Twenty Questions (E1): Weird Food

Today kicks off the very long lead up to my 20 year blogging anniversary. I decided that I would do it this way, as I know myself and I do not want to be pressured to cram this project into the twenty weeks (I usually only post once per week) before the actual anniversary date, so this is the plan. Taking a page from Engie's book, I will do 20 posts, which will each be lists of 20 random things. These posts will be twice or three times a month depending on how many Mondays the month has, and will culminate just before the anniversary date, which is technically April 3rd, 2026, but will be celebrated on Monday, April 6th. 

I do want to have some crowd participation and so have compiled a questionnaire for you to each fill out and I will compile your answers into some fun lists down the road. You can fill it out here. Additionally for each list, I will put the prompt or questions at the bottom of each post for you to copy and paste (CTRL-C, CTRL-V, my site does not allow right click copy and paste) and answer as well! 

Without further ado, here is list number one: strange things that I have eaten. Now, I realize that (a) some of these actually are not strange to me (in fact many of them are not strange to me anymore!), but they may be strange to you, and (b) some of them may be strange to me but not strange to you, so feel free to add your strange thing if I have not covered it! 

Rambutan

1. Rambutan (fruit). Various parts of Asia, San Francisco, US.

I have mentioned this one before but if you look at the outside of it, you would never think that it was something that you could eat and enjoy. The inside tastes and looks kind of like a lychee and is quite delicious! You can find them at your local Chinatown sometimes or possibly in an Asian grocery store, and I have actually seen them at Fred Meyers in Portland, OR, so you never know! If you see them, I suggest you get them so you can try them! 

Chapulines

2. Chapulines (roasted grasshoppers). Mexico. 

These are actually quite good, if you get over the fact that they still have legs and wings and can ignore the feeling that they may crawl around in your mouth when you are eating them. However, if you were fed them with a blindfold on, you would just think you were eating some popcorn with nutritional yeast or something like that. They are not bad at all. 

3. Sweetbreads (thymus and/or pancreas glands). La Folie and other restaurants in San Francisco. 

Neither sweet, nor bread! If you get over the fact that you are essentially eating an organ, these are also quite good. Often they are covered in sauce and again, if you did not know what you were eating, you would likely enjoy them. They are quite light and a bit fatty in a good way, kind of like foie gras, which I also enjoy a lot. 

4. Chicken hearts. Bolivia, Peru, Brazilian steakhouses.

In Bolivia, you can buy these from street vendors, who grill them on a little BBQ right in front of you. They are not my favorite organ, but they are worth trying at least once. 

Pho

5. Phở Dặc Biệt (rice noodle soup with beef tendons, tripe). Vietnam, San Francisco, any place that serves pho. 

This is my favorite pho. Usually it comes with beef brisket, sometimes meatballs, and then of course the tripe and tendons and strange pieces of collagen. It may sound strange, but I have the nicest hair and fingernails you have ever seen. :) If you are not so adventurous, you can just get regular pho, which only has the beef brisket. If you have not tried this before, I highly recommend it; it takes like two days to cook the broth and it is so flavorful. This is one of my go-to meals, as in, if I have a chance to have it, I get it! 

Oink, oink

6. Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle). Germany, with variations in Czechia, Poland, Slovakia and other countries, also in German restaurants (this one in New York is my favorite).

If you like pork, you will like this. It is an entire pig knuckle, slow roasted for a really long time so that the skin is super crispy, and then below that you have a nice layer of fat and below that you have a fall of the bone tender pork. With one bite you get heaven every time. I got it when I was in Germany with the girls and made them try it so that they could see that just because it has the word knuckle in it does not mean it is gross. They both loved it! 

I did not eat this one

7. Rattlesnake. California. 

When I was growing up, we had rattlesnakes in our neighborhood (this is a loose term since really it was a lot of land with very few neighbors) a lot. One day after killing one that was getting frisky, we barbequed it and ate it. I was maybe 13 or 14 at the time, and it was surprisingly good to me, and of course, like the cliche states, it did taste a bit like chicken. However, it has a lot of bones and very little meat (see also: #13)

8. Pig trotters (hoof). The southern part of the U.S., and La Folie, San Francisco. 

Pickled pigs feet are definitely worth trying if you ever get the chance. They usually come in a jar with a lot of them floating around, which is a little off-putting, but like most pickled things, they taste delicious. And if you are not into that, you can find them at fancy French restaurants sometimes, which is where I also tried them, in a very delicious pig foot and lobster terrine. 

9. Haggis. Scotland, the U.S., my family gatherings.

My family hails from Scotland and so we have heard about haggis all of our lives, but I did not try it until I actually went to Scotland in my 20s and it was delicious. It is traditionally made of the parts of the sheep that you could not use, which are then cooked with herbs, onions and oatmeal, by steaming the entire thing inside a sheep's stomach. So essentially, just think of eating turkey stuffing, and that is haggis. I mean, not to insult anyone, but it tastes like stuffing, and nowadays is often made with artificial casing (no stomach) and less offal, so it is not even that crazy. 

10. Alligator. Florida, Australia. 

Alligator also tastes like chicken, and I have had it fried which really makes it taste like chicken, and in Florida you then even dip it in mayo based sauce, so you may as well go to McDonalds and get a chicken nugget. For real though, if you can get it grilled so that you can actually taste it, I suggest that. And actually, it tastes a tiny bit fishy, so it is like fishy chicken. Haha. Did I sell it or what? I actually like it just fine. 

Portuguese snails

11. Escargot. France, Portugal, Philippines. 

Snails! Who knew that you could take a pencil eraser and smother it in butter and garlic and it would taste good? Actually in Portugal the ones I ate were so tiny that they give you a kind of safety pin looking thing to pluck them out of the shell with and you also get like a hundred of them so by the time you are done you have burned so many calories and taken in so few that you need to go and get a pizza. 

12. Cuey (Guinea Pig). Peru. 

It tastes like very greasy chicken. The weird part is that when you visit people's houses they have them running around in the kitchen and you just know that later that day, the poor wee beastie is going to be someone's dinner. 

13. Chicken Feet. China, San Francisco, any Chinese restaurant. 

These also taste like chicken. Haha. Just kidding; I mean, they do, but they taste just fine but just like the snails, they are a lot of work without a lot of meat. (see also: #7) Worth trying, but nothing that I would order over and over. If I am going to do a lot of work for only a little meat, I would rather eat crab. 

14. Yak Milk. Nepal. 

Apparently the lady yak is actually called a nak, so technically (unless they are milking the males) you are really eating nak milk. It is quite sour, like kefir or plain yogurt, but apparently has some really healthy properties. I only tried it once and it was okay but nothing I would have gone running out to procure after that. I wonder if I would feel differently now, since I have developed more of a liking for non-sweetened yogurts etc. 

15. Ube ice cream. Philippines, San Francisco, Hawaii.

I have never met an ice cream I don't like and ube is no exception. Ube is a purple root that looks like a yam, and is often used in Filipino cuisine. In San Francisco, there is a really good ice cream shop called Mitchells and they have ube on the menu (they also have some really good ones like green tea, Thai iced tea, and seasonal favorites like pumpkin and eggnog) and it is delicious! If you go to the Philippines, you can get halo halo, which is an odd concoction of jellied things, beans, shaved ice, sugar, coconut and ube jam or ube ice cream. It is a must try! 

16. Cherimoya / Custard Apple / Sugar Apple. South America, Vietnam. 

These are strange fruits that looks kind of quilted on the outside, and then inside is white with large seeds. I first tried it in Vietnam it a little messy to eat when you are traveling by backpack, but is well worth a try. 

17. Kohlrabi. U.S. etc.

I accidentally grew these in my garden, thinking it was a beet based on the photo. However, once they grow, they are a large round vegetable with leaves growing out of it, and if you cut it up and eat it, it tastes similar to a jicama or an Asian pear or water chestnut (kind of). I found that I enjoyed putting them in salads for a nice crunch, or made into a slaw, but you can also put it into stir fries or boil them like a potato and eat them like that. 

18. Cacao fruit. Panama. 

I never knew before I went to Panama that the Cacao was a fruit. They harvest this fruit, remove the seeds, roast them, grind them and make them (the seeds) into cocoa that we are used to. However, the fruit (fleshy) part can also be eaten, and it is quite good! 

Nopales + Prickly Pear

19. Nopales (cactus) + Prickly Pear. Mexico. U.S. (+ Mediterranean, Australia etc.)

In San Francisco, you can get a burrito made with nopales and when I was a vegetarian, I would do this a lot. You can also get all kinds of dishes made with it. Also, fun fact, the nopales cactus is the same one that has the prickly pear fruit that is also edible. You can find them growing wild all over California, as well as other U.S. states and other countries. I used to work with a woman from Malta who would pick and process (peel, cut etc.) the prickly pear for us and bring it into work; I loved her, as that is a lot of work to do! 

Young almonds

20. Young Almond. Türkiye. 

When I was walking the Lycian Way, a farmer gave me these fuzzy little fruits and I was not really sure what it was but I ate it (why not, eh?). Later I Googled and it was young almonds. You can eat the entire thing (the shell is not hard yet) except for the fuzzy skin, but the outer part is a little bitter, but the inner part, which will later be the nut that we are used to, tastes kind of like cucumber! 

COPY PASTE - which of these have you tried?:

1. Rambutan

2. Chapulines (roasted grasshoppers)

3. Sweetbreads (thymus and/or pancreas glands)

4. Chicken hearts

5. Phở Dặc Biệt (tendons, tripe)

6. Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle)

7. Rattlesnake

8. Pig trotters (hoof)

9. Haggis

10. Alligator

11. Escargot

12. Cuey (Guinea Pig)

13. Chicken Feet

14. Yak Milk

15. Ube ice cream

16. Cherimoya / Custard Apple / Sugar Apple

17. Kohlrabi

18. Cacao fruit 

19. Nopales / Prickly Pear

20. Young Almond

Don't forget to fill out --> THE QUESTIONNAIRE!

Have you eaten any of these things? Or what other weird thing have you eaten that is not on this list? 

Looking Back: Books

You are going to laugh at this. In my mind, I was thinking, okay it's time for my quarterly book post, since the last time I did it was in the first quarter. Then I went back to find the last one, as I generally use the template to create the new one, and the last time I did a quarterly book post was the first quarter of 2024! Oopsie. So yeah, I guess time flies..? So I am going to do Q1 and Q2 together, I guess! Since this is 2025, I am going to give you...2 books I gave 0 stars (DNFed), 2 books I absolutely loved (5 stars) and 5 books that I did not give five stars but are definitely worth a read. So 2-0-2-5, (+5?) kind of! I am not going to divulge all the books I have given five stars yet, as that will in the year end wrap up! Stay tuned! 

Before I start, speaking of five star reads, last month I put the new TJR on hold!!! She has been consistently good (except that I don't love her older stuff as much, but everyone has to start somewhere) and I am looking forward to seeing what this new book brings! However, I am number 57 in line with 96 people waiting per copy so we will see how it goes! Hopefully my library gets more copies! 

Recommend! (5 stars): It is hard to pick just two really, but like I said, at the end of the year I will tell you all of them, so for now I will arbitrarily pick two! For fun, I will try to give you two that I have not heard many people talk about lately, so hopefully you will have not read these yet.

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult. Her books are sometimes a little over the top, but this one I enjoyed. I actually started it when I was riding my bike to Elisabeth's house, then my loan ran out and I waited around 12 more weeks before I could get it again and finish it! It is the story of the woman who was the real author of Shakespeare's plays, and a modern day woman who has written a screenplay about her. I found it fun. It also is based on an actual theory that Shakespeare was not the true author of the plays he was famous for. Picoult does a good job researching her subjects, and a good job portraying her stories, and this book was no exception. It got mixed reviews on GR, but I enjoyed it. 

Look Closer by David Ellis. I read this book in one day. I was going to do all the things, and then I started it and then I could not put it down, and I got none of the things done. It was exactly what I needed after reading a few meh books in a row. It is a thriller about a couple who seem normal at first, but the more you read, the deeper the tale goes and before you know it, you can't really tell which way is up. The cops get involved and there is money, revenge and emotional distress. I loved it. Recommended by Stephany (thanks!)

Still great! (4 stars): Once again, I will try to touch on a few that you may not have heard of as much on the interwebs lately. Four stars is actually my most common rating so far this year, despite the fact that if you asked me, I probably would have guessed it to be three. Here are a few good ones! 

Leviathon Wakes by James Comey. I feel like this is something Jenny would like, as it is a bit like Ender's Game in a way. This is the first of nine (?) books in the Expanse series, and just like the Picoult book, I started it in the middle of 2024, but either wasn't in the mood or my hold lapsed, and you may recall, I had it on a list of "should I ditch these currently reading books" at the end of the year last year. I did not ditch it because I have several friends of different walks of life who have really enjoyed the series, and I am glad I stuck with it, as it was fun. It is the story of a battle in space, topped with a bit of romance and friendship. This is not my usual genre, but I have put book two on hold! 

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley. This is a story about a teenager in the Ojibwe tribe, and covers some of the strife between the people on the reservation and the nearby town, and of being a teenager in general. The main character Daunis finds friendship in a hockey player friend of her brothers, but then finds out that he is not all that he was cracked up to be after she witnesses a murder and sees how he reacts. 

Wish You Well by David Balducci. I guess this author normally writes legal thrillers, but I have never read one. However, this is a coming of age novel about a girl from 1940s Manhattan whose family tragedy forces her and her younger brother to move to a small coal mining town in Virginia to live with their grandmother. The lessons they learn about life, love and friendship in the small town are priceless. I think normal Balducci fans, and some others, really did not like it, but I enjoyed it. 

All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. This is a cross between a missing person/murder mystery with elements of phycological thriller, coming of age and love (and obsession). It is the story of a young boy and girl and a small town. One day, the boy, Patch, saves a popular girl from a bad man but in doing so, gets captured himself. The search for him is lengthy and in the end, becomes bigger than you would ever imagine. If you like this, you may also like his other book, We Begin at the End, which I preferred over this. 

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. If you are looking for books from non American writers, this is a good one to try. The author is Turkish, and she writes beautifully. This book is about a talking tree (no, not like the Ents in the Lord of the Rings), love, and loss. Set in both Cypress and London, it is a beautifully written tale of a Greek Cypriot falling in love with a Turkish Cypriot during the time when this was forbidden. They have to meet in secret, in a tavern, under the branches of a fig tree. When war breaks out, people flee the island, but one person brings a branch of the tree to London, where it survives. Years later, the girl living there does not understand what this tree has been through, but as the tale progresses she learns more of its (and her own) story. 

Don't bother! (0 stars): 

Chaos Monkeys by Antonio Garcia Martinez. This book was actually so bad that I gave it one star, because I don't know if the zero stars go into the overall average and I wanted to make sure that my vote counted. In addition, I even wrote a review, which I rarely do. Here is what I said: Do not waste your time with this book. Whatever good information or insights the author may have had were drowned in his ego, entitlement and narcissistic manner. I nearly DNFed the book around the 5% mark when he started reminding me of all the finance bros I used to work with, but I carried on, thinking maybe it was a phase, but it was not. I thought I would check the GR reviews to see if they were so good that I should reconsider, but they were not, and laughably, the author rebuts several of the poor reviews in a very condescending manner, which seems pretty much on point. I finally DNFed for good at 22%.

Challenger by Adam Higgenbotham. I wanted to like this book; I wanted to learn more about this time period and situation. However, the description, the definitive, dramatic, minute-by-minute story of the Challenger disaster based on new archival research and in-depth reporting, is pretty much spot on. It is IN DEPTH, and it is minute by minute, and I tried to concentrate on it but I just could not. Maybe some other time, but I was not in the mood for that much detail and fact. 

Have you read any of these books and if so, what did you think? What was your favorite book in June? What was your favorite book so far this year? 

Never Have I....Wait, Actually I Have! (2)

Happy Memorial Day to my US friends! The last rendition of this post got not one, but TWO of my long time lurkers to come out of the blog commenting closet and join in, so I thought that I may as well do it again and see what happens! To be fair, one of them (Hi Mr. B!) has commented before, but the other (Hi Funky Bunch!) was a TS virgin before this. Maybe I can get Bugsy and G-Money to chime in this time...

By the way, I was very happy to find out last time that I am not the only one who wets my pants from time to time. I am sure it will only be getting worse, not better, as time goes by, and I am glad to have company! 

Without further ado, here are some things that I have never done in my life. Let me know in the comments, have you ever done these things? 

1. Gotten a tattoo [Let me tell you, my parents were not happy!]

2. Been fly fishing [If you have never done this, I recommend it. It is very meditative and not boring at all!]

3. Seen an alligator [I've nearly stepped on one too]

My next door neighbor in Gainesville

4. Had a pet lizard [Bearded Dragons]

5. Smoked a cigarette [It was in my experimental days and I would not want to do it now]

6. Ridden on a subway [so many times!]

Antalya

7. Seen an elephant in the wild (aka not in a zoo) [Thailand, Malaysia (pigmies! They were so cute!), Africa]

Pigmy elephants are still pretty large!

8. Dated someone from a different country than I am from [actually several...and you thought I was boring!]

9. Ridden in an 18 wheeler [Africa]

10. Read two books at the same time [Nowadays I nearly am always listening to one and reading one]

11. Been on TV [after the Boston marathon bombing, I got interviewed on our local news station!]

2013 Boston Strong run organized by the Pavement Runner

12. Been to the doctor/hospital in a foreign country [Ug. Several...Mexico, Uruguay, France, Türkiye (surgery even!)...I think that is it! Does getting a COVID swab in Austria count?]

Luckily I did not need this one

13. Sang karaoke in a bar [Many times. My go to was usually a Grease related duet with a friend of mine, and I was always John Travolta, because you know why? Because I got chills, and they're multiplying!] 

[Actually, funny story, a friend of mine had one of those karaoke microphones that you plug into the TV and we had hotel security called on us because we were doing karaoke in my room, in the French Quarter of New Orleans no less, which is kind of known for its rowdy characters!]

Tell me, which of these have you done? Feel free to elaborate! (Copy and paste by highlighting below and clicking CTRL-C, the click CTRL-V in the comment box.) 

1. Gotten a tattoo

2. Been fly fishing

3. Seen an alligator

4. Had a pet lizard

5. Smoked a cigarette

6. Ridden on a subway

7. Seen an elephant in the wild (aka not in a zoo)

8. Dated someone from a different country than you are from

9. Ridden in an 18 wheeler (bonus points if you have driven one!)

10. Read two books at the same time

11. Been on TV

12. Been to the doctor/hospital in a foreign country

13. Sang karaoke in a bar (and if so, what song is your go-to?)

Never Have I....Wait, Actually I Have!

Last week Elisabeth did a Never Have I Ever post and I always enjoy them, but when it comes to talking about what else that I haven't done, I never can come up with stuff, because how do I know what I don't know/haven't done? So I thought I would make a list of weird things that I have done and you can chime in to let me know if you have done these things! Also, I want to apologize in advance to my parents or anyone who I may offend or make blush by stating these things. 

1. Shot a gun

It was not this one!

2. Joined the mile high club (it is much more exciting in the movies FYI) 

3. Eaten a rambutan

Rambutan

4. Driven a tractor

5. Been over 5,000 m (16,500 ft) in elevation

6. Eaten a bug (on purpose)

Chapulines

7. Read a book in another language (Harry Potter y la Piedra Filosofal. It took me a while, but I did it during the pandemic, so, you know, I had time!)

8. Driven a car in another country (Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy, Turkey, Scotland and Ireland, all manual)

Ireland

9. Driven a motorcycle. (Did it when I was younger, and then again in Vietnam and Thailand, with a person on the back, which is scary!)

10. Stayed up past dawn (partying! Just kidding. I did stay up all night in Buenos Aires because they don't go for dinner until 10 pm, then you go out afterward, but mostly my all night jaunts are running related) 

Finish line of Bryce 100 after staying up all night
(plus it was over 100 degrees too!)

11. Gone commando (cycling, but then I realized that I don't mind it!)

12. Wet my pants (just a little not fully, but sometimes when you have to go really bad and then you sneeze...well...) 

13. Had an Irish car bomb (not for several years but they used to be fairly de rigueur) 

14. Smoked a hookah (in New Orleans and San Francisco, but never in a different country)

This is not me, but I am drinking that martini!

15. Heard a call to prayer (in Istanbul. 5x per day in most cases, and I think 6x during Ramadan)

2004. What a baby I was (sorry about the quality)

16. Stepped on a snake (Luckily it was not poisonous. I jumped so high after that!) 

It was not this one. This one IS poisonous.

It was not this one. This one was huge, but in a tree. Don't F with the red tailed boa. 

Here is the list so that you can copy and paste (to avoid the copyright note, just highlight and click CTRL-C, then CTRL-V into the comment box). 

1. Shot a gun

2. Joined the mile high club 

3. Eaten a rambutan

4. Driven a tractor

5. Been over 5,000 m (16,500 ft) in elevation

6. Eaten a bug (on purpose)

7. Read a book in another language 

8. Driven a car in another country 

9. Driven a motorcycle. 

10. Stayed up past dawn 

11. Gone commando 

12. Wet my pants 

13. Had an Irish car bomb 

14. Smoked a hookah 

15. Heard a call to prayer 

16. Stepped on a snake 

Have you done any of these things? What other strange things have you done in your life that I can make a NHIE post about later? 

FIG Wrap

It's time to wrap up the figs! In case you forgot, this is where we find something to be grateful for each day. You will see from the below that I am extremely food motivated and food makes me happy! I want to thank Elisabeth for dreaming this project up and keeping track of everyone's goings on. I am grateful for you, Elisabeth. And now, onto the other FIGs. 

These figs are from my tree in Oakland! 

10. I arrived in Krakow! Yay. Also, it was very late (midnight) and I not only figured out the bus system, but it only cost about $1.50 to get into town from the airport. Just to put it in context, from SFO to the city center is about $12 on the train, and if I were to take an Uber home, it would be about $60, and even getting to/from the airport in Lyon was $17. Hey, that's $10+ extra dollars that I can use to buy more food! Priorities.  

11. I went on two separate walking tours and the guide was very jolly. His name was Tomasz and he was very tall and very passionate about history. It was a somber day at times, and a cold one, but I learned a lot and so am thankful for that. 

12. I had a nice (very cold) run around the old part of town and then came home and snuggled up and finished a good book and ate pierogis! 

Wawel Castle

13. I tried my first Obwarzanki, which is basically like a bagel, but a bit less puffy. I ate it as I walked through the old part of town as the sun was rising. Also, today it was warmer, only 32 degrees instead of 17, feels like 9! Yay. This sounds like a joke, but I spent the entire day outside, so was very happy that it was not colder. VERY happy. 

Obwarzanki man

14. I went to the Schindler Factory Museum, which is not in itself positive, but it definitely makes me grateful for a lot of things like food, hot water and life itself. It was very cold too and imagining the Jewish people walking from the ghetto to the factory for work, which was a blessing, makes me really think hard about my own life in general. 

15. A warm bowl of Zurek. It's mustardy, it's meaty, it's hot. What more can you ask for. 

Zurek

16. Zapiekanki. Basically bread with cheese. But melted. Yummy. 

Zapiekanki

17. I met up with my cousin and had a great time chatting and catching up with her and her partner. 

18. My cousin and I went for a morning walk to a farm, went to Haarlem for a beer, met up with a friend of hers in Amsterdam for happy hour, had a nice lunch (bitterballen for the win!) and met up with her partner for a great dinner. Wins all around: good food, good beer, good company! 

Bitterballen

19. Wednesday market and my first homemade Stroopwafel! The old man was so cute and he let me take a photo of him. Have I mentioned that I have a thing for old men with hats? 

Stroopwafel man

20. Another walk to the farm, and this pig kindly let me take his photo! Have you ever seen such a cute little pig? 

21. I rode a bike to the beach and put my feet in the North Sea for the first time. 

22. Hard to choose one, but I would have to say Belgian beer! 

So many good ones!

23. I worked out! For the first time in a looooong time. It was fun (until the next day!) I forgot that the weights were in kilos at first and I was wondering why I was so much weaker than I used to be. Then I remembered and felt pretty good about myself! 

24. My flight was on time, I got my backpack on with no issues (budget carry on rules in Europe, woof), and I arrived in a new place that is WARM! Yippy kai, ai, yay. 

25. I spent literal hours just walking around Seville, enjoying the warmth and the new vibe and colors. It even rained and I didn't care. Also I spent probably an hour in the grocery store, ogling the ham hocks, various yogurt drinks, and potted meats. 

Plaza de España

26. As I ride the bus towards the coast, I can't help but smiling at the excitement of being in a new place. Even though this also means figuring out new language, customs, routes, and daily routines, it is exciting, and even more so when I crest the hill and see the ocean. My next month will be near the sea and I am really happy about that. Sunshine really is an amazing balm for the soul. 

27. Where to start? I went for a run along the ocean. I went grocery shopping in a new place, which is one of my favorite things to do. And I sat here, and watched the sea as I read my book. 

28. Today's morning run. 

Happy Friday! 

What was your sweetest FIG this week? 

Ask Me Anything!

Bof, and you guys thought I forgot about the AMA questions that I asked you to submit in November but never answered. But I never. Here are some of the questions about life in general that I still have on my list, and stay tuned, as there are some long lost bikepacking questions that I still have to wrap up! You can find other Q&As here. Also, to my US friends, I hope you are enjoying your day off! Yay. Here in Europe, it is cold and people are at work. But the good news is, I will be staying with a friend for the next week, so we will be trying to stay warm together. 

Basilica de Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Lyon

Stephany asked: 

How long do you plan on doing your bike trip and do you have any idea of what comes afterward? Well, this is a great question. As you know the bike trip ended "officially" in December, but stay tuned, because my feet are itchy and I think there is some exploring to do in this neck of the woods. TBD. 

What is the #1 piece of advice you'd give to someone else planning to quit their job and travel the world? I could get really long winded here, but first I would say that you need to save some money and also track your spending so that you know roughly how much a year of living costs you. 

If you have already done that and are financially prepared, I would say, don't wait. It is so easy to stay in the comfortable and to not branch out, but the worst that can happen is that you do it and you don't love it and you go back to what you were doing before. You have to give it a try. 

And then more practically, I would say that you can take a lot of the stress out if it is your first time by doing a group trip, or daily group tours and excursions, or if you are more adventurous, it does help to plan some things ahead of time so that you are not scrambling when you are in the new place. I prefer to have extra time to sit around because I planned ahead, than to be scrambling later on. However, I also think it is good to factor in some downtime and "nothing" time, so that if something fun comes up that you were not aware of, you can do it without being super rigid. 

What is something you wish you had done differently (and this could be about anything - relationships, schooling, the bike trip, etc.)? I am not really big into regrets, as in, there were things that I did not do efficiently, but they shaped who I am so I feel okay with those things. However, if you made me answer...I would say that I could have been more efficient with my college years. I transferred schools and did not prep well so had to retake certain classes that did not transfer. I went to France and was going to go and live there permanently and so did not register for the next semester and then the France thing fell through and I just kind of went "meh" and didn't try to get into the fall semester. I then spent a year goofing off (well, working) before finally deciding to shape up and go back to school. I could have definitely been done with school faster but I was not very motivated. 

Melissa asked: 

You mentioned your next adventure will be slow travel. What destination would you most like to spend a month in and why? Oh Melissa, this internet is not big enough to list all of the places I would like to spend a month. I would like to go back to several places where I have already been and spend a month there. Some that come to mind are South Africa, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Argentina, Columbia (oh the list goes on). And then there are still over 100 countries that I have never been to and I am not a huge "box checker" and would like to spend some quality time checking them out too! And then every time you post a travel recap, I want to do that (Camino, back to Paris etc.) so...um...1,000 places to go before I die, I guess! 

What's your favourite US National Park and why? Is there one that you would like to visit and haven't? This answer is very similar to the last. I love Yosemite and Kings Canyon and the high Sierra in California A LOT. I suggest everyone go there. However, I think out of the 63(?) NPs in the US, I maybe have only been to about 20 of them, so I have a long way to go! I would like to visit Glacier, and I have never been to Yellowstone! 

When flying roller-case or backpack? Backpack 100%, no hesitation. I like being able to walk or run or climb stairs. I like to be able to squeeze it in the overhead. And I hate dragging something behind me, and I hate the sound the roller bags make when they are headed your way; I feel like running away sometimes! 

Diane asked: 

What are your "go to" things you do when you visit a new place?  (Or even when you re-visit a familiar place) I have a checklist for things to check before I go; here is a list of some of them: 

How to get from the airport/train station?
Is there an app for public transit?
Can I use tap to pay to get on bus/metro?
Did I / can I buy my airport transport ticket in advance?
Is it worth buying a weekly/monthly pass?
What is the exchange rate/currency?
Do I have the currency loaded on my calculator app?
How to say: Do you speak English? Please/Thank You. Hello/Goodbye.
Do I have the language downloaded on Google Translate?
Do I have the offline map downloaded on Google Maps?
Do I have my list of possible things to do done?
Do I have ideas for restaurants or foods I want to try?
Have I booked any critical things in advance?
Have I booked walking tour(s) or excursion(s)?
Do I have lodging and walking tour locations saved on map? 
Where are the walking/running routes?
Is there an expat or meetup group?
Is there a running club? 

For each of these things I have a column with Y/N and if applicable, the information (like foods I want to try). So I guess to answer your question, yes, whether I have been there before or not, I want to try new foods, walk around or maybe run around, see attractions and meet people!  

Do you have any scars or broken bones? I have only broken one bone and it was my pinky finger. I have a few scars, mostly from skinned knees, but also I once cut my thumb-pit pretty badly with a knife, and I once fell and hit my chin on a doorframe. The latter was my ONLY time I have ever had stitches (and I was in my 20s). 

Who was your favorite elementary school teacher?  This is a trick question, because I went to a one room schoolhouse, so we did not get a new teacher every year. In the years of K-6, I only had three, and they were all wonderful. BUT, the Kindergarten teacher used to strum her guitar and we would sing (it was the 80s, I remember a lot of Yellow Submarine and Anne Murray) and I loved that! 

Ernie asked:

I guess I could scroll back, but I wonder what you did for work before this trip and when/if you are done traveling will you start back to a job and if so will you work in the same field, or try something new? I used to work in Finance and it was lovely, but I don't anticipate going back. However, we do have licenses that we have to keep current, and I am contemplating whether I should keep renewing them. Re going back to a job, I am working on becoming a free agent, so we shall see how that goes. 

Bugsy asked: 

As I am staring at my jury summons...what, if anything, do you need to deal with something like jury duty? If you are traveling, you can try to make a case that you are not in the country and they will often postpone it. If you are living outside the country, you would need to show that you are no longer a resident of the state that you are registered in and give them your new address and then I think you would be excused for good. However, just a side note, even if you are not living in the US, even permanently, you CAN VOTE. So, go and vote, people! 

Have you considered (or have already) considered changing your residency to a non-state income state? I've seen people on YouTube talk about South Dakota, "America's Mailbox." I am guessing that you watched this episode. To this I would say that you should do your homework. I believe that some of the states where there is no income tax may not have a very good affordable care act healthcare program. So, if that is something that is important to you, you may want to read the fine print. Also, CA and NY are notorious for making people jump through more hoops than states like TX or GA when you want to "prove" that you are no longer a resident of their fine state. So, do your homework and if it works for you, have at it. I am going to hold off for now. 

Okay, well that is a lot of things to digest. Now it's your turn! 

Did any of my answers surprise you? I would love to hear if you guys have a "go to" list or any kind of checklist that you use when you are going on a trip or vacation. Also, backpack or roller bag? Let's discuss! 

Best of 2024: Travel

I hope that everyone is having a great holiday week! It is that time of year again; let the round ups begin! Here are a few of my favorite places from my travels this year, in no particular order! 

Marquette, Michigan. This is a cute little town in the Upper Penninsula right near Lake Superior. They have a fun little farmers market, good bike paths and a good bakery. What more could you ask for? 

Lake Superior, Marquette

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta. Although I have been here before, I liked it then and I liked it again! This is a beautiful park in the Canadian Rockies and is not quite as busy as Banff or Jasper, so is quite a treat! It has beautiful views of lakes and mountains and often you will see wildlife here (we saw a grizzly bear!) 

Day One of the Tour Divide

Icefields Parkway, Alberta. Yup, two Canadian places in one! It was cold and rainy when I was here, but it was still very beautiful! I also saw several bears here too and had fun camping in some very pretty locations. 

Waterfowl Lake, Banff NP

Crooked River, Oregon. As I passed people fishing and sitting next to their camper reading, I knew I wanted to eventually come back to this place again. It is dry and stark, but very beautiful all the same. 

Crooked River, Oregon

Bellingham, Washington. A fun town near water (I am seeing a theme here) with a Saturday market (another theme) and lots of good food, beer and places to walk. It checks a lot of boxes! 

I love a town that loves beer!

Nelson, BC. Another town near a lake with a nice walkable downtown and everything that you could possibly need nearby. There is hiking, skiing, water sports and more! Oh, and hamburgers and beer (another theme)! 

Nelson Post Office

Fernie, BC. A cute little ski town nestled in the heart of the Rockies. Also the downtown is walkable and the guys at the bike shop were very helpful. I am actually surprised this made the cut, as I actually passed through it twice and had to go to the bike shop both times! Booo! 

Downtown Fernie

Quebec City, QC. I also liked Montreal, but both cities have such a fun international flair and I enjoyed wandering, learning some history, and eating! 

La Fresque des Québécois

Colorado. Yup, the whole state. Actually, for the entire Tour Divide, Colorado was my favorite. I did not really stay in too many towns and a lot of the time I was riding as far as I could and spending most of my town time in grocery stores and crappy motels. However, even though it was hard, some of the climbs in Colorado were just beautiful, and were through forests full of trees, and I could feel the fresh air and I loved it. 

East San Juans, Colorado

Peggy's Cove, NS. The lighthouse here is one of Nova Scotia's most known and photographed lighthouses for a reason, as it sits on a rocky bluff and is surrounded by colorful houses and fishing bouys. Once again, places with water make the cut more often than not. 

Peggy's Cove Lighthouse

Obviously there were so many more places that I went this year that were beautiful, and where the people who I met were also great, and I could go on and on (as I sometimes do) but for now, I will leave you with these ten lovelies! 

Where was your favorite travel destination in 2024? Have you ever been to any of these places and if so, what did you think? 

Ask Me Anything (2)

I hope that everyone had a wonderful day yesterday and are not working today, but if you are, I hope it goes by quickly! Here are a few more answers to some of the questions people have asked me lately. 

Michelle asked: How do you stay safe? From idiot drivers, creepy people, wildlife? I try to ride on either dirt roads or bike paths that are away from most cars, but when I do have to ride on the highway, I have a red jacket and a blinking red light. I try to stay over as much as possible to the right and after that, I just have to pray that the drivers give me room. As far as creepy people, I just try to walk on the other side of the street, or if I am riding, I can usually ride away. I have not had any issues with creepy people in places I have camped. I obviously try to pick a spot that is either established, or if wild, is slightly hidden and not on a busy road or area. Wildlife and I are copesetic and we coexist happily. 

What will you eat? I answered that here and here. 

What do you do in bad weather? Cry. Just kidding! I just keep peddling. When I was riding the Tour Divide, we would say that in the voice of Dorrie from Finding Nemo. In case you have not seen the movie, “just keep swimming" was the necessary action to accomplish the large feat of crossing the ocean, but more abstractly, it was how they coped with the improbability of the task. This quote also helped them move forward without thinking too much about it.

Do you speak any foreign languages? I can get by with Spanish and French and can say hello, thank you, bathroom, beer, "do you speak English" and "I don't speak ____" in all of the languages of the places I have been to. I try to always learn at least that. 

How will you communicate with people in Europe if you don't speak their language? An app? If I don't speak the language and nobody speaks English (which is fairly rare in most big cities in Europe), I can use Google Translate. If you have not used it, it is great. You can download the language for use offline and then the person can either type into or speak into your phone and the app will translate it, and then you can type or talk and it will translate back. I have also found that hand guestures, body language and facial expressions will work wonders. 

Will your phone work in every country? Yes, I have Google Fi (I talked about that here), which works internationally. In some countries you have to pay per minute for phone calls, but texts are all included in the plan, and if and when I need extra data, I have an e-SIM (through Airalo) where I can load up data onto my phone for whatever country or region I am in. 

Are you worried about people being anti-American? No. There are always people who are anti something, but I am not going to let that ruin my day. Also, for the most part, I have found people to mostly be curious, not negative. I had a great conversation with two Swedish people in Thailand about why we had voted for Bush. Actually, in all of the places I have been, I have never had anyone be rude or mean to me due to my nationality. 

Also, you've said that you have stomach issues when you're not exercising hard - is that correct? I'm wondering if you'd talk more about that? Woof. This could be a whole post. The short answer is that I did have a lot of bloating, like 5 months pregnant, tight, aching belly and since I have been on the bike every day, it has been a lot better, as in only a couple of times have I noticed it. I did a ton of testing before leaving the Bay Area and bottom line is that it is probably SIBO, which can be treated with antibiotics, but also can return over and over. So, I currently try to stay away from beans, cruciferous vegetables, onions, garlic and wheat, but it is definitely not a cure all. 

M asked about my major being Kinesiology and how did I get into finance from there? I got my BS in Kinesiology and then went to travel the world and reflect, and when I came back home, I had spent all of my savings and took the first job I could get, which was as a financial analyst on a contract with the DHS. In the meantime, I also volunteered at a PT clinic, which was what I had thought I wanted to do, and I didn't like it. I ended up doing the analyst job for about eight years before deciding to travel again and when I came back home, I got a job in insurance, which I hated, and then a job in financial services, which I loved, and have been doing ever since! 

I think that is long enough! Now it's your turn! 

Is the job that you are currently working (or worked in the past) related to your major in college? Do you speak any foreign languages? Have you ever encountered rudeness or meanness in a foreign country due to your nationality? 

There is still time! If you haven't already, you can fill out this form with any questions you want answered for my next ask me anything post!!

This post is part of NaBloPoMo. You can find the rest of my posts for this challenge here. You can find the list of participants and their information here.