On the Road

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It’s been pretty quiet on lifeafter9to5 because we’ve been on the road.  Last week we went to San Francisco and Yosemite National Park and just got back yesterday.  I thought I was going to have time to write a post or two about our adventures on the West Coast, but things got a little crazy.  So between work and little sleep, I have not had time to do anything.

Last night, after our red-eye from SF we were so tired, we both passed out at 8 pm EST and slept for 12 hours.  Now we are scrambling to get all our stuff together and pack for Peru, because we are flying to Lima tonight. You read that right, we are home for a day and flying off again. Timing is tight, but hopefully hiking in Yosemite gave us some ideas of what we need for our trek on the Inca Trail. We will be in Peru for a week and be back on July 4th weekend.

In the mean time, you can follow us on Facebook or Instagram (@lifeafter9to5) to see pictures of our trips.  Cheers!

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Me climbing up a steep hill in San Francisco

Photo of the Week: Rising

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IMG_4093Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Today’s picture was posted later than usual because I am working from the West Coast for most of the week.  Now, without further ado, this photo was taking on our honeymoon in Iceland. We were supposed to go to Bora Bora, but somehow ended up there instead. Aside from the frigid cold weather, Iceland is a great place to visit.  At the time we just got our underwater camera, so we thought what better time to test it out then at the Blue Lagoon. The sun was setting low over the horizon and the fog was rolling off the thermal water, creating a nice effect.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Travel Tips: Global Entry

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Do you hate waiting in line at security?  Do you hate going through customs?  Me too! Something about the security and customs lines always make me to break into a cold sweat. It must be all the times when I was carted off to the little room in the back for questioning before I got my green card (try explaining to a customs official what an actuary is!). Recently, I applied and got my Global Entry card.  

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Getty Images [via CNBC]

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Places I Want to Go: Wave Canyon

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Photo Credits: Mateusz Pitak [via photo.net]

Susan Sontag said it best when she said “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list“. And one of the places on my list is Wave Canyon, located near the Utah-Arizona border in Vermilion Cliffs, Arizona. This sandstone rock formation looks so surreal and out of this world, it’s not hard to imagine it as a backdrop in a sci-fi movie. From the vibrant colors to the fluid lines, this place is a photographer’s dream. It is worthy to note that access to the hike is difficult to obtain, so if you want to go, make sure you plan ahead.

Travel Tips: Essentials for Flying

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It’s that time again when we’re getting ready to go off on our next adventure. If you love to travel, it’s inevitable that you’ve been on a plane at some point in your life.  Not everyone has their own personal TARDIS and until teleportation become a real thing, we’ll all have to fly to our destinations. Long plane rides are the worst, especially if you’re cramped in a middle seat with little leg room.  I always bring a few things with me on the trip to ease the flying experience and help me feel like a human when I get to my destination.  Here is a list of my goodies:

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Photo of the Week: Rocky Shore

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IMG_2587.jpgIsla Mujeres, Mexico

This picture was taken in Isla Mujeres, a tiny island about 10 miles off the coast of Cancun, Mexico.  Getting there takes about 20 minutes by boat or ferry from the mainland. During our stay, we rented a scooter (you can also get a golf cart if you are so inclined) to ride around and explore the area.  A short ride away, on the southernmost tip of the island is Punta Sur, the place where the rising sun first touches Mexican soil, you’ll find a sculpture garden, Mayan temple and steep naturally carved cliffs.  Walking along the path that hugs the rocky shores, you get a great views of the bay and amazingly blue water. This is a good place to sit and clear your mind as you watch the waves come crashing in.

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Back to Reality

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After two long weeks of resting and eating in Canada, I am ready to go home.  That feeling of restlessness in a small town is starting to set over me again and I want to hit the road. I am getting excited for our upcoming trip to San Francisco. We both went to the Bay City last year for a weekend on one of our mileage runs and fell in love with the area. We promised ourselves that we’d be back to explore more of the West Coast, so this time when Fausto had to go there for a business conference, I decided to tag along.

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Golden Gate bridge in the fog

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Photo of the Week: Storm Front

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IMG_8912Manhattan, New York

This familiar photo from our cover page was taken from the living room of our old apartment.  I was working from home that day.  The storm front was rolling in from New Jersey, the wind was picking up, so what do I do?  Grab my camera of course. I pulled open the window (no screens!), leaned out and started snapping away.  I like this picture because it looks so surreal over the Manhattan skyline. Very ominous.

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

My Brantford Homecoming

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Brantford is a small town about an hour west of Toronto.  It’s known for being Wayne Gretzky’s hometown. It’s also the town in which I’ve spent 9 of the most informative years of my life.  Growing up here, there was not much to do  aside from hanging out in the local mall or fast food joints.  The minute I finished high school, I could not wait to get out, and I was determined to explore the world. That was 15 years ago (wow, has it been that long?); I’ve changed and Brantford has changed.  Coming home this time I wanted to explore the town that I was in such a rush to get out of.  Here is a list of things I like about this city in no particular order.

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