• Home
  • About
    • Featured
    • Privacy Policy
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • Bosnia
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Netherlands
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Scotland
      • Slovakia
      • Spain
      • Turkey
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • India
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • Fiji
    • Africa
      • South Africa
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Caribbean
  • Categories
    • Adventure
    • Expat Life
    • Food
    • Musings
    • Tips
  • Edinburgh
  • Contact

Ashley Wanders

Europe Portugal Tips

7 Reasons Why I Love Lisbon (+ My Top Travel Tips)

Nov 08

Lisbon Funicular Continue Reading

0 Comments
Share
Edinburgh Expat Life Scotland

25 Telltale Signs You’re an Expat in Edinburgh

Jul 02

Edinburgh Castle Continue Reading

4 Comments
Share
Edinburgh Scotland Tips

61 (Awesome) Things to Do in Edinburgh, Scotland

Jun 13

Victoria Street Edinburgh Continue Reading

4 Comments
Share
Edinburgh Musings Netherlands

On the Road Again: My 2018 Travel Plans

May 05

Amsterdam Canal Continue Reading

5 Comments
Share
Bosnia

7 Reasons I Fell So Hard for Bosnia

Mar 06

Mostar Bosnia Continue Reading

17 Comments
Share
Edinburgh Expat Life Italy Musings Netherlands Turkey

Highlights, Lowlights, and Lessons: 2017 in Review

Dec 23

Lake Ohrid Macedonia Continue Reading

11 Comments
Share
Edinburgh Scotland Tips

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Edinburgh? Read This First

Dec 12

Edinburgh New Year's Eve Continue Reading

12 Comments
Share
Older Posts

About Me

About Me

I've spent the better part of the last decade pursuing my biggest passion: travel. After visiting 40-odd countries, a stint living abroad, and building a career through travel, I've realized I don't want to live my life on other people's terms.

While this blog focuses on travel and expat life, it's ultimately about my journey to create an unconventional lifestyle centered around travel. (And I hope it inspires you to do the same.) Read more here.

Let’s Get Social

Popular Posts

Subscribe

My Latest Travels

Turkey, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy

Instagram

  • One thing I often take for granted living in the Niagara region is having nearly 100 wineries on my doorstep. 🍷⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re visiting Niagara on the Lake, be sure to go beyond the big names and check out some of the smaller, family-owned wineries like @ravinevineyard and @smalltalkwines (two of my favourites).⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And if you're keen to get off the beaten path, head to Twenty Valley, another wine-producing region set against the stunning backdrop of the Niagara Escarpment. This is where you’ll find Niagara’s true hidden gems - and the best wineries in the region (at least in my opinion 😬). I’ll save my favourites from this area for another post because there are too many to list here. 🥂⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ P.S., Stratus (pictured here) is quite pricey, but they have a beautiful back patio that’s perfect when you want to sit and nurse a glass (or bottle 😉).
  • I’m a huge sucker for a good viewpoint, and Lisbon has an overwhelming amount of them (seriously, just type “miradouro” into Google Maps when you’re in the city and see how many pop up near you).⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Miradouro das Portas do Sol in Alfama (pictured here) is a popular one for sure, but I mean, just look at that view 😍
  • Where my seafood lovers at? 🙋🏻‍♀️⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re visiting Edinburgh (or Scotland in general), you’re in for a treat when it comes to fresh, quality seafood.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A few of my favourite seafood spots in Edinburgh are White Horse Oyster Bar (£1 oyster happy hour most weeknights), The Ship on the Shore (pictured here), Ondine, Cadiz, and Fishers in the City 🦀🐙
  • Reason number 4537 I love Lisbon: the way everyone gathers around the Tagus River at dusk.
  • “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.”⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I know I’m a day late, but happy (belated) Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians 🍁🧡🌽 ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While gratitude is something I practice every day, I do love having a day dedicated solely to being grateful.
  • Where’s the best sunset you’ve seen this year? 🌅 ⠀ ⠀ This Edinburgh sunset definitely tops my list! ⠀ ⠀ I’ve seen some of the best sunsets of my life in this city - and they’re even more stunning from a vantage point like Arthur’s Seat.
  • I always say Edinburgh would be the perfect city if it had good weather 🙈 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ....And being back there this summer (when the weather was actually amazing 😱) definitely confirmed that sentiment. ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The city is always stunning, but there’s something even more magical about it when the sun is shining ☀️😍😭
  • On my last night in Lisbon, I wandered around for what felt like hours looking for a specific viewpoint to watch the sunset, and stumbled upon this instead: an empty street with the light hitting it so perfectly I nearly wept (I was still fairly tipsy from a very boozy lunch to be fair 🙈)⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I stood there like a fool with a massive grin on my face for god knows how long, and every time I see this photo it brings me right back to that blissful moment.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Anyone else get ridiculously excited about evening light like this?! Or is it just me? 😂🙋🏻‍♀️
  • It’s funny how easily we take things for granted simply because they’re familiar.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Case in point: Niagara Falls is pretty much in my backyard, but I can’t remember the last time I actually paused to look at it, to really marvel at its sheer size and power. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While I tend to be more mindful and appreciative of my surroundings when I’m abroad, I’ve started making an effort to cultivate the same mindset at home. It sounds silly, but it took me a while to realize I don’t have to live in a foreign country to constantly be appreciative of my surroundings 🤷🏻‍♀️🙈

Seriously, though..

“The sight of the huge world put mad ideas into me, as if I could wander away, wander forever…” – C.S. Lewis

  • One thing I often take for granted living in the Niagara region is having nearly 100 wineries on my doorstep. 🍷⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re visiting Niagara on the Lake, be sure to go beyond the big names and check out some of the smaller, family-owned wineries like @ravinevineyard and @smalltalkwines (two of my favourites).⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And if you're keen to get off the beaten path, head to Twenty Valley, another wine-producing region set against the stunning backdrop of the Niagara Escarpment. This is where you’ll find Niagara’s true hidden gems - and the best wineries in the region (at least in my opinion 😬). I’ll save my favourites from this area for another post because there are too many to list here. 🥂⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ P.S., Stratus (pictured here) is quite pricey, but they have a beautiful back patio that’s perfect when you want to sit and nurse a glass (or bottle 😉).
  • I’m a huge sucker for a good viewpoint, and Lisbon has an overwhelming amount of them (seriously, just type “miradouro” into Google Maps when you’re in the city and see how many pop up near you).⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Miradouro das Portas do Sol in Alfama (pictured here) is a popular one for sure, but I mean, just look at that view 😍
  • Where my seafood lovers at? 🙋🏻‍♀️⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re visiting Edinburgh (or Scotland in general), you’re in for a treat when it comes to fresh, quality seafood.⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A few of my favourite seafood spots in Edinburgh are White Horse Oyster Bar (£1 oyster happy hour most weeknights), The Ship on the Shore (pictured here), Ondine, Cadiz, and Fishers in the City 🦀🐙
  • Reason number 4537 I love Lisbon: the way everyone gathers around the Tagus River at dusk.
  • “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.”⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I know I’m a day late, but happy (belated) Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians 🍁🧡🌽 ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While gratitude is something I practice every day, I do love having a day dedicated solely to being grateful.
  • Where’s the best sunset you’ve seen this year? 🌅 ⠀ ⠀ This Edinburgh sunset definitely tops my list! ⠀ ⠀ I’ve seen some of the best sunsets of my life in this city - and they’re even more stunning from a vantage point like Arthur’s Seat.

Come say hi on Instagram!

© Copyright 2018 · All Rights Reserved ·

This blog uses affiliate links and cookies

Privacy Policy