Cancun, Mexico

Hey guys,

This one is a more recent update. Over Christmas I was in Cancun, Mexico with all of my dad’s side of the family. We were there for a week and it was so much fun!! I love it when all of my cousins get together and we can all just hang out.

During this trip we went to the Isla Mujeres where we rented golf carts and drove around the island. We stopped at a turtle sanctuary, went swimming in the ocean, and played beach volleyball. We had so much fun on the island swimming and everything.

We also went to Chichen Itza as a big group. My mom, sister, and I had been there before but nobody else had so we decided to go again. It was really hot that day and was the last day of our trip. We got to see and tour Chichen Itza as well as go to a water spring and swim in it. The day trip was a lot of fun.

Over the course of the trip we got to play on the beach, swim, relax, eat good food, and just have fun. One of my favourite memories of this trip is the last night. Almost all of us cousins went swimming after dinner and had the whole pool to ourselves. We got to jus float and talk and splash around. It was so much fun and will always have a special place in my heart. All of us cousins got to seadoo as well which was so much fun!! I had never done it before and was scared of tipping over at first but by the end I was speeding along just like everybody else having the time of my life! We got to play games with the whole family at night and all in all it was a super successful trip. I miss it already and I can’t wait to see everybody again especially all of my cousins!

Orlando, Florida

Hey guys,

So this post is really late. I started writing it then lost my post and then just got busy. In August I went to Florida! My whole family went as well as we met my aunt, uncle, and cousin there for a couple days. We were in Orlando for a week and stayed in a hotel were we basically got a huge apartment. It was a great place!

While we were there my sister and I went to Universal Studios as we really wanted to see “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter”. We got to see both sides of the Harry Potter section of Universal besides going on the Hogwart’s Express. Honestly after going to the Harry Potter Studio in Watford, England the Universal version was a bit of a disappointment. Since we had already had butter beer in Watford we decided to try the frozen butter beer at Universal, as it was so hot. We ended up only going on two rides besides the Hogwart’s Express. One being the Hogwart’s castle ride, which was really well done, and the other Gringott’s Bank. Both were a lot of fun. After talking to somebody else on one of the rides I was told that the best ride in both sections was the castle. On that ride you get to feel like you are going through the castle as a student as well as experience playing quidditch. It was all a lot of fun but the train was defiantly not something I would recommend trying more than once.

Later in the trip we also went to Disneyworld. I had not been to Disneyworld since I was 2 so this was basically a brand new experience for me. We went with our cousin, aunt, and uncle. We went to the Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and the Magic Kingdom. We spent most of our day in the Animal Kingdom and Epcot as we have been to Disneyland many times before. We went on the safari first as I had heard a lot about it. It was good to see all of the animals and it was a good way for us to stay out of the rain. We then saw the “Lion King” which is a performance they do. We walked around the rest of the Animal Kingdom looking around before heading over to Epcot. In Epcot we went on a bunch of rides. One of these being were you go through time and see how electronics and such have evolved over centuries. We also went on one where you are in a simulator and it makes you feel as if you are flying a rocket ship. As the day went on the queues kept getting longer and longer. My aunt wanted to go on the ride which is an aeroplane simulator and the queue for that was massive. We must have waiting like 2 hours for that ride. We finished off in the Magic Kingdom as my aunt really wanted to go there. We took the train around the park and went on one ride, a small world, and then parted ways. That evening we met with our parents and went out to a really nice dinner at a local restaurant which was amazing!! I don’t remember the name of the restaurant but if I come across it I will link it in this post.

During this trip we also went to Blue Spring National State Park. All 7 of us went and we went swimming for a bit which was a lot of fun. At the park we also saw manatees as well as alligators. There were people paddle boarding there as well as canoeing. During our trip we also went to an orange farm. We went on a tour of this farm and they had animals that either roamed free or had a large fenced in area which was much nicer to see rather than a zoo. We got to feed these animals as well from the truck which was fun. This orange farm also did monster challenges (a muddy obstacle course). They also had a shop were you could buy different little things such as alligator. My dad bought a little bit of alligator to try and we got orange creamsicle ice cream drinks.

On this trip we also went to the Kennedy Space Centre. We went through the whole centre and got to see the different launch pads as well as rockets and more. It was quite amazing to see it all. Its hard to explain everything we saw. I defiantly suggest going to see the Space Centre though.

Overall it was a really great trip. I would defiantly go back to Florida but I would want to see different things again next time. Sorry this post is so late but there will be more travel posts coming soon!

London and Cardiff

Hey guys,

So my last post was on leaving London but since then I’ve been back. A couple weeks after I left I went back as my dad had a meeting in Cardiff and I was joining him. We flew into London and spent a day and a half there before heading off to Cardiff.

I’ll talk about the London bit of the trip first. So the day we got to London we arrived around 12 and had plans to meet up with my cousin for dinner that evening. We meet him at Tottenham Court Road Station and headed to a place that serves flat iron steak. We each got a steak and shared some sides and it was so good. There was no fat on the steak and it was just so good. I highly suggest if you are in London you go to this place. I think it was actually called Flat Iron Steak. I will put a link in for it. It was super good though and a steak was only £10! Anyways we did that and had dessert there as well which was super good and then said our good byes and headed home for the night. The next day came and we had plans to go to a family friends for a BBQ.  We headed over and had a nice BBQ at their place and had strawberries and creme as it was during the time Wimbledon was on. It was a lovely afternoon before heading to Cardiff. That evening we got to Cardiff and the next bit of our trip began.

 

In Cardiff my dad had meetings the whole time so for the most part I was on my own. I had been to Cardiff once before in January but only for a couple hours and we just saw the castle and walked along the high street. So this was a time for me to truly explore Cardiff and do some shopping along the way. We had three days in Cardiff before heading back to London. Everyday I went down new bits of Cardiff and then met up with my dad for dinner. The first night we went to Cardiff Bay and ate at Nando’s which is always good. My dad had never been to Nando’s before so I decided to take him there. We also explore the bay a bit before heading back which was nice. The next day we met up with a friend of his who he got in contact with after not seeing her for about 20 years I think. We said in Cardiff with her and went to Jamie Oliver’s for dinner which was really good. We then drove her back home as she doesn’t live in Cardiff. This allowed us to see more of Wales which was quite cool as I had only ever been in Cardiff and Newport before. The last night we went to the bay again and had dinner at Strada with a work friend of my dad’s before heading back to London.

In Cardiff I did quite a bit of shopping as I love the shops in the UK and I can’t get the same things in Canada. I have two more travel update type posts to do but I may also do a bit of a haul type post on the stuff I bought in Cardiff.

Anyways I will post more soon as there are two more travel posts to do because I suck at posting as things happen or right after they do. I also have concert type posts I may do if I remember as well. I will post soon and I hope you enjoyed this little update.

Ashley xx.

Leaving London…

Hey guys,

So here’s something sad: I’ve left London. I always knew this day would come but I never expected it to be like this. Ever since the Isle of Wight or just before that actually everything has been a world wind.

Since I decided to move back to Canada it has been a lot of phone calls to different companies. I’ve learnt just as much moving out as moving in. I have had to deal with electricity and gas companies, water companies, and the council to list a few. I had to clear the apartment and sold a lot of different things. I also saw a lot of different friends and family friends before leaving. I also saw my cousin for the last time for a little while. It was nice though. My mom, cousin, and I ended up going for Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding the size of our faces. We then went to Regent’s Park and watched the cricket and just got to chat. Before seeing my cousin though I saw two different friends. With one friend we went to a film event which was interesting and then we went and got burgers which was very tasty. It was a fun night. With my other friend we decided to go for dessert and drinks. She found a German place and we got black forest cake and Radlers. It was so nice as we got to sit facing the river and watch the sun go down.

My mom and I also met with family friends in London before leaving. We had friends down from Scotland so we went to dinner with their whole family. It was a lot of fun though as they have twins that are a year younger than me. We also had a dinner at their grandma’s house before leaving as well as a dinner/dessert with 3 family friends (from London).

All in all this year in London has been amazing. I kind of wish it never ended. It was a slow start trying to find things to do and meet people but once it got rolling it was actually a lot of fun. London will always have a special place in my heart and I will most defiantly be back. I loved being able to become so much closer to my cousin there and meeting so many new people as well as experiencing so many new things. I will never forget this and how much it meant to me. Thank you for the awesome experience London!

Ashley xx

Vienna, Austria

Hey guys!

Sorry this is so delayed but I’ve been super busy since my last post. So if you can’t tell by the title of this post I went to Austria. About 3 days after the Isle of Wight my mom came to London and later that day we went to Vienna. We had been planning this trip for a little while and I was super excited to go.

We arrived in Vienna and just hung out in our hotel the first night as we had to get up early the next day to explore the city. The first place we went was the Spanish Riding School as we were going to see a performance and go on a tour there the next day. We explored that area before we kept going. I made a friend in London who was actually from Austria so she gave us some hints of good places to see as well as things to try. We then went to the palace and got to go inside of it as well as into five different gardens. We then went to the Prater, which is an amusement park area, and explored for a bit and had dinner around there.

 

The next day we woke up early and headed to the Spanish Riding School and saw the performance which was amazing. We then went on a tour of the yard and stables of the school and got to see all of the horses. After we went shopping on the two high streets in Vienna and then went to try some different foods. We tried Radler, a beer and lemonade mix, as well as this Austrian dessert that my friend told me was like cut up pancakes. I will put a picture below due to my terrible explanation. It was really good though.

Even though we only had 2 days in Vienna it was a lot of fun and I would defiantly go back but maybe for a bit longer. The Spanish Riding School was most defiantly the highlight of this trip for me. I have heard about that school since I was very little and to be able to finally see it in person was just amazing.

I will be posting keeping up posts like this until I catch up to where I am now.

Ashley xx

100 Happy Days extra (100+)

Day 101: going to a comedy class

Day 102: Hearing about my sister’s first day at work, talking to my mom, and getting my first car

Day 103: Getting mail from my mom and getting stuff from the body shop

Day 104: Walking Pierre and talking to my mom

Day 105: Talking to my mom, walking Pierre, watching White Collar with my cousin, going to Brownies, and getting a badge at Brownies

Day 106: Going to see a play with a friend and going to an after party

Day 107: Filming some sketching with a friend, talking care of Pierre, and getting Subway

Day 108: Babysitting Pierre

Day 109: Going to a workshop and getting ice cream

Day 110: Babysitting Pierre, taking to my friend, mom, and sister

Day 111: Meeting up with a friend, talking to my mom and sister, and seeing my sister use and like the present I got her

Day 112: Going to Brownies, making cupcakes, and talking to my mom, dad, and sister

Day 113: Talking to my mom and grandma and having a funny conversation with my sister

Day 114: Going shopping, making cupcakes, and talking to my mom and sister

Day 115: Going to Ascot, hanging out with my friend, getting a couple complements on my outfit, talking to my sister, hearing about my friend’s dog, and getting an amazing dessert

Day 116: Talking to my mom and sister, getting to sleep in, and start making plans to see my cousin

Day 117: Getting into my freshly washed bed, trying a hair mask, talking to my mom, sister, and cousin, and making a craft for Brownies

Day 118: Talking to my mom, sister, and friend, getting ice cream, and walking Pierre

Day 119: Going to Brownies, seeing the Canadian badges they are going to get, walking home with a friend, talking to my mom, sister, and cousin, and getting lavender scented candles

Day 120: Seeing Pierre, getting to use my new umbrella, and watching White Collar with my cousin

100 Happy Days (91-100)

Day 91: Getting ice cream, talking to my mom and sister, and making plans to see my cousin

Day 92: Getting a new vacuum, meeting with a friend, talking to my cousin and mom

Day 93: Walking Pierre

Day 94: Going to a class and making a new friend there, hanging out with my cousin ( watching basketball, having dinner, etc)

Day 95: Hanging out with a friend and buying a hat

Day 96: Working out, making chocolate chip cookies with coconut oil

Day 97: Getting ice cream and seeing my dog try my grandma’s dog’s new toy

Day 98: Going to Brownies

Day 99: Talking to my sister and mom and watching the last episode of Glee

Day 100: Walking Pierre, talking to my mom, having a dress I ordered arrive in the mail, and having my mom pick up things for a Canadian night at Brownies

100 Happy Days (Days 81-90)

Day 81: Spending the day in Dublin, seeing the sites in Dublin, and trying Guinness

Day 82: Going grocery shopping with my sister and finding mozzarella sticks

Day 83: Going to Windsor and Eaton with my cousin, getting Costa with my sister, getting Shake Away and dinner with my cousin

Day 84: Getting Costa with my cousin, taking a nap, and talking to my mom and sister

Day 85: Working out and talking to my mom and sister

Day 86: Buying flowers, buying an oyster necklace, and getting a caramel cream frappuccino from Starbucks

Day 87: Working out and talking to my cousin and watching White Collar together

Day 88: Making two new friends and seeing another friend, making pancakes, and working out

Day 89: Talking to my mom and sister

Day 90: Doing well in a class I am taking and talking to my mom

Ireland, London, family visiting, and things up to now

Hey guys,

I feel like I haven’t written an actually update type post in a long time but March has been super busy. I will try and be brief when writing an overview of March and the beginning of April.

The beginning of March started off with a book keeping class I took as well as a psychology class, an anthropology class, and a class on CBT. I started walking a dog, called Pierre, three times a week as well. I helped take the girl guides on a trip to the science museum, Hyde Park, and Imperial College. I continued to help my cousin out with a business he is starting up as well as my other cousin and sister came to visit me. My cousin was here for two weeks and my sister for one. While they were both here we took a quick weekend trip to Dublin, Ireland. In Ireland, we were only there for two full days, we went to Cobh, Cork, Blarney, and of course Dublin.

We arrived in Dublin and the next day we took a bus tour to see Cobh, Cork, and Blarney. We walked to a see a beautiful church in Cobh which was at the top of the hill and there was a pier at the bottom of the hill with some Titanic things. We only had two hours in Cobh but it was quite a pretty town and the coloured buildings reminded me of Iceland. We then went to Cork which was bigger than Cobh but was also quite pretty. Cork is reminded me more of towns in England as it had some brick buildings and had a high street with some of the same shops as there are in London. There was a market called the English Market which has tons of things to see. My sister and I got a jam for my mom and my grandma from there. It was something that I think is defiantly unique and something that will always come to mind when I think of Cork. We had about an hour in Cork and then were on our way to Blarney. We were dropped off on the grounds of the Blarney stone house and castle so we went and saw those. We climbed up to the top of the castle (I think it was) and saw the Blarney stone. None of us kissed it but we did get to see it and there was a beautiful view from the top of the castle where the stone is. We then walked along the grounds and saw the house, which was closed. I thought the house looked beautiful though. We started to head back to the entrance of the castle grounds and spotted a waterfall which we stopped to take some pictures of. We then went to the market there which was a huge building that sold a ton of things such as sweaters, trinkets, and home supplies. That night we got back to Dublin and went to Temple Bar and had some dinner before heading back to our hotel to get ready for our next and last day in Ireland.

In Dublin we had a full day of sight seeing and trying different restaurants. We started off our day having breakfast at a place called Lemon Crepes. It was delicious. We then went to try sea salt ice cream at Murphy’s which was super good. We went to St Stephan’s Green, Trinity College grounds, shopped/walked down Grafton Street and O’Connell Street, saw the post office with the bullet holes on O’Connell Street, walked along the Liffey, and went to the Leprechaun museum. We also tried Guinness while we were there. All in all Ireland was great; it was a great break from London and a really nice change of scenery. I defiantly want to go back to Ireland someday and see more of the country. While we were driving the countryside looked beautiful and I defiantly want to see more of the Irish countryside. I also love the Irish accent. I don’t know if it is just because I am now so used to the English accent that it doesn’t phase me anymore and the Irish is just slightly different but I love it.

My cousin’s last day in the UK we went to Windsor. After dropping my sister off at the airport I met him in Windsor. I defiantly felt somewhat lost without my sister here anymore and just alone. I know my cousin was still here but it’s just not the same as having your sister with you. Windsor was a good distraction for me and a way to spend some quality time with him once more before he went back home. We walked to Eaton and back to Windsor to have dinner in a pub that I always go to every time I am in Windsor. We had a good time there and defiantly ended his trip on a high note.

Since my sister and cousin have left I started walking Pierre again after having two weeks off. I also met up with a leader from GirlGuides as I am supposed to run part of the session during the next meeting. I have also met up with a friend twice as well as made a couple new friends through her. I also started another class that is two weeks long and is about comedy as well as YouTube. All the people in the class as well as the instructor are very nice and we all get along pretty well. I met a lady in that class and we were talking about maybe meeting after this class is finished to make a couple videos while I am still in the UK. I also met with my cousin who lives here once more. He came over to my flat and helped me with making sure I do not have anymore bugs come into my flat. I have had some bugs come into my flat as the weather has been quite nice recently and I am terrified of them and just very particular on cleaning after they have touched anything.

This whole time I have also still been doing my 100 Happy Days so I will be posting another update on that soon. I know I seem to always be like oh I’ll post something soon but I never do. I started writing this post about a week ago and just never finished it until now. I am going to try to be better about posting more frequently and not just my 100 Happy Days. I find if I post right after or a couple days after something has happened I can give more detail and know exactly how I felt experiencing something rather than now trying to reflect on things that happened in March and up to now in April.

In other news I have booked a couple other trips that are coming up in May that I am super excited for. I will tell you more about those trips closer to the time that they happen. I am also super excited for May in itself as lots of different things are happening. I have my birthday in May, which will be the my second birthday ever that I will be in the same country and city as my cousin here, my mom will be coming to see me, and I have two different trips planned.

Anyways now I am going to make a promise that I will post more frequently than I have been. I may also do another mini haul type post as when my sister was here I picked up a bunch of different little things. I will think about what types of things I want to post. If you have any suggestions on what type of posts you want to see let me know. Anyways thanks for reading this and I will post something very soon.

Ashley xx.

100 Happy Days (71-80)

Day 71: Getting two new books and taking some Instagram worthy pictures

Day 72: Walking Pierre and getting fries

Day 73: Going to an anthropology class and getting mint tea and a banana nut muffin from Starbucks

Day 74: My sister arriving in London and going to Nandos

Day 75: Going to the Victoria and Albert museum and having a pasty

Day 76: Going to psychology class, shopping, getting a Five Guy’s burger and a raspberry cheesecake mocha frappuchino

Day 77: Watching “Into the Woods” with my sister and cousin

Day 78: Hanging out with my other cousin, seeing “War Horse”, and climbing the lion in Trafalgar Square

Day 79: Going to Ireland

Day 80: Going to Cobh, Cork, and Blarney