The Deep Heart’s Core (Visiting England & Ireland 2018/2019)

My favorite time of the year is fall/winter because so many holidays come rushing forth: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. It’s a time to be reflective and thankful for the good things in our lives. It’s an opportunity to spend time with loved ones, both friends and family, that we may not always get to see throughout the year. And if you’re someone experiencing a strong case of wanderlust, it’s also a chance to travel the world and see something new. The day after Christmas, with carols still ringing in our ears and visions of sugar plum fairies still dancing in our minds, my family and I caught a non-stop flight to London. Thankfully, Her Majesty was forewarned, and there were no diplomatic incidents when we arrived (that we know of, anyway).

The Raisin At The End of the Hot Dog (Iceland 2018)

Iceland has been on my dream list of countries to visit for the past 8 or so years, when the country started receiving a lot of buzz on travel blogs and websites. I remember searching for images and being enchanted by the rugged yet beautiful landscape shaped by mother nature’s whim in the form of volcanoes, glaciers, and strong winds. But the natural wonders weren’t the only reasons for my desire to visit. Iceland has been ranked the safest nation in the world 11 years running by the Global Peace Index; has been consistently ranked in the top 5 happiest countries by the World Happiness Report; and is one of the most literary countries, publishing more books per capita than any other nation in the world (along with a perfect 100% literacy rate). Those are some pretty impressive achievements. So when the opportunity presented itself this year, I decided to answer the alluring call to visit “The Land of Ice and Fire.”

Visiting the Western Caribbean: Water, Water, Everywhere

Last December, I went on a cruise to the western Caribbean with a couple of family members — my cousin and her son. We sailed out of Miami via Norwegian Cruise Line and visited several countries: Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. Sadly, we didn’t encounter any swashbucklers or mermaids, but we still managed to enjoy ourselves. As a writer, I’m always looking for opportunities to learn more about the world by experiencing other places and cultures. I usually accomplish this by living vicariously through books. On the occasions that I can do that in person, however, I try to keep my eyes open for moments that may result in a creative spark or a change in perspective. The following is a travel journal, documenting some of what I experienced.

Visiting Japan: Hearts Filled With An Open Calmness

It’s been a week since I spent 10 days in Japan. Memories of sushi, temples, and cartoon cats still dance around in my mind during my waking hours, and sometimes, even invading my dreams. Thanks to my obsession with anime during high school (I’m not afraid to admit my love of DBZ and Sailor Moon — I may even be guilty of shipping characters from both series ^_^;), visiting Japan had been on my travel wish list for more than twenty years. However, I didn’t begin to seriously consider making the trek until last year, when I discussed the possibility with one of my cousins who has called Japan “home” for the past three years.