Reflections on beautiful moments and mindful travel experiences from our adventures.
Essential packing lists, travel tips, and practical guides for your next adventure.
Today we take a car trip to visit our daughter. We pack snacks, fill the tank and download our favourite podcasts/ audio books for the drive. The sun is shinning which always makes driving and sight seeing more enjoyable. Who knows maybe today we go wild, let our hair down and crank up the tunes. Wherever your road trips may lead, I hope you take time to visit your loved ones along the way! « 🎼Get your motor running, headed on the hwy… 🎼 »
When you go away for long stretches, you have lots to catch up on. Mail pilled up with important papers reminding you that just because you were on vacation doesn’t mean the world was at rest. Remember to check your licence for renewal date, credit cards that are close to expiration and file your taxes. Making sure you are caught up with all your identifications, registrations and legal obligations will give you peace of mind. Then you are ready for the next adventure.
April 2026 was a month of celebration, unexpected connections, and the slow rhythm of a Mexican coast. From birthday surprises to day trips down dirt roads, these fifteen daily moments weave together into a story about presence, preparation, and the joy of not knowing what comes next. What follows are the daily mindful moments from the month.
April 15, 2026
Sharing a meal among friends new and old have left me with long lasting memories on vacation. Finding just the right restaurant can sometimes be a challenge. Whether it be a five star restaurant or a quaint food truck the company that you share makes all the difference. When meeting new people in a new place, one of my conversation starters is always: What is your favourite go to restaurant on a budget? Have you ever noticed how people are so happy talking about food? Food brings families together. Some meals are with people we have grown with and some are with new friends. What binds us together is the breaking of bread! Next time you’re on vacation share a meal with someone new you’ll never regret it.
Watching videos of other people’s adventures can be inspiring. Where to next? I am inspired by others experiences. Sometimes I take a morning to watch travel T.V., other times I watch clips on Instagram or enjoy catching up with a fellow excursionist to chat about travel. Each of these experiences allows my imagination to grow wild and to help me plan for my next adventure. I look forward to my next trip, wherever that will lead!
What do you do when you arrive home? I start by unpacking everything upon arrival. Putting in a load of laundry from the travel days. Then I leave to get groceries. It is important to eat on a schedule and to have healthy choices. I set up appointments like hair, massage, and even optometry from away. Why you may ask? It is my hack in getting through jet leg and time changes just seem easier when you have things to do. This forces me to get on a new schedule quickly and efficiently. Making being home a joy!
When travelling you have to anticipate the chance of delays. We often book flights with many hours in between to ensure smooth transitions. We have lounge passes and enjoy what lounges offer: more comfortable seating, unlimited drinks and food, and clean bathroom facilities. Many travel credit cards give lounge privileges as a perk.
Choose wisely and enjoy your travel days with a bit of luxury. Make the travel days part of the journey that you enjoy, not that in which you dread. Be prepared to have to wait longer—have a good book, music, or simply sit and enjoy people watching with a twist. Where are they from and where are they going? Always fun to try and guess.
Today is a travel day. We have learned to make this day part of the journey and not just an inconvenience. It will take us 2 days to get home. So we prepare ahead: we pack snacks but plan for a night with room service and a good night’s sleep.
Opting for the later flight on the second day allows us to get a good night’s sleep without fear of missing the flight, or having to be at the airport so early. We try not to stress when there are delays, trying to use the lounges when we can. We give ourselves plenty of time to get through security.
All travel has an end date. Packing can be a burden and can take away from the fun adventure that was had. When traveling I try to pack in packing cubes: Thule Compression Cube Set (Amazon.com). These cubes help to compress my clothes and new treasures so I can get them home in a way that is organized and I am able to separate the dirty from the clean. I also put all tops together and all bottoms together. This helps when unpacking and saves me time.
When I visit unknown places it is so important to know how to get around. What are your options? You can walk, but most travel requires multiple sources of transportation.
How do the locals get around? Some places have metro systems or trains that can get you close to everything. There are buses that also have routes around the cities—sometimes even from one town to the next. Taxis, Ubers or renting a car can also be an option depending on what you are planning to do.
Have you ever been on vacation just to run into people you know? This happens so often to me and always makes me smile. Sometimes it’s people from one area of your life and you see them in a different context. Other times it’s people you know from home and then you randomly cross paths in another country.
Always mind blowing—it really is a small world. I am so grateful that I take the time to look around and that chance occurrences remind me of just how interconnected we all are.
Meeting people on vacation is always a highlight for me. Some friends we have met on vacation have become lifelong friends. We have travelled to several destinations to meet up with one particular couple. Others are acquaintances that may pass by briefly in our travels.
These chance happenings could be someone you meet on the plane, or potentially you strike up a conversation in the pool—all of these people leave their mark. We are so fortunate as a human race to have the opportunities to communicate and to connect.
While traveling, how do we find the time to exercise? We pack a yoga mat and bring it wherever we go. Yoga is a great way to stay limber and to keep the mind and body fresh. There are many tutorials online that you can find from beginner to expert.
Another fun way to keep fit on vacation is to walk. Walking can happen in most places like the airport while waiting for a flight, a stroll to find a new trail, or a local attraction. Keep in mind that you should know a bit about where you are and if it is safe for walking.
When you get to celebrate another year on this magnificent earth, you go big or you go home. Travel has a way of helping one remember all that one has to be grateful for. Sometimes the new family you meet on your travels have a way of celebrating that touches you, that reminds you why you enjoy your life and the people you keep in your circle. This year a neighbour knowing we are watching our sugar intake brought down a special gift, not a chocolate cake but a beautiful green apple with a candle. That candle holds a wish! Our wish for you all is that you get to uncover the beauty that travel holds. The blessings that surrounds us are insurmountable. Friends that pick up the tab for drinks and join you at your new favourite find (even if it was their second time there in the same day). We are blessed! Cheers to another year for my Mr. Mindful Traveler, may this year exceed his expectations and may each of you be reminded to celebrate every day.
A day filled with amazing views, great food and conversation is in order. Day tripping can be the most amazing experience. Driving through mountains to glorious little towns. Down dirt roads that lead to beaches that seem abandoned and others that bustle with locals. Wherever your next day trip adventure leads, may it fill you with joy and gratitude. There are so many places that can remind you of the wonders of this great world we live in. A breathtaking vista, the ongoing mountain ranges, the dense forests filled with flora or the vastness of the ocean, whatever it is that makes your body relax and makes your heart smile, do it! Go on that road trip even if just for a day! What you uncover can be priceless, an inner peace that comes when we aren’t looking for anything in particular! Bring back the Sunday drive and celebrate that you are alive and get to experience the small joys in life.
Have you ever located a spot on vacation just to find it closed your next time around? This happens more than we care to admit. Just when we found the best place for … there it goes closing its doors, but no worries there are always new places to be found around the next corner. When one door closes another door opens. Be open to the opportunities that await. Do not dwell on that which is gone. It has served its purpose while it lasted but now you are ready for the next chapter. Sometimes it’s even better than the original. Enjoy seeking out the next best restaurant, store or bar. You never know what lies ahead. Just know that the search can be just as fun as the destination. Happy tracking, embrace the unknown! Yours always, Ms. Mindful Traveller