2013 TRAVEL DESTINATIONS

According to the Travel section of the NY Times, there are 46 places wanderlusters HAVE to go in 2013. It's cool because I have been to some of these places or will be going there sometime this year. Some places I plan to go when I move to South America in a year.

Get your suitcases packed and plane tickets printed: 
1. Rio de Janiero, Brazil (next year)
2. Marseille 
3. Nicaragua (next year)
4. Accra, Ghana 
5. Bhutan
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands (in two months!)
7. Houston, Texas (this summer!)
8. Rossland, British Columbia
9. New Delhi, India (maybe this winter)
10. Istanbul, Turkey (maybe this fall)
11. Singapore
12. Montenegro
13. White Salmon River, Washington (been there!)
14. Hvar, Croatia (been there!)
15. Mongolia
16. The Big Island, Hawaii (maybe next spring)
17. Philippines (very soon, I have family there)
18. Vernazza, Italy
19. The Kimberley, Australia (when I move there in 2015)
20. Ningxia, China
21. The Adirondacks, New York
22. Oslo, Norway (very soon)
23. Constantia, South Africa (I want to!)
24. Lithuania
25. Burgos, Spain
26. Lens, France
27. Changbaishan, China
28. Porto, Portugal (maybe in the summer)
29. Puerto Rico
30. Koh Phangan, Thailand
31. Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka
32. Jackson Hole, Wyoming (maybe in the summer)
33. Bangkok, Thailand (sometime this year!)
34. The Jeseniky, Czech Republic (been there!)
35. Waiheke, New Zealand
36. Yucatan, Mexico (been there!)
37. Charlevoix, Quebec
38. Pecs, Hungary
39. Republic of Congo (the post for later today!)
40. Ireland (been there! maybe going back this year)
41. Getaria, Spain
42. Mergui Islands, Myanmar
43. The Falkland Islands
44. Washington D.C. (been there...way too many times ;) )
45. Casablanca, Morocco (hopefully for my birthday week this year!)
46. Paris, France (been there! going back in June)

Where are you going this year? Where do you want to go this year? I'm just itching to book plane tickets...

Travel on wanderlusters and keep an eye out for the Congo post later today!

LAOS

Laos...I actually have a friend from Laos back in the U.S. I never knew about the country until I met him...embarrassing for a travel fanatic such as myself. Then again, that was loooong ago (not an excuse, I know). Oh, oh, oh! Traveling with Wanderlust is now on Instagram, as of last night! Follow traveling_with_wanderlust for blog updates, new posts and beautiful pictures of the world!

Laos is an Asian country that is surrounded by Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia and Thailand (where I was supposed to be this week, insert crying face here). The official name is "Muang Lao" or "Pathet Lao", which translates to "Lao Country". The capital is Vientiane with the national language being Lao and a population of about 6,288,037 people...that's alotta people! 

The currency is called 'Lao kips'. I was looking at prices and saw that entrance into several tourist destinations were 20,000 kips...my jaw dropped and I was like WHAT!? That sounds so much! Then I did a conversion to USD and 20,000 kips was about $2.87. Okay, that's nothing, just all those zeros set me off there for a moment. Imagine how much money you would have a tourist in one week there...hopefully there aren't any muggings or purse snatching. 

Luang Prabang was the capital before Vientiane, it's a small city that is one of Laos' main tourist attractions. The journey between the capital and Luang Prabang reveals some hidden gems of it's own: the Kong Lor caves, rivers in pure nature and isolation and elephants in Shangri Lao. Once in Luang Prabang, some of the popular tourist spots are: Alms ceremony (the monks of the city collect alms of rice at 6:00 AM from kneeling villagers and tourists); Haw Kham (a royal palace turned museum); Phou SI (city's main hill with spectacular views); Mekong sunset walks; Vat Xieng Toung (the oldest monastery) and the Vipassana golden temple (all inclusive with a park!) Also, cooking classes for recipes to make Laos cuisine once you are back home are popular and the Night Market is a must go for tourists looking for a little something to remind them of their trip to Luang Prabang, Laos. 

Outside Luang Prabang, the Tad Sae Waterfalls, Pak Ou Caves, Tad Thong Waterfalls and Nature Trails, Bear Rescue Centre and Kuang Si Falls are popular with tourists. If you spend the day outside the city, one can spend the evening at Laos Red Cross Massage, at one of the several libraries or you can continue to explore the city, not on foot but by a rented motorbike! To rest your head, accommodation is surprisingly cheap...now it's not your average four or five star place but some do offer free WiFi, free home-cooked meals and livable conditions for anywhere between $2-$20 USD per night. Booking my flight now!

Back to Vientiane...some of the most hyped tourist spots are: the Lao National Museum; Patuxai (the Victory Gate); COPE Visitor Center; The Art of Silk; Kaysone Phomvihane Museum; Lao People's Army History Museum and the Memorial of past president Souphanouvong. Popular temples and stupas include: Wat Si Saket; Hophakaew Museum; Black Stupa; Pha That Luang; Wat Si Muang; Wats Onteu; Inpeng; Mixay and Haisok. 

Buddha Park is also one of the most famous destinations in Vientiane with incredible Buddha and Hindu statues. Now, if you aren't into the whole going places to see things type of vacation, some must to-do's in Vientiane include: a once a month Monk Chat, the Green Discovery Laos, kayaking, zip-lining, nature park explorations, picnics on the Nam Ngum Lake, Lao massages (YES, please!), kickboxing- Laos style, meditation (yes, as well!), tours on bikes and enjoying yourself at one of the two spas: Adina Spa or Champa Spa. 

Calling all foodies out there, the food there is well known for it's taste (delicious!) and how relatively cheap it is. The average meal can run anywhere from 7,000 kip to 60,000+ kips. Accommodation is the same, for cheap, just somewhere to rest your head type of places, you can expect to pay around 25,000 kips a night and for some what more luxurious places, anywhere from 60,000 to 400,000+ kips. When you are enjoying your meal, whether it be at the place you are staying or one of the many restaurants, be aware of the water you are drinking there though, there is water called "water without fishes": meaning the fishes have literally been removed, but nothing else...

Now on to safety, it's always in the back of our minds, a midst all the excitement for seeing a new place and taking it all in. Vientiane is relatively safe, however tourists should keep an eye out for pimps (usually in taxi cabs), the gyms (if you have children, there is no watch staff there by the pools), swimming (picking up parasites can happen), dogs (some have rabies in this area), mosquito-borne diseases (no malaria but dengue is a threat in the rainy seasons especially) and again, the water is not the cleanest around (unless you buy a water bottle, of course). 

There you have it! Laos- Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Are any of you wanderlusters headed there next? I sure wish I was...anything for a vacation...and to an Asia country, a continent I have yet to explore but will very soon!


For tomorrow's post, we will be exploring Argentina in South America! Travel on wanderlusters!

A Full Plate

Again, I have been MIA...apologies, apologies! 

This semester of uni with a side of a big girl job, an internship, reporter for student newspaper, new gym commitment, friends and the need of sleep has my plate almost as full as a Thanksgiving dinner plate...maybe even a little more filled. I find myself super exhausted and in the few moments I have to myself in a week I catch up on my TV shows or have True Blood and Sex and the City marathons in my bed with a hot cup of peppermint tea. Being sick on top of everything has also been the cherry on top.

So, that's why I have been MIA. I have been meaning to write a post but I always end up passing out face down on my key board when I get home from uni or work. I'm starting to get into the routine of things again so more posts will be coming again. I never wrote my Berlin post....ahhh! Still need to do that and I will...soon....

It's such a beautiful, warm-ish, sunny day in Prague but I am stuck inside doing uni work and a research paper. The only good thing is that I am also applying to my dream internship (other than the one I currently have) which is at the National Geographic headquarters this summer. So excited and my fingers are triple crossed! I also applied for a spring 2014 study abroad in Seoul, South Korea; Montevideo, Uruguay and in California. I should find out if I was accepted in the next week or two. 

I'm trying to set up some travel plans with friends and so far we have a list of places we WILL go before 2013 ends: Thailand, Hong Kong or China, St. Petersburg in Russia and Egypt. Still in the works though. Looking at the time between August and December since I have university and work until the end of May then my best friend from the States is coming for a 3-4 week 'euro-trip' as I mentioned in previous posts. Can it be the end of May already? Oh!! We are also looking at attending the World Cup in Brazil next summer- about 95% that we are going, just need to buy the plane tickets and find somewhere to stay.

Have any of you wanderlusters been to Brazil? I've always wanted to go and especially to Rio de Janeiro. 

Happy Tuesday and travel on wanderlusters!

P.S. I found this on Pinterest the other morning, I thought it was so cute and relatable! 

Just One of Those...

Nights where you can't sleep no matter what you do? Yeah...that was my night last night after tossing and turning for a few hours I decided to watch catch up on some Homeland and Vampire Diaries and I instantly passed out. Well, for only about 4 hours but something is better than nothing right?

I'm staring outside as I type and it's really yucky and depressing out. I miss the sunshine and warm weather...never thought I would say I miss the warm weather because I am definitely a cold weather type of person. Hmph, I blame it on Europe! Haha.

Well, I promised my friend I would take him up to the Prague Castle, snow or no snow, today so that's what I'll be doing a majority of my day and I promised you wanderlusters that I would post some pictures of Prague in the snow! Bear in mind it will be some dreary, gray/dark pictures but you'll get the jist of Prague winter beauty :) Despite how beautiful Prague is in the winter, I am dreaming of Thailand...only 2 more months until Bangkok and Phuket Bay beaches.

P.S. I started my internship with CollegeFashionista.com, for those of you who haven't heard about it, CHECK IT OUT! But my first post went live and my wanderlusters should check out the fashion-loving side of my writing! I convinced my best friend to do a mini photo-shoot for me in my backyard and now she's the face of my first CF article! http://www.collegefashionista.com/shelleahpedersen/style-advice-of-the-week-these-boots-were-made-for-spikes/

P.S.S. ONE WEEK UNTIL ROME!!

Travel on wanderlusters!

The Second-to-Last Day of 2012

The days are flying by and right when I'm in bed each night I think "Ah I need to post on the blog n....tomorrow..." then tomorrow comes and well, you get it.

But I am posting now in the spare few minutes I have to myself since being home for some of winter break. I'm so excited to be going back already, mostly because my good friend (from high-school in America) is coming to stay with me for a few days in Prague and I get to show him around. Also, because all the fun travels of 2013 will be kick-started by I go to Rome at the end of January. Don't get me wrong, I love America- being home and all but I have the urge to travel each day that 2013 nears us.

So far, the travels set and stone planned for 2013 are: 
January- Rome, Italy
February- Berlin, Germany
March- hopefully Amsterdam, Netherlands OR Dublin, Ireland for St. Patrick's Day
end of March-April- Bangkok and Phuket Bay, Thailand
end of May-June- Budapest, Hungary; Paris, France; Barcelona, Spain then home to America for the summer.

I've been keeping my fingers crossed for a few months now because in January or February I find out if I get to go to Perth, Australia for my fall 2013 semester. My two best friends and I are all wanting to go so we've been dreaming and hoping everything works out. We will see what happens!

Hopefully I made your eyes happy with a new...long...post!

Travel on wanderlusters and happy second-to-last day of 2012! Blog you all tomorrow.

A Merry Christmas from a MIA blogger!

Wow, I have been so MIA! Only because coming back home to America to surprise everyone took a lot of time and energy.

Truly priceless the looks on my best friend's faces and everyone else's. I've always wanted to surprise people, but I would always crack...I, for the first time, didn't crack and my plan worked out perfectly.

So I'm home for the holidays...being back though makes me realize how much Prague is my, new, home and how much I miss that beautiful city. Granted, I will be back in a few short weeks but I guess it takes leaving to fully appreciate everything that city has to offer...even hard uni work/papers.

The next few weeks here will be spent with my lovely, and very missed, friends. Relaxing and watching my American TV shows is also on the list...plus tons of Chipotle burrito bowls. I think I've had 7 since I got in last Sunday. Sad, I know.

MERRY CHRISTMAS/HAPPY HOLIDAYS wanderlusters!! I am so glad I decided to start this blog this year and hope that 2013 will bring some good posts and a ton of new readers to the blog. I want to thank everyone who has read so far and has kept coming back. I promise some fun, good travels and video blogs will be coming in 2013.

One of my Christmas presents actually was a ticket to Thailand in April. SO EXCITED. I have always wanted to go to Thailand. I think that was my favorite present this year. I am so grateful, not only for that but to be surrounded by such great friends and to have been given the opportunity to start this new chapter of my life in Europe.

Here's a final Merry Christmas from my little brother and I...we celebrate Christmas on the 24th since my mother and her husband are both Czech and grew up celebrating on Christmas Eve.

How did you spend Christmas Eve/Christmas day? What did you get? 

Travel on wanderlusters!

Blog-oring...

A travel blog is pretty boring when the blogger isn't blogging, right?! SORRY! I am making a promise to my wanderlusters now that the travels will be awesome next year (2013) starting in January and the blogging will be close to everyday.

Sickness, sleeping and the mass amounts of research papers and readings for my first semester of college have gotten me busier than ever imagined. I'll have the hang of it by next semester and all the fun adventures are being planned for the warm weather.

Until then, I'll blog about some the cool places and adventures happening here in Prague or over in Moravia where I have family and friends. Some more exciting news is that in 2013, my friends and I are going to start video documenting our adventures here in Prague and on our trips throughout Europe and then to ASIA (Thailand) in May...and fingers crossed...Australia in the Fall of 2013.

So, definitely more excitement in 2013, I promise! Until then, travel on for me wanderlusters and share your stories, I love stories!

P.S. Isn't that a great travel quote above?! Love it.