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  This photo was taken the night Jeremy asked me to marry him! Today was the 4th of July. It also happens to be exactly 1 week before we leave our home to take off on our year and a half long backpacking adventure. We had our friends over for a BBQ, which just reminded me yet again how lucky I am to have such a wonderful community of friends here. As we all sat around the table outside enjoying grilled pineapple and chicken wings together, nostalgia kicked in hard. I am leaving behind such a wonderful, amazing life that I am so lucky to have I have loved every minute of the 4 years I have lived in the Bay Area. Tonight, as I sit in bed alone, listening to fireworks crackle outside my window, decompressing from a day filled with packing up our nearly empty apartment and saying goodbye to my friends, I’m feeling a sense of mourning for this ending chapter of my life.   Table of Contents Bay Area Beginnings Growing Up The Life I’m Leaving  What...

When it comes to your partner or companion, it’s important to be able to read each other. Lia and I have a few different check-ins that we say to each other that hold different meanings in our partnership. One of them is “ Is this surfing?” This is the story of the birth of that expression, and a lesson of caution about trying new things. At least, that’s how I introduce this story. Lia likes to call it “that time I almost got stung to death by a million jellyfish.” But more on that later. Pssst: Looking for more experiences in California? Check out these other posts we’ve written! 12 Adorable Things to do in Morro Bay, California: A Local’s Guide 12 Charming Things to Do in Cayucos, California The 11 Best Wineries in Paso Robles, California 8 Quintessential Places to Visit on California’s Central Coast Table of Contents Morro Bay, California That Time We Went Surfing …And then we saw the jellyfish W...

Hidden in one of the most scenic parts of the Sierra Nevada lies the beautiful Mono Hot Springs. A visit here makes for the perfect weekend getaway for any enthusiastic traveler and adventurer in search of nature, peace, and tranquility. A trip to the Mono Hot Springs should leave you feeling refreshed and energized, ready to take on the world. But that’s if all goes as planned! If, however, you end up getting completely lost (like us) , driving in circles for hours (as we did) , and destroying your beloved car (yup, that happened) , you’ll leave with a completely different sentiment! But, on a bright note, we made it out safely! Here’s the eventful story of our camping trip to the Mono Hot Springs, and why having a good travel companion is necessary! Psst… looking for more places to explore near California? Check out a few of our other posts! 8 Scenic Day Hikes in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas, California 12 Things to do in the Charming Mo...