Whole30 Failure and a Road Trip

So, remember how I was doing the Whole30?

Yeah...that didn't work out.

It was off to a good start: on day one, I ate a bunch of veggies, some eggs, and drank lots of water. I drank my coffee black, too, which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. All in all, I went to bed the first night feeling super virtuous and healthy. This Whole30 business was no big deal.

By 11:00 the next morning, though, I was HANGRY. The struggle with being a pescatarian on the Whole30 is that your protein is either eggs or fish. I was pretty much over eggs (having eaten them for breakfast almost every day before starting the Whole30), and we all know that seafood is not exactly a budget option. Since I have basically no income at the moment, I was missing out on my protein, which is SO not the point of the Whole30. Still, I was determined not to be a quitter on only Day 2.

But that night, I went out with some friends to a local brewery. I ordered a water (ignoring the incredulous look from the bartender), and tried very hard not to be jealous of my friends, each of whom had a craft beer in hand. This feat was made far more difficult by the fact that the smell of beer a-brewing less than 20 feet from where I was standing. The straw that broke this camel's back, though, was a pizza commercial on the bar's TV. Game over. I ordered a taproom blend and toasted my failure before our little group headed to our favorite beer and pizza place.

In hindsight, who the heck starts the Whole30 three days before the Superbowl anyway?

I put the Whole30 experiment in my rearview mirror (for now) and focused on my upcoming job interview.

That's right. I'm making moves towards employment. #adulting

In between substituting as a preschool teacher and masquerading as my sister so that I could use her gym membership, I purchased my first pantsuit and dusted off my lesson plans, hoping to be somewhat prepared and presentable by Friday at 10:30am.

When I was waiting in the hallway for my name to be called, the HR lady asked me point-blank if it was my first interview, because I looked so nervous. I--feeling rather stupid--confessed that it was. But you know what's great about the education industry? Everyone genuinely wants to see everyone succeed. The HR lady and my interviewer were both incredibly nice, and made me feel as comfortable as I possibly could, given that it was my first real interview.

So with a huge sigh of relief, I hopped in the car after my interview and made a beeline for North Carolina. Evan and I were headed to visit my bestest friend in the whole wide world, whom I hadn't seen since before I left for Europe. Nothing eventful happened on the five-and-a-half-hour drive down, aside from some quality Snapchatting.

Classic.

We arrived in Greensboro just in time to walk in the freakishly springlike weather to dinner at the local Filling Station, where I had a pretty darn tasty veggie burger, made with garbanzo beans, spinach, sprouts, and some sort of yogurt sauce. As per usual, I forgot to take a picture before I started eating. But I did get a picture with my bestie, and that's what really counts.

For dessert, we hit up that finest of Southern establishments, Cook Out, for some of their famous shakes. Mine was a mint-Oreo concoction that was well up to the challenge of satiating my sweet tooth. There may have been some hushpuppies involved as well.

We kicked off our Saturday with a trip to the local bakery for some coffee (iced!) and muffins. I had a pumpkin-chocolate chip one, which satisfied my craving for all the pumpkin-y things I'd missed by spending the autumn in Europe.

In the afternoon, Syd and I went for a hike at the nearby lake, to take advantage of the completely un-February-like weather. After several hours of enjoying the sunshine, we were pretty hungry, so we headed to a farm-to-table pizza place. After we all shared the rosemary-olive oil french fries and sweet potato fries, I ordered the Avalanche, a margherita pizza that was drizzled with truffle oil (though apparently my palate isn't sophisticated enough to detect that sort of thing).

I may be a Whole30 failure, but at least I had a salad. 

I have to say, it was all pretty darn tasty. As was the cheesecake we had for dessert from Greensboro's famous Alex's Cheesecakes. (Kahlua and espresso flavored, with a mochaccino on the side, but I once again forgot to document it with a picture. Par for the course.)

Sunday morning brought us lazy hours of drinking coffee, plus some crafty vibes.

We managed to keep Rue out of the paint until the very end. 

We also wandered around downtown Greensboro, checking out a bookstore/coffee shop and a pretty nifty vintage shop, where I scored these sweet socks: 

My new favorites!

All in all, it was a pretty good weekend. 

Time to start planning the next adventure!

Plus, you know, write about Cardiff and Ireland and all that. *sigh* Someday I'll do it.

Travel Tips from an Aspiring Expert

I will be the first to say that I am no travel expert. I have only begun to learn what it means to be a responsible and savvy traveler. That being said, I did travel around Europe for four and a half months, and I did manage to get home in one piece. And I think that there are at least a few little pieces of travel-related advice that I could throw out there for anyone who's interested.

For the sake of your sanity and mine, I'm going to attempt to categorize my advice so that it's not a total brain dump.

PACKING
--Use carry-on sized luggage. Kind of a duh one. The obvious benefits include avoiding luggage fees (I'm looking at you, RyanAir), not worrying about lost luggage (because you've got everything you need right there with you!), and portability (hauling 50 pounds of luggage on the Paris metro during rush hour is an experience that I would not wish upon my worst enemies). Plus, how much stuff do you really need? Answer: less than you think.
--Don't pack for the worst-case scenario. I was a Girl Scout all the way up through senior year of high school, and the "be prepared" mentality has really stuck with me. But there's a fine line between being reasonably prepared and carrying around the equivalent of an ambulance in your first-aid kit.
--Roll your clothes. Seriously. Saves so much luggage space. You can use compression bags for the bulkier stuff (like sweaters). I used these.
--Ziploc bags for organizing. Electronic accessories, hair ties, and travel-size toiletries (of course).
--Pick about three outfits, and stick with them. It's not worth the extra weight and space in your bag. It's only for a short time, and you'll be reunited with your full wardrobe before you know it. And for the love of Totino's Pizza Rolls, don't pack anything that needs to be ironed.

That was the only time I wore that shirt on my whole 4.5-month-long trip.

SECURITY CHECKS
--Always, always, always take off your boots at the airport. Sometimes they tell you not to worry about it. Take them off anyway, because you WILL get flagged by the metal detector or whatever it is and have to do the whole pat-down, take-off-your-shoes-and-run-them-through-the-x-ray-machine-while-everyone-in-line-behind-you-glares-because-you're-holding-up-the-line thing.
--Ten three-ounce (100ml) liquids in one quart-size (liter-size) Ziploc bag. And the bag has to zip shut, so don't even try it. Try buying products that have more than one use (3-in-1 body wash, shampoo, and conditioner) and solid toiletries (like bars of soap).

KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR STUFF/NOT GETTING PICKPOCKETED
--Zippered. Pockets. My Swiss mishaps taught me that. Although I learned the hard way that even zippered pockets aren't foolproof.
--Pack everything important in your daypack. I'm talking passport, credit cards, plane tickets, etc. Keep that stuff on you at all times.
--Consider a money belt, especially in places where pickpockets are common. You might feel like a dork wearing one, but honestly, sometimes it's just comforting to know that if your pockets do get picked, at least you won't lose your super important stuff. This is the one I used.
--Get a combination lock for your bag. (I used this one and this one.) Then you can wear your backpack on your back without worrying about someone digging around in it. The alternative is wearing your backpack on your front, which is like a blinking neon sign saying "I'm a tourist!"
--Make two copies of your travel documents. Keep one with you, in a separate place from the originals, and leave an extra copy at home. It'll be much easier to replace documents then if--God forbid--you lose them.
--Be super careful in crowds. Street performers can be entertaining, but sometimes they're simply a distraction.

If you go to the Eiffel Tower, prepare to be besieged by guys jangling mini Eiffel Towers and calling"One Euro, one Euro, one Euro!"

GOOD INVESTMENTS
--Set a budget, and at least try to stick to it. I know this isn't really an "investment," but do it anyway. I didn't, so I'm still paying for my travels now that I'm home. (So worth it, though.)
--Travel insurance. Thank the Universe I never had to use it, but it sure was nice knowing that if something really bad did actually happen, I was covered. Just make sure you read the fine print and pick a legit company. (I used World Nomads.)
--Collapsible water bottle. I bought this one, and honestly, it was so worth the $13 I paid for it. First of all, save money and the environment because it's reusable. Plus, stay hydrated! (Even if it's not hot outside.) Also, save space in your bag because it takes up next to no space when it's empty.

WASTE OF MONEY
--Sleep headphones. When I bought these right before my trip, they seemed like a great idea, considering that I was going to spend the next 4.5 months sharing rooms with a bunch of complete strangers making who-knows-how-much noise. But then I realized that I can't actually sleep with anything on my face. Besides, if I've spent my day right, I'm too tired for anything--noise, light, crappy pillows--to stop me from sleeping.
--Sleep mask. Ditto

I can sleep anywhere.

GETTING GOOD DEALS
--Use Kiwi.com for flights, and Rome2Rio to compare other travel options. 'Nuff said.
--Be flexible. You can get a way better deal by being flexible with dates and times. Also look into alternative airports/train stations/bus stations. The central one is usually the most expensive. It might be cheaper to arrive in the outskirts of town, and use public transportation from there.

ACCOMMODATIONS
--READ THE REVIEWS. Sometimes you can handle crappy Wi-Fi in the hostels, or rooms so small that you're practically sleeping on top of the stranger in the next bed. But isn't it better to know about those things ahead of time?
--Hostelworld is a ripoff. At the beginning of my trip, I used it constantly. It made it very easy to compare and book hostels. BUT, as I found out in the last month of my trip, they jack up the prices. So now I just use Hostelworld as a search engine for finding hostels (and reading those reviews!), and then get in touch with the hostel directly to book.

Hostelworld.com (They have an app, too.)

NAVIGATION
--Use HERE we go for offline navigation (walking or driving). Just download the maps you need ahead of time, so you can avoid using data (which is generally way more expensive internationally).
--Moovit is great for public transportation.
--When in doubt, follow the locals. (Of course, you can always ask one, too, if you know the language.) Where's the exit from this metro station? Just let yourself be swept along with the crowd.

MISCELLANEOUS
--Let your bank know when and where you're traveling. Otherwise you might end up unable to use your credit and debit cards. (It happened to me my first morning in London.) And make sure you have an emergency stash of cash (in the local currency), just in case.
--Make sure someone at home knows where you're planning to go each day. And check in with them regularly. If your plan changes, that's fine! Nothing wrong with being spontaneous. Just let them know. Don't make them worry about you.
--TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. I'm all for trying new things and stepping out of your comfort zone, but if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Don't stick around to find out.
--Make sure you're up-to-date on any vaccines you need for where you're going. And for the love of Old Bay, make sure you know whether it's safe to drink the water. You don't want to end up all alone in a hospital where you don't speak the language.

FUN ADVICE
--Buy souvenirs (but not too many!). I picked postcards for my own personal souvenirs because they were cheap, lightweight and easy to pack, plus I could find them anywhere I went. I did buy a few other souvenirs, of course, but I learned the hard way not to buy heavy/bulky ones.
--Take pictures! They're the best souvenirs.
--Keep a travel journal. When you get home, you won't remember the name of the beer you had that amazing restaurant, or who you played beer pong with in the hostel bar. Write all that stuff down at the end of each day so those details don't slip away.
--Step out of your comfort zone. Travel is all about broadening your horizons (as cliched as it is to say it, it's true), so try something new! Go grab food with someone you just met. Walk up and introduce yourself to people.
--Listen to your whims. Maybe you were planning to spend the whole day in the Lourve, but on the way there, you pass by a street market that catches your eye. Go check it out! The Lourve will still be there later.

I had a whim to jump in an Icelandic lake. And as soon as I was in it, I had a whim to get back in the hot springs.

I had more advice than I thought. Hopefully it's useful for at least some of you!

Did I miss anything?

The Whole 30 Begins: Life Updates and Such

A couple of weeks ago, I shared with you all some of my goals for transitioning back to life in the US of A. Since I haven't actually posted anything since then, I figured that now was probably a good time to check in and let you know how I'm doing with all that. (And I promise, I will still write about Cardiff and Ireland and all that...sometime.)

Yesterday, I started the Whole30. It's one of those things that has been on my radar for a while, mostly because I'm slightly addicted to lifestyle blogs. During the Whole30, you eat fruits, veggies, seafood, and eggs (and meat, if you're not a vegetarian), and drink a LOT of water. You don't eat (or drink) added sugars, dairy products, alcohol, legumes, and grains. Pretty strict. But there are a lot of benefits to the Whole30, like increased energy levels, clearer skin, and just all-around health. Plus--and this is my main motivation for giving this crazy endeavor a shot--you become more conscious of what you're eating, and its effects on your body.

I'm thinking of the Whole30 as a reset for my diet.

I definitely didn't eat so healthy in Europe. But that was kind of the point. I was eating foods that looked (or smelled!) good, foods the locals recommended, foods I'd never tried before. I was enjoying the heck out of it.

Sachertorte and a Mochaccino at the oldest coffeehouse in Vienna

Then when I first got home, my priority, food-wise, was Chipotle. I then followed up with the foods that I missed the most while I was in Europe: Old Bay mac and cheese, Dunkin' Donuts (coffee and double-chocolate donuts), and white-cheddar popcorn. Ben and Jerry's would have also been on that list, but that is one of the few American junk foods that you can find pretty easily in Europe. (And thank the Universe for that.)

So to cut a long story a little bit shorter, I felt that a "dietary reset" was very much in order.

Day 2 of the Whole30 is going well so far. Definitely should have done a little more preparation before starting, but my self-imposed start date snuck up on me. Oh well, I'll go grocery shopping this weekend and maybe even plan some meals.

Aside from food, I'm still struggling with establishing healthy habits and banishing unhealthy ones. Since I'm not regularly working yet, I don't have much in the way of a routine going at the moment. I'm working up to my goal of getting an exercise regimen going, though. I'm using an app called Runkeeper to track my runs. It tracks my pace, distance, elevation, and a whole bunch of other stuff, plus sends motivating messages in the morning to get me out of bed and running. (They work about half of the time.)

You can access your info online as well as through the app!

It's a little bit discouraging to see my pace and mileage at the moment, knowing what I used to be able to do. But I'm taking it a little bit at a time and looking at it as baby steps for getting back to where I was, fitness-wise.

Once I get a regular running habit going, I'll add in the yoga and the strength training. Right now, my priority is just establishing that workout routine, so that I can get back to the point where it's more unusual for me to take a day off than it is for me to work out.

In terms of my mental health, I've gotten in the habit of plugging my phone in across the room at night, so that I'm not tempted to use it. Instead, I read for about an hour before bed, like I used to before I had a smartphone. Now if I could just break the habit of checking my phone as soon as I get up...that would probably be easier if I didn't use it for my alarm in the mornings.

Cleaning out my closet and my room is an ongoing project. It's something that I'm not used to doing anymore; one of the perks of staying in a new city every few days is that your few belongings pretty much stay in your backpack, and the hostel staff does the cleaning.

Last little bit of news for today: I finished job applications for two school districts, and I'm hoping to hear back from them soon! So send some employment vibes my way, if you can spare them.

Keep your eyes peeled for those Cardiff and Ireland posts. I'm also working on a travel-tips post, so be on the lookout for that, too.

Peace out, Girl Scout.