Three Things

1. The last couple of weeks of headlines have been very anxiety inducing but the have also been a welcome reminder of the work left unfinished.

2. The breath holds so much power. When all else feels out of control I have been returning to my breath, the steady reminder that I am still here, I am alive and okay. As long as the next breath comes there is still hope and that is all I need.

3. “Why doesn’t constant trampling defeat the dandelion? The key to its strength is its long and sturdy root, which extends deep into the earth. The same principle applies to people. The true victors in life are those who, enduring repeated challenges and setbacks, have sent the roots of their being to such a depth that nothing can shake them.” -Daisaku Ikeda

Anatomy of a Great Travel Partner

I used to be one of those people who kind of preferred traveling alone. Planning a trip with other people would give me so much anxiety, let alone being on the trip! We have all been in a situation where differing personalities and the stress of traveling initiates unpleasant feelings between you and your companion(s). But it turns out there is a formula for being good travel partner that I have noticed in more recent years.

My partner and I took our first trip together about 6 months into dating. I was nervous, we both were. That trip was a bit of a test for our young relationship and I knew that the necessary coordination and potential stress of a vacation could be very telling about our future together. The trip turned out to be incredibly relaxing and convinced us both of our compatibility. I was surprised at how we actually made the entire process easier for each other than it would have had been had we been solo. But after all it should be easier together if you're properly sharing the work and the fun!

Since then we have traveled many countries together and our travel rhythm only becomes more and more fine tuned. I realize now that it just takes the right balance of attitudes and a bit of structure that makes a perfect travel pairing. Here are some of the keys I find make for an excellent travel relationship!

Embracing Differences

We all know the saying "opposites attract", but when in a foreign place (or any unknown or stressful situation for that matter!) those differences can sometimes cause a bit of friction. When picking a travel partner it's important you both can embrace each others differences and play to each others strengths. My sister and I are perfect examples, we have many opposite personality traits. Most notably she is spontaneous while I like a solid plan. On our sister trip to Costa Rica I made sure we got everywhere we needed to on time and she made sure I kept my eyes open and taking in the experience!

Communicating & Owning a Role

Communication is key. Once you are able to acknowledge your differences and strengths and communicate them you can then pick a role and stick with it. I have found it's when one person has more of the burden to keep manage the trip that conflicts flare up. But if the less fun parts of the trip are shared and each person owns their role then everyone can have fun.

I generally handle big picture pre-trip planning (e.g. how to get from place to place, check-in times, sights to see, budgets, etc), while my partner takes the lead on the day-to-day grind (pulling out cash, navigating streets, and any other spontaneous unplanned events). That's because I am good with details and plotting out logistics while he is great at thinking on his feet and under pressure (much like my sister!). By knowing I have a set role I am responsible it allows me to not stress in the moment and same for him. We balance each other out while not stepping on each others toes forming a well oiled machine of a travel team. And because we divvy up the responsibilities and know how to communicate it actually frees up and allows for flexibility if one of us needs support when the plan goes awry (as it always does on an adventure!).

Being Compassionate

I find it takes more compassion for your fellow traveler than you'd expect to avoid conflicts when on the road. This summer my partner exemplified that in the most profound way to me when my acrophobia reappeared and made me nearly hysterical while on a cenote diving trip. Instead of him becoming frustrated with me (which would have been a totally legitimate response), he was patient and kind which allowed me to find my courage and move past this fear with him by my side. Maybe your compassion comes up in smaller ways, like being more understanding when the other is slow to rise in the morning or one of you gets hangry all of a sudden. I find it is hard to find a downside to mustering just a bit more compassion in any situation.

Having Trust & Being Trustworthy

The most important trait for travel buddies it to trust one another. If you have trust that the other person to take on responsibilities you are on the right track to having a fantastic trip. It's an added bonus if you trust each others decisions. For example, when visiting Rome last year I was skeptical of going very far out of the city center to visit a single museum with no other attractions we were interested to see nearby... it didn't seem like an efficient use of time. But my partner was intent on going so I trusted his judgement and his taste and ended up LOVING the museum and experience as a whole. That museum, the MAXXI, is one of my favorites to this day! 

acceptance + communication + compassion + trust = 

a wonderful travel companionship!

And here you have it, a formula for a great travel partnership! 

What do you think about traveling with others? Are you a solo traveler or do you like have a good partner? What other ingredients do you think make a good pairing? Let me know in the comments below!

Travel Photography - How I Shoot

I love photography and ever since I started embracing a more minimal lifestyle I depend on my travel photos as souvenirs. Both my partner and I aren't big fans of bringing things back for ourselves or friends and family from trips (for a few reasons that I will get into in another post sometime soon!). Since photos will pretty much be the only tangible memory of my travels I take a lot of them and I put quite a bit of care into editing and storing them. Today I want to focus on my shooting "technique" if you can even call it that 😅! These are a few things I noticed about how I take my travel photos.

1. Look with the eyes first

Although I am all about getting a great picture and documenting every moment of a trip I try to make sure I am actually experiencing each moment. If the camera has been to my eye for too long or I get sucked into reviewing pictures while still on vacation that means I am not being present and I need to step back for the camera for a while. And if I don't catch myself, my partner has gotten really good at doing it for me. I'm all about creating real memories first, pictures second.

2. Content

Now that I am enjoying my vacation there are a few things I like to have pictures of:

Landscapes

Part of the thrill of visiting new lands is a change of scenery. That's why I end of taking soo many pictures like the one below documenting all of the foreign beauty I see.

Architecture

I love architecture and design. Part of what gives a destination charm are the buildings it has. Thats why I inevitable come home with a gigabyte of pictures like these...

Food & Objects

I may be basic but I love taking pictures of my food. Food evokes some of the strongest memories because it takes you back to place using almost all of your senses. I love having pictures of delicious meals like these amazing traditional tacos I had in Coba below. Similarly I take picture of interesting objects I wouldn't find at home.

Candid Portraits

Some of my favorite portraits are those taken when your subject is caught off guard. Candids have the power of recreating a moment and taking you back in time.

3. Style

Most photographers have a definitive style that makes their work recognizable. Although I certainly haven't developed a real style (yet at least!) I do have a few specific ways I really enjoy shooting right now. 

Flat, straight on

The flat shot is one of my favorite photos to take. I usually have a specific subject in mind  (below my subjects are those gorgeous cacti) and shoot in such a way so that my camera lens is parallel to a wall (or floor) behind what I am shooting.

Up close & minimal detailS

Sometimes you just need to get a little closer. Photos like those below highlight one item in detail with very little context. I take photos like this when shooting food, little objects or when I have taken a few wide photos of a place and want to capture more of its unique details.

Wide & contextUAL

Other times it helps to take a step back. An wide photo has the potential to capture and entire setting including tons of information (and beauty!).

4. EQUIPMENT

I honestly don't think equipment really matters that much. I have taken pictures with the front facing camera on an iPad before (I implore you not to do this) and although not the best quality I have photos form my trip to Paris I still hold dear! When traveling I alternate between my iPhone and my Sony mirrorless camera - on my last trip I had the 5s with which I took all of my instagram photos. Both of these devices are easy to operate, lightweight and produce very high quality images.

I hope this little how to helps you take more photos you can cherish forever. Look out for part 2 on how I edit my pics coming soon!

See Part 2 on how I edit photos here