Traveling to Canada is no difficult task. Or shall I say, is no challenge like traveling to lets say Venezuela or Angola. However, from what I have been through in the past few years post college, in and out of work, going through unemployment, any trip somewhere new and different satisfies my wanderlust regardless. Traveling to Toronto was a desire for me since the towers fell to terrorists in 2001 as I had an infatuation with tall skyscrapers around the world. Because the CN Tower was and still is one of the tallest structures, going up it for the past 10 years has always been my desire. Eventually with hard work, motivation, and passion, two stables jobs in the state of South Carolina gave me the ability to not only make a trip to Toronto to go up the CN Tower and fulfill my thrill of leaning over the edge over the city, but allow me to explore Niagara Falls, Ottawa, and Montreal as well. Perseverance is key to achieving goals.
Here is my inspiring HD video of my first time in Canada.
UPDATE: My Canada Trip video on Youtube was removed due to Copyright! Those days, I didn’t know better about using music that was not mine! Sorry 🙁
Traveling alone! Most people frown upon it as a sign of loneliness, a lack of fun, dangerous, or just plain out stupid. Everyone is surely entitled to there own opinions. One word I would like to generally tie to all of these responses is the word fear. Sure there is fear of loneliness or danger. Of course there is a fear of not enjoying ones self. I was once there. Typically, these mindsets share the common feeling of fear when it comes to travel alone or let alone doing anything alone just like going to the movies. Personally and oddly, I can easily go to the movies alone just because I love movies with a passion. Although I prefer company, If I really want to see a flick and can’t bring my girlfriend with me, unless she really wants to see it also, I just go alone and enjoy the movie. The same goes for traveling. Traveling alone is something I just do out of norm and by default. Although it can entail missing out on more moments, spontaneous group decisions, less safety or having that extra cameraman for that perfect picture, you do end up finding it easy to make decisions on the fly and worry less about who can afford what. As for having a girlfriend who wishes to travel but can’t right now, it does make planning solo trips slightly more painful.
If I do plan a trip to a new place overseas or within my side of the world, chances are I will travel alone and meet people along the way based on how my trips have turned out. Solo travel for me didn’t begin by choice though. Several years ago, a week after my college graduation, I made a stop in Miami for a few days before celebrating my first travel trip post-college in Key West. Ready for a nice celebration with about five people, the day of departure, I saw each individual back off for different reasons leaving me, my bag, my car and the road in front of me. Although the Florida Keys is not off the beaten path, a simple drive down the scenic US 1 changed my perspective for travel in an entirety. I left for the Keys with the hopes of enjoying myself and returned twice as satisfied as anticipated.
Later on, I’d find myself enjoying the island of Jamaica, Bermuda, and the cities of Toronto and Montreal alone with many more destinations possibly solo as well. Although the appreciation of having a plus one, two, or three would be better, I still do not let invitation stand ups hold me back. You are more than welcome to come but I shall not be your chaperon. I just go! Do it now and while you can. Traveling solo does not mean you’re alone, you just don’t depend of the company of others to follow your dreams. It is a discipline and surely a lifestyle at this point. The world is far too big, life too short, and youth far shorter to say I can do it later. So if you want to go somewhere that may be difficult for others to tag along, don’t turn away from that dream. Just do a little research, go, be safe, and come back with great memories and no regrets.
Solo travel in Toronto, Canada. Edgewalk at the CN TowerSolo travel in BermudaSolo travel in Negril, JamaicaSolo travel at Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park. The Florida Keys.Solo travel in Niagara Falls, CanadaSolo travel in Montreal Canada
Traveling, whether alone or not, you are bound to meet amazing people.
Hostels are a center point to meet amazing people to share amazing memories with. Montreal. CanadaStumbled across a famous drummer from Reggaes Golden Age at Bob Marleys Home in Kingston, Jamaica.
I’ve spent many years with the desire to visit Canada. It’s not a difficult trip nor is it an “off the beaten path” adventure. Many years ago one of my odd infatuations after 9/11, was that of skyscrapers, building structures and building engineering. At the time, one of these record breaking structures was the CN Tower, a tall free standing structure overlooking Toronto, New York and one of the Great Lakes.
Despite the level of ease and the close proximity, I’ve always come across obstacles that prevented me to venture up to visit the neighbors to the north. Post college, a year was spent trying to finding stability in a struggling web design career. Not only was gaining experience an issue, holding a job was far too difficult. During these harsh times, a trip to Toronto alone seemed beyond my grasp as each time I went to book that flight, a job was lost. Just a simple dream weekend getaway to get to the top of the CN Tower was taken away before my eyes not once, but four times.
In due time, as a result of my perseverance, financial stability got a hold of me in the state of South Carolina, the last place I’d imagine seeing all of my dreams come true. I now work two jobs and continue to pursue my goals to travel the world. What does this all mean? Why am I talking about this? Because no matter how much I get told, “Oh, why are you going to Canada? Just go to Europe.” I still follow my dreams and remember what I couldn’t do and appreciate what I can do now. Not only do I get the opportunity to climb up the CN Tower, but also see Niagara Falls, enjoy the city of Toronto, walk around the capital, and get a taste of French Canada in Montreal with a game of hockey to go along with it.
Any one with a passport can go to Canada, but my trip to the north is beyond that. It’s a result of my hard work, perseverance, and to be proud of saying, despite all problems I faced, “I DID IT!!”. This trip is not just an ordinary Canada trip, this is my long desired Canadian adventure.
“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal, you do not change your decision to get there.”
This is my first mobile post since the airport wifi isn’t free and I needed to get a blog in. My long anticipated Jamaican trip has finally arrived. As excited as I alway am about a trip I am also very nervous. This will be my first trip of many trips to come flying alone to a different country. Many people frown upon it many people give the “not bad” you are still single gestures. This trip unlike the many ice had before is going to be a breakthrough for my future of travelling. I will be venturing off the beaten path to explore the true Jamaican culture while basking in the sun drinking red stripe. I am part tourist but generally a proud traveler. Part of the reason why I come to this conclusion is because noone understands how I do it, why I do it, and how I make budget travel work efficiently. I’ve travelled out of the country before but this trip is going to be very different. Almost like a test 🙂 ONE LOVE!!
Ever since the Bahamas I have been craving a trip to Jamaica. The Bahamas sure is a unique culture but it still somehow resembles and reflects some of Jamaica in a way. Some of the clubs and bars we went to played a lot of Jamaican music. (Dancehall for example). I enjoyed The Bahamas very much but since I left Nassau I knew Jamaica had to be next on my list.
After a few client transactions and some saving I booked my flight from Atlanta to Montego Bay for labor day weekend. Dunns River Falls will be the highlight of my trip so Ocho Rios will be my place of stay. I hope to also go zip lining, bob sledding, and take a nice touristy trip to Kingston. So far I am travelling alone. I dont have patience to wait for people and be let down as my Key West trip went. So as always I plan a trip alone with hopefully someone to join. I dont mind a solo trip but a plus one always makes travelling much more exciting. Hoping I can find someone otherwise I plan on having a good time regardless.
