Since 2002, Aaron has lived, traveled and worked in America, Australia, Canada, Japan, and Thailand. Plus he has taken holidays to Costa Rica, Fiji, Mexico and South Korea.
Since 2002, Shauna has lived, traveled and worked in Australia, Canada, Japan, and Spain. Plus she has taken holidays to America, China, England, South Korea and Thailand.
Skipping forward to 2007, Shauna and I decided to cohabitate in Calgary, Alberta. Our vision was to wind up in a warm aired, ocean community but we would suffice on cold air, wet snow for 3-years! Ouch! Together, we have traveled exclusively within America and Canada for the past 1,095 days but have grown tired of the minus 30 Celsius winters and are making our way back through Asia on a return to Australia!
This is why, we have decided to start this travel blog. Shauna and I, will be sharing our adventures and travels with you through writings and photographs alike. We hope you will join us on our one-year sabatical through South Korea on our way to Perth, Western Australia...
It's currently the 2nd of July, 2010 and we are in the final stages of paperwork processing for our E2-Teaching Visa's for South Korea, once we have obtained these visas we will be living, teaching and working in Paju City, Gyeonngi Province, South Korea...
15-months later we have returned to NW Alberta to find ourselves living in a town or village with a population of less than 10,000 people. Stranded in the countryside we are seeking solstice in the hearts and conversations of rural Albertains. One way or another we find ourselves on a new journey... follow along as we describe what it takes to get back into living in North America after living overseas.
Its pretty fair to say that living in Edmonton you are not going to be spoiled with spectacular views of the Canadian Rocky Mountains (since they are a mere 3-hour drive to the west)but there are plenty of surreal vegitation areas, species of flora, birds, bugs and wildlife to keep any novice hiker thrilled to the gils. You see, this is my first time living in the Central region of Alberta. This region for me is like a shiny new toy for any little kid at Christmas time. I want to spend my days hiking around, using my new compass, drinking from glacier streams while trying to avoid "beaver fever" and drawing maps to secret hidden off-the-beaten path trails. I'm an adventurer. I've always loved hiking through places I have never been. Heck... I'll even drive
... read moreIt'd be a blast to recapture everything we discussed, saw, drank and viewed on the remainder of our Victoria Day Road Trip but here is a Photo-Conclusion and a Wrap Up of all the places we stopped, kilometers we drove and time it took to start at home in Stony Plain and end up back at home. We hope you enjoy this photo-conclusion. As we look forward to many more random road trips throughout the summer of 2012! World's Largest Destinations - The Wool Toque, Morinville, Alberta The Weathervane, Westlock, Alberta The Blue Heron, Barrhead, Alberta The Wagon Wheel & Pick Axe, Fort Assiniboine, Alberta The Battle Between a Bear & Swan, Swan Hills, Alberta The Fallen Four Memorial, Mayerthorpe, Alberta Random Stops - French Murals, Legal, Alberta Roadhouse Pub, Whitecourt, Alberta Kilometers
... read moreOur photo-opps with Jesus completed, we walked to the sidewalk before jogging across the street. Hopping into our vehicle I made a quick u-turn on 100th Avenue and headed back out to Highway 2. Heading north just outside of Morinville we spotted a tourist sign stating "Legal, home of the French Murals."Giggling because our own small town boasts numerous murals, I said, "Let's see if Legal's murals are anywhere near as exquisite as Stony Plains'?" Eye-balling me out her peripherral vision Shauna simplified to, "Really?" "Why not?" "Sure... let's see what they are," she replied astonished by my lust for misadventure. Nineteen kilometers later I hung a right onto secondary road 642. Speeding past two slow moving vehicles, I tilted the moonroof closed as a farmer kicked up field dust in his tractor sending billows of
... read moreA brief history of Victoria Day*. Victoria Day (in French: Fête de la Reine) is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated in six of the ten provinces and all three territories. It falls on the last Monday before May 25th, in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. The date is also, simultaneously, connected to the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday. It is informally considered the beginning of the summer season in Canada. The birthday of Queen Victoria was a day for celebration in Canada long before its url=http://en.wi
... read moreI would like to say that in three months nothing has changed much except for our minimalistic views on our lifestyle choices. But then I would be lying to you. And I am just not comfortable with this. However, what I can show you is a story of two people who have finally overcome reverse culture shock and found themselves comfortably living 30 minutes due westof a little city called Edmonton. It was not an easy decision the one that landed us here... after all, I had received a job offer in Whitecourt a virtual jumping off point to the "patch" for many oilfield workers. I spent a few weeks driving back and forth to a job without an office or a building to report to or report from. It did put money in the pocket.
... read moreThursday morning, still with Ian’s thoughts in my head, I wrote it down and tried to crash out. In the morning, I phoned my father-in-law. I posed Ian’s theory to him. Explained what was going on. He spoke for over an hour with me. He gave me his opinion on Ian’s theory and gave sound advice on dealing with salespeople at dealerships. Thanking him I contact Peace River, only to learn that my credit application efforts last night failed because someone this vary morning had purchased the Trail Team Edition. A sigh of relief fell over me. Another FJ gone, they were falling out everywhere. We ended up at Mayfield Toyota, Thursday night to test-drive a 2006 Tacoma 4x4 and a red 2008 FJ. Upon arrival we were given keys to the Tacoma. Taking off out
... read moreIt's true... as they say, buying a new vehicle whether it has zero-kilometers/miles or thousands can be nerve wracking, make you stressss-OUT and even make you lose sleep. I know. You shouldn't let it get to you. But what if it meant the difference between getting the job you love or not having that job? That is exactly how all this started. I was offered a job in another small town about an hours drive from home. I accepted. Then declined. Nerves. "How could everything be working out this easily?" I thought. Its not the usual suspect with me. I'm use to working odd jobs while the job I'd prefer is still dangling out there in front of me with the usual labels: over-qualified, too much experience, not enough history. I've heard it all. I always
... read moreIts simple... my life is one gigantic research project trying to gather up the latest news worthy topics from around three circulating areas. Each area incorporates 10 to 15 small towns sometimes called hamlets or villages depending on a variety of things including population and zoning for commercial buildings. Its an interesting job, digging through paper files, sheets and sheets of municipal codes, bylaws and personal information only to be blocked out by dark sharpie lines in the interest of Privacy Acts. There comes a time every week when the docket is full, handed into the publisher and I get to sit back for a moment and relive the events of the following week. Glowing with anticipation for tomorrow everything will be printed in black and white. The fun part for me, is wondering which articles
... read moreJogyesa Buddhist Temple is located near Anguk Station, off line #3 in the central Insadong area. Here the temple is surrounded by practicing monks and shops which sell everything a monk might need; hats, clothes, winter gloves, incense, burners, bracelets, indoor shoes, socks, Buddha statues, calendars, prayer beads, musical instruments and more. Every shop has something to offer the "well to do being" who visits the temple. There is even a store on the grounds for a variety of other "monk essentials." However this is not why we came to Jogyesa Temple. This is one of the most accessible temples in Seoul besides Bongeunsa Temple on the south end of the city. There are over forty temples throughout South Korea which Lonely Planet introduces within their pages. Inside Seoul proper there are only four temples but
... read moreTraffic at 7:05am along Santa Fe is atrocious unless you are using the carpool lane. Oh yea, carpool for those of you without a clue means 2 or more people in a car unless you like $500 fines? Driving along we made record time to Union Station only to find out Amtrak has moved to 21st and Wewatta streets. Close enough. But close enough to be off when you are trying to catch a train. This is NOT Korea nor Japan. Heck. If I was there, I'd have missed my train. Twice. Dropped off at the office. Checked in. Ticketed. Prepared to climb on board car 512. Jumpin on board the train as its whistle fired up. I found an empty set of seats. Stuffing in my ticket and sitting down. Unbelievable. Space. Leg rests. Power
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