I expected to take a big step in life and love this year, and boy did that happen.
*rewind back nine months*
I woke up that morning feeling anxious but excited. I had been tracking the weather all week and today was about 50-50 for rain. With all the plans in place, it was go-time, rain or shine.
As we started our drive, Bruno Mars’ song “Marry Me” randomly played on the radio. How fitting.
During the drive up to Bodega Bay, it alternated between light drizzles, splotchy sun, and downpour. I held my breath that we would get lucky once we reached our destination.
As we pulled into the parking lot, I caught a glimpse of my friend in all black near the spot I had picked out. He had generously offered to photograph and did a good job trying to camouflage. The skies cleared up just enough and it was lightly sprinkling as we walked up a slight hill. Good thing the weather cooperated because I didn’t really have a backup plan.
Reached into my jacket pocket to double check that I had the ring. I had rehearsed this moment in my head many times and now it was time do the thing. This was it!
The next few minutes were a bit of blur as we looked out over the bay.
Then I got down on one knee and popped the big question. She has a tendency to black out during these big moments so I had to repeat it again (haha) and… she said yes!
*fast forward back to today*
It has been quite the year. Was able to continue taking trips once a month on average (some closer, some further: San Diego twice, Honolulu, Healdsburg, Austin, Plano, Denver, Carmel, NYC twice, Seattle/Washington national parks, Japan twice).
So happy and looking forward to our wedding next Spring where we’ll get to celebrate with all of our closest friends and family! Have been fortunate enough to celebrate so many friends’ weddings in the past few years and can’t believe it’s going to be our turn next.
Was fortunate enough to visit Japan twice this year! Thank you, cheap flight prices.
1. The food in Japan was amazing, and cheap! We had sushi, tonkatsu, tempura, ramen, udon, soba, yakiniku, wagyu, shabu shabu, okonomiyaki, and more, and it was all fantastic. I think on average, the quality of Japanese restaurants is higher than American restaurants.
2. But the lines sucked. Waiting in line for a restaurant always involved physically waiting there. No digital waitlist where they text you when it’s almost your turn to come back, which is a convenient system many American restaurants employ.
I think there’s more of a priority placed on the art of the craft there (vs the focus on money-making and efficiency in the US). At one restaurant, we waited almost two hours in line while they were seating a single party of two at a six person table…
3. The train system is super clean and convenient. The local trains are easy for hopping around neighborhoods in Tokyo and the bullet trains were great for moving between larger cities. Google Maps even shows you which train cars are the most efficient for transferring to your next train.
4. There’s so many shrines and temples everywhere, with some very unique. They were very tranquil and nice to escape from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.
5. There is beauty throughout the seasons. In the Spring, we saw the famous cherry blossoms in peak bloom. In the Winter, we caught some gorgeous snowy backdrops and hiked to see snow monkeys staying warm in the hot springs.
Spring: Tokyo, Lake Kawaguchiko, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima
Winter: Tokyo, Kamakura, Nagano, Matsumoto
Excited to explore more parts of Japan on future trips!
Recently did a little road trip across the three national parks of Washington state in mid-October and had a blast! We got our fill of fall foliage and were lucky enough to catch the tail end of golden larch season.
North Cascades NP
- The least popular of the parks, but I loved it!
- Lots of cool waterfalls as you drive through the North Cascades Highway
- Maple Pass Loop is an amazing hike, one of my favorite ever. Going counterclockwise, you get views all the way up the mountain
- Blue Lake Trail was beautiful under light snowfall, it felt like Christmas, but with golden and green Christmas trees interspersed.
- We stayed the night in a cute little town called Mazama
Mount Rainer NP
- Winter season started so most of the roads were icy and we ended up having to wait for it to thaw out before making our way in
- Skyline Trail Loop was a great trail with spectacular views of Mount Rainer. We weren’t prepared with the proper snow hiking shoes but still got up pretty close to the mountain.
- We only had time to check out one part of the park so will need to make a return trip someday.
Olympic NP
- It was really cool to hike through the temperate rainforest at Lake Quinault. Who would’ve thought you could find a rainforest out here? Such a stark contrast from the many mountains we hiked earlier in the trip.
2023: Back to the Beautiful Basics
Going into this year, I was hopeful to find two things: a place of my own and love (again).
The former didn’t happen. The Bay Area housing market is a beast I still plan to conquer some day.
But one out of two ain’t too bad… I found love again.
This year, I feel like I went back to the basics and everything just flowed from there. I got back to doing the things that I love, found love along the way, and got to do more of those things with the person that I love.
Being out in nature is when I feel most free and I was fortunate to explore some of the most beautiful places on Earth: New Zealand and Banff. They had been on my travel bucket list for the longest time and neither disappointed one bit. My year was filled with breathtaking waterfalls, lakes, and peaks.
Outside of these faraway lands, I made a concerted effort to go on more hikes close to home as well. And at the top of one of those hikes, I suddenly found myself with a girlfriend. Luckily she’s one that also likes to get out and see the beauty in nature. I’m grateful to be able share in discovering more of that beauty with someone beautiful. See what I did there? ;)
More beautiful things are in store for 2024! Hoping to take some big next steps in life and love.
Life has been a little different lately…
I was laid off from work a few months ago, which was a shock, and came with the anxiety of not having a stable income. I know a new job opportunity will come eventually though.
This was the first time I’ve had a real break from work since 2015. With this time off, I’ve been able to focus on other priorities in my life:
- Girlfriend
- Getting outdoors: I’ve gotten the chance to travel and do some hikes that have been on my list for a while: Alamere Falls, Lassen National Park, Banff
- Back to playing basketball 1-2 times a week: Ball is life, it’s always fun to compete on the court
So can’t complain too much.
Also turned 34 and ready to embrace my mid-thirties happy, healthy, and hopeful.