CAPTURING MOMENTS || September 2015

ITINERARY

HIGHLIGHTS

• My boyfriend Tim arriving in Thailand and beginning our Asian adventures together; we toured all around Thailand and took a spontaneous trip to Kuala Lumpur
• After four weeks, 120+ hours, and a whole lot of grammar reviews, I finally got TEFL certified!
• My best friend Cheyenne on her first trip abroad, met me in Thailand for ten unforgettable days together
• A homecoming years in the making (7 to be exact) returning to my host city of Sawankhalok where I was an exchange student for a year and staying with my favorite host family
• SURVIVING THE BEACH PARTY MADNESS OF THE FULL MOON PARTY!

FEATURED SNAPSHOT

GOOD READ

THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS: ONE GRUMP’S SEARCH FOR THE HAPPIEST PLACES IN THE WORLD by Eric Weiner

“In other words, where we are is vital to who we are.”

Synopsis: What makes a place happy? In a literal “pursuit of happiness”, we join NPR journalist Eric Weiner on a personal quest around the world from Iceland to Qatar to Bhutan in order to determine how happiness is achieved. Each chapter, focused on one specific nation, reads like a sociological-psychological-anthropological inquiry, all from a perspective doused in comedic cynicism.

After going for a year without picking a book, I knew my re-entry into the world of bibliophilia should be marked by a thinker: so why not tackle the long-thought-upon subject of finding happiness? And not only does this book address that, it does so through the lens of travel. Every time I finished a section, I began to understand more and more how one’s geographical location does indeed have a tremendous impact on one’s mental well-being. The people, the culture, and the physical environment that surround you — ultimately shape you. Upon finishing book, I honestly feel as if I’m seeing the world through a more understanding frame of mind.

ON THE INTERNET

• What does travel mean to you? Intrepid Travel’s newest campaign, #LiveInterpid, invites us to share our thoughts with their mantra generator.
• Tagline: “drawing the faces of New York one commute at a time” with @drawnontheway who doodles the many fleeting images encountered during every New York minute.
• With 1 Second Everyday, documenting a second of each day could not be easier! The app ($2.99 on IOS) acts like a visual diary. Perfect alternative to journaling especially for those on the road.
• With all the designer scents out there, want to stand out among a crowd? Why not smell like rain? Travel to a little Indian village which has mastered the artistry of bottling the scent of rain.
• Travel + Leisure serves up a hilarious array of annoying traveler stereotypes in their piece, Are you an annoying traveler?

UP NEXT MONTH: Nepal adventures with a little bit of India sprinkled in the mix! xoxo Izzy