2017

So keeping up with this blog did not happen in 2017 - at all. Between spotty wifi and general exhaustion, my internet writing went off the map (while I did keep a journal for the better part of the beginning of the year, the accounts were limited to one page per day, and lack any critical details), my bad though, because 2017 was probably the best year of my life, hosting incredible adventures, amazing friendships, epiphanies, and life changing decisions that I am so happy to have made. This year I am hoping to be better, mentally, physically, and with my writing (which I know was supposed to happen last year but I can only strive for it again this year as well).

With that in mind, a quick catch up would make sense, I think, to encapsulate my 2017:

• Visited 15 countries on 3 continents, moving my count up to 21
• Lived on a ship while going to school
• Hiked 24 miles on the Great Wall of China
• Crawled through Vietnam War era tunnels
• Flew over the ancient pagodas Bagan, Myanmar in a hot air balloon
• Visited the Taj Mahal
• Went shark cage diving in Shark Alley South Africa
• Was accepted into a Ghanaian village
• Rode a camel into the Sahara (and back out too) 
• Said goodbye an amazing group of friends, who I will be seeing soon
• Did a solo trip around Germany, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria
• Graduated with Honors 
• Saw San Francisco, Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon
• Moved to England to finish my degree 
• Met even more amazing people
• Realized the true impact people have on one another

Of course this list is rather lengthy, but the year had this incredible way of moving quickly while also feeling never ending. This list is also accompanied by thousands of photos, videos, mementos, and whatever other little things we use to hold onto a memory. And because I have so many photos and stories that I want to tell, I am making it a goal of mine to make more content that encourages exploration of places both close by and far off. 

I also want this year to be a year of following and pursuing passions. And I hope it will be. 

Here's to 2018.

Talk to you later,

-Karin xx

12 Hours in Hawaii.

After spending a week on the Pacific Ocean, we finally made it Hawaii, where I was reunited with my beloved cellphone service and social media sites (including this one). I had a packed day ahead of me, but the excitement and adrenaline in my body were pushing my limits to new heights, so when I woke up at 5:50 AM, I was ready to go, even though I wouldn’t be getting off the ship until 10:00. Nonetheless, I called my family and friends and updated my social media, and ate far too much french toast and then prepared myself to hike Diamond Head Crater National Monument, and then later go to Waikiki.

Honestly, I didn’t think the hike would be that bad, and plus I had thought climbing 5 flights of stairs multiple times a day would have prepared me enough for this hike. Unfortunately I did not take into consideration the heat, nor the fact that I would have sea legs for the first half of my day on land. These underestimations nearly did me in, but I prevailed. After taking far too long to make it up the switchbacks and innumerable stairs, I made it to the summit of the crater, and my god is it worth it. At this point I was also having the realization that I am actually in Hawaii (I have proceeded to have this realization multiple times throughout my voyage so far) and that I also have to get back down to the bus because we were supposed to be leaving soon too. So right before we had to head back down, my friend and I had a little photoshoot on this really aesthetically pleasing ledge, and then went back to the bus. (I stopped at the gift shop too, naturally) 

While still at the top of Diamond Head, a very nice Japanese woman asked my friend and I if she could have a picture with us, and here is the photographic evidence my roommate got for me. (It’s great, I know, I will cherish this moment forever)

In the city of Waikiki, our bus dropped us off and we were free to do whatever we wanted. So, naturally after a strenuous hike we went and got food at a restaurant, but little did we know that the restaurant we chose would charge us $9 for a liter of “Italian Spring Water” (but that’s not the point). When we finished our meal, we headed toward the beach, any beach really (travel tip: all beaches in Hawaii are public beaches so it doesn’t matter if there is a giant hotel in front of it or not, you can to to it), and went in the water for like 15 minutes before realizing the time and making our way through the streets of  Waikiki. We did stop, however so that I could get some souvenirs to commemorate my 12ish hours in Hawaii. 

Getting back on the ship and organizing myself a little bit, I got ready for Round 2: Walmart Edition. I had gotten a pass to get to Walmart and so we were bused to the “2nd most profitable Walmart in America” and were given like 45 minutes to get whatever we thought we needed before going to sea again for 11 days. I obviously had a list of snacks that I had been procuring from the first day we set sail, and I went to town looking for all the things I needed to get. And then after running around Walmart for 30 minutes and getting everything I thought I needed, I stopped at the in-walmart fast food place, and ate my last meal in America, French fries, which were insanely good. And that brings me to the end of both my last day in America (for quite some time) and my last day on land until now. Next Stop: Japan!!

Talk to you later,

-Karin xx

A Week at Sea.

Since I last updated you, I was just leaving San Diego for the Mexican border, where I would be starting the most amazing semester abroad you’ll ever here of. Since then I’ve spent a week on a ship traveling through the middle of the Pacific Ocean (WITH NO WIFI, HORRIFIC I KNOW). But today I can update you because we’ve have hit our first port, Honolulu, Hawaii. While I have not yet stepped off the ship yet to enjoy the majesty of hiking Diamond Head and swimming at Waikiki beach, I can tell you what a week at sea is like on Semester At Sea is like. 

It’s amazing. The first couple days it was cold out and everyone (except myself) was sea sick, but then somewhere around day 3, the sun came out. People weren’t as tired anymore. We gained an hour of time, and then another, and then another. The temperature went up. Everyone was outside. Everyone was making friends with each other. Classes weren’t super terrible. The stairs (are still terrible) are not as bad. 

I leave you this this morning and will maybe (probably not) possibly have another blogpost done for today’s day in Hawaii. If not (probably not), the update will be up when I get to Japan, in like 2 weeks. 

Talk to you later,

-Karin xx

Las Vegas-San Diego

So originally I wanted to upload a video of all the places I went before starting Semester at Sea, but my laptop being the p.o.s. that it is, was taking forever to even open editing software. So, in the mean time, here is the timeline (with photos) of my road trip from Las Vegas to San Diego.

My Mom and I flew into Las Vegas December 29th, and were renting a car and leaving the morning of December 31st (to avoid all the New Year's stuff going on). With the 2 days in Vegas, we decided to just spend our time looking around. This would have been fine if either of us had looked at the weather, because it was cold and rainy the entire time we were there. (This was actually quite a surprise to me because it's the desert, it's not supposed to rain in the desert). Nonetheless, we walked the strip during the day and at night and tried to really get a feel for the essence of the city-- from the neon signs, to the designer shops, Las Vegas is something unique to itself.

The real Eiffel Tower is much bigger than this one

After leaving Las Vegas, we went to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam for a hot second, then headed onto Route 66. I had planned on stopping in a old mining town called Oatman in Arizona, but by the time we actually got there on New Year's Eve, it was dark and everything was closed. So we continued on to our next hotel in Needles, CA, a slightly larger town also on Rt 66.

With the next day's destination being Palm Springs, we stopped along the way to see Joshua Tree National Park. (Granted we didn't actually see any Joshua Trees because my mom didn't want to spend like $30 for us to actually enter the park, but that's not the point)

Here is me (obviously) taking an ultra unique photo with the sign

After getting to Palm Springs and spending the night there, we decided to take the Aerial Tramway up to Mount San Jacinto. This sounded like a great idea because of the amazing views from both the tram and the top of the mountain. This was a poorly thought out plan. 1. The line wait time to get tickets was like an hour 2. The wait time to go up was 2 hours 3. The top of the mountain was 24 degrees, and we were not the most prepared for that kind of temperature (cite Las Vegas as precursor). Other than that though, it was pretty freaking cool. We went through clouds, the tram floors rotated for a 360 view of both the desert and mountain range, and we also met some really nice people.

After Palm Springs, we headed back into the desert, to the internet sensation, Salvation Mountain. Salvation Mountain was created by artists in basically the middle of the desert, and is honestly one of the most interesting places I've ever seen. I also apparently didn't take a photo of the front of it, so stay tuned (or google it) to see that in the video that will eventually be made.

Our last destination was San Diego, and arriving there not only meant the end of this trip, but provided the realization that I am actually going to be traveling the world for the next 4 months (and 11 days to be exact). This realization scared me and still kind of does right now. But having this opportunity is one of the most amazing things in the world, I almost can't believe its finally happening.

Yesterday my mom and I drove up to La Jolla, and I showed her around all the places I had went when I was in San Diego last March, which was really nice and allowed me to become a little more familiar with a really nice, calm town.

I took her down to the Sunny Jim Sea Cave too

Stay tuned for whatever may be coming, with the limited internet access, who knows what or when you'll here from me next.

Talk to you later,

-Karin xx