Cyclades Celebration

I think a 30th birthday is something to celebrate and since, my little sister turned 30 last month, we celebrated! We traveled to Greece for some island hopping. I was so excited to be on a trip with my sister. Usually, I am with work or friends and never with a family member. This trip was memorable and quite special to me for many reasons...Lizzie and I are 3 years apart and we were each other's first friends. I can't imagine my childhood without her constant companionship. So, a week together flew by leaving us with fond memories and great tans.

Our island hopping took us to 2 islands: Paros and Santorini.

 Paros is a great place to rent a car and drive around visiting beaches and small towns. We spent a couple days on Paros and enjoyed the freedom of driving around and exploring the entire island. We found a beach lined with olive trees with crystal clear turquoise water which was perfect for effortless back floats.  In the mornings, we drank espresso frappes and soaked up the sunshine. Then, in the evenings, we ambled through the streets and sipped on Greek beer and ate a lot of salads.

Santorini was a completely different experience...

We stayed at a resort with pool overlooking a vineyard and the sea. The town was walking distance and the scenery was stark white buildings down a sheer cliff. The sunsets were epic and the towns more lively. We laid out by the pool, sipped local wine and walked many miles on cobblestone streets (up and down the cliffs). We shopped for gifts to take home and saw cave paintings.

History, culture, delicious food and ocean breezes were our constant companions in Greece. The celebration was fun and I can't wait to travel with my sister again. My only hope is that next time all three of us (sisters) can go.

Amalfi Adventure

Last month, I travelled to the Amalfi Coast with a friend before a work conference in Umbria. We spent a few days soaking up the sun, trying Aperol spritzers and eating copious amounts of delicious food. This was one of my favorite trips and I can't wait to return. We stayed in the quiet town, Maiori, where we could walk everywhere and stay across the street from the sea. The days were long and relaxing and the nights were filled with friendship and laughter.

Getting to the Amalfi is not the easiest route. We spent time on a plane, train and a bus. The road is narrow, windy and hugs the mountain closely. The sea is a brilliant aqua and the hills are terraced with citrus. Limoncello flows freely and the seafood is remarkable. 

We took a day trip to Capri with the intention of laying in the sun until it rained. However, the rain was one of the highlights of the trip. At first, I was upset but we ended up laughing until the sun broke through the clouds giving us ample warmth after the showers. 

I can't wait to return to Maiori and spend even more time on the shores relaxing. Life gets crazy and when I look back on this trip, I can feel a sense of calm because for the first time in a while, I felt completely at peace. 

Love is Patient

Grandpa and Grandma in downtown San Francisco

She taught me to read great books, cook with love, enjoy a good cocktail, how to play blackjack and poker, that real women love sports (particularly the SF Giants and 49ers), listen to old music, dance in the kitchen and in the end that love is patient.

Grandpa passed away almost 5 years ago and grandma has been patiently waiting to be with him again. Every time I visited her she would tell me "I can't wait to get the hell out of here to see your grandpa". And now she is with him. I haven't really known how to process my grief because I know this is what she wanted. I am so happy that they are together again and I can't remember a time when the weren't together before he left.

I love the way he adored her

Rest in peace, dear grandma. I am sure you are dancing with grandpa and holding on tight.

Love Love Peace Forever



Smart Monkey



When a year ends, nostalgia can't help but rear its head and demand attention from the heart and mind. This past year brought many emotions, revelations, awe inspiring scenes and inner peace. I remember beginning my year, like so many others, with a list of things I wanted to change, create, accomplish and see. This list came out a few times for review and although I did not complete everything on my list, I did change, create, accomplish and see things that I could have never planned for.

When I began 2012, I felt isolated in the Central Coast, overworked, underpaid, tired, and full of so many more complaints. I didn't like how my heart and mind had been filled with such negative energy. However, I wanted a change and fast! So, I began the year thinking a job would change, a move would come, friends would be closer and perhaps even love. Oh how I was wrong. But that's okay.
 
What 2012 gave me was a broken heart, hard character building exercises, opened eyes and heart, a quieter mind and a calmer soul. This happened in the form of all of my plans being squashed, relinquishing control and allowing what is meant to be, be. WHAT A HARD LESSON. I cried lonely tears, felt my heart crack again and realizing that I had it mostly wrong. But this was the best thing that could have happened to me. My lonely sad tears have been replaced by tears of joy. My cracked heart is healing and opening up at a level I have never experienced before. And my ideals and plans-they are headed in a direction that excites me and is still a bit unknown...but I have faith its going to be AMAZING and I can't wait.

This year I am grateful for...
living by the ocean
abundant travel
healing relationships
family
close friends
lessons learned
faith and hope

My Great American Road Trip

 I took a road trip last week to deliver my car my to sister and her family. The trip began in California and ended in Alabama. I drove through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi to arrive at my destination. The trip was 2300 miles long and lasted 3 days. The sights, sounds and people were memorable and the journey alone gave me prime time to reflect, dream and plan. I am not sure if I will attempt a drive this long again anytime soon, but I am happy that I was able to experience this trip.

I had a few things on my list of must see and do and on the top of the list was the Grand Canyon...

This was my first visit to the Grand Canyon and it took my breath away. As I was driving towards the park, I came upon snow. I am not usually a fan of snow or anything cold, but this added to the enchantment. Upon arrival I exclaimed "Are you kidding me?!" when I saw the deep red canyon framed with bright white snow. The scene was surreal. Of all the times I have dreamt of visiting this park, I never expected to be so blown away by nature and yet nature always surprises me and leaves my heart overflowing with gratitude. This is one of those times when I cried tears of joy and thanked God for the journey life has taken me on this year. I felt like this scene was a gift.


That night, I stayed in Alburquerque. New Mexico is beautiful and I could sense the sacredness of the land. Even when I went to buy turquoise, the woman described the different types of turquoise and their meanings. Everything seemed to have symbolism attached to it. I quite liked the notion that everything is special.

The remainder of the trip took me through Texas where I stopped for Texas BBQ...YUMMY! In Oklahoma the road never seemed to end. Arkansas was pretty with the trees and Ozarks. I stayed in Little Rock on the second night and visited with my aunt and her husband the following morning. They took me to see the Bill Clinton Presidential Library and we had a Southern breakfast complete with grits.

On the final day, I crossed the Mississippi River, drove through Memphis and parts of Mississippi into Alabama and finally my sister's home. I arrived and was welcomed with hugs from my nephews. I think that is what made this trip worth it.

Full Circle to Sydney

The last time I came to Australia, I had spent the last of my savings and didn't have a direction in life. I wanted to taste travel before I found a job, after spending almost a year wandering post banking life. This time, I am here because of the job I found upon returning from Australia, over 3 years ago. Full circle is a good way of putting the thoughts that entered my mind as we flew into Sydney. 

I didn't visit Sydney last time, so the sight of the Opera House and Harbor bridge, gave my heart a flutter. I checked out geography books all the time as a kid and would pour over the pictures and various cultural and architectural facts each country's book offered me. I remember wanting so badly to someday see the Sydney Opera House. So, when I finally did, my heart was filled with gratitude. The blessings that I have received this year overwhelm me at times. This was definitely a "pinch me" day.

Speaking of blessings, I am so blessed to have amazing friends. Penny was able to join me on the Sydney portion of my trip. She is staying for the rest of the week as I move on to Adelaide. I remember the first time we travelled out of the country to Europe in 2006...we've come a long way learning how to travel together. Sydney is just another great chapter in our friendship.