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Cat Park - Parque El Gato De Tejada - Cali, Colombia
September 9, 2013
in Cali, Colombia, Latin American Adventure, Round the World, South America, travel

Photos from Cali that don’t involve salsa.

I loved Medellin, but needed to tear myself away and explore another city or two in Colombia. I mean, it was a nice city and all, but, really, I was doing nothing there. So, after a week and a half, I headed to Cali, the...

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Medellin, Colombia
September 5, 2013
in Bad Decisions, Colombia, Latin American Adventure, Medellin, Round the World, South America, travel

Scenes from Medellin, Colombia

  On our first night in Medellin, Poli and I went to one of the concerts for Feria de las Flores. Near the beginning of the night the MC told the crowd to introduce yourself to the others around you. We said hello to a woman...

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Feria de las Flores Desfile de Silleteros in Medellin, Colombia
September 3, 2013
in Colombia, Festival, Latin American Adventure, Medellin, Round the World, South America, travel

Feria de las Flores: A Flower Festival in Medellin.

Feria de las Flores ‐ a Colombian festival of flowers — is a big deal in Medellin, Colombia. Every August the city throws a huge celebration devoted to the beautiful blossoms. For an entire week Paisas, other Colombians, and tourists alike flock to the city...

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Bogota, Colombia
August 26, 2013
in Bad Decisions, Bogota, Colombia, Latin American Adventure, relationships, Round the World, sex, South America, travel

On (not falling in) love at first sight. (or, why does everyone hate on Bogota?)

It wasn't love at first sight. Of course, it rarely is. I arrived in Bogota on a Sunday afternoon, after an 8-hour bus ride from San Gil, and opted for a too-expensive taxi into town. Pointing to one of the recommended hostels in my Lonely Planet, I...

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Walking the Camino Real from Barichara to Guane, Colombia.
August 21, 2013
in Barichara, Colombia, Guane, Latin American Adventure, Round the World, San Gil, South America, travel

Walking the Camino Real from Barichara to Guane, Colombia.

That's not to say that I did absolutely nothing in San Gil, Colombia. Though, yes, most of my time in the town was spent in my pajamas, in my hostel bed, binge watching Orange is the New Black on Netflix. But I did force myself...

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Giant ant statue in San Gil, Colombia
August 19, 2013
in Colombia, Latin American Adventure, Round the World, San Gil, South America, travel

San Gil, Colombia.

After spending too much time on the water between Panama and Colombia, I had no desire to hit the beach while in Colombia. While most travelers traveled from Cartagena to Santa Marta to enjoy the Caribbean, the sun, the water, I wanted to get as...

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Cartagena, Colombia
August 17, 2013
in Cartagena, Colombia, Latin American Adventure, Round the World, South America, travel

Cartagena, Colombia.

Cartagena was hot. Too hot. And I was feeling a bit warn down. After five months in Central America I had finally landed in my first and only (for now, at least) stop in South America: Colombia. And I wasn't in love. I was afraid that I...

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Panama to Colombia Sailing Trip
August 7, 2013
in Cartagena, Central America, Colombia, Latin American Adventure, Panama, Panama City, Round the World, San Blas Islands, South America, travel

The crossing. Sailing from Panama to Colombia.

My sunburnt arm pressed into the wooden deck. My head, propped up with a balled up, wet, pink elephant-print sarong I'd purchased in Thailand. My eyes were closed and I breathed in and out with the waves. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but...

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The Panama Canal
August 1, 2013
in Central America, Latin American Adventure, Panama, Panama City, Round the World, travel

The Panama Canal

You can't go to Panama without visiting the Panama Canal. I'm pretty sure they check that when you exit at immigration. Pretty sure. (Though, I wouldn't know, because I didn't really go through immigration when I left.) The Panama Canal was forged through the country in...

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Panama City, Panama
July 30, 2013
in Central America, Latin American Adventure, Panama, Panama City, Round the World, travel

Scenes from Panama City

I didn't exactly intend to spend an entire week in Panama City. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice city, probably the nicest capital in Central America. But I probably only needed 3, maybe 4 nights tops. But, alas, I was trying to book a...

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Hi, I’m Val. I spent most of my 20s in a standstill, unable to pick which path in life I wanted to take. I wanted the nomadic life of a traveler but also wanted the husband, the condo, and the teal couch. Unable to decide which life I wanted more, I did nothing. I lived my life in limbo. When I turned 30 I’d had enough of putting my life on hold and decided to start “choosing my figs.” So, I quit my job and bought a one-way ticket to Europe. After 3 years on the road I’m back in Chicago, exploring the city, learning guitar, decorating my apartment in too much teal, cuddling my cats, and planning my next adventures.

            

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2006 –

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WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR LIFE?


Feeling stuck? Sick of living your life in limbo? Want to finally do all those things you always say you're going to do? Sign up for the Choosing Figs newsletter now to get a FREE e-book with tips on starting your own life list, inspiration for things to do in life, and worksheets to get your life goals out of your head and into action!


Your information will be used to send you our Life List e-book and subscribe you to our bi-monthly newsletter. View our full Privacy Policy.



            


MEOW | Is Val in Chicago?