Blog Feed: The Gringa Trail

Leaving on a Private Jet Plane

Published on 2012-05-13 21:01:00

Many people who know me wonder how the heck I can stand to stay in Canada for so long. I returned to this country last March from Brazil, went on a six week trip to the UK in October/November but here I am still kicking around. Got itchy feet, they ask me.Itchy? ITCHY?! You have no idea. What I got is more than just itchy feet! Take the worst case of athletes feet, take the itch from chicken pox and add that to my tootsies and give them some poison icy for good measure and that’s the kind of i [..] > read more

Out of the Mouths of Dads

Published on 2012-04-16 22:17:00

I admit it I am 29 and I live in my parent’s basement, pathetic I know but I usually crash here until I leave again to travel, I didn’t expect to be here a year. To be honest my parents aren’t that bad but I do keep threatening my Dad that I am going to copy that one blogger and make a “Shit my Dad says” blog. I am not sure if it is just mine or all Dads come up with weird things. I mean really weird! The thing is I grew up thinking these sayings were normal. I think the point when you [..] > read more

Working in Canada Over the Winter: Random with the Rednecks

Published on 2012-04-14 19:48:00

Instead of working at a busy ski resort and perfecting my snowboarding skills in Canada I have been staring out from my parent’s basement at rain and temperatures in the pluses. This is partly a good thing because my poor thinned blood from 6 years of endless summer does not agree with the cold. I have been doing random jobs for the radio station including but not limited to accounting, filing, painting, errand running, board oping and blood donor clinics. As well on weekends I was working at [..] > read more

Jobs of a Traveler- What's your list?

Published on 2012-04-12 22:35:00

I seemed to have spent the same amount of money in six weeks in the U.K. than I would have in South America in six months…. In other words I came back slightly broke. I wasn’t counting my pennies because I knew I would come back to a job and well…my parent’s basement. I went back working casually for the radio station I worked for the summer before and I got a job at a ski hill. However we travelers are quite the resilient folk. It’s quite normal to travel for months, sometimes years [..] > read more

Leaving England: "Interested in everything, committed to nothing."

Published on 2012-04-11 20:28:00

I left England very similar to how I left it five years ago saying goodbye to a lover in a train station. Only this time no hearts were breaking. I came over on a whim and on a chance that perhaps something could have come out of a spark that started in Colombia. Travellers lead different lives and in turn they lead different love lives. I do not live on an ecological hippy colony in South America having orgies and declaring free love as some of my friends back home would think. We meet people [..] > read more

What’s with the Brit’s Obsession with Tea?

Published on 2012-04-08 19:41:00

British rule over India left the Brits with two things; curries and Tea. There are more varieties and better tasting curries in England than there are in India now. As for tea, it is to English as wine is to the French. Their water, lifeline, their obsession. The first time I visited my relatives in Scotland ten years ago it shocked me how often people drank tea. What about juice, milk or water? When one cup was finished it was topped up with another perfectly steeped pot. By the time I left to [..] > read more

The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond

Published on 2012-04-07 19:39:00

When my Grandmother was in the hospital last summer before she passed away, I decided I was going to go to Scotland. I hadn’t been in years and I had family there plus I wanted to see English boy and needed an excuse, I mean I really didn’t want to tell people I was going over there to see a guy, that's pathetic really. My Grandma said to me, “you going to the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.” I had no idea what she was talking about and since she was medicated I figured she didn’t know [..] > read more

The mystery of the Plastic Basin in British sinks

Published on 2012-04-02 22:57:00

Now upon my return to the UK after leaving here in 2007 I was reminded of something that absolutely perplexed me and I was determined to get to the bottom of it. I am an experienced and avid traveller, I am a writer even a journalist in my own right so it was about time I solved the mystery of the plastic basin. Some of you may not be following so let me explain. If you go into the homes of the British you will find a plastic wash basin in thir kitchen sinks. To me this made no sense what so [..] > read more

A real Backup

Published on 2012-04-01 20:37:00

Perhaps the best back up plan isn’t a boy because as we all know if one lets you down then the next just might as well. The tried, tested and true back up; a friend. “What are you talking about!” you are probably thinking at the moment because my last blog posting was Feb 29th so I have you lost don’t I? Well we are still in Scotland and the backup boy failed, that’s where I left you, yes I am back to my old ways of leaving you hanging in some random country waiting months for a posti [..] > read more

Always back up the Back Up: Edinburgh Scotland

Published on 2012-02-29 18:54:00

To have a backup is to be certain that if you lose something that not all is lost. You have a sure fire second option that will work out, right? You have a hard drive for your computer to back up your files but what if your back up fails? I thought I didn’t put all my eggs in one basket. I didn’t just come to this continent for the chance with one guy. I had myself a sure fire back up. I felt a bit bad at first because every time English boy pissed me off in my pre trip preparation I though [..] > read more

Cumbernauld, Scotland

Published on 2012-02-04 21:12:00

It had been almost 10 years since my last visit to Scotland which I am ashamed to say but new European cities and warm locals in the south always called my name, “pssst! Tracy don’t go to Scotland it’s rainy. Come on, come to Mexico we will give you tequila and sun” However even though most of the motive behind my U.K. adventure was to see a certain English boy I knew I had to go to Scotland from mid-summer. My Grandmother fell ill and I knew I really wanted to go to her homeland and t [..] > read more

The Train ride To Scotland: Communication the key to happiness

Published on 2012-01-31 14:43:00

Now like I was saying in my previous posting (which you should have read!) it was only when I was alone did I meet some inspirational people, the type you meet only when traveling. The guy across from me on the train to Preston from Euston was one of those rare traveler types that actually get me. He was studying Russian and I was writing eventually he struck up a conversation with me even though we were in the quiet car of the train. Everything he said about life, people and traveling was lik [..] > read more

The Car Ride to Hahn

Published on 2012-01-31 13:36:00

Every time I left English Boy it seemed something was telling me I was doomed or destined to travel the world alone because it was only then that I would have a rare “travel experience.” Perhaps being doomed to be forever the “single female traveler” isn’t so bad. On this U.K. with a slice of Germany trip it was only when I was alone away from English boy that I met inspirational people, those people that will always stick with you in your memory where ever you go. As well as those exp [..] > read more

Live in the place where you are: London, England

Published on 2012-01-29 20:26:00

Yes I did it, much to my best girlfriends’ disappointment, I returned to English boy. He is always so happy to see me whenever we reunite, he hugs me like he actually cares and declares how much he has missed me. That gives me something to hold onto but then the novelty of me yet again wears off quite quickly and I can sense his thoughts, “right, now how do I say this to her without sounding like an arsehole? I really wish she would just leave”. I didn’t go back to him right away thou [..] > read more

The Thrift Pay Out: Banking in Hereford, England

Published on 2012-01-25 15:36:00

While I was enjoying an early morning pint during my never ending ale drinking session in Hereford, England I discovered a very fascinating concept: the Thrift Pay Out. I noticed over the course of the weekend people kept on giving my friend money to hold on to. I found this very odd, I know she is quite good friends with a lot of the men and woman that frequent her pub but it was happening quite a bit, then on the Sunday my friend set up a table in the pub with a money box, her laptop and a b [..] > read more

Remembrance Sunday: Hereford England

Published on 2012-01-25 15:14:00

Remembrance Day in an English village is a bit different than Remembrance Day in Canada. (Yes, now you realize how far behind I am with my blog but hey at least I am writing in it in a somewhat regular basis and I have realized after looking at my blog reading lists my fellow traveler bloggers get wrapped up in the actual travelling and neglect their blogs as well so don’t judge I’m not the only one!!) Right so back to Remembrance Day in England, it is acknowledged on November 11th and a m [..] > read more

Pub Life in England; Hereford

Published on 2012-01-20 22:33:00

To me this small English village near the Welsh border seems very surreal, it is very quintessential English. To any English person they would find it utterly boring, there really isn’t much there and it is a very small town. Everyone literally knows everyone. There are no shopping malls just a lovely town centre which to me whatever is in walking distance should be considered the town centre which would encompass this entire town but not in English standards. To me an independent studier of c [..] > read more

A Return to the Barrels: Hereford, England

Published on 2012-01-20 21:38:00

Most of my closet and dearest friends to me I have met somewhere on the road. I do not see them every week or every year for that matter but they have touched my life like no one else has and will always stay close to my heart. As well with them no time or distance will ever disrupt our friendship. I consider my friend Pip to be one of these nearest and dearest. I met her in 2006 when I first left Canada to live in England but ended up on the Greek island of Santorini. It was a summer that chang [..] > read more

Continuing on the Trail; A Brighton Wrap up

Published on 2012-01-20 20:09:00

I often come to a conflict with myself, I look for bargains and the cheaper way out, but at the same time I cannot commit so I end up paying more for things due to my lack of commitment. Such was the case when I decided to buy a ticket to Brighton. I waited to the last minute to buy a ticket because I didn't really know when I should leave or how long I should go for. I wanted to just show up at the bus or train station and have some tout yell at me shoving my bag onto the correct bus and I woul [..] > read more

Le French Club in my La Blog: Brighton, England

Published on 2012-01-16 22:57:00

I believe I have a knack for languages, I mean I am Canadian so I had to learn French in school. I lived in Greece where I picked up some Greek, spent 8 months in Arabic speaking countries, and have lived and travelled in many countries in Latin American so my Spanish is pretty decent. I studied Portuguese in Rio so it says I speak Brazilian Portuguese on my Facebook. Well in reality I haven’t spoken French since high school and at the time I was almost failing. I was starting to pick up a bi [..] > read more

Villa Gisel and the Hippy Bus

Published on 2011-06-14 22:46:00

Now back to Argentina where I have left our heroin hanging while in real time I have been working on my rise to fame at a radio station... “How do you think you’re going to be a famous writer at this rate,” you may ask? Just read my blog and d > read more

Charlotte Jewelers win the ring & the wedding; Help my friend win her wedding!!

Published on 2011-05-13 14:22:00

I am interrupting my travel blog to gather help for something that is currently happening and very important. Now don’t think I am getting all mushy and sentimental on you because I am about to talk about weddings. An institution that I am not too > read more

Bohemian Ideals; Artesanias of Argentina

Published on 2011-05-10 14:26:00

Traveling through Central and South America I always came across and was drawn to the hippy artesian types. They travel in packs and can usually be found on beaches selling their macramé jewellery. They stay a while until they have made enough to mo > read more

Everything you need to know about getting a Brazilian Visa (Mostly from Argentina)

Published on 2011-05-03 15:30:00

Australians, Canadians and Americans and all need a Brazilian tourist visa to enter Brazil. It is complicated and a pain in the arse for a backpacker to do from their home country for many reasons. However you can get a Brazilian visa from other Lati > read more

My Brazilian Visa Troubles

Published on 2011-05-03 15:23:00

I left Canada without getting a Brazilian visa for many reason. For one it seemed very complicated and I was sure there was an easier way. I didn’t plan this trip what so ever so I had no time to get one and I thought there was a chance I was going > read more

New Years Eve part two; Buenos Aires rooftop party

Published on 2011-05-03 13:48:00

I have this love hate relationship with New Years Eve. I love the idea of starting off new in a new year where anything is possible. However I hate how it’s the one evening of the year where you are forced to have an amazing time. The one night tha > read more

Self Guided Walking Tours of Oaxaca City, Mexico

Published on 2011-05-03 12:26:00

I was getting some momentum writing my blog while working on the seniors cruise last summer. I arranged trips just so I had something to write about and decided while I was stuck in Canada I might as well discover it and be a tourist in my own backya > read more

New Years Part one: Growing up as a Traveller

Published on 2011-04-25 14:30:00

I finally let it out I had been holding it in for so long and I finally let it out to Tracy. I realized I shouldn’t have left all signs pointed to Tracy stay, stay in Canada. There are opportunities here, you can write here, just write, write now! > read more

Back in BA

Published on 2011-04-25 13:10:00

The girls I had met in Mendoza and I were all going to be in Buenos Aires at the same time. The Belgium girl was coming back from Iguazu and the rest of us boarded an overnight bus together. My second time in BA, I felt I knew the city quite well and > read more

Travel in Bike: Wine Bike Tour in Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza, Argentina

Published on 2011-04-21 14:44:00

Travel in Bike; Wine and Bike tour of Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza Most backpackers go to Maipu to check out the famous wine region of Mendoza. I was lured to Lujan and after much havoc we stumbled upon Travel in Bike wine tours. It was the treasure at th > read more

Going the Distance

Published on 2011-04-18 14:35:00

Alright so I am making a brief pause in my irregularly scheduled blog regarding my adventures in traveling to actually do some current writing. It does get a bit daunting when you have to play catch up with a blog. How does something that you create > read more

Mendoza Bike Tour; The good the bad and the ugly of traveling in groups

Published on 2011-04-16 14:26:00

A lot of people don’t understand how I can travel on my own but I really can’t understand how people travel in groups, they really make me frustrated. Nothing ever gets done or decided, its ages until people start moving; someone has to go to the > read more

Christmas in Mendoza and the Gift of Girlfriends

Published on 2011-03-28 22:35:00

I booked a hostel online which is something I don’t normally do. I was paranoid I wouldn’t find anything decent for Christmas as well as the fact that I was dying from the heat of this country and needed a hostel with a pool. My anxiety of being > read more

Jaded Travellers

Published on 2011-03-27 23:03:00

I was back to my indecision and lack of direction, somehow I ended up on a bus to Salta, why the heck was I going to Salta which is North of Cafayate when I was trying to get south to Mendoza? I was in search of a random adventure but the reality was > read more

A Bicycle built for two; Cafayate, Argentina

Published on 2011-03-25 19:20:00

In Santa Marta I was changing my mind about where to go and what to do every 5 minutes. I had planned to fly to Argentina then I decided to stay and work in Colombia then I was certain I would go to the Amazon and take a boat to Brazil. In the end af > read more

Back to the Blog

Published on 2011-03-19 21:28:00

Ok so I have let my blog go to the wayside, I haven´t written anything is two months and I left myself hanging in Cordoba Argentina with a knob pertruding out from my elbow. I went on about me being a writer and needing to "write now" so what happen > read more

The reigning Queen of Klutz; Cordoba, Argentina

Published on 2011-01-16 06:08:00

I stayed in Luis Guillon long enough to meet up with my future traveling partner Tracy. She is a girl I worked with in Mexico for a brief period of time and developed a very strong bond with, basically we are the same person, and there are so many si > read more

One week in Luis Guillon

Published on 2011-01-14 16:17:00

When I arrived at the airport in Buenos Aires I was greeted by my Argentinean friend Max and his little boy Manuel. It was so nice having someone waiting for me on the other side. I didn’t have to figure out buses, hostels, taxis, I just jumped in > read more

Buenos Aires

Published on 2010-12-31 13:33:00

It took me a long time to get used to Buenos Aires coming from Colombia. Part of the reason was I was staying with a friend whom I had met 3 years ago in Egypt. He lives outside of Buenos Aires close to the Airport in a place called Luis Guillon. I h > read more

So off to Argentina then

Published on 2010-12-15 17:19:00

I recently saw a very twisted movie that at the time I kept on saying, "what the F Is going on?! This movie was called Mr. Nobody with Jared Leto. I kept thinking why in hell would such a fantastic actor agree to be in complete filth. I had wasted tw > read more

Villa de Leyva Colombia; Thermals under the Stars

Published on 2010-12-15 16:24:00

Most people know when they are leaving a place so they can promptly meet their bus. I however just show up after I lazily pack and assume there will be a bus waiting for me. What?! The world doesn’t revolve around me?! Ridiculous! In the past this > read more

The best Restaurant in Colombia: El Maná Restaurante Ejecutivo, San Gil

Published on 2010-12-08 21:06:00

I’m sure there are a lot of culinary delights in Colombia that span across the different regions I guess I should say the best restaurant I have experienced so far or the best deal around. After Adventure girl got back from her expedition she was s > read more

El Dorado International Hostel - San Gil, Colombia

Published on 2010-12-07 16:45:00

I think what it is to be a backpacker has gotten lost along the way. Travellers have more money and need more amenities. Locations become popular and prices increase. Hostels are now budget resorts for the traveller with restaurants, bars, guest kitc > read more

Return of Adventure girl! San Gil Colombia

Published on 2010-12-03 17:35:00

No more pissing around and slacking off adventure girl is back! Well somewhat... While waiting for my bus at the terminal in Bucaramanga I got the ssssst sssst from one of the workers there which usually I would just ignore but they sometimes use th > read more

How to ditch the guide book, Bucaramanga Colombia

Published on 2010-12-02 11:33:00

It is a real travelers dream to go where no Gringo has gone before, to have a real authentic experience, to really see how the locals live, to find the undiscovered beaches and the most remote villages in the jungle. People’s vision of South Ameri > read more

My Birthday in Santa Marta, Colombia

Published on 2010-12-01 17:48:00

My birthday is usually spent in another country as it is during my traveling months; winter, which means no matter what I do for my birthday I will always remember it because it will be in a new hot sunny local. This year I celebrated my birthday in > read more