Part II: Whistler Wanderings

We got our first taste of road tripping on our hour and a half long drive from Vancouver to Whistler. It was clear we were all very excited (to be traveling by mini-van, of course) and to explore a new area of Canada because we were singing, laughing, and screaming almost the whole way. I think Chauffeur Chip was a little worried for our upcoming (5 hour long) trip we would be taking in 4 days. We joked on our drive, saying wouldn't it be funny if by the end of the trip we were all sick of each other and the car was conversationless. Don't worry...it doesn't happen. It's hard not to mention the drive from Vancouver to Whistler. Stunning, really. We followed the ocean much of the way, going up and over mountain passes.

Canada, Family Travel, Previous Trips, VacationLindsay KellerSeptember 28, 2013Whistler, BC, CanadaCanadian Rockies, Canada, WhistlerComment

Part I: Reuniting With Friends In Vancouver, Canada

Chip and I were overcome with joy to be heading to Canada...and for many reasons! First, we've always wanted to explore Canada. We thought it was a little odd to be saying we were from the US but had never actually step foot into Canada (driving across the border when you're 19 to get booze doesn't count. And neither does seeing Niagara Falls from the Canadian side). Second, we wanted to run the half marathon in Vancouver. Third, and most exciting, we were reuniting with our awesome friends that we met a year earlier in New Zealand. There is Nick and Erika, our Canadian roommates that lived with us in Queenstown, and the Kennedy's, our favorite family of 5 who welcomed us while living in their home country. The plan for the trip was to all meet up in Vancouver, run either the half or full marathon (Jeff was the only one who had the guts to run the full), and then take off via mini-van with the Kennedy's for a week-long road trip from Vancouver to Whistler then Kamloops to Banff.

I Did It! (Cue Rocky Theme Song)

I arrived in Guatemala 6 weeks ago and like many things in life, the time flew by!! I've said it before and I'll say it again...I honestly feel like I just stepped off the plane yesterday (with my kind Texan friends that I had just met, by my side). To tell the truth, thanks to the latest news headlines I was unbelievably nervous about traveling in Guatemala. Leaving my husband and the comforts of the US was going to be a challenge, I thought. But the minute I stepped outside my host family's house that first day those feelings of worry vanished and I realized Antigua is just like any other city in the world. There are friendly tourists, food vendors selling food and hand made clothing, colorful buildings, kids gossiping as they walked to school, and locals to greet you with a pleasant 'buenos dias.' Sure, the noisy and unpleasant-looking chicken buses and the armed guards with gigantic guns were a bit of an eyesore at first but I admit, they kind of grew on me (well, maybe not the chicken buses...). My point is, I had a few terrifying internal moments before I left the US (thank God, I didn't share these with my mom). At one point, I actually thought to myself 'is it too dangerous for me to travel to Guatemala?' I now can honestly say no, it's not too dangerous...it's a fantastic country to explore! Fearing the unknown is normal. But not pursuing it is worse.

Volcano Girls

Hola to all my friends and family back home!!!
When I last wrote I was having a rather difficult week of Spanish lessons (I know, that's expected) but this week and the last have been a whole different experience. Maybe it's because I'm much more relaxed in my home of Antigua or maybe it's that I am finally learning and speaking Spanish (I'm talking stories here, not sentences anymore). Like I said before, it has been an interesting journey so far. I came here a confident English speaker who, I think, felt comfortable in my own skin. But everything changes when you enter a new country, try to speak a new language, meet new friends, and also make sure people see the real you throughout the whole process. It's a very difficult task but I'm happy to feel a bit of relief finally.

Central America, GuatemalaLindsay KellerJuly 23, 2013Volcan De AcatenangoGuatemala, Central America, volcanoComment

Feliz Cumpleanos A Mi!

Hola mis amigos!

I'm now approaching the end of week two in Antigua and I feel so lucky to be having a successful trip thus far. On my birthday weekend Kate, Nath, Elizabeth and I made a trip to El Lago de Atitlan, a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains and volcanoes in the highlands of Guatemala. I can also report that classes have been quite trying this week and with that, comes many emotions (you don't want to miss this). But more on that later!

Livin' La Vida Loca!

Well, I made it! Whew! After meeting the kindest group of Texans before getting on the airplane in Dallas (who also thought my driver to Antigua wasn't going to show up) my nerves began to subside. They were on a mission trip with their church and had been visiting Guatemala for the past 7 years. They assured me I was going to LOVE it and that if my driver didn't show up I could catch a ride with them. But my trusty Guatemalan drivers did not let me down and as I proceeded out of customs at 11pm I saw my name (well, close enough, spelled 'Linday Killer') being held by a perky young gentlemen. I fell in love with these two brothers who recently opened up an airport taxi company (they also do tours to the volcanoes on the side). They were the perfect welcoming committee as they told me about their beautiful country in humorous fashion, bantering back and forth.

Here I Go Again On My Own

Welcome back!!!!

I write to you from the comforts of our new home in Durango, Colorado where we are all settled in, exploring the local hikes and making new friends. It already feels like we belong here as it is very similar to Queenstown, New Zealand where we were able to live for 7 months this past year. Lots of friendly locals, nearby mountains to explore, and strong community pride. I can't wait to really get settled in but to be brutally honest, I definitely caught the travel bug at some point and am itching for one additional trip (I swear this is the last one for awhile!!). This time, to live with a host family in Antigua, Guatemala for 6 weeks while taking daily Spanish lessons! Whew...I'm going to be exhausted!

Life is a (German) Highway

We write to you from the soils of Germany where we've just spent an eventful time exploring the southern countryside. As I mentioned in the last blog, we decided to rent a car from Holland and make our way down to the southern edge of Germany with the preferred mode of transportation being the German autobahn. If you haven't heard of the autobahn, it's Germany's network of highways with the biggest differences from the American highway system being the quantity of BMWs and lack of a speed limit. Driving on the autobahn has been on Chip's bucket list since he visited 10 years ago (and who wouldn't want to cruise at 180 kph (that's 111 mph) legally)? So we belted up in our rental Ford Fiesta and took to the open road at times clocking 180 kph...which is about what it will go, flat out. If that didn't feel fast enough, we'd actually have people in Mercedes, BMWs, and Audis flying past us at that speed like we were standing still. It was awesome!

Europe, GermanyLindsay KellerAugust 1, 2012Germany!Europe, Germany, mountains, surfing Comments

Costa Rican Honeymoon: Part II

Welcome back to our Costa Rican honeymoon!

While our drive from Arenal to Samara was a scenic one, it definitely required patience from us and high-clearance maneuvering from our car. Google maps assured us that we would arrive in 3 1/2 hours however we ended up rolling in roughly 5 hours later because the roads were so bumpy and curvy. But we made it in one piece and were as happy as clams that we decided to stay in the quaint town of Samara over one of the other popular touristy beach towns along the coastline. The town itself consisted of a 3 km long crescent-shaped beach scattered with a few beach-side restaurants, one main surf school, and backed by palm trees and thick green foliage. We could tell at this point Samara hadn't hit the tourist map but we were afraid it was on the verge of it. Only one concrete structure loomed amongst the lush tropical town, sticking out like a sore thumb. Who would build that? And why would you ruin this paradise with that eye-sore?

Costa Rican Honeymoon: Part I

Our honeymoon officially began when we flew over Costa Rica at 6 in the morning and admired the beautiful sunrise with lush green rainforests below. Once we landed in San Jose and grabbed our rental car, we immediately hit the (extremely) bumpy roads to Arenal Volcano National Park where we would be spending the following three nights. We were still an hour away but as we crested the hills, we spotted glimpses of the prominent Volcano ahead. The perfect start to our Costa Rican honeymoon!

Central America, Costa Rica, National ParksLindsay KellerApril 30, 2011Arenal VolcanoCosta Rica, Arenal Volcano, Hot SpringsComment

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