Varadero, Cuba in Photos

It's been a few years since I was in Cuba, but currently rainy Dublin has got me dreaming of beaches & margaritas. I'm not usually one for all-inclusive vacations, but in this case I don't regret our choice. We stayed at Paradisus Princesa del Mar Resort & Spa in Varadero. The staff were extremely friendly & helpful. The resort was more than we could ask for & our seven-day stay was ridiculously relaxed. Onto some photos from our trip.

The old school cars were one of my favourite parts of Cuba.

Just a casual game of chess.

How impressed do I look?

Shoddy photo of one of the pools at our resort during the night. I think it's safe to say I've come quite a ways with my photography.

& heaven...

I highly suggest going snorkelling &/or scuba diving in Cuba! The reefs are severely underrated.

Just a little fellow we met.

During our vacation we also ended up renting vespas (that's a whole 'nother post on its own though) & going on a few excursions, including a jeep safari one. We also took a bus into one of the nearby towns to explore the markets, which was one of my favourite days! Everything was handmade by locals, not to mention the cigars at prices we couldn't believe. 

If you're thinking of travelling to Cuba but aren't staying in Havana, a day trip is a must! I fell in love with the character of the city & Cuban culture in general. Also, the cigar factory tours are definitely worth it. 

For now these photos will be tiding me over until my next trip to sunny weather at the end of the month! Have any of you been to Cuba? & any suggestions for staying sane during the rain? If you're anything like me you're on SkyScanner. xxx

How It All Began...

Heyaaa! So not exactly sure where to start, but I'll give it a go with how my passion for travelling came about.

You could say I've always been a traveller, spending Summers in B.C. & flying to Ontario alone at the age of 8 & upwards, but my love really grew at the first few opportunities I had as a teenager to leave the country with friends. Now before this I had been to Hawaii & travelled various places as I mentioned, but all had been with family.

When the opportunity for Cuba arose, I took it & spontaneously 2 weeks later I found myself on a flight being fed coconut concoctions at the age of 16. My adventures in Cuba that holiday I will leave for another post, but if I had to pin point how it all began, it would be there.

Varadero, Cuba

Well, there & my first school trip to New York City, also at the age of 16 & shockingly allowed much independence! But again, I shall save that for later.

So growing up in Alberta & moving to Ontario for middle school, I found myself the happiest whilst exploring. Instead of being upset about leaving my hometown, I was craving the adventure. Finishing high school here, I took the first opportunity I could & moved abroad to au pair just 3 months after graduating.

I found myself in Paris, France for a year, having weekends & extensive holidays soley for travelling. At the age of 18, you could say I was in heaven. I had the chance to visit much of Europe, my favourites being the U.K. (in particular Ireland), the Alps (I'm an avid snowboarder) & Germany to name a few.

The Swiss Alps

Of course I will be going into detail about my travels in the upcoming posts, but as a quick intro, I'm hoping this will do! I have since moved back to Canada & am planning my next expat journey for this Autumn (of 2013), only this time I plan on staying abroad, actually terribly excited at the chance of professional nomad status, much to my Mum's dismay. I have to say, as cheesy as this may be, the passion I have for travel, I have yet to experience in any other aspect of my life thusfar (yes, including relationships ladies!)... & at the age of 21, in my eyes I have nothing to lose & everything to gain.

So basically, I'd love for you all to come along with me during my good & bad times of this next adventure (believe me there will be plenty bad), my only hope being to inspire & maybe even help out a few of you in following your own travel dreams! Enough cheese though & on with the blogging...
xxx