
Every New Year’s Eve we tend to reflect on the passing year. The good, the bad, the changes and challenges. This past year has been so much more than anything we could put into words. It has been nothing like we had imagined it would be. While 2015 has been so much harder, more frustrating and less fun than we thought it would be when we set off on this full time travel journey, it has also let us see more of our families than we normally would have, gain more perspective on what it is we want our lives to be about and has allowed us to remain tanned longer than any Canadian summer would naturally allow.
We definitely have a few standout moments from 2015. Enjoy!
This photo holds so much sentiment. The best cat in the world, magically learned how to walk on a leash the day that our house went for sale. I started taking her for walks in the park when potential purchasers came to view the house. She was such a beautiful cat (R.I.P April/2015)
We spent March through May in Florida. There were so many great memories from that time but we spent more of our days wandering Turkey Creek Sanctuary than anything else. We saw something new every time we went. There were turtles, manatees, raccoons, tortoises, spiders, flowers, dragonflies, bees and so much greenery! Some days we planned to spend an hour there and somehow an entire afternoon would disappear.
We left Florida with the intention of road-tripping all the way back up to Canada. Unfortunately, our first bump in the road was a blown motor in our car. We left it North Carolina, right after the mountain picture below was taken.
Nova Scotia welcomed us with open arms. From beautiful sunsets on Evangaline beach to thinking about seeing a lady slipper and then finding a whole field of them! We enjoyed time with family, backyard trampolines and super sweet smores!
We did a rushed road tripped from Nova Scotia to Alberta, stopping in Quebec City, Ottawa, Sioux St.Marie. We did a hike in Lake Superior Provincial Park before driving long hours all the way to Edmonton.
This fireworks photo represents most of our time in Calgary, we consider it a mini celebration. After only 4 months of leaving we were back for a month. We spent time with friends, celebrated birthdays, new babies, yoga training, hiking and of course, the Calgary Stampede. But most of all, this photo represents that time I lost my friend’s dog…don’t worry, it has a happy ending. But this is the fireworks display Curtis took while I faced the opposite direction is search of the dog that just ran away from me.
Hiking to Abbots Pass Hut is one of most memorable and beautiful hikes we done…ever! The Canadian Rockies are amazing.
And then there was Colombia. A learning experience for sure. The place where we learned that we miss mountains, we don’t like too much heat or humidity and the Spanish language is really hard!
After Colombia we found ourselves in Florida again. Curtis practiced pet sitting while my mom and I enjoyed a fantastic cruise to The Bahamas.
The only thing we disliked about Barcelona was that I was sick the entire time, and Curtis had some serious food poisoning that lasted about 24 hours. Aside from that we still went out and explored in the short 4 days we had there. It is a place we will visit again. The best memory we have from our time there is the amazing street performing talent the city has to offer.
The end of our year has been spent on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Which is located just off the coast of Morocco. It’s an island with huge diversity. We’ve seen lush forests, tall pine forests, cactus forests, thick greenery and stark sand dunes. The water is crystal clear and the coast is rocky. We’ve climbed dormant volcanoes, odd rock formations, walked coastal paths and botanical garden trails. We’ve visited the two cities and many small towns. The island is small but there is definitely something for everyone.
What a year it has been! We didn’t realize just how many great things we did in 2015 until we started going through all of our photos. Sometimes all you need is a little perspective.
- Hiking Provence: Montagne Sainte Victoire - May 23, 2017
- Lyon, France: My Favorite Little City - March 29, 2017
- Adventure Guide: Hiking on Gran Canaria Island, Spain - February 16, 2017