March 11, 2016

Answering The Been There, Done That Tag


My lovely online friend Lindsay, from the blog Miss Lindsay Lane, shares some of the best online tags and Q&As I've ever come across. Over the years I've played along with several that she has posted about and today I'm delighted to bring you another that I discovered via her terrific site.

Like many of us, Lindsay and I both adore seeing the world, so the moment I spotted this delightful travel tag called Been There, Done That on her blog last autumn, I knew that I wanted to toss my hat into the ring and share my own answers with all of you (thank you for blogging about it, dear gal!).

Though winter has not yet vanished from our midst entirely yet, thankfully we're not too far away from that point and springs’ return will mean an even greater opportunity for potential travel, particularly of the road trip variety. A point that makes my travel adoring heart smile with glee!

I don't have any immediate trips planned at present, but the year is still young and one never knows what is waiting around the corner for them next. On this mild Friday morning however, I'll be staying put and answering the following selection of travel related questions.

By all means, if you're a fan tags and globetrotting, please feel free to play along on your own site as well (and then come back here to share a link to your post so that I can check out your wonderful answers, too).


Which countries have you visited so far?


Canada (my home country), America (though not nearly enough!), Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and technically if we count passing through Heathrow Airport, England (which I massively want to return and explore properply at long last!).


Which destination is at the top of your bucket list? In other words: where do you REALLY want to go some day?

Though I do find that the answer to this question changes as I get older, certain dream destinations remain the same and for me some of those include seeing the Yukon, Prince Edward Island, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, Australia, and numerous places throughout the States.


What is your most ideal vacation (beach, shopping trip, cultural holidays, etc)?

For me I would have to say that my ideal trip usually involves a heavy dose of historical sites, vintage shopping and/or other vintage related happenings (such as meeting up with fellow vintae bloggers), and some much needed R&R. Spending time at or near the water is always hugely welcome as well!


Which place did you find so special, that you want to visit it again?

Tony Bennett's might be in San Francisco, but as I've mentioned before, mine will forever reside in Calgary, Alberta, where I lived for a couple of years in my late teens. There's just something about that bustling, beautiful prairie city that embedded itself in my soul and will continue to pull me back to visit time and time again.


Have you ever been sent to a nice location for work? If so, where?


To date mine and/or my husband's work has allowed me to visit Vancouver, Victoria (BC), Niagara Falls, and Montreal, as well as to live in both Toronto, Ontario and the country of Ireland.


With whom do you usually travel?

My husband, Tony. Thankfully we're both massive travel fans and love few things more in this world than the chance to get away together no matter where we’re headed.


Who would you like to go on a vacation with that you haven't recently or even? (This can be anyone: family, friends, or famous person.)


It would be flat out amazing to go on a culinary related trip with Anthony Bourdain. More realistically though, I'd love to go to the Yukon with my mom, as we have strong family ties there on her side stretching back to the Klondike gold rush and to date neither of us have ever been to this vast arctic corner of the country.


Who, or what, would you take to a desert island?

A satelite phone and computer, gallons of sunscreen, a comfy bed (or hammock), a well stocked outdoors survival bag, a water bottle, and a lifetime supply of books, paper and pens.


Have you ever been to a vacation in your own country?

Many times! In fact, I've taken far more trips within my own country, to date, than outside of it. So far I've had the pleasure of seeing a good chunk of British Columbia, as well as parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and (briefly) Quebec.


Would you rather go to a theme park or a zoo?

Theme park, please, especially if it's one of a historical related nature.


Would you rather have a winter or a summer vacation?

Funnily enough, I often prefer spring and fall travel, as the weather is usually quite agreeable and you can score some really welcome off-season rates/deals. But to answer the question as it was set out, I enjoy both fairly equally (summer would win out a touch more though) and am up for traveling any time of the year.


What is your best holiday memory?

That is a really hard question to answer, especially since I have positive memories from most trips that I've taken throughout my life. I madly adored the vacations that Tony and I took to Calgary in 2013 and the one we enjoyed on Vancouver Island in 2014, so both of those stand out as definitely high points on the travel front for me.


What is your least pleasant holiday memory?

I'm going to have to take the fifth here, as I'm afraid that's too personal for me to share publicly (but I will tell you that all of my worst trips to date happened in my childhood and teen years).


To which countries are you travelling this year?

I don't have any travel plans at present, so I don't know if I'll be venturing abroad or not in 2016. Either way, I hope that Tony and I are able to get in at least a road trip or two closer to home, be it within Canada or to the States.


Where would you never go on holiday?

There are very few places that, under the right circumstances and keeping the limitations that my chronic health problems impose on me when I travel in mind, that I wouldn't be open to seeing. In general though, I wouldn't want to go anywhere that was currently in a state of war or extreme political unrest, or that was suffering from a serious epidemic.



{Travel = joy in my books and I truly love the chance to see more of the world, return to favourite destinations, and explore far and near alike whenever I can. Vintage image source.}




Last December I penned a post called Seven Important Things That Travel Teaches Us, which hit on some of the lessons that a recent jaunt to Vancouver had reminded me about and that seeing the world in general helps us to learn.

There are so many, many perks to travelling, from these kinds of excellent life lessons to meeting to new friends, broadening your horizons, pushing your limits, and coming home with enough tales to keep even Marco Polo entertained.

So while I fully realize that it is unlikely I will ever traverse the whole globe, I'm okay with that fact. Just as long as I can continue to be able to hit the open road, sky, and/or water at least every now and then and, ideally, to sometimes visit places that I've never stepped foot in before, I will be a very - quite literally in some cases :) – happy camper.

36 comments:

  1. I will keep hoping you make it to England one day too :D and likewise, that I make it to Canada! I'm not a huge travel fan in that I don't like flying, but I do love road trips in the summer. B and I often drive to the coast on a Friday evening for the weekend in the warmer months and have the most fun watching the sunset, listening to our carefully chosen playlists and chatting about everything, but particularly our future. Road trips for the win <3 I'm currently on a train trip to the seaside for the hen weekend, train trips can also be good :) xx

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    1. Road trips for the win big time! We adore them so much, too, and are positively champing at the bit to take one together in our new (far more roomier) car. It will be down right sublime to not have to cram everything within an inch of its life.

      Thank you, my sweet friend. I truly hope that I can make it to the UK one that we're able to meet up, if I do (doing so simply a must in my books!).

      Many hugs & happy Sunday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  2. I knew we were supposed to friends for a reason..so many of your answers are MY answers :) I love travelling to places with cool history, yukon is a must see place for me. Bucket list is also to do a culinary tour with Anthony Bourdain. My husband and I just love him and saw him speak in Toronto a couple of years ago.

    These are all great answers and I'm sure you will get to see many of these places in Time.

    Thanks for sharing Jessica.

    Liz :)

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    1. There are no words for how incredibly cool it will be if you're able to go on culinary tour with Anthony Bourdain. He's my favourite male chef - and travel show host - of all time.

      Thank you very much for your fabulous comment. I so hope that we're able to meet up one day, too. Whether you travel out west or head back east again. I sense it will definitely happen, though only time itself knows when! :)

      Big hugs & happy last week of winter wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  3. Oh what a great post Jessica.
    I just realised that we could be great travel buddies as my travel destinations are usually chosen because of their history... and I do previous google searches on possible places to find vintage items or flea markets.
    Oh two of the destinations I would love to go to are: Egypt and Easter Island.

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    1. Awesome locations to want to visit, dear Lorena. The Easter Islands are extremely cool. I adore places like that which are rich not just in history, but that have an air of mystery to them as well.

      It would be awesome to travel with you as well. What a touching thing for you to say. Thank you very much!

      Tons of hugs & happy mid-March wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  4. reise reise! :-)
    i so understand you! going on travels is just wonderful - even if its only in ones own country. every time we leave the house with an open mind and small luggage we can have the time of our life! :-)
    wish you some wonderful trips this year!!!
    xxxxx

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    1. Excellently said, dear Beate. I don't subscribe for a minute to the notion that the best trips have to necessarily involve hightailing it half way around the world. The least pleasant trip I ever had was the one family getaway we took to parts of the Southern Mediterranean when I was in my early teens (it was awful for a plethora of reasons, though the locations themselves were beautiful and I appreciate that I got to see them in person), and the best holidays of my life so far have been to spots right here in Canada. One country I super hope that I get to visit, especially since I have so many family history there, is your own beautiful nation of Germany. Of course if I ever do make it there, I hope with all my might that we're able to meet up (how amazing would that be!).

      Tons of hugs & happy almost-springtime wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  5. This is a great idea for a post! I haven't traveled much so I feel I'd be a bit rubbish at the game, but I am excited to start travelling with my fancy-dancy passport!

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    1. Ooohh, how exciting! Objectively, I haven't traversed the globe that much myself. Three trips in total to Europe (including the one for when I moved to Ireland), all of about 5 - 6 hours to date spent in the States, and then considerably more travel within Canada. You and your new passport could easily eclipse me in no time! :)

      Big hugs & joyful wishes for this new week,
      ♥ Jessica

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  6. Such fun to read, Jessica. If you ever come to the UK, we must meet up! xx

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    1. We absolutely must, sweet Philippa. What a special joy that would be! I truly hope that I'm able to make it there one day. It's rather bonkers, especially viewed in hindsight, that I lived in Ireland for two years and yet never saw more of the UK than Heathrow Airport (though to be fair, we were young, my health was awful, and we were flat broke, but still...).

      Likewise, if you're ever in British Columbia, please know that you have a standing invitation to my humble abode.

      Many hugs & happy end-of-winter wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  7. I did some research into the Yukon, fascinating history. I'm always amazed at the tenacity of people who are able to thrive in areas where the weather is notoriously cold for quite some time. I really hope you are able to visit England one day. You would have so much fun with our history and beautiful places to visit. I hope you are well my dear xx

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    1. Thank you sweetly, dear Emily. I truly hope so as well! Given the vastness of Canada, it's actually quite a trek from our town in Southern BC all the way up to Whitehorse and (further north still) Dawson. It's a few hours by plane or, depending on how many hours one drives each day, about 3 - 5 days drive (it's some 28 hours via car from Penticton to Whitehorse).

      I love that you've done some research into the Yukon. Wildly fascinating history there for sure. If you haven't done so already, I hugely recommend reading both Pierre Berton and Frances Backhouse's books on the Klondike gold rush (Backhouse's include "Women of the Klondike" and "Children of the Klondike", both of which are excellent).

      Likewise I share your hope that I'm able to make it to the UK one day. There's so much I want to do and see there that I doubt I could squeeze it all in during one trip, but that's okay because it will just give me all the more incentive to return again.

      Some of the usual sorts of ups and downs with my health so far this month and a bit of recent ongoing progressive worsening with one condition, but over all I'm okay, thank you for your concern. Spring is itching to break free here and the longer hours of daylight that are starting to reappear are boosting my energy levels, which can only help things on that front.

      Wishing you a splendid tail end of winter and start of spring!

      xoxo ♥ Jessica

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  8. What a fun post!! And we have very similar tastes in travel! Vintage shops and historical sites!

    xoxo
    -Janey

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    1. You mean there are other reasons for which to travel? ;D Seriously though, those are some of the best and I just adore that we both love hitting the open road for such exciting purposes.

      Big hugs & the sincere hope that we're both able to get in lots of fun trips this year,
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. I have an urge to travel which is only getter stronger. I like what you wrote about it.

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Ally. The desire to travel is really unlike any other feeling and compulsion that I've ever experienced. I noticed, perhaps in no small part because of this post, that it has come on strong again for me, a few months having now passed since our quick jaunt to Vancouver at the end of November. Hopefully a road trip or two will be in the cards this summer. If not, I might just have to hitchhike somewhere! :D (Totally kidding, those days are sooooo long behind me it's not even funny.)

      I hope you're able to hit the road many times in 2016 as well and that each one brings joy and great new memories your way.

      ♥ Jessica

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  10. Another fun post that I'm going to have to steal! ;-) I love travel, so I think I'll answer these questions on my own blog soon (and link back to yours, of course!) And thanks for sharing your fun thoughts on travel!

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    1. Please do, sweet lady - I just adore it when blog tags keep going and sincerely look forward to reading your answers, if you do play along with this one.

      Big hugs & happy (almost!) springtime wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  11. Hi Jessica,

    What a lovely read it was. Thanks for posting this on your blog, too. I enjoyed it a lot.

    Lots of love to you!

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    1. Hello dear Lindsay, thank you very much! Both of your lovely comment and for posting this delightful blog tag last year. You find the most marvelous tags and I've greatly enjoyed playing along with a number of them now over the years. Please continue to share those that catch your eye on your site and chances are I'll (eventually! :)) blog about them here, too.

      Many hugs & tons of love coming right back at you,
      ♥ Jessica

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  12. I hope that you make it to the UK some day, there is so much to show you! Likewise, if I can get over my fear of flying I would love to come to Canada one day and discover your corner of the world!

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    1. Thank you sweetly, lovely Kate. I super-duper, can't begin to put how much into words, hope that I'm able to make it to the UK and spend at least a couple of weeks there (and, even more ideally, return periodically throughout my lifetime). I've always been a huge anglophile and feel such a pull towards your beautiful corner of the world. If/when I finally get there, we simply must try to meet up and likewise, you are always beyond welcome here in our wee corner of Canada (have you ever looked into cargo/freight liner tourist travel? It isn't cheap, but it can be a great alternative for those wishing to cross the Atlantic without involving airline travel).

      Big hugs & happy (almost) springtime wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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    2. I haven't looked into alternative ways to travel but I really ought to. The whole flying thing just puts me off even considering places I would like to go to so it is probably time that I did something about it!

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    3. You're not alone at all. While I personally don't have issues with flying (it's airports that I can't stand, if anything), I know so many people who share your strong dislike of it and in general it's a very common fear/dislike. It's a real shame that we don't have classic ocean liner travel anymore. The idea of traversing the globe by ship like that has always massively appealed to me and would be such a vintage approved way to travel!

      Many hugs, sweet lady!
      ♥ Jessica

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    4. Now that would be fabulous. Planning my outfits for deck top strolls already!

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  13. I've had a travel bug for years and years. In fact, the more I travel the hungrier it gets! My list of places never shrinks. Sounds like you've been to and have lived in some wonderful places!

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    1. So very true! It is an insatiable appetite for sure. The bug is back for me big time at the moment (not that it ever fully leaves), especially since it's been a few months now since our quick little visit to Vancouver at the end of last autumn (and that was the only trip I took in all of 2015). Hopefully I can appease it at least once or twice this year. :)

      Likewise, I hope that you're able to get in some fun new travel adventures, too, and look forward to hearing/seeing them if you do (and if you blog about them, that is).

      Big hugs & happy Monday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  14. What a fun tag! I haven't done a whole lot of traveling myself but I am really hoping to get my passport soon and see the world! A company I worked for did business in Calgary and I have always wanted visit, it sounds lovely city.

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    1. That's really cool! It's an awesome city! I love the blend of urban, wild west and rugged wilderness that makes up Calgary and its surrounding landscape. You can be at a world class arts even, huge mall, charming vintage shop or to-die-for restaurant one minute and in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in less than two hours. If you ever get a chance to visit, I can't recommend it highly enough (especially from May to early October - very much including during the delightful annual Calgary Stampede that takes place there in early July each summer).

      Big hugs & many thanks for your great comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. What an interesting read! I really love travel as well, so some of your answers really hit home for me. I don't think there are many places I would voluntarily skip either, barring war or disease. I feel like there's something fascinating to see in any part of the world you visit, really.
    I hope you get more chances to travel this year! And you know, Chicago really is a very friendly city to visit... :P
    Zella Maybe

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    1. Very much so. I feel like just about everywhere on the plant holds its own special beauty and that it has life lessons to either teach or remind of us of - plus, with a bit of luck, some great thrifting and/or vintage hunting to be had as well :)

      I would love to visit Chicago (Tony and I were talking about that a few months ago actually). It is such a history rich corner of the world and one that I'd truly welcome the chance to see anytime. Natch, an epic meetup starring you and I would be in the cards if that ever did occur. :)

      Tons of hugs & joyful (almost!) springtime wishes, my dear friend!
      ♥ Jessica

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  16. You really, really want to visit Denmark! I know you do! ;)
    And you forgot to take Tony with you to that desert island, dear. I hope he'll forgive you. ;)
    My maternal grandma always said that you should explore your own neighbourhood before travelling abroad, and she was so right.
    PS: I've just ordered my HUGE green house today! Squeel! It will be a literal glass castle in my garden. :D

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    1. Hee-hee, good point. I was thinking items, not people, so I'm sure he'll understand. :) You know, I truly would love to visit Denmark one day. Fingers crossed it's able to happen and you know, we'll definitely be meeting up if it does!

      How wonderful! That sounds gorgeous and just the thing to reflect the sunlight that is starting to creep into our lives again. I hope that your glass castle will be even better and more beautiful in person than it looks online (or in the catalogue).

      Wishing a terrific "winter into spring" week, my sweet friend.

      Tons of hugs!
      ♥ Jessica

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