Tag: travel

munich, germany, 2023

Work took me to Munich in November, my first trip overseas since before the pandemic! I opted to arrive a couple days early to acclimate to the time change and do a little exploring around the city before our division meetup, and I’m so glad I did, because once the meetup started there was very little time for extracurriculars.

The conference hotel was right next to a large park with lots of walking trails, so I tried to get out every day for a wander. It was cloudy and gray most of the time but still in fine autumn form, so I have a lot of photos of foliage in the park.

On one of my free days I took the train out of Munich to see the Nazi concentration camp and museum at Dachau. That place could be a post in and of itself, but I would feel weird sharing the photos; it feels disrespectful. Suffice it to say it was a worthwhile and intense visit.

And then there was the meetup! I reconnected with so many people I have missed dearly and met colleagues I’ve worked with for years but never met in person. We worked on projects together and attended learn-ups and as usual, I was exhausted by all the social interaction the end of day 3.

Unfortunately I must have picked up a stomach bug, because the last night of the meetup I had to bow out of activities and cuddle with the toilet for several hours. 😛 That was miserable, not gonna lie. I was already feeling homesick after such a long trip and being very ill and sore did not help. Thankfully Automattic covered the bill for an extra night at the hotel and a rescheduled flight home. It’s always an adventure!

Prince Edward Island, Oct. 2023

The minute we crossed the bridge, I felt at home. Passing quiet, tiny towns in the dark of a late autumn evening, I felt welcomed by this tiny Canadian island. Home, like the potato fields of Aroostook County, but with a salt smell in the air that reminds you the sea is just on the other side of the horizon. Home, with Pride flags flying and rainbow stickers in the windows, and with more diversity on one tiny island than I’ve seen in my whole home state. Home, a safe place with a deep sense of community and the same stoic resilience I’m used to from New Englanders, just in the Maritimes.

No place is perfect, but I think PEI is perfect for me.

As family vacations go, it was a rich one. We explored Charlottetown’s restaurants and shops, and ate Cow’s ice cream every night. We drove up to Brackley Beach, enjoying a warmer-than-average day searching for sea glass and shells and skipping iron-rich stones into the briny, ice-cold water. I forgot to pack my painting kit, which gave me an excuse to support a local art shop and try some Canadian-made paints from Beam (now I need all of them, damnit). I had the fried fish at Richard’s seafood for the second time in my life, and it’s just as tasty as I remember. Gwen and I took a late-evening walk to her favorite playground at Victoria Park.

When we left, I felt a familiar pang; the sinking feeling in my stomach I used to get when returning to boarding school after spending a long weekend with my family. The feeling that I was leaving something vitally important behind. I, not for the first time, Googled our eligibility for citizenship. Tim started looking at homes, eyeing the prices.

I think we might do this. Not right away, but someday, sooner than retirement.

I think this might be my mid-life crisis, but it’s a good crisis.

Lima, Peru 2023

I’m way behind on posting these, but I had a great meetup with my team in Lima, Peru back in September!

I wasn’t prepared for just how big Lima is. The traffic was wild, and more than once I had to close my eyes and hope the Uber driver knew what he was doing. The weather stayed mostly gray, which was a pity, because the view over the Pacific would have been lovely with a little bit of sun.

The biggest highlight (aside from spending time with the team, which is a given) was the food. So. Much. Good. Food. Many pisco sours were consumed, and we tried several local specialties — seafood, causas (dressed mashed potatoes), blueberries the size of my thumb. No guinea pig, though!

For our activity day, we toured the catacombs under the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco and went on an elaborate guided street food tour. My legs and feet were killing me by the end of the day (lipedema is a PITA, literally) but my stomach was happy!

I had a lot more anxiety about this trip than normal, though I’m not sure if that’s a lingering post-pandemic feeling or just the itinerary being long and tiring. I left home in the early afternoon to drive to Bangor for a hop into New York, then took a midnight flight directly to Lima. When the plane doors closed on the Lima leg, I had an intense feeling of panic; eight hours in a crowded plane was *not* where I wanted to be at that moment. I breathed through it and obviously made it to the meetup intact (and relatively well rested, all things considered).

I got into the city well before the rest of the team, and before our AirBnb was available, so I spent my first few hours hanging out at a fancy little restaurant (with really good breakfast) before meeting my teammates as they arrived. The next four days were a whirlwind of work, eating, socializing, seeing the sights, and travel back home. Phew.

… and I get to do it again next month for a much larger meetup in Munich! Yay?!? 😅

summertime

It’s finally summer, and I am soaking it up. I may have gone a teensy bit overboard with early summer plans (I blame being cooped up in pandemiclandia for the last two years) so the next few weeks are pretty booked.

We celebrated the end of the school year with a family vacation in Bar Harbor. Our hotel was right on the water and within walking distance to basically everything except Acadia. I didn’t make specific plans, which kept things laid back and gave me time to paint and do puzzles and unwind. I treated myself to a facial and a pedicure at the hotel spa, and the kids enjoyed the heated pool (even if it was only 60 degrees outside, yikes 😱). We saw our first movie in a theater since the start of the pandemic (Bob’s Burgers, funny!) and ate MDI ice cream every night. I think this is going to be a yearly tradition; being on the coast is rejuvenating.

Later this week, the kids and Mom and I are road-tripping to upstate New York to visit with family. (Tim opted to stay home and keep the pets company — he wasn’t thrilled about the idea of the 12-hour drive one way, can’t imagine why! 😜) We’ll spend the 4th in New York, then make our way home with a few days to spare before shipping the kids off to camp for a week.

After that, I’m taking two weeks to do a “trial” –basically a long test — for a role change at work. This role change has been taking up far too much of my brain space for too long; it will be nice to see it through.

Ironically, all of this happens *before* my three-month sabbatical…during which I have nothing scheduled. 😂 I expect there will be lots of painting and lake time, and maybe we’ll try to squeeze in a trip to PEI now that the border is open.

Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2020

  • Pre-flight selfie
  • I have no idea what this building is
  • Ceiling thoughts
  • *snicker*
  • Plants I can’t kill (?)
  • Tulips
  • The resemblance is uncanny…
  • Floating homes
  • Sage advice
  • Cat
  • Evening blossoms
  • I love this door
  • See? Charming.
  • Jesus loves you
  • Dotcom Designers in a really old bar
  • Farewell, AMS

Amsterdam! You were charming. A lovely city worth revisiting when the world is not mired in a pandemic clusterfuck.

In other news, wow, this week has really been something, huh? I’m tired. Thankfully it looks like I have a good excuse to stay home as much as possible for the foreseeable future. I could do without this chronic, low-lying anxiety, though. I feel like I’ve had too much coffee, sans the energy boost.

Grand Meetup 2019

  • Philly airport art
  • Baby Vivi kept me company (thanks, Gwen)
  • The obligatory badge shot
  • Breathwork meditation with Millana Snow
  • Late-night BINGO at the bar; I won twice in a row!
  • One of my prizes, this sexy glitter mask that smelled like burning tires.
  • Disney Springs carousel
  • Magic sundaes with Laurel at Disney Springs
  • Semi-drunken snacks with friends
  • Automattic’s Pokemon Go tribe
  • Lulu the Photo Bus
  • A Theme Team reunion photo

Still decompressing from a long week with colleagues at Automattic’s 2019 Grand Meetup in Orlando. You’d think after seven of these things I’d remember not to overbook myself (FOMO is real, y’all) but I spent most of the week feeling rushed and mentally exhausted. It was intense. Normally I come away from meetups feeling energized and ready to work, but this time, I left feeling overwhelmed. There’s a lot of *stuff* going on at work these days, and I think all of that overflowed into my GM experience.

That said, I hung out with some of my favorite people, made new friends, sang with the Automattic band at the closing party, spent some time meditating, and caught an absurd number of shiny Pokémon.

I also set aside two days after the meetup to spend by myself at Disney, which gave me some time to rest and ended the week on a positive note. Post forthcoming with those photos!

Nova Scotia/P.E.I.

The week before last, we dropped the kids off at sleep-away camp in the middle of the woods for six days of screen-free adventures. Then the grown-ups set off on a mini-adventure of our own; two nights in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Charlottetown, PEI.

It’s funny (to me) that we’ve lived up here for several years, but never made a point of exploring the eastern provinces that are relatively close by. In contrast, we’ve visited Boston and points south many times.

We crossed the U.S./Canadian border at our usual spot and let the Trans-Canada take us where it would. I re-upped our Audible subscription so we could listen to The Stand on the way (Tim has never read it, a travesty) and when we got tired of that, we talked about grown-up things and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

  • Poutine in Moncton
  • Welcome to Nova Scotia!
  • Lamb stew
  • Canada <3
  • Halifax waterfront
  • Side by side
  • A delightfully creepy Ronald McDonald

Halifax seems like a nice l’il city. We made our first stop the mall, because: LUSH. And an Apple store. And a bookstore. We’re starved for modern shopping options where we live, and it shows.

With our consumerist itch scratched, we headed to the waterfront for dinner at an Irish pub and a little walk around. I’d love to go back when we have more time to explore the city. It’s small enough so as not to feel overly chaotic but large enough that there are plenty of things to do. It reminded me of Portland.

The next morning, we made a pit stop in Dartmouth to check out the IKEA. Tim had never been, so I showed him the wonder and glory that is Swedish-made household goods and showrooms. I’m happy to say our marriage survived the trip intact. Our bank account did, too.

We crossed the big bridge to PEI that afternoon. Someone told me PEI is a lot like Aroostook County, and I agree; it’s northern Maine, but with an ocean around it. Farms and potato fields for miles, red soil against the blue sky. I felt right at home driving to Charlottetown on the narrow two-lane highway.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast called the Eden Hall Inn, which was within walking distance to downtown and the boardwalk, and spent the afternoon walking around Charlottetown. I had tasty vegetable curry at Merchantman, and ice cream from Cow’s for dessert. My favorite part by far was Victoria Park; I spent a lot of time enjoying views from the waterfront.

Our last day in the Maritimes was spent on the northern part of the island, in and around Cavendish. Anne with an E on Netflix re-ignited my interest in Anne of Green Gables, so we visited the Anne of Green Gables Museum and the Heritage House provincial park.

I really can’t wait to bring the kids out to PEI someday. Ellie has expressed interest in Anne of Green Gables, so we’ve started reading it together before bedtime. Soon I’ll have an excuse to revisit the museums!

We capped off the trip with a visit to Richard’s Fresh Seafood for fish and chips before the long drive home. This was such a great way to spend a few days together as a couple. We’ll celebrate 12 years of marriage in mid-August, and it made for a perfect almost-anniversary trip.

Nassau, Bahamas, 2019

I’ll be honest, this was a rough trip. I know it’s hard to feel bad about visiting tropical climates in March; that part was definitely A+. And I always enjoy meeting with my colleagues and spending time with them in person.

  • Someone wanted to go with.
  • Definitely not Nassau.
  • Worth the wait.
  • Obligatory beach selfie.
  • So blue!
  • Original!
  • Team-cooked meals are the best.
  • Three little shells.
  • Straw market wares.
  • National Art Gallery
  • All the bright paint colors!
  • Bahamian pirate
  • Sun and sand.
  • Tiny daquiri in a tiny cup!
  • Karaoke!
  • Tequila 😛
  • Much excite
  • Cheers!
  • Homemade dranks.

Travel-wise, I got off to a rough start. My first flight out was canceled due to a winter storm, so I spent an extra day and night at the airport hotel. I was already anxious about the trip and kind of homesick to begin with, so the extra time to sit around and wait didn’t help. My rebooked flights were packed, of course, and added an extra flight to the mix, so that was frustrating.

When I finally did get going, I just felt off. When my second flight of the day landed in Miami, I stood up and felt like I was going to pass out. Thankfully I didn’t, but that feeling of lightheadedness persisted throughout the trip. (More about that later.)

I did appreciate the change in scenery, though, and our meetup home at Palm Cay was perfectly situated on a white sand beach. I felt like we spent the time productively with team building, problem solving, and plenty of laughs.

2018 Automattic Grand Meetup, Orlando, Florida

What a week! From the guest speakers to an advanced development class to meeting new people to Harry Potter world to playing Pokémon to touring Disney Springs, it’s hard to say what was the best part of this year’s Automattic Grand Meetup.

I tried to split my time between my new team and my old team when I wasn’t attending class or various presentations and sessions. These events have gotten so huge that it takes some serious effort to find and hug every person I know over the course of the week, let alone have meaningful conversations.

I made new friends raiding in Pokémon Go, and spent most of my downtime wandering around Disney Springs. I had a great one-on-one with my new squad lead at the Star Wars VR experience, and now I think all one-on-ones should involve shooting Stormtroopers. XD

Automattic arranged a special event dinner at Harry Potter World at Universal Studios mid-week. That in itself was impressive, but the afterparty remained my favorite. Epcot fireworks, the ever-present photo booth, and the Automattician-powered band was a great way to round out the week. Just when you think your colleagues couldn’t get any more brilliant, they get on stage and blow you away with musical talent.

And of course, there are the pictures; my favorite souvenirs:

Montréal Comiccon

Last weekend I flew to Montréal for Comiccon. It was huge; definitely bigger than the one we went to in Boston a few years ago. There were costumes galore and lots of places to sit quietly and people-watch. I’d originally planned this trip because David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were both slated to make an appearance, but Gillian had to cancel. I decided to go anyway; I still wanted to meet David, and this con would be easier to wrangle than NYC.

Mitch Pileggi (Skinner) and William B. Davis (Cigarette-Smoking Man) were also there. I bought a selfie with Mitch; he was incredibly nice about making time for everyone, asking questions, etc. He’s very kind, and doesn’t talk through his teeth at all. Apparently he reserves that stoicism for Mulder and Scully.

  • Ready to go!
  • It’s Skinner!
  • This place went on forever.
  • Comiccon mood ™
  • Lotsa Little Ponies
  • Special.
  • The panel
  • Hnngggg

The three actors also did a Q&A panel, which was underwhelming — it was advertised as a “Special Event” and tickets cost extra, which probably should have been a red flag. The moderation was sub-par and the fan questions weren’t screened, so there were a lot of repeats. I cringed, a lot. It wasn’t worth the cost of admission, but oh well.

Of course, I got a photo with David:

David freakin' Duchovny (and me)

It’s a picture of a picture so it’s not great quality, but who cares? JUST LOOK AT HIS FACE. I got a side hug. I’m never washing my sweater again.

The X-Files Poster Print Fan Art - The Light in Dark Places by Calobee Doodles

He also signed one of my prints (I don’t have a photo of the print with the signature handy, so you’ll just have to trust me!) Eventually I’d like to get Gillian Anderson’s autograph on the same print. Between that, and a photo with both GA and DD, and I think my fandom life will be complete.

But the best part of this trip arguably had little to do with Comiccon, and everything to do with my friend and colleague, Kathryn, who made for excellent company while I was in her home city. We had a couple A+ meals (sushiiiiii) and she showed me the most amazing dessert place.

In a wonderful bit of serendipity, she also found these two artifacts while cleaning her house this weekend:

The first is an August 1995 sci-fi magazine with the infamous all-white photo shoot. The second is a script for an X-Files episode that doesn’t appear to have aired. Maybe a spec script from Tim Minear, who wrote a couple X-Files episodes in 1998 (and wrote for a bunch of other shows as well). I can’t wait to read it!

I also had a chance to walk around the city a bit. I haven’t done much solo travel for fun, but I could see this becoming a thing in the future.