Making My Good Life

I think I should start this point by saying no, London will not be on this list. If you look at my past posts, I think it is quite clear that England has my heart. I’ve already written many love letters to that wonderful place so of course it is a place I will visit again and again (and again.) Instead this post is dedicated to those places that surprised me.

I have been very lucky in my life to have had the opportunity to go to many different places with lots of different experiences. Every now and again you visit some place with no expectations and are absolutely blown away. Something about the place just captures you and won’t let go. The place sneaks in and you can’t forget them and know you have to go back one day. Here’s my list of five places that have done that for me.

1. Scotland

I said I wasn’t going to do England and technically I’m not!

Scotland completely blew me away. I took a weekend trip to Scotland in the summer of 2018 while I was studying abroad in London. After a six hour long train ride to Edinburgh, I exited the station and was just gobsmacked. Walking down the street we came upon the Scott Monument and that was it for me. The towering monument was just so gothic and moody but it was contrasted by a man in a kilt playing the bagpipes, it was joyful and lively. It looked out onto a green park where people were picnicking and enjoying the sunny weather. Everything about it was just ideal to me.

My memories of the trip are filled with live music, sunny outlooks, and really friendly locals. I went on a Harry Potter walking tour, visited Glasgow, and hiked up King Arthur’s Seat. It also was my first (and last!) hostel experience. Too many people, too much dirty feet smell.

Something about Scotland just is so majestic and moody to me. It feels like there is something hiding from you but if you reach out you can grab it. I love rocky outlooks and hiking, I love that the cities feel small and doable, and I really love the music.

On my next trip to Scotland, I really want to focus on the outdoors. I want to see as many castles as possible, hike everyday, and visit the highlands. If I had time I would love to visit the Orkney Islands, Shetland, or the Isle of Skye. Basically, I just want to go and live out everyone’s Outlander dreams!

2. Hawaii

It’s not called paradise for nothing.

I visited Oahu, Hawaii for a week in the spring of 2016. It was my senior year of high school and my parents took me for my spring break so we could visit my family and meet my nephew. Now, I am a little bit unsure if you can call it a vacation when you are visiting family but when it’s Hawaii I think it counts.

That being said, I really want to go back to Hawaii because I feel like there are so many things I missed. Hawaii is also hard because you’re talking about more than one island. I would have no problem going back to Oahu and experiencing it again but I would also like to go to Maui and the big island to see the volcanoes.

On my trip, I did a lot of the tourist things. I went to see Pearl Harbor, we went to a luau and had good food, we drove up to the North Shore, we went on hikes, and of course we laid out on the beach. It was very fun but I think it just want a different vibe when I go back.

Next time, I want to spend more time eating really good food. I want to eat at every food truck I see, eat all the Hawaiian ice, and have poke and fresh fish everyday. I want to take scenic drives and explore hidden beaches just because. I would also like to do more adventures like snorkeling, scuba, or even just boat rides. I want to spend it all in a bathing suit with crazy hair and no shoes. I think I just want to experience it with as much relaxation as possible.

3. Vienna, Austria

This is a deep cut. Austria is the second ever country I’ve visited. It was winter 2014, we landed literally on New Years Day. It was for a high school trip so we did the whole coach bus and group tours thing.

Maybe it was because I was so jet lagged, I’m talking falling asleep at restaurants jet lagged, or because it was the first place in Europe I’d ever been but Vienna just really did it for me. We went on this city wide walk and passed by all the heavy hitters. I knew then that I wanted to go back and everything I’ve seen or read since has just confirmed that it needs another visit.

Vienna just feels pretty relaxed. It’s no Paris or Rome, it’s manageable to do all the big things and still actually have a good time. And it’s not that big of a deal if you “miss out” on something. Another reason I really liked Vienna was the vibe it had. Vienna felt old but also fresh. It has a sort of modern juxtaposition to the old city. Maybe it’s the Germanic sensibility and efficiency that does it.

Next time I go, I really want to visit the Vienna Opera House. I have toured the building as a group but I want to catch a performance next time, whether it be opera or ballet. I also want to investigate the vintage scene and do more shopping and thrifting as well as (shocker) eat more good food. Vienna also has a semi-famous ferris wheel and theme park that I want to check out.

4. New Orleans, Louisiana

The food! The music!

By now I’m sure it’s not surprise that places that really appeal to me usually include two key things: food and music. I think they just elevate a normal experience and make it that much more sensory. They involve the visitor in a way that, if done well, make the experience so much more memorable.

So if we’re talking about places with great food and amazing music, the pinnacle for me is New Orleans. I love it, and honestly I’m shocked by how much I love it. My best friend told me she hates it there and cannot understand why I like it so much. But for me, what’s not to like? Jazz, drinks, southern food, beautiful old architecture, and so much history all around. Other than the scorching heat and ridiculous humidity, it feels like it was made for me and I think everyone should visit. It feels so luxe and decadent but also there’s a grittiness and dark side lurking there too.

On my first visit we tried to hit it all. We did the National World War II museum, a walking tour of the city and cemeteries, and a trip out to the river road plantations. We ate lots of fish and fried food and it was great. For my next visit I want fewer museums and more late nights. I want to wake up at 11:00 am and relax, then eat brunch before going and exploring hidden corners of the city, shopping, or going and looking at houses in the Garden District then having dinner at 9pm at somewhere like Brennan’s or Antoine’s where there’s tablecloth and a dress code. Then I want to go find live jazz and good cocktails before walking out and finding a street band on my way home. Bliss, complete and total bliss.

5. Amalfi Coast, Italy

I think this one is pretty much a no brainer of why anyone would want to go back.

In October 2016, I spent one afternoon on a tour bus going down the Amalfi Coast. We stopped in Positano for lunch and to sightsee but otherwise we were not spending much time out of the bus. First of all, going on tiny cliffside roads in a tour bus is terrifying, and second of all, I feel like it’s a total injustice to have a tour like that at all. The Amalfi Coast should be savored and experienced fully, not shoved into a one day itinerary!

Next time I go back, I’m picturing late summer. The crowds will be gone but the water will have the last of its warmth before you don’t want to swim in it anymore. I want to lounge by water everyday and eat copious amounts of pasta, fish, baked goods, and gelato while dining outside. I want an Aperol Spritz in hand at all times. I want to go on boat rides often and some hikes too. I want to chat with some locals and maybe be invited to their house for a meal. I want to take my time and savor every moment, soak up all the sun.