Day 1 - Kona Farmer's Market, Drive through the saddle to Hilo, Volcano National Park
 Highlight of the day and the greatest way to start our trip. Considering that practically every store and restaurant was closed when we arrived last night, this was a huge upgrade. We had McDonald's for dinner last night. This morning, we ate fresh fruit in front of the ocean. Unobstructed views. Warm sun on my skin. No makeup. Totally worth the wait.  We went on a tour to check out the Volcanos. Before going to the National Park, the tour guide took us here...I can't remember what it was called, but it was a short walk over some volcano rocks to the ocean.   The last little bit of the walk had black sand.  Start of the walk at the Volcano National Park. I was so impressed by the vegetation growth on lava rocks. Life is amazing to me.  Gaseous stuff coming out of the hot volcanic land. It was like a free facial here - warm, steamy sulfur.
 We walked through so many puddles to get here. At the end, we were rewarded with a rainbow! Day 2 - Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, Boiling Pots, Kaumana Caves, Hilo Farmer's Market, Mauna Loa Factory, Zoo, 4-Mile DriveYeah...I don't know how we had the energy to do all of these activities on this one day. Thankfully, all of these sites were super close to one another, but still, wow!  One of me and Brian's fav things to do together is to visit local mom and pop shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. The Papa'aloa Country Store is both. We ordered a loco moco and banana bread to-go so that we can eat it at the Laupahoehoe Point State Park. It was POURING rain that day. Needless to say, there wasn't much of a view because of the heavy fog, but at least the food was good.  View of Akaka Falls from the parking lot.
 Akaka Falls from the main viewpoint. It was raging that day because of the heavy rain. In fact, the whole island was under a flash flood watch.  Peek Akaka Falls in the background.  At Rainbow Falls. Also raging.  Under a gigantic banyan tree.  Taken at Boiling Pots. Couldn't help but notice the beautiful plants everywhere.  I was too afraid of these wild chickens. Brian had to shoo them away first for me to get out of the car. HAHA!
 Coming out of the Kaumana Caves. This was a free, amazing sight. Of course, free doesn't come without challenges. We first had to brave the wild chickens.    Hilo Farmer's Market 
 The first and only clear, turquoise water we saw on the trip.  Luckily for us, we were the only ones out at this beach. I think everyone else stayed indoors to hide from the heavy rain and flash floods.   Do not reenact! Don't ever turn your back against the waves.  We met a local Hawaiian painter who helped us capture this memory. He asked us not to share this beach with anyone and I wouldn't know how even if I wanted to! We just drove around and parked alongside the coast. Never got the name of this beach.  One of the highlights of this day was when we drove through some low-hanging trees to get to this isolated camping spot. We parked our car rental, rolled down our windows, and just enjoyed the sound and smell of the waves. Day 3 - Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, 5h drive back to Kona, Hapuna Beach (not pictured)Most of this day was spent on the road. The rain was heavy this day. Our original plan was to visit Black Sand Beach, buy some snacks for the road, and visit Papakolea Beach (Green sand beach) at the southernmost point of the USA on our way back to Kona. Unfortunately, because of the flash floods and road closures, we had to take a FAT detour back to the northern part of the island. Needless to say, a 2h 30m drive ended up taking ~5h.  The sad truth about being the photographer is that you don't often get captured in photos. This is one of the rare ones from the trip.  I'm smiling, but really, these volcano rocks are slippery!  Silly guy who I'm lucky to call mine!  Never fails to make me laugh  I don't know how he makes it look so majestic. This area was full of flies, spiders, etc.  Not pictured: Brian trying not to fall into huge gaps.  Close up of the huge gaps.  Unapologetic, mandatory palm tree pic. Day 4 and 5 - Resort bummin' at Sheraton Kona, Boogie Boarding at Hapuna and Magic SandsNot much of these two days were documented. We just reaaaally enjoyed the amenities of the resort, soaked in the sun, and embraced the time.  Our favorite restaurant on the whole island - Teshima's. We visited this restaurant twice. Once for breakfast and once for lunch. We went to L&L's for dinner instead of going to Teshima's for a third time.  Look at its little tongue! It was licking off some ice cream that Brian accidentally spilled. These little guys come out of nowhere!!! This was the last photo I took on the trip. At the time of this photo, the weather was like 86 degrees - the warmest of all days since we were on the island.
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 The InspirationJapan has been on my travel bucket list for as long as I can remember. Advanced technology, clean streets, high fashion, Michelin restaurants, cherry blossoms, and the list goes on. These are the things I think of when I think of Japan, and these are exactly the reasons I was inspired to visit the beautiful country. LogisticsWith sakura season set for late March, Courtney and I each bought our flight tickets nearly 6 months in advance for ~$680 USD for a direct, round-trip flight. Sakura blooming is considered peak season, so I believe we got a good fare deal. Courtney and I budgeted $3000/person for our 2-week, self-guided tour of Japan, which included 5 major cities: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Hakone. We planned and booked everything by ourselves, which involved staying at 5 different hotels and heavily relying on the JR Train Pass to navigate the country. Our budget included airfare, lodging, transportation, food, shopping, and everything else in-between.  Immediately after arriving at the Narita airport in Chiba, I found myself amazed by the hospitality of the staff who work at the airport as well as the animated colorful machines, which were covered with cute characters and playful sound effects. The lines at customs were uniform and quiet, and the staff were extremely gentle and helpful. After existing the airport, Courtney and I quickly located the bullet train that would take us into Tokyo. While waiting on the platform, I couldn't help but think, "WOW. THE TRAIN IS MOVING SO FREAKIN FAST." An hour later, we arrived at the Shin-Okubo station, but it was no easy feat to de-board the sardine-packed train without knowledge of the Japanese language. With our bulky backpacks and luggages in-hand, Courtney paved the way as she pushed and shoved Japanese men in suits so that we wouldn't miss our station. In this moment, I realized that neither of us knew how to say basic things like "excuse me" and it made me feel so helpless and rude. I'd done research prior to our trip to determine if we can get by without knowing the Japanese language, and found many sources that said it's totally navigable. But in that moment, I felt more mute than I'd ever felt before. I felt a sense of what my parents must go through every day while they try to navigate America without knowing the language, and I became determined to learn how to say "excuse me." "Sumimasen" truly carried us through the rest of our trip. Staying at a Capsule in Tokyo For our first two nights, we stayed at the 9-Hours Capsule in Shinjuku. I'm so glad we stayed here in the beginning of the trip because we didn't have as much luggage to deal with. As you can imagine, there's no space for luggage in the sleeping pods. Each person is assigned a locker, which is the size of your typical gym locker. We had to constantly visit our lockers to retrieve belongings and gather things for a shower or a snack. Upon arrival, the first thing the staff gave us was a set of PJs, slippers, and shower essentials. We were required to wear this outfit in the pods. My guess is that it has to do with cleanliness. Everyone wore the same outfit and in a way, it felt like a prison cell. The pods and lockers were so close to one another. However! Everywhere is very, very quiet...the pods, locker room, bathroom, etc. One of the best things about staying at the 9-hour Capsule were the toilets. My goodness! Upon entering the private bathroom stalls, the toilet seat would automatically open as if it were smiling and greeting me. The interior of the toilet bowl lit up in color and a gentle, and calming music began to play. There were many controls available on the toilet including audio volume adjustment, nature sounds, and various spray settings. After finishing, the toilet bowl auto-flushed and released a puff of fragrance. It. Was. Amazing.  Would I do this again? No, because it's really just a one-time, check-off-the-bucket-list type of experience. I would also recommend staying here for only a night because to be honest, it was very suffocating and claustrophobic in the pods. There was no good air circulation and it was so quiet that I felt like I couldn't even sneeze. It also made it hard to hang out with Courtney because I couldn't talk out loud. I didn't even hear anyone attempt to speak in a whisper voice... that's how quiet it is. There was a lobby and hang out room, but still, not as comfortable as being able to talk as loud as you want in a comfortable, private setting. First meal in JapanThe first meal we ate in Japan were Korean-style cheese hot dogs from the streets. That was probably a good practice meal for us because boy, were we confused about how the heck to order food! Similar to the hot dog stand, Ichiran Ramen, which was our second meal, had a vending machine where you order food. If you don't read Japanese (like us), then you have to hope that the pictures are enough to describe the meal.
RamenAfter waiting in a long line for about 20 mins, we were led downstairs to another line. The second line was for the machine. It was super confusing how to use this and not intuitive how to insert the cash in. Much help was needed, but luckily, the staff at hand were extremely friendly and understanding. Afterwards, we get back in line with our receipt which has our order choice on it. We wait back in line until we see green dots light up on a seating board. Green means that there are seats available. Once inside the eating area, we each sat at our individual stalls, but right next to each other. We hand the receipt to another staff through a small window. They close the window. Literally no human interaction at all leading up to this point. There's even a tap water dispenser at each stall for you to serve yourself. There's also a button on each stall for you to call for assistance if need-be, but really, I didn't see anyone use it. After about 8 minutes, the cook behind the window opened it up and delivered the bowl of ramen, only a few seconds of interaction before again, closing the window. The whole experience had very limited human interaction and somehow, the service was one of the most spectacular I've ever had. Everything was timely, organized, and easy.
One of the days, we took several local buses to a district called Ichijoji, aka Ramen Ward in Kyoto. It felt like we spent 1h 30m in commute. There was a particular ramen shop that we planned to go to and when we arrived, there was a long line. Considering how many Japanese locals were in line, I assume that this place is very legit. They are known for their thick, gravy-consistency broth.
For our very last meal, we tried to experience 1 Michelin star ramen at Nakiryu, but by the time we arrived, they sold out of broth. Courtney and I walked over a few blocks and found a fusion ramen restaurant...it was quite interesting. I can't remember what it was called, but they served Italian pasta with a Japanese twist.  We ordered the carbonara ramen and a tomato-based ramen. They weren't bad, but for our last meal in Japan, I think we could've ended with something a little more memorable. Bars and Cafes on a Whole 'Nother Level
There are so many interesting bars and cafes in Tokyo. Hedgehogs, vibrators, maids, owls, etc. We tried them all. The most expensive one that we experienced was the maid cafe in Akihabara. We ordered two cups of dessert which came with one headband, a choice of song for a performance, a picture with the performers, and some stickers. This costed us nearly $60 USD. At the maid cafe, we had to mimic our server's gestures in exchange for our desserts. For example, Courtney ordered a bear-shaped dessert. When the server came to deliver it to her, Courtney had to say, "bear bear, roar!" It was an interesting experience, and definitely one for the books!  No Human Interaction HotelWe spent 6 nights in Kyoto. During this time, our home base was at The Grand Japaning in Omiya. 24 hours before check-in, we received an email from the hotel with instructions on how to check-in. The instruction included a key-in code, which we had to enter on an external key pad to enter the hotel. We discovered that the numbers and letters on this key pad shifted orders every time, which helps to prevent strangers from following and entering the hotel. Once the code is entered, the glass door automatically slides open and stays open long enough for us to get through. Then, it immediately shuts. To our surprise, there was no actual person at the reception desk. There was an iPad and a scanner device to copy identification documents. After checking ourselves in, we received another key-in code, which gave us entry into our actual hotel room. For the entire duration of our stay, I did not once encounter a human staff. Granted, housekeeping serviced our rooms, but we were always out exploring during the day, so we never actually got to see them. All in all, we had an incredible experience staying at the Japaning. The entire experience was completely automated, and extremely efficient. It made me wonder how much technology could really replace the workforce. I'm still grappling between whether this is a good or bad thing...but I have to admit, it was a pretty darn cool experience. Souvenir ShoppingThe best place to go souvenir shopping is at Don Quijote. There are literally so many Don Quijote locations all over Japan. My favorite was one in Kyoto. Here, Courtney and I spent 2 hours shopping for souvenirs. Everything from mochi and Tokyo Banana to pens can be found here. Even cosmetics and ointments. Nishiki Market The Japaning hotel was about a 15-minute walk away from the Nishiki Market entrance. Nearly everyday, we walked through the market. It mostly is a touristy shop, but that didn't stop us from going there. There are plenty of food stalls and shops that sold all types of knick knacks.  A pancake omlette that in my opinion, looks better than it tastes.  I couldn't get myself to eat these little octopus. I've realized that I cannot eat any once-living creature in its whole form.  During one of the nights in Kyoto, Courtney and I separated to do our own thing. I went to get a massage (really needed one after walking miles every day) while Courtney went to shop for souvenirs. I can't remember the name of the massage facility I went to, but they specialize in sports therapy. It was amaaaazing. They really took the time to knead all of my knots while making sure that I wasn't in pain. Trying the Buzzfeed Famous, Kichi Kichi Omurice Egg
I learned about the kichi kichi omurice from a friend's Instagram story. Months before our trip, I made reservations for this restaurant, which is extremely limited and competitive. The chef that you see in these photos became famous after he aired on Buzzfeed and YouTube. His restaurant seats only a handful of customers...maybe 12? So, if anyone is able to snatch a seat, they are considered lucky! Our reservations were for lunchtime and we made sure to arrive a little early in case our seats were given away as I remember reading in an article about this happening to other customers before. Since the omurice is their most well-known dish, Courtney and I each ordered one. One of the excitements of eating at Kichi Kichi is the show that comes with the chef preparing the omurice. The chef was so animated and enthusiastic, I could feel his energy without understanding what he was saying. I wish I could say that the omurice itself lived up to the hype, but in my opinion, it did not. The texture of the omlette was extremely soft and fluffy, and I could taste yolk in every bite. However, the rice and gravy didn't settle well with my taste buds. The rice was a bit mushy, and I think it was because it was fresh rice. I personally fried rice with day-old rice as it adds a tough, chewy texture. The gravy was a bitter, and I could not remove the bitter taste from the rest of the dish. All in all, Kichi Kichi was a fantastic experience as I'd never eaten or seen such a perfectly formed omlette before, but in terms of taste, I've had better omlettes before... Monkeys in Arashayima One of my favorite days in Kyoto was when we went to Arashayima. This was an all-day adventure for us. I remember us having to take a train and bus to get to Arashayima. And along the way, there were lots of Japanese families also headed to Arashayima, so I believe that this is a popular for tourists and locals alike. Visiting the monkeys requires a small hike up to a mountain. There was a small fee required to enter. The hike is well-maintained and there is enough space on the path for rests. However, there were some stairs and steep slopes involved, so I would not recommend for those with limited mobility or difficulty breathing.  Tourists can feed monkeys from a building that has an entry / exit for both humans and monkeys. The monkeys are not caged! Once we arrived at the top of the mountain, the view was incredible! And immediately, we saw monkeys everywhere. They were not caged since this is their natural habitat. I could spend hours just hanging at this mountain and observing the monkeys. Their behaviors are so alike to humans...the way they open shells, play with other monkeys, and etc. I was so amused by their playfulness and curiosities. Arashayima Bamboo Forest is OverratedNot too far from the monkeys was the bamboo forest which had free admission. This place was extremely crowded, which made it hard to enjoy. If I were to visit the bamboo forest again, I would aim to come early in the morning.  There were a lot of working photographers pushing around traditional Japanese rickshaws and tourists crowding the forest. Quickly into the forest, we realized pretty quickly that it wasn't worth the struggle to snap the perfect picture, so Courtney and I really tried to embrace the experience. We visited in March and it was really cold. I highly recommend layering up if you plan to visit Japan during this time of the year. Shrining in Every Possible Way At the Fushimi Inari Taisha (red tori) shrine It's hard to go to Japan and not visit at least one shrine. In fact, shrines are everywhere and you would have to be intentionally avoiding them to miss them. Shrines are a sacred place for people to pray for good fortune and pay their respect. Since they are a sacred place, visitors are expected to behave in a respectful way. There is a proper way to shrine which includes cleansing your body at the water pavilion right before entering the main shrine. The most popular, touristy shrines will have directions on how to use the ladle to cleanse yourself. The general rule of thumb is to scoop up water with the ladle using your right hand and pour it over your left hand over the drain. Do not pour the water back into the water tub. Then, switch hands and wash your right hand. Finally, take some water in your left hand and rinse your mouth, but don't swallow! Spit it out into the drain. Rinse the ladle with the remaining water. Voila! You may now enter the shrine.  At the Kamomiya-Jinja Shrine  Courtney hanging her fortune at the Kamomiya-Jinja Shrine  To be honest, after a while, the shrines that we visited began to feel very similar. We planned to visit more than we did. When I go back to Japan, I'd visit 1-2 shrines and call it good. There are so many sights to visit in Japan, that I wouldn't scope too many shrines. For example, I wish we'd done more of was attending local festivals and taste testing tea!  At Dotonbori, which is a lively entertainment area known for its neon lights and variety of restaurants and bars. Osaka is known as a human scale of Tokyo, but significantly cheaper. The city is all about great food (lots of it!), and shopping. We took a day trip to Osaka from Kyoto since the two cities are fairly close and we didn't want to lug around our bulky luggage to another hotel. The train ride between took roughly 1h 30m, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was quite relaxing to sit on the train since we had done so much walking by this point; and it was comforting to look out the window and observe the beautiful scenery.  There are so many street alleys in Dotonburi. This had was lined with restaurants with flashy neon lights.  Courtney at Dotonbori I went to a Sumo Match We were fortunate to have visited Japan during the Sumo tournament dates. I was thrilled to have gotten tickets to one of the sumo events because securing tickets seemed to be as competitive as the actual match itself! Each ticket allows all-day entry for the date purchased. Courtney and I purchased the bleachers level, but since we arrived fairly early, the auditorium was practically empty. This gave us the opportunity to sit closer to the action and at one point, we sat on the blue mats. Quickly into the first match, I started to feel queasy. I could hear the loud breathing from the wrestlers and see blood being being shot out here and there. I realized pretty quickly that I don't like watching people get hurt and although that's not the intended goal of a sumo match, wrestlers surely do get injured from the sport. The judges are dressed in a black robe and are seated at each side of the stage. I presumed that they were previously sumo wrestlers themselves. There were referees who would rotate after every few matches. They were dressed in traditional Japanese attire and heard announcing comments. I could not understand them, but it was very rhythmic and rehearsed. The entire auditorium was quiet besides the vocals of the referee and the loud breathing of the wrestlers. Cup Noodle MuseumAlthough a touristy location, I observed many local Japanese visit the Cup Noodle Museum as well. In fact, there were groups of young children visiting the museum--it looked as though they were on a class field trip. Oh how I wish I got to go on such a field trip growing up! Visiting the Cup Noodle Museum was personally one of the highlights of the trip. With free admission, we got to learn about the history of Cup Noodles and make our own Cup Noodles for a small fee. I believe it costed $3 USD per cup? Possibly less. We toured the museum and also noticed that they was a kitchen for a cooking class. Unfortunately, the cooking class was full, but it looked like so much fun.  I decided to make Cup Noodles for two of my sisters whose birthdays are in March. After decorating their cups, I got to choose the seasoning and toppings for each cup. The options were endless. They were seafood, pork, veggies, and more. Above is a sequence of photos that demonstrate how my cups were sealed. So cool!
 We had so much fun creating our own custom Cup Noodles. Highly recommend!  We didn't really do much in Nara besides visiting the deer park. By this point in our trip, we were both exhausted and feeling a bit homesick. I think 10 days may have been too long for us as we found ourselves repeating some events like visiting shrines and shopping. We did lots of shopping! To get ourselves back on our feet, we decided to take a day trip to Nara from Kyoto. At the deer park, you can buy thin crackers to feed the deer. They're very accustomed to the smell of these crackers and the moment I had them in-hand, they came rushing towards me. Deer are harmless animals, but I still freaked out because there were so many of them and only one of me. Since it was so cold that day, Courtney and I didn't stay too long at the park. We walked around the nearby food stalls and got ourselves some warm tea. So where was the Sakura?One of the main sights we wanted to see were the cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, we missed the full bloom by a few days. The anticipated full bloom would take place after we left Japan. However! We still got to see and eat (yes, eat!) sakura--mostly in the form of desserts. Below are some photos of us at the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo. It was absolutely beautiful. For a small fee, we got to roam around the national park which was filled with locals of all ages laughing, picnicking, and embracing the beauty of the Sakura.     Sayonora, Japan!Japan has stolen a piece of my heart that I can't fully describe. Everything about this beautiful country is gravitating--the train station malls, ramen, wagyu, neon lights, onsens, surrounding mountains, and more. I am so grateful for the opportunity to visit and will surely be back in no time. Huge shoutout to Courtney for being one of my dearest travel buddies and friend. This trip wouldn't have been the same without you :) Until next time, Japan!
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 In front of a random flower shop |  @ Chocolats Favoris |
After we dropped off our luggage at the hotel, we walked around downtown Victoria. My first impression is that the city is very royal. I've never been to Europe before, but it reminded me of parts of Europe that I've seen in pictures. There were lots of brick builds, lamp-shaped tall street lights, red/green Christmas decorations, horse carriages, and chilly weather.
We were mostly trying to kill time while we waited to go to the Buchart Gardens. We walked by a beautiful flower shop and many cute shops. The photo on top is of Brian in front of the flower shop.
On our walk, we came across this restaurant called Pagliaccis. I immediately thought about the Pagliaccis back home, which is a pizza place. So I thought, "hmm, ok, Italian sounds good." We were immediately seated. The restaurant was loud and filled with guests. It felt like a local favorite because of the artwork that was hung up and how busy it was.
We were mostly trying to kill time while we waited to go to the Buchart Gardens. We walked by a beautiful flower shop and many cute shops. The photo on top is of Brian in front of the flower shop.
On our walk, we came across this restaurant called Pagliaccis. I immediately thought about the Pagliaccis back home, which is a pizza place. So I thought, "hmm, ok, Italian sounds good." We were immediately seated. The restaurant was loud and filled with guests. It felt like a local favorite because of the artwork that was hung up and how busy it was.
 Art wall at Pagliaccis |  Pasta and Caesar Salad |
Brian and I decided to order our own meals. I can't remember what my dish was called but it had scallops and prosciutto. It was meh. Brian's pasta was also meh. The caeser salad tasted better than the actual pasta in my opinion.
Holiday Lights at the Buchart Gardens - $123 CAD
Brian and I in an ornament
We purchased a coach ride + admission tickets to the Buchart Gardens through Clipper Vacations. Since we didn't have a car, going with a tour company made most sense. The other option was to take a cab, which would've costed ~$80 one way. Buchart Gardens is located about 35 minutes away from Downtown Victoria. Besides the blasted AC on the Clipper coach bus, the ride was smooth. I was able to take a nap and woke up right when we arrived around 2:45 pm. At this time, it wasn't dark enough to enjoy all of the magical holiday lights, but we still liked walking around with our cups of latte.
There was also a small ice skating rink, but we didn't go in since neither of us could skate very well. We really didn't want to fall on our asses in front of a bunch of Canadians who are born to ice skate. I had just as much fun watching them skate because it looked so effortless and beautiful. Since the bus ride back to downtown wasn't until 5 pm, Brian and I decided to do a half loop around the park to enjoy the lights one last time now that it was dark enough. I have to admit...we were kind of noobs to go so early because around 5 pm was when the crowd started go enter. This was when the lights were most magical.
There was also a small ice skating rink, but we didn't go in since neither of us could skate very well. We really didn't want to fall on our asses in front of a bunch of Canadians who are born to ice skate. I had just as much fun watching them skate because it looked so effortless and beautiful. Since the bus ride back to downtown wasn't until 5 pm, Brian and I decided to do a half loop around the park to enjoy the lights one last time now that it was dark enough. I have to admit...we were kind of noobs to go so early because around 5 pm was when the crowd started go enter. This was when the lights were most magical.
Buchart Gardens at sunset
Afternoon Tea at the Pendray Tea House - $56 CAD
@ Pendray Tea House
The next morning, we went to experience our very first afternoon tea at the Pendray Tea House, which is also the site of a Gatsby hotel named the Huntingdon Manor. It's conveniently located across the road from the Clipper Vacations, which made it very easy to spot since I had noticed it after departing the vessel yesterday.
I made reservations for 11 am, although reservations aren't necessary since we were the only guests present at check-in. It wasn't until noon that other guests started to trickle in. My boyfriend and I decided to share one order of the Winter Tea which costed $56 CAD. I was quite surprised at this price since I was told that Pendray's afternoon tea was more affordable than the world famous Fairmont Empress'. Pendray was only slightly cheaper by a few bucks. We decided to share since our server informed us that one order of a 3-tier tea should be enough.
I made reservations for 11 am, although reservations aren't necessary since we were the only guests present at check-in. It wasn't until noon that other guests started to trickle in. My boyfriend and I decided to share one order of the Winter Tea which costed $56 CAD. I was quite surprised at this price since I was told that Pendray's afternoon tea was more affordable than the world famous Fairmont Empress'. Pendray was only slightly cheaper by a few bucks. We decided to share since our server informed us that one order of a 3-tier tea should be enough.
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Imagine cold sandwiches and cute little desserts. This is essentially afternoon tea anywhere you go. Our order came with Red Christmas Tea which was a very soothing choice. It wasn't too herbal nor cinnamon-y. It was just right for the holiday theme. The whole experience felt very regal. From the antiques of the tableware and fine china to the crowning around the perimeter of the ceiling. Since we were the only guests in the restaurant, I felt like royalty. We were left alone to eat - the server didn't stop by too frequently which I actually appreciated because it gave us more intimacy.
Overall, the price you pay is not for the food, but more for the royal experience and great service. We took it up an extra notch by dressing up, but I noticed guests who were dressed very casual. It really depends on how you want to embrace the environment. Since it was our anniversary weekend, we made it more of a formal event.
Overall, the price you pay is not for the food, but more for the royal experience and great service. We took it up an extra notch by dressing up, but I noticed guests who were dressed very casual. It really depends on how you want to embrace the environment. Since it was our anniversary weekend, we made it more of a formal event.
45-min Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride around Beacon Hill Park - $85.68 USD
Betty, our beautiful horse
Craigdarroch Castle - $20.68 USD
Really felt like we were in the setting of a horror movie
For a taste of what privileged life was like in the early 1890s, we went on a self-guided tour at the Craigdarroch Castle. It first belonged to Robert Dunsmuir, who was at one point, the richest and most important man in Western Canada. There are artifacts around the house that detail his family's fortune and history. For someone who's not into history, this tour was quite interesting. I think it's because of all of the drama that occurred in the family and the many functions of the mansion thereafter. Before it was restored into a Victorian castle and the Dunsmuir's home, it was once a hospital and school.
Summary Itinerary of our Trip
SATURDAY, DAY 1
SUNDAY, DAY 2
MONDAY, DAY 3
- Check in Victoria Clipper @ 7AM
- Ferry departure @ 8AM
- Arrive in Victoria @ 10:45AM
- Store luggage @ Parkside
- Head to Buchart Gardens (they have an ice skating rink) @ 2PM
- Check in @ Parkside anytime after 4PM
- Hang out at/around hotel
SUNDAY, DAY 2
- Afternoon tea at the Pendray @ 11AM
- Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride in Beacon Hill Park @ 1:30pm
- Craigdarroch Castle (open daily from 10am - 4:30pm)
- Walk around Downtown and Chinatown
MONDAY, DAY 3
- Check in Victoria Clipper @11AM
- Ferry departure @12PM
- Arrive in Seattle @ 2:45PM
When flights dropped to $200 per person, Ellen and I hopped on the opportunity to go to the world's largest hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The trip was 6 days long, but we really only had 4 full days to spend in the state. What started as an adventure to witness hundreds of hot air balloons turned into a 6-day adventure to embrace slot canyons, New Mexican pueblos, white sands, hot springs, adobada, and more.
We also went to Santa Fe on our trip, but didn't document any of our activities. In total, I spent less than $750 USD for the entire trip. I would describe myself as a budget traveler. It helped that I have a national park pass, so many of the outdoor attractions that we visited were included in the pass, which costs $80 USD.
Below are mostly pictures describing the sites we visited. I've also created a short video, which details some of the local experiences that we went on.
We also went to Santa Fe on our trip, but didn't document any of our activities. In total, I spent less than $750 USD for the entire trip. I would describe myself as a budget traveler. It helped that I have a national park pass, so many of the outdoor attractions that we visited were included in the pass, which costs $80 USD.
Below are mostly pictures describing the sites we visited. I've also created a short video, which details some of the local experiences that we went on.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument - Included in America the Beautiful Pass
Our Airbnb host, Casey, provided a ton of recommendations for us to check out. We told him that we are both outdoor enthusiasts who aren't super athletic, but appreciate the good nature. On the top of his list was the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks, which was only 1 hour away from the Airbnb in Albuquerque. When we arrived, there was a line of cars waiting to get through the first gates, which is also where you pay for admission. The ranger here told us that the park closes at 4pm, so we were quite nervous since we got there pretty late. All we wanted to see were the slot canyons, so we took our chances by waiting. A miracle must've happened, because not only did we get inside of the park, but also made it pretty far before a ranger turned us around.
If you visit, bring at least a bottle of water because it was so dry and hot when we visited in early October. We spent about 1 hour here.
If you visit, bring at least a bottle of water because it was so dry and hot when we visited in early October. We spent about 1 hour here.
Old Town Albuquerque - Free
Old Town is a touristy spot with shops, restaurants, and souvenir stores. We visited a rattlesnake museum here. Parking was quite difficult during the fiesta season, but we parked across the street at a Walgreens. In total, we spent about 1.5 hours here.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta - $16.50 per person
Ellen and I decided to ditch the car and buy the admission that came with shuttle transfers. After extensive research, we found that people have gotten stuck in traffic while on their way to the fiesta and unfortunately missing the whole show. We didn't want that to happen to us. There were many locations to board a shuttle, which was actually a yellow school bus. We went to one of the stops at the mall, which must've had at least 50 or so yellow school buses. It seemed endless.
We went to the fiesta on the very first day that it opened, and the shuffling of people onto the buses were a bit unorganized as I think the staff members were trying to figure out an efficient structure. We arrived about 15 minutes before the buses were supposed to depart. There were plenty of parking available at the mall.
When we arrived, we managed to go straight into the fiesta without ticket validations. I'm not sure if it was because we arrived on a shuttle or if it was because the staff were still trying to arrange a validation system.
We went to the fiesta on the very first day that it opened, and the shuffling of people onto the buses were a bit unorganized as I think the staff members were trying to figure out an efficient structure. We arrived about 15 minutes before the buses were supposed to depart. There were plenty of parking available at the mall.
When we arrived, we managed to go straight into the fiesta without ticket validations. I'm not sure if it was because we arrived on a shuttle or if it was because the staff were still trying to arrange a validation system.
The first time we went to the fiesta, the balloons didn't lift off nor inflate due to weather conditions. Ellen and I stayed as long as we could until it became too cold. On the first day, we just laid on the grass, ate lots of yummy food, and walked around the site. Once we felt like we had enough, we just hopped back onto the shuttle.
Our second attempt at the fiesta also resulted in no lift off, but at least they inflated! We got to walk around hundreds of balloons to take pictures. Since there was no lift off yesterday, we were able to reuse our same tickets to get on the shuttle and enter the park.
Can you tell that the balloons inflated AND lifted by Ellen's excited expression? It only took 3 attempts to finally witness what originally motivated this trip. To be honest, we were very tired and beginning to lose hope in the balloons lifting off, but we felt that it was necessary to give it at least one more try before completely giving up. We managed to squeeze in another attempt right before we headed to the White Sands. This time, we drove to the site and somehow managed to get free parking and admission. The ticket booth staff scanned our original tickets and let us in. I think it was still "free" because the balloons didn't lift off on the previous day.
Lessons from my experience:
- Keep your ticket because you can keep reusing it if the balloons don't lift off
- Give yourself 2-3 days to spend at the fiesta because the show is weather permitting
Lessons from my experience:
- Keep your ticket because you can keep reusing it if the balloons don't lift off
- Give yourself 2-3 days to spend at the fiesta because the show is weather permitting
Petroglyph National Monument - Included in America the Beautiful Pass
The Petroglyph National Monument wasn't as fascinating as I thought it'd be. It's pretty small. Some of the petroglyphs were questionable since they were images of Hello Kitty and other modern characters. When we arrived, there was a shuttle driver volunteering to bring people to the bottom of one of the sites so that we didn't have to walk there. It's a nice gesture, especially for disabled visitors. I remember it being extremely windy here. We spent about 30 minutes here.
Riverbend Hot Springs - $12 per person
If you find yourself going to the White Sands National Monument, make sure you add a stop in Truth or Consequences to your itinerary. You won't regret it. Our Airbnb hosts told us about Riverbend Hotsprings in T or C and we made sure to stop by. After many days of adventure, a relaxing break was very much needed. It only costed $12 for the property pass which included 1 hour admission to any the common grounds, sauna, and hot springs. The facility even had a changing room which came with 3 showers and plenty of clean towels.
The springs were incredibly relaxing. The area we hung out at overlooked the river and mountains. We wish we could've spent more time here, but we spent about 1.5 hours including showers.
The springs were incredibly relaxing. The area we hung out at overlooked the river and mountains. We wish we could've spent more time here, but we spent about 1.5 hours including showers.
White Sands National Monument - Included in America the Beautiful Pass
We unfortunately visited the White Sands on a fairly cold day. It was also cloudy. The pictures didn't turn out so nice, so we didn't try too hard to take pictures because we wanted to embrace feel the whole experience. It was cold and chilly, but that didn't stop others from changing outfits and taking photos. Ellen and I went to Target the day before to buy some objects for us to sled down the sand on. We ended up with cardboard Halloween trays that we later converted into a flat surface. It didn't work. Thankfully, a kind lady who was leaving the park gave us her bright orange sled that she purchased at the souvenir shop. That also didn't work. Nonetheless, the place was beautiful and we spent a lot of time appreciating the surroundings. We spent about 1 hour here.
It was really hard to slide down any of the sands at the park. I'm not sure how people manage to... The sand was really soft on the foot but hard at the same time. It was also kind of hardened by the cold weather. It's not as lush as it looks in pictures.
Check out the video! It's less than 5 minutes long.
Summary of Trip Itinerary
Day 1 - October 4
Day 2 - October 5
Day 3 - October 6
Day 4 - October 7
Day 5 - October 8
Day 6 - October 9
- Fly to Albuquerque
Day 2 - October 5
- Explore Albuquerque and surroundings for the day
- Sandia Peak Tramway ( $25 RT for adults)
- Northeast Heights (breaking bad scene)
- Java Joes (CAFE)
- Old Town area - FREE
- Bike rentals/tour - (www.routesrentals.com) $15/hr
- Bike thru Paseo Del Bosque Trail (free)
Day 3 - October 6
- Petroglyph National Monument (15m from downtown Albuquerque) - FREE
- Tent Rocks
- Taos Pueblo
- Bandelier
- OR Carlsbad Caverns ($12 per person)
- Balloon festival at dawn (starts at 1:30 PM, ends at 8:00 PM)
Day 4 - October 7
- Balloon festival at sunrise (starts at 6:00 AM, ends at 11:00 AM)
- Explore Santa Fe (1h 5m, 64.6 miles from downtown Albuquerque)
- Wander New Mexico
- Meow Wolf ($22) neon lights, augmented reality show
- Spanish Market/ Farmers Market/ Travelers Market
- Santa Fe Bandstand
- Or we can skip the festival and go to Santa Fe and Taos
- Taos Pueblo
- Ojo Caliente (spa resort that is also open to day visitors)
- Rio Grande Gorge - there are hot springs and we can go water rafting, etc
Day 5 - October 8
- Riverbend Hot Springs
- White Sands National Monument (3h 35m, 226 miles from downtown Albuquerque)
- Overnight
Day 6 - October 9
- Breakfast at hotel
- Leave White Sand National Monument by 9 AM (it takes 3.5 hours to get back to Albuquerque)
- Return car rental
- Fly to Seattle
I've always been a very curious and reflective person, and this blog serves as place for me to track and share some of those thoughts. Lately, I've been sharing more about travel, so follow along if you're interested in learning tips & tricks or just want inspo.
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