Tag Archives: travel

Inspired: wanderlust

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“Still, despite all this, traveling is the great true love of my life. I have always felt, ever since I was sixteen years old and first went to Russia with my saved-up babysitting money, that to travel is worth any cost or sacrifice. I am loyal and constant in my love for travel, as I have not always been loyal and constant in my other loves. I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless, newborn baby–I just don’t care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it’s mine. Because it looks exactly like me. It can barf all over me if it wants to–I just don’t care.” Eat Pray Love

I’ve never been satisfied with staying in one place. Whether it was moving from apartment to apartment, or traveling to visit friends, or just getting out of the house, my desire to see new things is unquenchable. I think it’s part of my sense of wonder. I’m amazed by the smallest of natural things. I try to see the beauty in everything.

This weekend, I spent a lot of time alone with my thoughts. Isolation is probably not the best for a really long time but I needed it. I needed to hear my thoughts even when I wanted to drown them out. I spent time daydreaming about the places that I have traveled and the places to come.

If you need any motivation to travel, here are eight of my personal reasons to hit the road.

  • scenery
  • culture
  • history
  • curiosity
  • food
  • people
  • religion
  • relaxation

Use your imagination. Dream up all of the places that you’d like to visit. Then feed your sense of wonder. Book a ticket and just go.

ml

Notes on a plane

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9:37pm EST 10.17.12
It’s almost ten pm est and I cannot sleep. Not sure where I am. In the sky somewhere, on my way to Frankfurt. I did really good with this flight. I made it to the airport on time. Checked my one suitcase and it was smooth sailing from there.
I will say though, connecting flights on extended trips like these are the worst. I flew from Atlanta to Newark and now to Germany. I want to sleep but I can’t. Had I gotten a direct flight like when I flew to London, I would be knocked out right now.
I’ve watched two movies: Brave and People Like Us. I read a few chapters from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. And I listened to Tony Braxton and Adele. Now I don’t know what to do. These seats hurt my back and it’s too cold to lean my head against the window. I want to stretch my legs so bad. Ugh.
“Close your eyes and think of me and you.” That worked once. Lets see…
11:10pm EST
It didn’t work. Well, kinda. I slept through about eight Stevie Wonder songs.
Our male flight attendant is really funny. Earlier for dinner he announced that we’d be having steak and potatoes. I started doing a happy dance in my head. When the female attendant came around, I was more than eager to tell her that I wanted steak. I figured, although lobster would be amazing, it would be too messy. So imagine my surprise when she asked if I wanted beef or chicken. Im sorry?! He tricked meee!  Well, trick me once, shame on you. Trick me TWICE, shame on me. For breakfast, we were supposed to have bacon and eggs. Instead, we got the smallest croissant ever created and a bowl of fruit. Ashton, where are you?
5:55am CEST 10.18.12
We landed an hour early in Frankfurt. Long story short, I got to see my good friend Bessie, rode on the autobahn and walked around a bit. I will be back!
2:15pm CEST 10.18.12
Dude!!! Lufthansa is THE best airline I have ever flown on! No seriously. Does it get better than this?! After spending a few hours in Frankfurt with my friend Bessie, I boarded the flight to Nigeria. Immediately I noticed the wide aisles and seats. When we took off, I noticed that Germany has so much more greenery than America. More and more, America is becoming less appealing to me. :(
I’ve been fighting the urge to fall asleep for some time now. I don’t want to be jet-lagged so I’m staying awake or at least trying to. I took a quick nap and when I looked out of my window, I saw nothing but white tops! The Alps, perhaps? I don’t know but it was beautiful.
The flight attendant announced that we would be served a light lunch. That was definitely unexpected. I heard the menu and assumed that maybe this lady is a prankster like the attendant on my previous flight. But NO. I really received lamb. LAMB. Actually, there was nothing “light” about my meal. I’m so shocked and happy!!! The best part is that there is FREE wine and no one asked me for ID!!! Yup, I’m slightly tipsy but its okay.
The flight attendant just convinced me to continue eating this raspberry cream thingie. I’m not a big fan of sweets but its…interesting.
Oh, I forgot to mention about this hot wet wipe. I saw the attendant coming down the aisle with it but I had no idea what for. After observing the people, I realized it was to wipe your face. I guess a quick clean up. I don’t know. I followed the crowd.
I’m watching the absolute worst movie: Moonrise Kingdom. Meh!!!!
I want more wine and I’m ready to sleep the rest of the way.
As a departing “light snack”, they offered a slice of pizza. I kindly declined. There is too much going on in my stomach right now. I did take the gummy bears and chocolate. Best. Treatment. Ever.
6:33pm WAT 10.18.12
Landed in Lagos without any issues. There was a man waiting for me when I arrived. Not much to say about it just yet except that traffic is truly a nightmare. I should probably not complain about Atlanta traffic in comparison to how long I spent in the car.
11:55pm WAT 10.18.12
I am finally getting sleepy. Everyone else is knocked out. Tomorrow is a new day, new adventure.

It’s official

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I am exactly two weeks away from my ten-day trip to Africa. Lagos, Nigeria to be exact.

I. AM. SO. EXCITED.

It’s been a long time coming but this is for a super special occasion. My best friend Bekky is getting married!!! *body rolls*

I’m TOO happy for her. She is a great gal and an even greater friend. I cannot wait to celebrate with her and Deji on this new chapter in their lives.

Click here to visit their wedding website. Wish them well!

 

Weekend at a glance – family #48

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First of all, I’d like to thank you all of YOU for reading my little ole blog. Seriously. I hit over 50K views over the weekend. I’m sure that doesn’t mean anything to you but it means a lot to me. I’ve only been seriously blogging for two years and I’ve come a long way. I’m never satisfied so more fine tuning to come! ^___^

Last weekend, I spent some time with family in South Florida. I have a ridiculously large family. There’s never enough time in a visit to spend with everyone but what can you do.

At one of the rest stops, I saw this AMAZING bouquet in the restroom of all places. That was definitely the cleanest rest stop I’ve ever been to.

I’ve never really been a lover of animals but I finally found a dog that I love. His name is Cookie and he’s the sweetest little thing! Although I still haven’t warmed up to him actually touching me, I did take him out for a run or two. We really bonded…I totally miss him.

My grandfather turned 79 last month! BOSS.

Just a few of my cousins that I got to see. Random fact: I am the second grandchild of seventeen grandchildren. There are seven GREAT-grandchildren. I repeat, I, 27-year-old Lucy, am the second grandchild of seventeen. There are seven great-grandchildren. I am childless. Folks are out there putting in work.

My cousins: Bryna, Bry’Ann and baby Bryce (#17). They annoyed me but I love them to pieces!

We ended up going to a resort in Kissimmee, FL but I could not stay. I hope they had a blast at Disney World.

Weekend at a glance: memorial #42

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I will never drive my car to Florida again.

This may or may not be a lie.

But seriously. Atlanta -> Orlando -> Tampa -> Fort Lauderdale -> Miami -> Tampa -> Orlando -> Atlanta. TOO. MUCH.

For a last minute trip, it was pretty swell. Minus some moments. *cough* south beach and the face eater *cough*

Celebrated my friend Eve’s birthday. Woot!

Had drinks at the bar with Marco.

Got silly at Fort Lauderdale beach.

Chilled with some cousins.

Had brunch with my oldest best friend, Santra.

Splash time at Sunny Isles Beach, Miami.

And made it back home just in time (literally) to see Robert Glasper perform at the Atlanta Jazz Festival.

Good times.

Dmv

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Two weekends ago I took a trip to DC. I’m looking for a new place to call home and DC is a possibility. If you love or hate DC, tell me why!

Here are a few shots from my iphone to you.

finally met "Koos" of The Feisty House blog in real life! :D

simply the BEST Levi's jeans EVER! I can't stop wearing them.

Art surrounds us

Washington Monument

cherry blossoms

moi

Sometimes I forget that I used to want to be a photojournalist in college. Now, I can’t imagine being a photographer. But if you are one or aspire to be one, check out one of my favorite bloggers tips on taking amazing shots. Read them here and here.

 

Weekend at a glance: adventure #36

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I’ll go ahead and start with Thursday since that’s when the fabulousness began.

Thursday

My friend invited me to attend a benefit concert for the Hosea Feed the Hungry organization here in Atlanta. The concert featured the group Tony! Toni! Tone!. Of COURSE I’d go! They sung all of my favorite songs. Whew.

Friday

Mental health day from work. But why are those days off always the busiest?! None the less, it was much-needed.

Saturday

My friend Angel and I went ziplining!!! It wasn’t scary at all. Maybe because it lasted all of two minutes.  Had I known, I would’ve done the one and a half hour long canopy tour. We were told that it’s usually $79.90 but to look out for a groupon soon. I’m definitely doing that. I love a good adventure.

As we were driving back, my friend Tiffany text me asking what I was doing that evening. I planned on staying home. BUT, she said she had an extra ticket to see the Dark Girls documentary. I immediately said “I will be there!!!” and gunned it all the way home. Such great friends I have. :)

I’m here for you

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Excerpt from the novel Eat, Pray, Love:

“So tonight I reach for my journal again. This is the first time I’ve done this since I came to Italy. What I write in my journal is that I am weak and full of fear. I explain that Depression and Loneliness have shown up, and I’m scared they will never leave. I say that I don’t want to take the drugs anymore, but I’m frightened I will have to. I am terrified that I will never really pull my life together.
In response, somewhere from within me, rises a now-familiar presence, offering me all the certainties I have always wished another person would say to me when I was troubled. This is what I find myself writing on the page:

I’m here. I love you. I don’t care if you need to stay up crying all night long. I will stay with you. If you need the medication again, go ahead and take it—I will love you through that, as well. If you don’t need the medication, I will love you, too. There’s nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you. I am stronger than Depression and Braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me.

Tonight, this strange interior gesture of friendship—the lending of a hand from
me to myself when nobody else is around to offer solace—reminds me of something that happened to me once in New York City. I walked into an office building one afternoon in a hurry, dashed into the waiting elevator. As I rushed in, I caught an unexpected glance of myself in a security mirror’s reflection. In that moment, my brain did an odd thing—it fired off this split-second message: “Hey! You know her! That’s a friend of yours!” And I actually ran forward toward my own reflection with a smile, ready to welcome that girl whose name I had lost but whose face was so familiar. In a flash instant of course, I realized my mistake and laughed in embarrassment at my almost doglike confusion over how a mirror works. But for some reason that incident comes to mind again tonight during my sadness in Rome, and I find myself writing this comforting reminder at the bottom of the page.

Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a FRIEND…

I fell asleep holding my notebook pressed against my chest, open to this most recent assurance. In the morning when I wake up, I can still smell a faint trace of depression’s lingering smoke, but he himself is nowhere to be seen. Somewhere during the night, he got up and left. And his buddy loneliness beat it, too.”
— Elizabeth Gilbert

Yea…..I need to and finish this book…and plan my big girl trip.

London 2010

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I was given the opportunity to fly to London, England to vacation with my Nigerian family. I will forever be grateful to them for being ever so hospitable to me and for showing me a good time.

Despite some bumps in the beginning (having my flight cancelled, missing one day from my trip and being detained by immigration for three hours), I was determined to enjoy my stay. But for sure, Delta will never hear great things from my lips!

I didn’t want to look or act like a tourist so I didn’t visit most of the places typical of Americans like The Buckingham Palace. Instead, I focused on observing the people who surrounded me and tried to compare their culture to American culture. Here are a few of my random observations:

  1. There were no trash cans anywhere! I guess we Americans liter too much.
  2. Lots of elderly people taking the bus. In America, our elderly drive brand new cars. Why? IDK!
  3. The houses reminded me of New Jersey style architechture.
  4. The weather was partly cold and dreary upon arrival, which I hear is typical.
  5. All the different areas (i.e. Liester Square vs times Square and train station) reminded me of NYC. 
  6. I was expecting to see more beautiful people. Judge me harshly.
  7. Food tasted very light. Almost diety. Even McDonalds was fresh.
  8. People are not friendly. Got the whole NYC vibe again.
  9. I expected to see more fashion forward people on the streets. Not at all.
  10. Our American dollars mean nothing to them. But hey, they get free healthcare.
  11. I noticed a lot of young people with children. Ahhh, just like home.
  12. Everyone has to ride on the right side of the escalator OR ELSE.
  13. Oxford Street looks like SOHO in NYC. Who copied who???
  14. Cars are all compact. Space must be reeeally important.

There was really not enough time to enjoy all that London had to offer but the time I spent with the people I care for was a time well spent. Thanks for the memories.

Enjoy the pictures! :)

Oxford Street or was it Picadilly Circle?

Me, Bekky and Monique

Loughborough University graduate, Relly Rells

It's Kim Kardashian!! Aka Bekks.

the birthday girl, mum Abi

off to NYC

Eat, Pray, Love

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You have noooo idea how excited I am for this movie to come out. First of all, I’ve always loved Julia Roberts and could not have thought of a better person to play the role. She’s charismatic, charming, witty and undeniably beautiful.

This movie, based on the best selling novel by Elizabeth Gilbert is all about self-discovery. If you know me, you know I’m BIG on that. Below is a summary of the novel that I got from Book Browse.

A celebrated writer’s irresistible, candid, and eloquent account of her pursuit of worldly pleasure, spiritual devotion, and what she really wanted out of life.

Around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned thirty, she went through an early-onslaught midlife crisis. She had everything an educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want—a husband, a house, a successful career. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. She went through a divorce, a crushing depression, another failed love, and the eradication of everything she ever thought she was supposed to be.

To recover from all this, Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, and undertook a yearlong journey around the world—all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Her aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Rome, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, and with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise cowboy from Texas, she embarked on four uninterrupted months of spiritual exploration. In Bali, she studied the art of balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. She became the pupil of an elderly medicine man and also fell in love the best way—unexpectedly.

An intensely articulate and moving memoir of self-discovery, Eat, Pray, Love is about what can happen when you claim responsibility for your own contentment and stop trying to live in imitation of society’s ideals. It is certain to touch anyone who has ever woken up to the unrelenting need for change.

I just purchased the book and will start reading as soon as I get home. August 13th couldn’t come soon enough!