Tag Archives: travel dreams

July 17, 2014 · 1:05 pm

Why the Mongol Rally? #LolasMRJourney

Email, RSS Follow

pinkhair

I’m setting off on what is surely the biggest adventure of my life so far. And as excited as I am I’m also nervous. It’s hard to say goodbye to all that you know to go into a world of unknowns. It’s also thrilling. I’m opening myself up to any possibility and letting my story unfold.

photo 3-2

Meeting new people and experiencing new things is one of the most exciting parts of life for me. I know this adventure will change me in ways I don’t even know. It’s partially why I’m doing it. I believe in getting out there and living.

photo 1-3

But I know leaving my life behind, even if only for an extended period, that things will change with that too. But I guess you never grow if you aren’t open to change. My friends say I’m brave. I’m not sure about that. I just need to do what I need to do.

photo 2-2

Someone said recently that I have high hopes and I hear that if you have “low expectations then you’ll be happy” but I respectfully disagree. I think you should live life looking forward to great things. You should have high hopes. For the good that’s out there. For what you are and what you’ll become.

photo 3-1

Living life with low expectations is sad in my opinion. Maybe you don’t get disappointed but you also don’t raise the bar for the world to rise to. Maybe you don’t get hurt by things but you also don’t feel the great potential in it all.

photo 4-3

Besides seeking a life of adventure, I’ll be looking for all the joy in the journey. The little things that give me hope and set my expectations for something greater. The world is too wonderful not to believe in it to its full potential. For me, the Mongol Rally isn’t just about reaching Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It’s about “the journey is the destination” more than ever.

photo 5

I’m going places I never expected to go. I will be meeting people and learning things I never expected to learn. And I feel so lucky! Lucky to explore. Discovery in myself and the outside world has never led me wrong. I hope you enjoy the ride. The insight. The funny moments. The mishaps. The wonder. The reasons to have dreams and high hopes!

photo 3-3

I’ll be posting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as often as I can with the hashtag #LolasMRJourney

10 Comments

Filed under mongol rally, mongolia, travel, united kingdom

Tagged as , ,

January 29, 2013 · 5:27 am

un, deux, trois – my 3 travel disappointments

Email, RSS Follow

travel + disappointments = should NEVER be paired together

photo 2 copy

ok. let’s talk about regrets. i’ll tell you this, i do have a few in my life but they really don’t have much to do with travel. when Anita from traveldestinationbucketlist tagged me to write this i had to think quite a bit to come up with 3 travel disappointments. bottom line, now i’m making up for lost time and feel sure i will not have any travel regrets in my later life.

tumblr_m4th6bHGnX1r47pkuo1_500

UN

i regret not studying a semester or year abroad in college. you know, when life was easy and you really didn’t have many obligations or commitments. that is the absolute RIGHT time to travel abroad. or even just to travel within your own country. if someone, anyone, ever asked me my advice this would be one of my tips. why didn’t i study abroad? i’m not really sure. the opportunity was never presented to me and it wasn’t something i really even considered. such a shame. i mean i am not one to shy away from finding opportunities and going for them. after all, i went to school out-of-state, much to the dismay of my parents and their pocketbook. then, post college, i moved to NYC with a one way ticket, no place to live and no firm job. so, you see, had traveling abroad really occurred to me, i’m sure i would have done it. i regret not thinking bigger than my borders. BUT, i think it’s ok, i’m doing a fine job of that now!

A Ship In Port Is Safe, But That's Not What Ships Are Built For

DEUX

once i got settled in NYC and got myself a place to live and a real job, i moved into the comfortable ‘grid life’ that people fall victim to in NYC and otherwise. after a period of time, FINALLY it occurred to me that maybe traveling was a good idea. don’t get me wrong, i’d traveled all my life. road trips in the deep south and florida. ski trips out west, seeing the natural beauty of the southwest. none of this is a regret whatsoever. anyhow, i digress. SO i took a chance, packed my belongings in storage in NYC and set off to do Europe on my own. completely FANTASTIC! but what happened when i returned to the US? well, after a couple more quick trips overseas, i sunk back into a life of complacency. i regret this. i regret getting too comfortable. i regret taking an unintentional travel hiatus. AGAIN, if anyone asked me, i would say if traveling is important to you keep it in your life. i’m so glad it’s back in mine. it’s my lifeline. nothing makes me feel more alive than being out in the world exploring.

151855818656620076_v4yqukff_c

TROIS

now this regret is one i still actually cope with today. not speaking any foreign languages. AND i do find it a bit embarrassing. not that i’m really doing anything about it. sadly, you really don’t have to. practically everywhere i’ve been people speak English and that makes it so easy to be lazy. i even find it more fascinating that people often apologize to me for their level of spoken English. as if there’s anything to say sorry for. my goodness, almost everyone i’ve encountered on the road knows more English than i do of their native tongue. i think the best way to change this is to move to another country and get fully immersed. i hope that this isn’t going to be another travel regret to add to the list someday.

how about you? do you have any major travel regrets?

merci, Anita for tagging me. i’m curious to hear what Erin from The World Wanderer and Pola from Jetting Around have to say about their travel disappointments.

10 Comments

Filed under travel

Tagged as , ,

May 29, 2012 · 7:51 am

lola’s making her dreams come true

Email, RSS Follow

i wanted to touch back to a recent post of mine “i have a dream!” i outlined what my goals are to move MY DREAM forward and thought you might like to know what exactly i’m doing to meet these goals.

  • i will get published once a month somewhere else besides my own blog.

starting in january – i have been published at least once a month. check out my stories on my PRESS page.

  • i will diversify where i write so i show that i can adapt to different styles.

writing for different sites such as Huffington Post Travel (more traditional press), The Daily Meal (all things food & drink) & Travel Sex Life (niche travel) have been a great start.

  • i will build a real website to be more professional.

well, you’re looking at it! hopefully you find it a little new & improved!!!

  • i will call myself a travel writer because if i can’t who can?

i now proudly carry around my business cards and tell others that i’m a travel writer. so far, everyone takes me seriously including myself!

  • i will go to conferences to learn more about the trade.

i’ve already attended a marketing conference about how to influence & engage clients/customers, which in my case, is my readership & potential brands i may soon work with.

i will also be attending TBEX in mid-june, which is the world’s largest travel blogging conference.

  • i will network with people that are influencers in the space.

TBEX is an awesome opportunity to meet other travel bloggers, social media influencers and PR & travel brand professionals.

in addition, i have traveled to two tweet-ups to meet other travel writers and attended two networking events in NYC for the travel space. i’d say nothing beats meeting up face-to-face and having some good old-fashioned networking time.

  • i will take on challenges that will put me outside my comfort zone.

i think it’s fair to say going to these conferences, networking events & meetings has put me a little out of my comfort zone. it’s not easy when you are new in a career & meeting people for the first time.

other challenges i’m taking on: mentioned in my previous post – doing a Habitat for Humanity build for the first time in a country (& continent) i’ve never been is definitely a comfort-zone challenge!

going to Europe for a month with my travel partner in crime Leah, of Leah’s Travels, will also be a great challenge. while i’m ridiculously excited about this amazing opportunity, it will take a lot of coordination to be gone for a month on both ends. Leah & i have tons of planning to do in the next many months. we want to make the most of our month in Europe, again networking with brands & seeking out opportunities for ourselves as well as representing Go with Oh & the other brands we work with in the best way possible.

the REWARD?! i can see my dream being realized.

  • i HAVE been published once a month in diversified areas.
  • i DID launch a new website.
  • i DO call myself a travel writer and do others consider me just that.
  • i HAVE & WILL continue to go to conferences & networking opportunities so that i meet people, learn & grow my brand.
  • i AM & WILL take on challenges that put me outside my comfort zone.

almost six months into 2012 and i have some amazing successes and huge things to look forward to that i never even imagined happening in this year. all i can say is WOW – my goals were worth setting and pursuing! i can’t believe i’m this far down the path to reaching  MY DREAM! i hope you stay tuned to see what happens next…i know i can’t wait.

thanks to all for your continued support – it means more than you know!!

keep dreaming & keep traveling! XO – lola

26 Comments

Filed under travel

Tagged as , ,