! Look accomplished! 

You are ready for any day at the races!

letting go of attachments

“Most of our troubles are due to our passionate desire for and
attachment to things that we misapprehend as enduring entities.” 

 --Dalai Lama

If there’s one thing we all have in common it’s that we want to feel happy; and on the other side of that coin, we want to avoid hurting. Yet we consistently put ourselves in situations that set us up for pain.

We pin our happiness to people, circumstances, and things and hold onto them for dear life. We stress about the possibility of losing them when something seems amiss. Then we melt into grief when something changes—a lay off, a break up, a transfer.

We attach to feelings as if they define us, and ironically, not just positive ones. If you’ve wallowed in regret or disappointment for years, it can seem safe and even comforting to suffer.

In trying to hold on to what’s familiar, we limit our ability to experience joy in the present. A moment can’t possibly radiate fully when you’re suffocating it in fear.

When you stop trying to grasp, own, and control the world around you, you give it the freedom to fulfill you without the power to destroy you. That’s why letting go is so important: letting go is letting happiness in.

It’s no simple undertaking to let go of attachment—not a one-time decision, like pulling off a band-aid. Instead, it’s a day-to-day, moment-to-moment commitment that involves changing the way you experience and interact with everything you instinctively want to grasp.

The best approach is to start simple, at the beginning, and work your way to Zen.

Experiencing Without Attachment 
Accept the moment for what it is. Don’t try to turn it into yesterday; that moment’s gone. Don’t plot about how you can make the moment last forever. Just seep into the moment and enjoy it because it will eventually pass. Nothing is permanent. Fighting that reality will only cause you pain.

Believe now is enough. It’s true—tomorrow may not look the same as today, no matter how much you try to control it. A relationship might end. You might have to move. You’ll deal with those moments when they come. All you need right now is to appreciate and enjoy what you have. It’s enough.

Call yourself out. Learn what it looks like to grasp at people, things, or circumstances so you can redirect your thoughts when they veer toward attachment. When you dwell on keeping, controlling, manipulating, or losing something instead of simply experiencing it.

Define yourself in fluid terms. We are all constantly evolving and growing. Define yourself in terms that can withstand change. Defining yourself by possessions, roles, and relationships breeds attachment because loss entails losing not just what you have, but also who you are.

Enjoy now fully. No matter how much time you have in an experience or with someone you love, it will never feel like enough. So don’t think about it in terms of quantity—aim for quality, instead. Attach to the idea of living well moment-to-moment. That’s an attachment that can do you no harm.

Letting Go of Attachment to People 
Friend yourself. It will be harder to let people go when necessary if you depend on them for your sense of worth. Believe you’re worthy whether someone else tells you or not. This way, you relate to people—not just how they make you feel about yourself.

Go it alone sometimes. Take time to foster your own interests, ones that nothing and no one can take away. Don’t let them hinge on anyone or anything other than your values and passion.

Hold lightly. This one isn’t just about releasing attachments—it’s also about maintaining healthy relationships. Contrary to romantic notions, you are not someone’s other half. You’re separate and whole. You can still hold someone to close to your heart; just remember, if you squeeze too tightly, you’ll both be suffocated.

Interact with lots of people. If you limit yourself to one or two relationships they will seem like your lifelines. Everyone needs people, and there are billions on the planet. Stay open to new connections. Accept the possibility your future involves a lot of love whether you cling to a select few people or not.

Justify less. I can’t let him go—I’ll be miserable without him. I’d die if I lost her—she’s all that I have. These thoughts reinforce beliefs that are not fact, even if they feel like it. The only way to let go and feel less pain is to believe you’re strong enough to carry on if and when things change.

Letting Go of Attachment to the Past
Know you can’t change the past. Even if you think about over and over again. Even if you punish yourself. Even if you refuse to accept it. It’s done. The only way to relieve your pain about what happened is to give yourself relief. No one and nothing else can create peace in your head for you.

Love instead of fearing. When you hold onto the past, it often has to do with fear: fear you messed up your chance at happiness, or fear you’ll never know such happiness again. Focus on what you love and you’ll create happiness instead of worrying about it.

Make now count. Instead of thinking of what you did or didn’t do, the type of person you were or weren’t, do something worthwhile now. Be someone worthwhile now. Take a class. Join a group. Help someone who needs it. Make today so full and meaningful there’s no room to dwell on yesterday.

Narrate calmly. How we experience the world is largely a result of how we internalize it. Instead of telling yourself dramatic stories about the past—how hurt you were or how hard it was—challenge your emotions and focus on lessons learned. That’s all you really need from yesterday.

Open your mind. We often cling to things, situations or people because we’re comfortable with them. We know how they’ll make us feel, whether it’s happy or safe. Consider that new things, situations and people may affect you the same. The only way to find out is to let go of what’s come and gone.

Letting Go of Attachment to Outcomes 
Practice letting things be. That doesn’t mean you can’t actively work to create a different tomorrow. It just means you make peace with the moment as it is, without worrying that something’s wrong with you or your life, and then operate from a place of acceptance.

Question your attachment. If you’re attached to a specific outcome—a dream job, the perfect relationship—you may be indulging an illusion about some day when everything will be lined up for happiness. No moment will ever be worthier of your joy than now because that’s all there ever is.

Release the need to know. Life entails uncertainty, no matter how strong your intention. Obsessing about tomorrow wastes your life because there will always be a tomorrow on the horizon. There are no guarantees about how it will play out. Just know it hinges on how well you live today.

Serve your purpose now. You don’t need to have x-amount of money in the bank to live a meaningful life right now. Figure out what matters to you, and fill pockets of time indulging it. Audition for community theater. Volunteer with animals. Whatever you love, do it. Don’t wait—do it now.

Teach others. It’s human nature to hope for things in the future. Even the most enlightened people fall into the habit from time to time. Remind yourself to stay open to possibilities by sharing the idea with other people. Blog about it. Talk about it. Tweet about it. Opening up helps keep you open.

Letting Go of Attachment to Feelings 
Understand that pain is unavoidable. No matter how well you do everything on this list, or on your own short list for peace, you will lose things that matter and feel some level of pain. But it doesn’t have to be as bad as you think. As the saying goes, pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

Vocalize your feelings. Feel them, acknowledge them, express them, and then let them naturally transform. Even if you want to dwell in anger, sadness or frustration—especially if you feel like dwelling—save yourself the pain and commit to working through them.

Write it down. Then toss it out. You won’t always have the opportunity to express your feelings to the people who inspired them. That doesn’t mean you need to swallow them. Write in a journal. Write a letter and burn it. Anything that helps you let go.

Xie Xie. It means thank you in Chinese. Fully embrace your happy moments—love with abandon; be so passionate it’s contagious. If a darker moment follows, remember: it will teach you something, and soon enough you’ll be in another happy moment to appreciate. Everything is cyclical.

Yield to peace. The ultimate desire is to feel happy and peaceful. Even if you think you want to stay angry, what you really want is to be at peace with what happened or will happen. It takes a conscious choice. Make it.

Zen your now. Experience, appreciate, enjoy, and let go to welcome another experience.

It won’t always be easy. Sometimes you’ll feel compelled to attach yourself physically and mentally to people and ideas—as if it gives you some sense of control or security. You may even strongly believe you’ll be happy if you struggle to hold onto what you have. That’s OK. It’s human nature.

Just know you have the power to choose from moment to moment how you experience things you enjoy: with a sense of ownership, anxiety, and fear, or with a sense of freedom, peace and love. The most important question: what do you choose right now?



{http://zenhabits.net/zen-attachment/}

the people you will fall in love with in your 20s

You will fall in love with someone who annoys you, whose orgasm face looks and feels pathetic. Despite all of this, there’s something keeping you drawn to them, something that makes you want to protect them from the harsh world. What you fail to realize, however, is that you are the harsh world. You aren’t their noble protector — you are someone to be protected from but it takes a lot of dates, a lot of nights where you question whether or not you are actually a good person, for this to ever resonate with you. When it’s over and whatever love is left is put back in the fridge like a sad plate of leftovers, you will finally understand that you have the power to hurt someone. You can either hurt them or love them and it’s up to you to decide what kind of role you would like to take on in future relationships. What feels more comfortable — being the one who loves more or being the one who’s loved less?

You will fall in love with someone who’s cold and always seemingly pushing you away. When all is said and done, they will be forever known as the one person you couldn’t get to love you. Unfortunately, it will hurt and sting worse than the good ones, the ones that chopped up your meat for you and picked out an eyelash from your eye and were nice to your mother, because love often feels like a game we need to win. And when we lose, when we realize we couldn’t get what we ultimately desired from a person, it makes us feel like a failure and erases all the memories of those who loved us in the past. It’s a permanent smudge on your love resume.

You will fall in love with someone for one night and one night only. They’ll come to you when you need them and be gone in the morning when you don’t. At first, this will make you feel empty and you’ll try to convince yourself that you could’ve loved this person for longer than a night, but you can’t. Some people are just meant to make cameo appearances, some are destined to be a pithy footnote. That’s okay though. Not every person we love has to stick around. Sometimes it’s better to leave while you’re still ahead. Sometimes it’s better to leave before you get unloved.

You will fall in love with the old couple down the street because to you they represent the impossible: a stable, long-lasting love. You’re trying to get someone to like you for more than ten minutes. A monogamous “never get sick of ya” love seems unfathomable. “What’s your secret, sir? Do you just say yes a lot?”

You will fall in love with smells, the good and the bad kind. You will want to wear your lovers shirt because it makes you feel close to them and you’re okay with being that PYSCHO who is legitimately sniffing their shirt in public. You will fall in love with sweat, certain perfumes, the smell of the season in which you fell in love. This particular love smells like fall. It smells like Halloween and a roaring fire and leaves and fog and mist and candy and food and family and whiskey and sex and the lint that collects on sweaters. When it ends, if it ends, you will never experience another fall without thinking of him, her, it. The memories will stick to the ground like a mound of leaves and will only dissipate when the weather drops.

You will fall in love with your friends. Deep, passionate love. You will create a second family with them, a kind of tribe that makes you feel less vulnerable. Sometimes our families can’t love us all the time. Sometimes we’re born into families who don’t know how to love us properly. They do as much as they can but the rest is up to our friends. They can love you all the time, without judgement. At least the good ones can.

This is where I’m supposed to tell you that you will fall in love with The One, a person who isn’t too cold or too nice. Their “O” face is perfectly fine and they’re not afraid to show how much they love you. This person is supposed to wait for us at the end of the twentysomething road as some kind of reward for all the heartache and loneliness. We deserve them. We’ve earned this kind of love.

So fine. You’re going to fall in love with The One. You’re going to fall in love with someone who will make sense beyond college or a job or a particular season. They’ll make sense forever and won’t ever want to leave you behind. I’m telling you this not because it’s true but because it NEEDS to be true. Everyone is entitled to this kind of love, so why not? Have it. It’s yours. Blow out the candles on your 30th birthday, holding their hand, and let out an exhale that’s been waiting for ten years. Do it. Now.



{Author: Ryan O'Connell}

something that makes you happy

This face. My Lola Bean.

“A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?"
-- Marley & Me

a favorite word

I don't think I need to say but to explain why I love this word. Anyone who knows me, knows why it's my favorite. This word defines the place in my life I'm in right now. I'm not sure where I'm headed. I'm a wanderer. But, I'm alright with it.

something you do everyday

Communication is incredibly important to me. I am constantly looking for more time, more ways to connect with the people I love. Whether it's Facebook, Instagram, FaceTime, text, call... My iPhone allows me to do precisely that. Even when I'm abroad and am unable to use my iPhone's cellular data, it still contains a camera that takes high quality photos and videos and applications to edit those photos without needing a WiFi network. Last but not least, it holds thousands of my favorite songs so I can sing along to the music no matter where I am. Hopelessly addicted, Apple obsessed.

a smell you adore

It's funny. Upon seeing this photo-a-day theme, no smell came to mind. Instead, an expression did.

Stop and smell the roses.

'Stop and smell the roses' is a widely used cliché in the English language. It's exact origin is unknown, although believed to have originated within the United States around 100 years ago. A variant of this phrase was misquoted by golfer Walter Hagen that appeared in the 1956 book "The Walter Hagen Story" where he urged people to stop and smell the flowers. It was also the title of an album by Ringo Starr in 1981. Wherever it came from, and however misquoted it may be, the meaning is the same. Take the time to appreciate a situation or to slow down and pay attention to what is going on around you. Take a few minutes for yourself each day. Stop being so busy that you forget to take the time to enjoy the pleasures that this beautiful life has to offer you.

someone that inspires you

{inspire}: verb.
To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.

I didn't even have to think twice when deciding whose picture I would post today. The amount of influence my Dad has place on my life is indescribable. He was my hero, my best friend, and now my angel. Since he passed, he has become my biggest source of inspiration. Words will not do this justice to explain, but somehow, the fact that he is no longer here drives me to be a better person - a woman he would be proud to call his daughter. On all big life decisions, I always ask myself... "What would he think? Would he support this?" If I think he wouldn't, I have my answer. My Dad gave me the best give a parent could ever give to their child, he believed in me. There are so many things I question in the world, but I am thankful that my fathers love was never one of them. It was always there, and I'll carry it with me until we meet again. Rest in Paradise.

you

This is probably my favorite picture of me taken while I was traveling throughout Southeast Asia last year. The photo was taken on Klong Khong Beach, a few steps from my accommodations on the island of Ko Lanta. Thailand was amazing! The culture, the people, even the food (once you got over the effects it had on your bowel movements). This candid picture makes me happy. It was taken right after breakfast one morning, without me even noticing. You can even see me putting my hair back into a ponytail as I step into the ocean to cool off. It captures the beauty of doing nothing, the freedom and tranquility that result from having no where to be and no one to answer to.

Paradise.

bird

The beauty of this #photoadaymay activity is that it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Someone might take the word bird and translate it literally to an animal that flies. Another might automatically think of flipping someone off or "giving them the bird". This Cinco de Mayo, found me on a chartered jet to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. We were traveling by means of a mechanical bird flying in the sky. I couldn't help but think of how this plane had an incredible birds eye view of the grounds below us so I snapped a photo of the cockpit and... Task complete!

fun

{fun}: noun.
1. A source of enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure
2. Enjoyment; amusement
3. Playful, often noisy, activity

When I think of #fun, a picture of my friends automatically pops up in my mind. Good times and good friends are like peanut butter and jelly, they go hand-in-hand. This picture was taken on the last girls trip we took to Scottsdale this January. The weekend was filled with yummy food, delicious drinks, and a whole lot of laughter. All of the #fun a girl could ask for!

"The best of memories come from the best of times, which can only come from the best of friends."

I love you guys. ♥

something you wore today

All of the extra time on my hands has only fed my blogging and pinterest addiction further. This in turn, as only led to me constantly searching through blogs for fashion inspiration. (Favorite of which include Atlantic-Pacific, What Courtney Wore, and Yurkstyle.) While there are many looks I adore, there are some I simply can't pull off. However, I am always trying to push my personal fashion boundaries. Latest of which would be what I can only refer to as "Coachella Chic". Now this 'fit is a little tame for Coachella, but like I said, I'm looking for inspiration. I have started trying to incorporate a little funk, a little edge, and channel my inner hippie. While remaining true to my comfort zone of neutrals, I have accomplished this new funk by way of accessories. Jewelry pieces, a belt, the right shoe... These items can transform a dull and unmemorable look to one strangers actually compliment you on.

{Sweater: Urban Outfitters $30. Necklace: Forever 21 $5. Ring: Forever 21 $4. Leather Bracelet: Nordstrom Rack $16. Studded Shorts: Etsy.com $60. Animal Print Belt: Target $13. Booties: Steve Madden, DSW $80.}

skyline

I suppose I could have snapped a pic of the Oklahoma clouds surrounding me but when I think of skylines, I think bright lights, big city. Singapore's skyline encompasses both of those things. I took this photo while traveling through Southeast Asia for 6 weeks last April. Singapore seemed a little out of place amongst all the other third world countries I was visiting. Maybe it was the contrast that made it seem that much more spectacular. Regardless, Singapore was a beautiful and CLEAN city. Singapore is home to over 4,300 high rise buildings, 49 of those being skyscrapers that rise higher than 140 metres. For such a small country, this city has mass appeal. Or maybe it's just me. Then again, having a mall on virtually every corner might just have that kind of effect on a girl with a serious retail therapy problem.

peace ☮

There are many definitions of peace. But the definition to most adequately fit this photo was the following...

{peace}: noun.
A state of tranquillity or quiet

I took this picture just before I moved from San Diego. It was a beautiful, quiet sunset and very few people were around to enjoy it. (Not typical for Pacific Beach around this time.) I was with my sister and there just seemed to be this since of calm around us. No wind, no noise. Just calm. We walked up to this lone bench and simply sat down and watched the sun go down as the waves crashed into the sand. We didn't talk. We just sat. We were both at ease, at peace. We both had so much going on in our heads, enough to ruin this moment with words but we didn't. We just sat back and took in all the beauty the Pacific Ocean had to offer us.

life through a lens {photo a day in may}

In honor of this transitional month between Spring and Summer, I have decided to take on the "Photo a Day May" challenge, where I will post one photo a day according to a certain theme. Staying creative and keeping both an open eye and open mind to all of the everyday beauty that surrounds us all. I will be publishing my photos both on my Blogspot and on my Instagram so you if you are not already, follow me @alligee :)

Here is our task at hand. I invite you all to join in and post what you think best represents the theme of each day. When you post, don't forget to add #photoadaymay so everyone can search for it! Let the creativity begin!

diy: glitter keys

Seeing as I'm hopelessly addicted to Pinterest, I've taken on actually doing the ideas I've pinned instead of leaving them as some "maybe someday I'll actually do this" kinda things. Ideas are only ideas until you put them into action, after all.

We all are looking for ways to differentiate between our keys. Which one belongs to what? How will I remember this? Well, instead of buying those tacky silicone key covers I figured I'd add a little sparkle to my life and glamorize my keys. Here's how I did it...

Supplies:

You can get all of these at Michaels or your nearest Craft Store. Mod Podge is about $10 and the glitter ranges from $2-$3 for individual packages or I got this one which has 6 colors for $9. The Acrylic paint was about $15 but comes in handy for waterproofing any craft project.

STEP 1: Select which keys you want to sparkle and clean the gunk off so they look brand spankin' new. I used alcohol and a paper towel to clean my keys.

STEP 2: Apply a coat of clear nail polish to smooth the key out. They recommend a base coat but I used a top coat and it turned out just fine. Repeat on second side.

STEP 3: Apply Mod Podge (with brush) on one side, dip in glitter (or pour glitter on key). Make sure to shake of the excess glitter and re-apply as needed. Let it dry. Repeat on second side. Repeat this process as needed until you achieve your desired result!

Voila!

dancing in the daintree rainforest

6am came earlier than I would have liked. Though, I suppose it always does. The sun was just peaking it's head out from above the mountains... Slow to rise, just like us.

Because of the cost, it was just Kyle and I making this adventure today. The night before we decided to go on the Billy Tea Safari for $185. Kyle had gone to a handful of travel agencies and it was agreed that this one was the best for your money. The Billy Tea custom built 4WD vehicle arrived at 6:50am and we headed north along the scenic coastal route, the Captain Cook Highway, learning about the history of the area and admiring spectacular views of the coast line and Coral Sea. The Daintree National Rainforest was founded in 1981 and is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. In 1988 it was granted listing as a World Heritage List - quite the prestigious honor. There are only 936 sites in the entire world that fit this strict UNESCO criteria being of special cultural or physical significance. Of course the weather never quite being in our favor, it began to rain on our way to the first stop - the majestic Daintree River. There we had Morning Tea & Coffee before enjoying an informative guided River Cruise on the Daintree River. Majestic is the only word that might be able to adequately describe what being on this river felt like. The rain had eased up, leaving a hovering layer of clouds that only added to the serene feel of this river. With the exception of our boat, there was almost a eery silence about that made me feel as though a crocodile might jump from the waters and take a chunk out of a tourist for breaky. Sadly, we never saw one because the tide was too high. Boo. The tour guide taught us about the Estuarine Crocodiles in the river, mangrove forests and endemic wildlife.

From there we ascended the Alexandra Range and paused to take in the amazing panoramic view of the World Heritage Tropical Rainforest merging with the Coral Sea. Let me tell you, this view is breathtaking! I could have stood there for an hour and just to take in all the beauty it had to offer. We continued driving to where we could experience the rainforest intimately on a guided elevated National Park Boardwalk. Accurate interpretations of flora and fauna were given with plenty of time for photographs and questions as we looked for the elusive, rare and totally unique Southern Cassowary and other wildlife species within this particular habitat. Unfortunately, we never found one but did come across a few big lizards and toxic plants.

All of the walking worked us up an appetite and luckily lunch was the next stop in store for us. We made our way to Lync Haven, an animal refuge centre, where enjoyed a delicious gourmet barbecue lunch that included steaks, sausages, and an assortment of salads at the restaurant nearby. No, none of the animal refugees were harmed in the making of this feast. With our bellies full, we walked over to give the kangaroos their lunch and were able to get up close and personal with a handful of them. Let me tell you, those 'roos love carrots. I straight up watched one hump two people in our group!

It was an hour before we arrived at our next destination, Emmagen Creek. The swimming hole at Emmagen Creek is a popular tourist walk because there are few other safe places to swim in the Daintree lowlands (due to those crazy crocodiles). It is only a 400 meter walk upstream along the creek until you reach the deeper pools. There we took a swim and enjoyed 7 tropical fruits, indigenous to the Daintree Rainforest. Our guide also prepared the group the infamous Billy Tea which included water and tea in a bucket that is cooked over a fire and then swung around to ensure it is properly mixed. The concoction wasn't my favorite, but then again, I'm not much for tea. The fruit, on the other hand, was delicious. Dragonfruit (pitaya), sweet pineapple, papaya, sapote... My favorite of which was cherimoya, a soft white fruit that tasted very much like bubblegum.

Next stop? Cape Tribulation. What cool is that it is located within the Daintree National Park and the Wet Tropics World Heritage area, which therefore means you are standing in two places at once! We spent about 30 minutes wandering the beach there and going along this path which takes you to a lovely view of the entire Cape. On the beach, there were these strange trees that had their roots above ground. They were absolutely fascinating - I took at least 10 pictures of the trees alone. It wasn't long until the rainforest brought back the rain in it's typical rainforest fashion. Within minutes I was caught in a downpour, running back to the vehicle with my camera and phone protected underneath my shirt.

Soaking wet from the torrential downpour, we started our 2.5 hour long trek back to Cairns. Exhausted, we washed ourselves up then grabbed some dinner and drinks while waiting for Drew to arrive. The night was a tame one, for the next day we are early to arise again... Only this time, our journey takes us under the sea.

destination cairns

Wednesday night found us at The Golden Sheaf, one of east Sydney's most well-known venues located in Double Bay. We met a girl named Brittan at Tuesday's happy hour in Darling Harbour, and invited her to come out with us. Brittan is a singer originally from Colorado who's currently living in Bondi. (Funny how we all travel 8,000 miles to Australia and meet mostly Americans...) In standard form Andrea, Morgan, Drew, Kyle, TJ, and I pre-gamed at Drew's -- mixing our standard Ginger & Captain's and taking more than our fair share of "security shots" [a term I drunkenly came up with to refer to that last shot (or two) you take before going out to ensure you don't leave for the bars sober]. Naturally, we had to ensure we were extra "secure" in order to brave the storm *literally* which inevitably led to a drunken night that allowed me a whole 15 minutes of sleep before leaving to catch our flight to Cairns.

This marked the beginning of a nothing-short-of-disastrous day. When I say that I slept 15 minutes that entire day, I might be exaggerating. I quite possibly had 5 or 10, MAX. Boy did my deliriousness make for an interesting beginning to our trip. Morgan, Andrea, and I started by arriving at the Kings Cross train station just as the train was pulling away. You sure do run in to a few interesting character sitting at a train station at 4 in the morning. There was one "homie" [a term we used to refer to homeless people] who had blood shot eyes, could not formulate real sentences, and was walking with a swagger that can only be compared to a throughly intoxicated Jack Sparrow. When I say blood shot, I mean RED. Like the entire sclera was RED. Homies don't generally make me that uncomfortable but I tried my best to steer clear of this one. Problem is, he was a talker. Cue iPod and book. 16 minutes later, we were saved by the train and ventured on to the airport. Having lost those 16 minutes, we had to make up for it by making a mad dash to the gate. Harder than it may seem especially when you've only had minutes of sleep, are likely still drunk, and are carrying a large duffel bag (because we didn't want to have to pay extra to check a bag... duh). We arrive at the gate only to find out our flight has been delayed. Would have been nice to know so I could have saved myself from feeling like I was going to die! We boarded the plane and were taxiing for 30 minutes (further delayed by the massive downpour that contributed to Sydney's worse flooding in 5+ years) when we are stopped because this middle aged asian had health complications. So... that took another 45 minutes to address -- medical personel had to come on board and access the situation, the family left the plane, and it took another 20 minutes for the plane to fill out all of the paperwork. In hindsight, I feel absolutely terrible for this person but in the middle of it all, I'm not gonna lie, I was thoroughly annoyed. It took 20 more minutes for the Captain to get clearance to leave before we were able to take flight. Too delirious to read, too uncomfortable to actually sleep, too rainy to see outside, and two sleepy girls beside me... the next 2.5 hours were spent staring at the seat in front of me.

We arrived in Cairns 2.5 hours later than the anticipated arrival time, caught a cab and headed to the hotel. The cab was $24 (split 3 ways) but there's an airport shuttle option for $12 for those of you traveling alone. The hotel was booked and paid for by Kyle but everything in Australia is so lax that we were able to check in as him. However, the front desk informed us that they charge $50 for each additional person over the 2 the room was booked for so Morgan told them that she would be staying with a friend (keep in mind, there's 3 of us checking in). Being unable to contact Kyle (because he didn't have a phone) and worried that he might show up and blow our "cover", we decided to wait outside for him. 4 hours passed from the time he was supposed to arrive and we grow increasingly worried. Tired and hungry, Andrea and I decided to wander the town in search of food and to get me a cell phone. Another hour passes and we return to find that Kyle has still not arrived. A new front desk person has arrived so we decide to leave him a note at the front desk and head to our ocean view room - the one thing that seemed to work in our favor that day! When there's a knock at the door, we open it up to find Kyle (he's alive!!). Turns out his plane was delayed for 5 hours due to the flooding in Sydney. Dinner is spent at Grill'd - a chain of burger bars that sell the most delicious and healthy assortment of burgers for about $15. If you are ever in Australia and see one, I highly recommend you try it especially if you're Gluten Free. Tummy's happy and full, it was off to bed for me. Much needed rest will be required to enjoy the full day of touring the National Daintree Rainforest I had ahead of me.