Riga, Latvia: Nation Of Cats

Published on May 1, 2019June 4, 2019 by EmileeLeave a comment

As you might have picked up on, I love history.

Leaving Oslo and traveling to Riga, I really had no idea what I was getting into. The only reason I even knew Latvia was a country was because I met a guy in college who was from here. But ever since that encounter, I was curious about the country, and I was more than a little happy to have a few days in my trip itinerary where I could adventure a little off the known path. And by known path I mean I’m still in the EU haha…I’m just not in a city where a lot of American tourists choose to go. Which is a little unfortunate because this city is BEAUTIFUL.

And even beyond it being a beautiful city, it has super friendly people (at least in the city center where I’ve been) and it’s super affordable. The town as a whole is actually a lot like a medieval city with its cobbled streets and old buildings. The history of this city is pretty tragic with multiple invasions, bombings and general unrest but the state of the city today is, as my tour guide put it, “Only going up!”

A few fun facts about Riga;

They have roosters on the top spires of their churches instead of crosses but nobody really knows why (potentially a biblical reference or because roosters are what wakes you up first thing in the morning). Regardless of the reason, it’s pretty fun to see. There are three major churches in this city and it’s great for travellers prone to getting lost because they’re higher up than the rest of the city. You can usually always see one of them!

One of my favorite facts about this city is that it’s known as a “Nation of cats” which of course speaks to my soul as someone who loves cats more than life. A great example of the cat obsession is that a large number of souvenirs you can buy here are little toy cats, and on top of one of the central buildings are two stone statues of cats that come with one of the most “cat person” stories I’ve ever heard. It goes something like this:

Once there was this guy who wanted to get into politics but he couldn’t because he wasn’t German. He tried for years to no avail. So the man did what anyone would do, he bought the lot of land across the street and built a building directly facing the politicians building. At eye level with the top story of the German building he places two stone cats, with their butts facing the building. Obviously not what you want to see when you’re drinking your morning coffee. It took years for the man to finally be persuaded (aka paid) to turn the cat statues around so their heads are now facing the building to this day.

The moral of this story? Don’t mess with cat people.

Another fun thing about Latvia is their obsession with Amber, which has always been one of my favorite gemstones because of its connection with dinosaurs…and I LOVE dinosaurs. And when I was warned about this obsession I had no idea. There are entire stores dedicated to it, and even souvenir shops carry it. It’s also fairly inexpensive which is amazing because it means I ~~may have~~ bought several pairs of earrings (they were about $15/pair). And speaking of affordable…DAMN RIGA.

There are definitely tourist traps in this city that are overpriced (and they know it) but the city as a whole is extremely affordable. It’s pretty easy to get a small meal for around $5-$8 and I’ve seen a few $7 buffets for breakfast/lunch. This is one of the only cities where I actually haven’t gone to the grocery store because it’s about the same price for me to just buy 1-2 meals/day and snack in between. I’m definitely having to enjoy that now since my next stop is the UK which, as we all know, is definitely not cheap.

But at least the exchange rate from the British pound to the US dollar is fairly cheap. I think $1 = 0.77£ last time I checked. I remember the first time I traveled to the U.K. everything was basically double price. I AM super excited to be going back to the U.K. though as it’s one of my favorite spots. Stay tuned for updates!

A London Birthday To Remember: Royal Day Out

Published on September 24, 2018September 27, 2018 by EmileeLeave a comment

I’ve always been a little over the top when it comes to my birthday so it probably surprised no one that I went fanning into this one in an 18th century dress. One of the best travel resources I started using this trip were Airbnb experiences which are experiences that you can reserve with local artists, instructors, and experts to learn more about a city from the people who live there.

I really love the concept and the experiences because throwing money at a tourist trap is not exactly my idea of a good time. I really love that Airbnb is opening revenue streams for local artists, while providing travelers with unique experiences…like this one!

As I’ve written before, London hasn’t always been my favorite city but this trip has pretty much been a dream as far as experiences. I’m not sure exactly why, but something just clicked this time around…seventh time’s a charm I guess. But real talk. My time in London was absolutely beautiful. One of the main reasons, of course, being this photo shoot from Royal Day Out.

Not only was did this experience allow me to dress up in a eighteenth century dress (with my Vans on, ah yeah.) but it also allowed me to see more of London with a mini tour from my host/photographer, Lauren. Lauren was everything a photographer should be, and really captured the fun that taking these photos should be. She was an absolute ray of sunshine to walk around with, and we had tons of laughs as people gawked, waved and stopped us on the streets.

It was funny how the whole experience turned out because I thought I would be in a group when I booked the photoshoot, but it turned out to be just me and Lauren. At first it was a little intimidating since she didn’t (for obvious photographer reasons) dress up as well but I got used to it as we walked our way to Kensington Park…which is where Harry and Meghan have their London residence. NBD.

It was funny because I really thought I was going to go for one of the white or light pink dresses and a subtle pink wig (or natural hair) but the moment I saw the blue dress I gravitated toward it. Yes I tried on some pink dresses as well, but it just wasn’t the same. The blue dress fit me like a glove and the rest of the outfit fell together flawlessly. One of my favorite parts was the fan which really helped me with the anxiety of walking around in London in costume. Ha. It also, of course, was a great addition to the look as a whole.

Other highlights of my birthday included having a banana chocolate cake baked for me by my Airbnb host and watching Ru Paul’s Drag Race which is currently my obsession. But I would definitely say that the photoshoot made this one of the most memorable birthdays to date. Someone asked me when the ball was going to be, and no joke-that’s my plan for my 30th birthday.

My Return To Paris | 2018

Published on September 23, 2018September 29, 2018 by EmileeLeave a comment

Paris: My former hometown, nemesis, and cosplay inspiration. It’s been four years since I boarded a plane and landed in France for the first time. “What could possibly go wrong?” I thought when I signed papers to work in a country I had never even visited with a family I had never even met. SPOILER: Everything went wrong.

Well, I guess not everything went wrong. Paris was the city that first got me in to cosplaying, and it was the first city where I started going to conventions, so I guess I do have to attribute those aspects of my life to my time here.

But overall, Paris and I have a love-hate relationship. It was really difficult living in this city and trying to learn a new language and culture…while taking care of four boys. To be perfectly honest I didn’t think I would come back. There was just so much pain tied to this city that I kind of kicked the dust off my feet when I left back in 2015.

But, here I am. 2018 and I’m once again in the city of love. I wish that I could say that this trip has changed my mind about Paris but there have been so many problems during my time here (48 hours) that I’m seriously starting to wonder if there’s some kind of curse on me, associated with Paris. To start things off, the Airbnb that I booked was NOTHING like the listing which resulted in me actually filing a complaint with Airbnb and getting a stipend from them to find a new place to stay. I’m also filing for a refund, but that can’t be processed until Tuesday.

To add insult to injury my computer died right after I got to the city because I brilliantly forgot to bring a converter for France, just England. And yeah yeah this is my fault, not the cities, but it still was added stress.

THEN my Airbnb experience “Yoga under the Eiffel Tower” got cancelled due to the weather, and while I was invited to a yoga studio instead it still just wasn’t the same…and I didn’t get a picture which was part of the package. Boo.

THEN it started raining today while I was heading out to my photoshoot, and I just about cried. If you are someone with curly hair, or know someone with curly hair you’ll know why. It’s not even a matter of getting my hair wet, once it’s raining the humidity is enough to frizz my hair into space. It still was raining just a little bit when I started my photoshoot, but I was absolutely convinced to do the damn thing and so I’m a bit amused/curious how those photos will turn out. Sorry, no blue dress for these ones. I just wanted some pretty pictures of me around the city I used to live in.

After the shoot I got a chance to go over to Shakespeare and Co. which is a really beautiful bookshop in Paris that you all should go to. Mainly because they have a cat that lives in the shop. But also because it has a really cool history of inspiring writers throughout the decades. I also was really excited to find a bubble tea place in Paris that I’d never seen before. I think it’s new, and it was definitely filled with Americans, but I was so happy to have my favorite drink. Oh, and then I ate a crepe. Which is pretty much what I’ve been doing the whole time I’ve been here: eating.

Someone asked me today what I’d been doing with my time in Paris and I literally had nothing to say other than eating crepes. How many have I had? You’ll never know, and I’m never going to tell you.

A Day In Bath: The Jane Austen Festival

Published on September 19, 2018September 22, 2018 by Emilee2 Comments

One of the best decisions I’ve made on this trip was taking a sporadic trip west of London to a little city called Bath. Now, if you’re familiar with Jane Austen at all then you’ll probably recognize this city from a bunch of her books, most notably Persuasion, which is pretty much set entirely in the city. Jane Austen did not write Persuasion while she was in Bath but she did live in the city, so the reoccurring placement of the city in her books makes a lot of sense.

And it just so happens to be that Jane Austen was exactly the reason I went to Bath. A couple of years ago I’d heard about The Jane Austen festival and I wanted to go more than anything…but it didn’t really seem reasonable to fly to England just for that. So instead of booking a plane ticket I bookmarked the page on Facebook. And then I completely forgot about it—UNTIL a few days ago. It turns out that somehow I booked a trip during the festival this year. Happy accident, indeed. So on Sunday I jumped on the train and bought a ticket to a couple of events. I’d never been to bath before, or had it recommended to me by anyone so I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. All I knew were the Jane Austen references.

The good news is, I was more than pleasantly surprised by bath and how much it had to offer. Before I left for London I had been researching Jane Austen tours because I knew I wanted to do something focused on her, but I definitely didn’t want to sit on a bus for 5 hours just to see the house she wrote in. I also didn’t want to pay +$300 in order to sit on said bus. I also have a pretty strict rule that I don’t pay over $150 for a day tour, so Bath was a perfect substitution. The breakdown:

$70 – Train round trip

$15 – Jane Austen Centre

$20 – 1 Hour Jane Austen Walking Tour

$40 – Roman Baths + Fashion Museum

$20 – Theatrical performance of Northanger Abbey

Grand Total $165 for an experience that was completely one of a kind, didn’t involve me sitting for long periods of time, and gave me the flexibility to do what I wanted when I wanted. It also saved me over $100. Bam.

My first stop for the day were the Roman Baths which have been a tourist attraction for thousands of years. The Romans built them as a tribute to the gods and swore by their healing qualities. I don’t know about that, and by the smell I wouldn’t say there was any healing going on, but I definitely think they were beautiful.

After I went to the Roman Baths I stopped by The Jane Austen Centre which is a collection of memorabilia and information about Jane’s family life and time in Bath. It really is more of a fangirl’s dream than a museum, but it was a fun time and not very expensive so I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something fun to do. There was also a tea room adjoined which I didn’t have time to visit, but I would definitely suggest checking it out, since I heard good things from those who did go.

Next up was the Fashion Museum which was I knew was going to be my favorite part of the day before I even stepped into the building. As someone who has studied historical fashion since I was five years old, I allotted the most time of my day to this museum. And it was so worth it.

After the Fashion Museum I had a scheduled walking tour as part of The Jane Austen Festival. Little did I know that everyone on this tour was going to be in costume. But hey, you live and you learn. The actual tour was amazing. It was comedy themed with a script and continuing story line that allowed the tour group to “find” different characters around the city and interact with the city. It was like going to a walking theatre production. Which, for this ADHD mind was absolutely brilliant.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat I headed back over to The Pump Rooms for a theatre production of Northanger Abbey which was hilarious because there were only two people acting out the entire production…well, two people and six puppets to be precise. I guess you’d kind of have to be there to realize how mad genius it was.

Overall the day was a complete success that completely wiped me out. In other words, I fell asleep on the train on the way back. But it was worth it. I had so much fun and I would love to come back another year and bring a costume along with me.

Review: Pimlico Fresh

Published on September 13, 2018September 13, 2018 by EmileeLeave a comment

I can’t stop thinking about this place, so I thought I would write a review on the restaurant I stumbled into yesterday. Now, mind you, I was famished and very jet-lagged when I came here so perhaps that’s why it seemed angelic… but also there are some legitimate bragging points. The toast, for instance. I am definitely a carb-ivore, so having European bread after choking down American for a year is always an interesting switch. Think of it as always drinking La Croix and never realizing there’s real fruit juice in the world. Yeah, I went there.

My one down talk on this place was that there were a lot of Americans there and usually I don’t recommend a place that’s built for tourists. But I don’t get the feel that was the story here. I think the main reason was because of the location (within a few minutes walk from Victoria station). Oh, and if you’re looking for some Instagram worthy food then this is the spot you’re gonna want to hit up.

Ordered: Scrambled eggs on toast, sausage, and English Breakfast tea

Where: 86 Wilton Rd London SW1V 1DE

Went: September 2018

Wifi: No

Reservation Needed: No

Website: None. Ha.

Tip: This spot is right by Victoria station and has bread and tea to die for. The seating is set up with big tables so don’t be afraid to sit down next to a stranger to eat your food.

London: A Writer’s Paradise

Published on September 12, 2018September 15, 2018 by EmileeLeave a comment

The first time I came to London I hated it. Like really hated it. The busy backwards streets, the millions of people, the high prices…it was all too much for my little introvert mind. And don’t even get me started on the Tube. At the time, the thought of commuting underground absolutely terrified me.

A lot has changed in the last five years. I’ve visited London more and it has started to feel more like my city. I started to feel more comfortable wandering beyond the tourist spots early in the morning. I learned to look both ways when I cross a street…just in case. And obviously after living in Paris taking an underground metro is second nature to me, now. It’s comical, when I think back, that this year I decided that London was going to be where I spent my birthday. My birthday is a really important day of the year, and I’m pretty particular about how I spend it. I’ve been in London less than 24 hours and I already know I made the right decision…but it’s still laughable.

I bought this plane ticket back in March when a lot of things were uncertain for me. I didn’t know where I was going to live, work or what direction I was headed. I didn’t even have my cat, which is a tragedy to think about. When I saw the non-stop tickets from Seattle to London I knew I needed to jump on the opportunity, but I also knew that with such an unknown future I didn’t know if I’d even be able to get the time off from whatever job I was working six months down that road. So naturally I bought a ticket.

And now I’m sitting in a café in London. Different job, different living situation, different life. The lesson to learn here is that when you make travel a priority you might be surprised how the universe moves to make it happen.

There’s another reason I decided to take this trip, beyond the fact that it’s my birthday on Wednesday and that’s because I wanted to really dive into a writing state of mind. What better place than London? While I’m here my #1 priority is to immerse myself in writing. That could mean learning about writers, sitting here writing while I’m severely jet-lagged or meeting up with other writers while I’m here. Also just having more experiences to write about. I want it all. And I need it.

The last couple years have been pretty intense and amidst those times my writing has dropped off in a lot of ways, which is tragic since all I’ve ever wanted to do since I was a kid was to write. So here I am in one of the greatest cities in the world, soaking up as much knowledge as I can and typing away on my little blog. Let’s see what adventures we can have.

P.s. Tomorrow I’m going to Harry Potter Land…aka Warner Bros Studios London!

7 Share-Worthy Things To Inspire Your Friday

Published on June 8, 2018September 10, 2018 by EmileeLeave a comment

Welcome to Friday, one of my personal favorite days of the week, even though I know the general consensus is that Fridays are the devil. I’ve decided to start compiling some wonderful things that inspire me throughout the week so that I can share them with you beautiful people. This might be a book I’m reading, or a pair of shoes I’m obsessing over, or a new airline I tried out, or a coffee shop that I stumbled upon, or someone inspirational. It really can be anything. So hold onto your butts. It’s time to be inspired.

1. Avelynn by Marissa Campbell

It probably surprises absolutely no one that I’m starting off with a book, since I’m absolutely obsessed with books. I’m just now starting this book and I’m super excited to see where it goes. I found out about it because I saw it in a social media post from another geek girl on social media. I’ll be sure to post whether or not it’s a must-read!

2. Class Pass

As part of my “Don’t become a couch potato” initiative, I’ve started a workout schedule that allows me to veg over geek stuff while maintaining my healthy. This has meant saying hello to a couple of things. First off, I’ve started using online workouts at home, with Beachbody On Demand. I’ve also signed up for this awesome program that’s basically like Movie Pass, called (creatively) Class Pass. Basically you pay a set amount each month and you get points which you can use to attend classes at a ton of different workout places. This means you don’t have to pay $150/month on a gym membership to one place that has limited class options. Instead, you can pay as little as $35/month.

3. Jasmine Stacey Collection

I just learned about this amazing lingerie line that’s tailored to women who need just a little boost of confidence due to medical procedures. I love how the founder is from this community herself and that she’s filling a void for women to feel sexy and beautiful, no matter what life has thrown at them. I love the empowerment, and I love the vision behind this movement.

4. Badass Herstory

So this is a social/art project I just found out about that is about getting in touch with yourself through artistic expression, which is like my favorite thing ever. Basically this is all headed by the artist and craftivist Badass Crosstitch who is awesome in her own right. The challenge is this: Create a 12 x 12 square of fabric that tells who you are. It can be cross-stitched, but it can also be made out of anything. The idea is to then send all these pieces in to create on giant art installment. I love the idea of small pieces becoming one giant art installment and I will definitely be sending in my own little 12 x 12 square. Find out more HERE

5. Stitch Gawd

This girl got ME to start cross-stitching. I’ve done pretty much every other type of stitching there is, but I always avoided cross-stitch before. I’d love to say I didn’t know why I never wanted to start doing it, but I know exactly why: it was boring. In my mind, cross-stitch was that boring thing you see in a diarrhea brown frame that says “Bless this home.” But THIS. This. Was. Different. I love the idea of combining hip-hop and cross-stitch and I’m currently working on combining my love of gaming with cross-stitch. Absolutely obsessed.

6. The Corbin backpack

This past month I got to test out the newest backpack from R. Riveter, The Corbin, and I kinda sorta really loved it. This beautiful backpack is made by military spouses in the USA and is absolutely stunning. The straps are super silky, and the stitching feels like it’s going to last a million years. The backpack comes in all black, and brown and black (which is the one I tested). Check out more details by clicking HERE.

7. Since You’re Not Racist

This podcast is hosted by one of my lovely friends and is a great discussion of racial topics that most people wouldn’t approach because…well, they’re not racist. Tune in and check out the banter!

What’s inspiring you today? Let me know in the comments!

Staying Grounded When Chaos Hits

Published on May 23, 2018September 10, 2018 by EmileeLeave a comment

I definitely don’t live a standard life. And the thing about being a risk taker is that sometimes things fall short. And other times, everything falls short at the same time. Which is pretty much what happened last week. Let’s just say a lot of things crashed and burned. But that’s life, isn’t it? One minute everything is one way, and in an instant shit changes.

Since it seems like a lot of people in my life are experiencing chaos hitting the fan, I thought I would share some of my go-to techniques for staying grounded when life isn’t playing nice. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Gardening

I’ve loved gardening since I was born. No joke. I think my love of gardening came from my Irish/English grandpa who always had a massive garden and would teach me how to take care of each plant and honor the earth it was planted in. Being around plants soothes me. At the moment I’ve created a bit of a garden with some vegetables, roses, herbs and the most beautiful hydrangea ever. When I’m feeling super stressed out I go and sit out on my porch and just take in the reminder that growth will still happen, no matter what life feels like at the moment.

2. Reading

I own more books than is probably healthy, and I try really hard to manage my addiction to buying them. This one I blame on my mom, since I grew up with an entire library to choose from. I love the wisdom and dependability of books. They’re still going to be there waiting for you to learn, or love, or let you leap into a fire pit to save an entire world. Who cares how your day way? There are adventures to be had. Right now I’m reading these books:
The First American
How We Got to Now
The Name of the Wind

3. Meditation/Prayer

If you’ve followed along on this blog for a while, you know that I’m a Christian and my faith is a really important way for me to bring balance to my life and worldview. When things get hectic and chaotic I take time to step back. I turn off my electronics and meditate to recenter. I think this is a really important part of being human, whether you’re connecting religion to it or not. Because when we find peace in ourselves, the outside world has a way of falling together, as well.

4. Art/Cooking

I’m an artist and I do art. A lot. Whether it’s knitting, crochet, painting, cross-stitch (my latest craze), sewing, or making a recipe from scratch, creating with my hands brings me back to my center and calms me. I’ve always been like this, and I think it’s the same for a lot of people in my family. We’re makers. It’s in our DNA. We couldn’t stop even if we wanted to.

5. Standing on my bed and lip syncing to Miley Cyrus

Ha. Ha. You thought these were all going to be adult and normal. Gotcha! I’m a huge Miley Cyrus fan (judge me if you must, you scoundrel) and I’ve found that her album Bangerz is just about the perfect lip syncing music to get that “F U” attitude off your heart. Be thou warned, that these are explicit lyrics. But, ya know, sometimes you need so yell a few swear words to get your mind back on track. The point is, have fun. You’ll be amazed how much of a difference it makes.

What do you do to re-center yourself? I’d love to hear about it!

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Published on May 13, 2018May 24, 2018 by EmileeLeave a comment

A while back I got nominated for a blog award and I’ve been so busy with work that I never got a chance to react to it. So, first off, I’m so sorry for the delay but a huge thank you to Jordyn at Living on the Upbeat!

As you all know, I kind of fell into blogging as a way for me to handle all the crazy that is solo travel, and it’s been a crazy four years as I’ve met people around the world and through the internet who have inspired me to do better, live better, and open my mind to new ideas.

Here are the questions Jordyn had for me:

My answers:

1) If you could travel back in time, what time period would you visit? Probably the late 1800s-early 1900s because I’m obsessed with that time period and the clothing.

2) What is your favorite animal? Giraffe

3) Are you a morning person or a night person? I think I’m naturally a night person, but because of work I’ve had to adapt to being a morning person.

4) Who do you look up to? Any woman who has taken a little and made a lot from it.

5) If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Reading people’s minds

6) Coffee, tea, or neither? Definitely a tea person.

7) What is the most interesting place you have visited? Interesting? Hmmm probably Morocco. I would love to go back!

8) Something on your bucket list? Buy a house.

9) What are some small things that make your day better? I love being able to be in my own space. I’m a true introvert, and being in my room/house/garden make me feel so much more alive.

10) Dream car? Don’t know, don’t care.

11) Who’s your go-to band/artist when you can’t decide what to listen to? Classical music.

My Nominations:

Questions:

1) Favorite summer activity?

2) Favorite book of all time?

3) What is your biggest goal for the year?

4) Do you have any pets?

5) What are your hobbies?

6) Favorite holiday?

7) Best vacation you’ve had?

8) Favorite quote?

9) How many languages do you speak?

10) What’s a nonprofit you support/love?

The Rules:

1) Thank blogger(s) who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.
2) Answer the 10 questions the blogger asked you.
3) Nominate 10 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
4) List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Tea Talk 11: Diana Anderson | Travel Enthusiast

Published on March 14, 2018June 1, 2018 by Emilee2 Comments

Meet Diana, goddess of travel. This girl has known me since…since, probably longer than anyone outside my family. We met at church when we were like five (I don’t know honestly know the exact time we met, but it pretty much spans my memory) and we were best buds right away. After high school we didn’t get to see each other nearly as much, but a few years ago we accidentally reunited in London and had an awesome time. Thank god we both grew up to love traveling and all things British. The best. I’m so excited to introduce you all to my friend, and travel aficionado, Diana!

What started your passion for travel?

My parents took me on my first 22 hour road trip when I was 11 months old down to Southern California. We went once a year every year for the following twenty years. Between those, we travelled to two countries and thirty eight states both by car and plane. I guess I never stopped.

What’s one travel tip you think the world should know?

Be nice! I’ve received countless upgrades just by being patient and understanding. I’ve witnessed people in the customer service industry – especially at airports – get yelled at for trivial problems that are completely out of their control and, being as they’re human, they tend to be more generous with those that don’t threaten them.

What’s your favorite cultural habit you’ve picked up?

The essence of relationships being above all else. Seattle is known for the Seattle Freeze so that’s what I’ve been used to, but in moving to the East Coast and traveling throughout Europe and Australia it is apparent how much other cultures value their relationships with their families and friends. This has significantly enhanced my quality of life.

What would you suggest for other women who are thinking about traveling?

Do it. Be smart, but go for it. I started traveling solo when there wasn’t a lot of information or groups so I felt like I was flying blind. Luckily times have changed and at this point there are so many resources and people that have gone before you that are willing to answer any questions. And if it’s fear that’s holding you back, my motto has always been “The worst thing that can happen to you, can happen in your backyard”. Sounds bleak, but don’t let your delusions of comfort lull you into complacency.

What’s one failure that you learned a lot from, when it comes to travel?

No amount of planning is going to prepare you. I’ve passed out in the streets of Paris due to dehydration, gotten a concussion in several theme parks, sprained an ankle, lost all means of contact to family back home, been stranded with no money, been robbed. You just have to roll with it and get inventive.

What’s one fear that you overcame, while traveling?

Speaking to other people. The first time I went international, I was alone and didn’t speak to hardly anyone despite it being an English speaking country. That fear has absolutely worn off.

What is your favorite way to travel (ex. plane, train, automobile) and why?

Train! I have a love affair with airports but any airplane trip longer than three hours makes me crazy. I once took the TGV from Cannes to Paris and instantly fell in love.

What is one piece of advice that you wish you could give your past self?

Keep going. Don’t let other people get in the way of traveling because it feeds your soul and you can’t help others if you’re not helping yourself first.

What is one place at the top of your bucket list that you’d like to visit?

Belize. At the start of my traveling, I spun a globe and my finger landed on Belize. I have to go just to say that I have.

Let’s talk about your current trip! What was your inspiration for your adventure?

I have this delusional habit in which I decide to go somewhere but don’t lock down any logistics until the last minute. I’m going to Europe in May, with at least a stop in London to see my sister and niece, but other than that, I have no idea yet. When I know I need to get away, I start planning and let it figure itself out.

What has been the best/toughest part of your most recent trip?

I was with someone else. I’m a planner and I’m stubborn so this was not going to be easy from the get-go.

What’s one thing you’ve learned from your most recent trip?

Not everyone likes to travel the way that I do. Up until this trip, I’d only gone on trips with my family – who taught me how to travel – and church groups – who dictated how I travel. Traveling with one other person for fun was difficult not only when we had personal arguments but when we realized we wanted to do things differently. Traveling, like relationships, is something you have to compromise on if you want to do it with someone else.

What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself from your most recent trip?

I learned that I still need to improve how I visit new cities. I let my jet lag or my willful ignorance keep me from exploring and that has been a big hinderance. Since then, I’ve taken several small trips and tried to force myself out of my comfort zones. It’s been very rewarding!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Travel isn’t how Instagram models make it out to be. It’s not all pretty pictures from glamorous hotel rooms, but it’s in the gritty sleeping-in-the-tub-to-avoid-bedbugs that you gain the real benefits. Solo travel teaches a person a lot about themselves and that’s why it’s so incredibly important to do.

Tea Talk is a monthly series featuring extraordinary women who travel around the world! If you know someone who should be featured, or would like to be featured yourself, shoot me an email at morehouseemilee@gmail.com or post a message on this blog post! Join me again in April for the next feature!