An Overdue Update: Where We've Been Since You Last Heard From Us

I looked at my calendar this morning and literally did a double take when I saw that it’ll be June 1st tomorrow.

JUNE.

TOMORROW.

We’re nearly halfway through 2019 and, for some reason, I can’t wrap my head around that. I remember reading that time seems to pass by quicker the older you get and I don’t know how many times I’ve caught myself saying, “Where has the time gone?!”

Anyways, if you’ve been following us for a while, you’ve probably noticed that it’s been a long time since we’ve shared any updates with you.

The last video we uploaded was in January and we haven’t posted to Instagram since March. Facebook reminds me nearly everyday about the 6,560 people who haven’t heard from us in a while.

It’s true, our social channels have been very quiet this year. We left Mexico in February and made a conscious shift in our priorities once we got back to Canada. Personally, professionally and financially.

With so much travel content to consume online, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to take a break from social media while we focused on other things. As naive as it sounds, I didn’t think anyone would really notice?

And then the messages started pouring in...

“Feels as though you have pretty much given up on your social media or posting new content to Youtube. That’s too bad.”

“Hope you guys are amazing we miss you ☺️”

“I noticed you guys aren’t active anymore?”

“I miss you guys! I hope you are well. <3”

“Miss your content :(“

We may have stopped posting but it’s clear that you didn’t stop caring. I’m sorry for leaving you in the dark for so long. But fear not! Our unplanned hiatus from social media has been very productive and there are exciting travel plans in the works for this summer! First, let’s fill you in on what we’ve been up to so far in 2019.

A Whole Lotta Networking

These last four months have been spent mostly in my hometown, Toronto. The city is exciting, bustling and more multicultural than anywhere we’ve ever been before. I know I’m biased but, there’s really no place quite like Toronto.

Being based in one place gave us the chance to attend lots of industry events and network with other travel professionals and content creators. While neither one of us is particularly fond of networking, it’s been great to make connections and learn valuable tips from experts. We visited the YouTube Space and attended events run by the Toronto chapter of a global community called Travel Massive.

Making Valuable Connections

Working remotely and travelling often can be an isolating cycle so when we meet people who can relate to our highs and lows, there’s this instant *click* that’s hard to put into words. Whether it’s meeting up for happy hour or having a quick conversation about working as a couple, these little connections have certainly helped fuel us forward.

For a couple of introverts who are constantly bouncing around, it can be hard to meet new people. We have a large community online but it’s not often that we get to meet people in person so we value the connections we’ve been able to make so far. It was great to meet talented creators like the Vacation Couple, Justin Plus Lauren, Chris Hau and Lizzie Peirce.

Spending Time with Friends and Family

Our visits home are usually few and far between so I’ve been treasuring these past few months and enjoying time with family and friends. Between birthdays, weddings and babies, there has been so much to celebrate (plus the odd reminder that we don’t recover from hangovers as quickly as we used to!).

I don’t know when we’ll be back on the west coast (where Wes is from) but I’m already looking forward to a visit. His side of the family grew by not one, but two babies this spring and we can’t wait to meet his new niece and nephew :)

Enjoying Some Down Time

In anticipation of a very busy summer, we’re making sure we incorporate some relaxation into our daily routines while we have the chance. There’s a quote that says “the less routine, the more life” and I agree to some extent. But there are some routines I cherish when we’re not on a busy travel schedule like cooking homemade meals and going for walks after dinner.

Despite the gloomy spring weather in Toronto, we’ve found pleasure in some simple things. We joined millions of others who re-watched Game of Thrones (only to be disappointed with the series finale). We discovered a $1 beer sale. We even learned how to play Settlers of Catan.

Sharing All We Know

One of our big goals for this year is to keep sharing everything we know about travel with you. The main reason we started this blog was to help others see more of the world and there are several destinations we have yet to write about!

Every week we’ll strive to share valuable information about destinations we know and love. Ireland and Northern Ireland have been in the spotlight on our blog recently with posts sharing how you can visit the Giant’s Causeway for free and over 25 memorable things to do in Dingle, Ireland. If there’s a specific topic you’d like us to share more about, leave us a comment at the bottom of this post and we’ll add it to the list!!

Plans for the rest of 2019

So, what’s next for Fel and Wes? Are we finally settling down, getting a house and starting a family?!

Not quite! At least, not yet :)

In a couple of weeks, we’ll be boarding a flight back to Europe and couldn’t be more excited for our next round of travel. Over the years, we’ve developed a soft spot for Central Europe and can’t seem to get enough of the landscapes and hospitality in some of our favourite countries like Poland, Hungary and Croatia.

This time, we’re heading a bit further east...

When Wes and I both turned 30 last year, we came up with a plan to “treat ourselves” by each picking a new country we really wanted to explore. Wes has wanted to go to Russia for as long as I’ve known him and I’ve had Georgia on my mind for a while! The fact that we picked countries that border one another definitely made this easier to plan for.

The last few weeks have been busy finalizing our itineraries, sorting out tourist visas and….

*drumroll*

…learning a new language! Yup, we’re learning Russian. Or should I say, мы учим русский! This is our first time learning a language together from square one and it’s been an exciting and challenging process. I have no shame in admitting that Wes is doing way better than I am and this progress will hopefully make it easier to travel throughout a new region in Europe.

We normally avoid travelling in peak season so these these next few weeks we’ll be busy booking as much as we can in advance. It’s a change from our usual style of spontaneous travel but I think it’ll allow us to do more with our time once we get to Europe.

In the meantime, expect to see more frequent updates from Fel and Wes!

I’m feeling more inspired than ever to share these upcoming travels with you. I can’t help but think this newfound enthusiasm is an untended byproduct of our break from social media. We spend so much time in front of screens and on our devices that it’s easy to lose sight of, well, real life.

Before signing off, I thought I’d share some of the things that helped me appreciate social media in a new way.

Unfollow the content that doesn’t make you feel good.
Delete any distracting apps you don’t absolutely need to have on your phone.
Turn off notifications for apps that aren’t a priority.
Pick up your phone when you need to do something (answer a call, check the time, Google something, etc) and SET IT DOWN once you’ve done that thing.
Set daily limits for your social media usage and do your best to stick to them. Every hour you spend on Instagram could be put toward something you’ll benefit from in the long run like learning a new skill or language.
Avoid using your phone an hour before bed.
Keep your phone away from you while you sleep.

Alright, I think that’s a long enough update for now. We’ll also be starting up our weekly newsletter again. If you want to get an email from us every Thursday (sometimes Friday), sign up here to stay in the loop. We share the latest and greatest news from our travels, behind-the-scene moments and extra tips to help you on the road as well.

Hope you’re doing well and thank you for sticking around!

Adios amigos :)

Fel (and Wes)

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