With the year almost over I thought it would be a good time to start looking back on 2011, and looking ahead to my travel plans for 2012.
2011
This was a year filled with a lot of school. In that last year I’ve taken courses on technical writing, creative writing, rhetoric, grammar, public relations, and more. I’m certainly no where near perfect, but I believe my writing has improved and that will hopefully help improve this website.
As for travel I was limited a bit by school, but I did get to take a few trips this year. I went to Mexico in May with my family for my cousin’s wedding. It was a fun trip, but also challenging because I was taking an English course at the same time. Some people may point out and say, “yeah but don’t you want to write when you travel?” Well I do, but having to write an essay on Oedipus Rex in a hotel room in Mexico, while you can hear people outside on the beach having fun, that’s hard. So that part wasn’t really enjoyable, everything else though was great.
In June I went to Victoria B.C where I spent a few days in the garden city doing more homework (yes), eating delicious seafood, going on a whale watching tour and walking around downtown. Then I went to Vancouver for the 2011 Traveler Blog Exchange Conference. It was interesting, and fun, but I definitely should have given myself more time to relax before going to TBEX. I also should have pushed myself a little bit more to meet new people. Nonetheless I still had a good time, and I’d definitely welcome an opportunity to visit BC again.
Public art outside the Vancouver Library.
I also made a small trip to Saskatchewan to visit family. Then the rest of my travel has been within Alberta, mostly focusing around the Edmonton area where I live. There’s that idea about being a tourist in your own backyard. Well I’m still finding different things to do around Edmonton, things I’ve never done before, and so I hope to have some more local posts coming out soon.
2012
I’m looking forward to 2012. I’ll be finishing my second semester of school in April and starting my third semester of school in September. I plan on building upon the skills I learn in school to help improve this website. One thing you may have noticed about my writing is a lot of it is pretty analytical. I want to add more narrative travel writing, stories and such, to Traveler Ahoy in 2012.
What are my upcoming travel plans for 2012?
1. Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump and Frank Slide. These are two Alberta based attractions that I’ve wanted to visit, but I never have. With both places being a about a 6 hour drive from where I am there’s really no excuse for me to not got here. They’re close enough I can easily drive down for a quick two day getaway. Plus I have a free pass for Head-Smashed-Buffalo-Jump that expires in July and it would be a shame for me not to use it.
2. Jasper. Another Alberta getaway, but I realized I actually haven’t been to Jasper since 2005, and I feel like a visit back is long overdue, especially since Jasper is only 3.5 hours away.
3. New Orleans. I’ve decided that 2012 is the year where I’m finally going to go to NOLA. I’ve been trying to think of creative ways to get down to New Orleans from Edmonton. As convenient as a flight is, it’s also expensive and will eat up a significant portion of my travel budget. One option I hope might work out is if I can find a trip from a website like Hit The Road going from Edmonton or Calgary to a southern US city, like say Phoenix. Then I can take the train and/or the bus from that city to NOLA. Right now everything is up in the air, but since I have a limited budget I’m also thinking of creative and less expensive ways to get home. I know often it’s cheaper to travel slower and that seems to the direction that this trip will be taking.
Of course if I can afford it I’m open to traveling anywhere during my school break. I don’t have my travels planned out like I usually do, so things are a little more up in the air.
Hope everyone has a great New Year’s and all the best in 2012.
Well done and good luck with this year already,keep having fun
Thanks Joe. I like that keep having fun motto.
Head Smashed In is worth the drive – the country surrounding it is stunning. I am fascinated by the Frank slide every time we drive through – it is massive and so easy to see where it all used to be on the mountain. We, too, plan on getting to Jasper this summer. Are you going to TBEX again this year?
Thanks for the comment Gillian. I’m excited to see Head Smashed In and Frank Slide this year. Jasper is really beautiful, a bit quieter than Banff, I’m sure you’ll have a great time there. I’m still debating about TBEX. I’d love to go, I just need to make sure I have the funds to get there.
Have a fantastic year ahead! Looking forward towards your adventures!
Thanks for the comment Amer. I look forward to your adventures as well.
The rate you’re going, you’ll have seen all of North America!
Have a great 2012, thank you please!
I don’t know if I’ll see all of North America, but I’ll certainly try. Thanks for the comment Anthony.
Hi Alouise,
I got here via the Single Occupancy blog. I have a dream to travel so am always attracted to sites of other people who share this passion. I just wanted to say hello and that I love the look and feel of your site.
Good luck with your 2012 goals and Happy Travels!
Thanks for the nice comment Victoria. I know reading travel blogs and websites has helped motivate me to travel, and I hope it will help you as well. Best wishes for all your travels.
Good luck in 2012 and on your trip back to NOLA!
Thanks for the encouragement Brooke.
Great job on keeping up with school during the travels. Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump is a pretty cool place. I was there in 2002, so I don’t know how much has changed. For other things to do in the area I would highly reccomend Waterton National Park. It is beautiful.
For cheap travel, I would suggest getting a Hostel Membership Card from http://www.hihostels.ca. The card shipped to your door is about $40 for the year and comes with some discounted goodies inside. You can get a 15 day GreyHound bus pass for only $199. They also just partnered with FlightCentre.ca.
Good luck in 2012.
I’ve heard Waterton is supposed to be pretty amazing, I’ll definitely have to try and make it there. Thanks for all the great information Jamie. I’m sure 2012 will be a great year for travel.
It was really great meeting you this year, here’s to more travel in 2012!
Thanks Ayngelina, it was great meeting you as well. Hope 2012 is a great year of travel for you as well.
I used a hit the road car for a trip from Toronto to Vancouver. My advice: don’t total the car.
Totaled car, that doesn’t sound good at all. Thanks for the comment, and the good advice.
I feel a possible road trip coming on:)
I think you might be right Murielle.
Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump sounds so interesting. UNESCO World Heritage site, isn’t it? And New Orleans was my first ever trip abroad. I was 11 and quite enchanted by it.
Yes Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump is a UNESCO World Heritage site, another reason for me to visit. Thanks for the comment Sophie.
Ooh, yes, go to New Orleans! It’s one of my favorite cities ever, I think you’ll like it! No lie, though, airfare is expensive all over the place these days. Hit the Road is actually a great idea. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you, Alouise!
The rising airfare can be a problem for a budget traveler like me, which is why I know I need to be a little more creative when I travel. Thanks for the comment.
I’d love to get down to New Orleans too! Ahh!
The fact that you wrote that essay in Mexico at all is pretty impressive.
Thanks for the comment Candice. I was actually pretty surprised I got through that essay. Schoolwork when traveling is definitely not something I want to repeat.