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Ashley Wanders

Ecuador Musings South America

Was My Galapagos Trip a Dream?

May 18

Salty lightfoot crab on volcanic rock in the Galapagos Islands Continue Reading

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Musings

All the Absurd & Embarrassing Thoughts Running Through My Mind During Lockdown Life

Apr 15

Girl sitting at the top of Ben Vorlich, Scotland Continue Reading

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Edinburgh Expat Life Scotland

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Edinburgh

Jan 18

View from above looking down Victoria Street, Edinburgh Continue Reading

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Musings

Dusting Off the Ol’ Passport: My 2020 Travel Plans

Dec 08

Person standing at the top of a Munro in Scotland Continue Reading

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Denmark Europe

Snapshots of Copenhagen (and a Tourism Fail)

Nov 03

Nyhavn Copenhagen

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Turkey

4 Moments of Magic in Istanbul

Sep 08

Rustem Pasha Mosque from the Galata Bridge at sunset

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Edinburgh Expat Life Musings

Closing the Edinburgh Chapter

May 07

Edinburgh Castle Sunset Continue Reading

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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.

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My Latest Travels

Quito + the Galapagos Islands

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At the beginning of February, I would have told yo At the beginning of February, I would have told you the Galápagos was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken because of the scenery and the wildlife and the sheer thrill of exploring a place that’s truly unlike anywhere I’ve ever been before. ⠀⠀ Today, my reasoning is completely different. ⠀ I’m now looking back on my time in Ecuador with boundless gratitude because it’s the last place I visited before lockdown; it’s the place my mind wanders to when those pangs of wanderlust hit, and it’s a place that lets me cling to the notion of what it means to be a traveller in a time when borders are closed and planes are grounded and travel is banned. 🤍✨
So, uh, does anyone have an extra roll of toilet p So, uh, does anyone have an extra roll of toilet paper they can spare? 👀 ⠀⠀⠀ 🧻 I’m down to my last roll and can’t find any toilet paper in #Toronto because people are freaking the fuck out. ⠀⠀⠀ 💓 In all seriousness, please, please stop pillaging grocery store shelves and start thinking of how you can help others right now. ⠀⠀⠀ 👵 Check on your elderly family members and neighbours. Call your coworkers who are self-isolating and live alone. Support small businesses if and when you can. Be kind to people working in the service industry. Share your stockpiled goods with people who need them (hi, did I mention I’m running out of toilet paper? 🤪). ⠀⠀⠀ ✨ The tiniest gestures can make a world of difference to someone who is struggling right now. ⠀⠀⠀ ❤️ My heart goes out to anyone who’s had to step into a caretaker role because a loved one has fallen ill. To anyone who’s quarantined and doesn’t have friends or family to check in on them. To anyone who, like me, works in the travel industry and is fearful their job may soon be in jeopardy. ⠀⠀⠀ 🙏 To all the medical professionals and healthcare workers, thank you. Thank you for putting your health and well-being on the line to help us in this surreal situation.
Summer is my favourite season, but there is litera Summer is my favourite season, but there is literally nothing better than that first glorious day of the year that feels like spring 🌸
I know so many travellers rave about the Galápago I know so many travellers rave about the Galápagos, but holy shit - this isolated archipelago still managed to obliterate my massively sky-high expectations. 🐢 I can’t count the number of times on this trip where I stopped dead in my tracks, looked around, and thought, is this real life?! 🐢 I’m still trying to figure out how to put my Galápagos experience into words, but I’ll start with a photo of one of my favourite wildlife sightings: a blue-footed booby, perfectly perched on some rocks near Black Turtle Cove on Santa Cruz.
Holy shit, it’s finally February! 😳⠀ ⠀ Is Holy shit, it’s finally February! 😳⠀ ⠀ Is it just me, or did January feel like the longest month of all time?! ⠀ ⠀ It felt painfully long for me because a) I’m so ready for winter to be over, and b) I’ve been counting down the days ‘til my trip to Ecuador this month! 🇪🇨 ⠀ ⠀ If you have any tips for Quito or the Galápagos, I’d loveeee to hear them! 🙏🏼
My heart goes out to everyone who’s being affect My heart goes out to everyone who’s being affected by the devastating fires in Australia 💔⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ This country holds a special place in my heart - it was my first big trip overseas; my first time backpacking; my first time travelling solo - and it ultimately changed the course of my life.⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ I want to help support relief efforts, so please, please let me know if you’d recommend any particular organizations that need donations 🙏🏼
With this completely unrelated and non-Christmassy With this completely unrelated and non-Christmassy photo, I’m wishing you all a very merry Christmas 🎄❤️ I also want to acknowledge the fact that this isn’t the most wonderful time of year for many people. If you’re having a difficult time right now - for whatever reason - I see you, and I’m sending big love 👀💖
Cheers to sweet travel deals🥂 ⠀ ⠀ This year Cheers to sweet travel deals🥂 ⠀ ⠀ This year for Black Friday, I took advantage of the sales and booked my next trip 🙌🏼✈️ (why haven’t I thought of this before?!) ⠀ ⠀ 2019 was largely dedicated to getting my shit together, so I can’t wait to dust off the ol’ passport and get my adventure on again in 2020. And for the first time in almost FIVE YEARS (!) I’m going to a destination that’s not in Europe. My trip in February will be a new country and a new continent 🤩⠀ ⠀ Have you guys snagged any amazing travels deals for Black Friday? Where are you going in 2020?! Gimme all the deets!
I 💙 my neighbourhood I 💙 my neighbourhood

Seriously, though..

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

At the beginning of February, I would have told yo At the beginning of February, I would have told you the Galápagos was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken because of the scenery and the wildlife and the sheer thrill of exploring a place that’s truly unlike anywhere I’ve ever been before. ⠀⠀ Today, my reasoning is completely different. ⠀ I’m now looking back on my time in Ecuador with boundless gratitude because it’s the last place I visited before lockdown; it’s the place my mind wanders to when those pangs of wanderlust hit, and it’s a place that lets me cling to the notion of what it means to be a traveller in a time when borders are closed and planes are grounded and travel is banned. 🤍✨
So, uh, does anyone have an extra roll of toilet p So, uh, does anyone have an extra roll of toilet paper they can spare? 👀 ⠀⠀⠀ 🧻 I’m down to my last roll and can’t find any toilet paper in #Toronto because people are freaking the fuck out. ⠀⠀⠀ 💓 In all seriousness, please, please stop pillaging grocery store shelves and start thinking of how you can help others right now. ⠀⠀⠀ 👵 Check on your elderly family members and neighbours. Call your coworkers who are self-isolating and live alone. Support small businesses if and when you can. Be kind to people working in the service industry. Share your stockpiled goods with people who need them (hi, did I mention I’m running out of toilet paper? 🤪). ⠀⠀⠀ ✨ The tiniest gestures can make a world of difference to someone who is struggling right now. ⠀⠀⠀ ❤️ My heart goes out to anyone who’s had to step into a caretaker role because a loved one has fallen ill. To anyone who’s quarantined and doesn’t have friends or family to check in on them. To anyone who, like me, works in the travel industry and is fearful their job may soon be in jeopardy. ⠀⠀⠀ 🙏 To all the medical professionals and healthcare workers, thank you. Thank you for putting your health and well-being on the line to help us in this surreal situation.
Summer is my favourite season, but there is litera Summer is my favourite season, but there is literally nothing better than that first glorious day of the year that feels like spring 🌸
I know so many travellers rave about the Galápago I know so many travellers rave about the Galápagos, but holy shit - this isolated archipelago still managed to obliterate my massively sky-high expectations. 🐢 I can’t count the number of times on this trip where I stopped dead in my tracks, looked around, and thought, is this real life?! 🐢 I’m still trying to figure out how to put my Galápagos experience into words, but I’ll start with a photo of one of my favourite wildlife sightings: a blue-footed booby, perfectly perched on some rocks near Black Turtle Cove on Santa Cruz.
Holy shit, it’s finally February! 😳⠀ ⠀ Is Holy shit, it’s finally February! 😳⠀ ⠀ Is it just me, or did January feel like the longest month of all time?! ⠀ ⠀ It felt painfully long for me because a) I’m so ready for winter to be over, and b) I’ve been counting down the days ‘til my trip to Ecuador this month! 🇪🇨 ⠀ ⠀ If you have any tips for Quito or the Galápagos, I’d loveeee to hear them! 🙏🏼
My heart goes out to everyone who’s being affect My heart goes out to everyone who’s being affected by the devastating fires in Australia 💔⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ This country holds a special place in my heart - it was my first big trip overseas; my first time backpacking; my first time travelling solo - and it ultimately changed the course of my life.⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ I want to help support relief efforts, so please, please let me know if you’d recommend any particular organizations that need donations 🙏🏼
With this completely unrelated and non-Christmassy With this completely unrelated and non-Christmassy photo, I’m wishing you all a very merry Christmas 🎄❤️ I also want to acknowledge the fact that this isn’t the most wonderful time of year for many people. If you’re having a difficult time right now - for whatever reason - I see you, and I’m sending big love 👀💖

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