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How to Survive Long-Distance Flights

Written by: Amanda // Category: travel tips

“You’re like a five-year-old child.” Says my sleep-deprived, frustrated husband who sits in the airplane seat next to me.

Yes, it’s true, I don’t handle flights well. It’s not that I have flight anxiety, it’s the fact that I get bored so fast. Once the plane wheels leave the ground, I go a little bit stir crazy. I spend the first 30 minutes combing the in-fight magazines to check out the food and drink service, and see what sorts of tacky things the airline has for sale. Does anyone ever buy the airline souvenirs?  After that, the fun begins.

How to Survive Long Distance Flights

I’m not sure why, but airplane seats seem to be the least comfortable seats in the whole world. It would be great if you only had to fly an hour or two, but living overseas guarantees you at least a few 8+ hour flights a year. Also, I’m not one of those lucky people who get upgraded every time they fly; In fact,  I’ve never  been upgraded to business class or first class, so I have no idea how things work up there. Back in economy class, after the initial 30 minutes of flying I start fidgeting, trying to find the most comfortable way to sit. Usually this entails draping my legs over poor sleeping Derik’s lap, crossing them a million different ways, or shoving them as far under the seat in front of me as possible. All the while trying not to bump the seat in front of me. We all know that’s annoying.

My husband on the other hand has fallen asleep even before the safety demonstration has begun, and is throwing major z’s into the stale airplane air, so forget having someone to talk to (unless I’m willing to face the fury of a man who has not had enough sleep-we all know how horrid that can be). I then have to figure out a way to occupy my time for the remaining several hours of the flight. No, sleeping is not an option-never has, never will be unless it’s drug induced.

Anyway. The remaining post is filled with ideas to occupy your time aboard a plane. These ideas have been tested, tried, and true for the long haul fights I’ve already had this year (Korea-Hawaii, Hawaii-Thailand, Korea-New Zealand). Here’s to hoping they’ll help me out on my way back to the US next Monday for my brother’s wedding!

How to Survive Long Distance Flights

1. Candy Crush- Yes. I crush it, but only when I’m on flights. Also, how annoying is it when you run out of lives? The plus side of being on a plane for 13+ hours is that you have plenty of time to stomp some candy crush levels, as well as wait for your lives to regenerate. Candy crush is an easy game to occupy your mind and fingers. Also it’s not super distracting for the person next to you. Just make sure your sound is off and the screen isn’t annoyingly bright! I also make sure to bring a portable charger to recharge my phone/ipad once my battery starts dying.

2. Read a book/magazine- I’ve never been much of a book reader, but once I start flying, I love filling my mind with new stories and adventures. I try to download a book or two on Derik’s iPad before we leave on a trip. I also have a couple subscription magazines on the iPad that I keep up-to-date for travel only. Since we travel every few months, I have at least 3 new issues  of each subscription to read!

3. Write blog posts- One of my favorite things to do is bring pen and paper with me on a flight. I love writing down thoughts, ideas, and dreams. Sometimes these turn into blog posts, sometimes I just keep them for myself. There’s nothing more awesome than having the time to pre-write two weeks worth of blog posts, and feeling inspired to do so! Sitting in a boring airplane cabin may just do that for you.

4. Drink free alcohol – Best part about international fights? The free booze. Derik’s a whiskey and coke kind of guy, but I always go for the wine. I’m not huge on getting tipsy while flying, but 2-3 servings calms me right down.

5. Explore the plane – I actually don’t like walking around the cabin. I just feel like everyone’s watching me, and I’m disturbing them by walking past. I know, sometimes I’m super weird about stuff like this, and Derik makes fun of me for it. Feel free to laugh!

That being said, after 6+ hours of flying, it’s actually really good for you to get up and stretch your legs. Just try to be quiet and keep from bumping into people as you walk past them in the aisle.

6. Catch up on current TV shows – Although we usually get the planes that are like 100 years old that barely have overhead TV monitors, once in a blue moon we’ll get one that has personal entertainment consoles. When that happens, both Derik and I know  the flight will be awesome. Mostly because the entertainment section can keep me entertained for hours (Yes, remember the 5-year-old child reference).

In the very likely chance that we aren’t graced with personal consoles, I bring my own TV entertainment. I like to keep tabs on shows people are watching, and write them down periodically. When we leave for a long trip, I buy a season or two via iTunes to watch on my computer, iPad, or phone. We all know it’s so easy to waste a day with a TV show marathon, so why not waste those long hours on a flight?

Speaking of…does anyone have any good shows they’re addicted to? I need to buy a season or two for my trip!

7. Play a game of cards – Getting old school on you here, but I actually enjoy playing a game of solitaire in flight. I can’t ever get Derik to join me in a card game (remember he’s sleeping), so solitaire is the perfect one-person card game. It’s quiet, can last a long time, and is relaxing on the mind. I used to have a smaller 1/2 size deck of cards, and it was perfect for tray tables. Now after moving to New Zealand, I have no idea where they went.

8. Photo-editing  – On return flights, I love going through all the pictures I took over the trip,  and enjoy getting them ready to post online. It can be super time-consuming sorting, cropping, editing, and resizing photos, so if you have extra time on your hands to get it done all at once, take advantage of it!

Clearly photo-editing is  done on a computer, so if you’re on a red-eye flight, I wouldn’t suggest starting up your gigantic laptop (why is that startup noise always so loud), and blinding everyone in the rows to the left and right of you as you sit for hours going through your pictures. Be considerate.

9. Watch the sunrise/sunset/storm outside your window – One of the coolest experiences of my life was watching a gigantic lightning storm outside the airplane window. We were directly over the storm, and I’ve never seen lightning dance around and flash so much. The storm went on for a good 30 minutes before we passed. It was so beautiful, I’ll never forget.

If you want to see something equally amazing, be sure you’re awake for the sunrise or sunset. Watching the sun meet the horizon is breathtaking from an airplane!

10. Take sleeping pills – Last resort? Take sleeping pills. I wouldn’t suggest this if you’re flying alone, as they can be seriously disorientating. There’s nothing worse than waking up confused and groggy after a long flight, and then have to race through the terminals by yourself trying to catch your next flight. If you have to take sleeping pills and you’re traveling alone, give herbal supplements a try. They’ll naturally increase melatonin levels (meaning they’ll help you sleep), but leave you less dazed than regular sleeping pills when it’s time to wake up.

I’ll be traveling over 36 hours alone both ways from here to Texas, so I’m hoping the 10 tips above will help me survive the trip on Monday. What are your suggestions on passing the time on a long flight?! I’m open to anything and everything!

Keep on reading...
Traveling During Pregnancy: First Trimester
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Welcome to Living in Another Language! Thanks for dropping by. We’re Derik and Amanda, a couple with a permanent case of wanderlust. Follow along with us as we travel the world. Read more about us HERE.

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Instagram post 2191262001464883691_1586897 We spent Thanksgiving back in North America: Whistler, Canada! A 10 hour flight from Germany , and I can’t say this one was better than the one we took over the summer on our trip to Alaska, but we survived! Entertaining a 11 month old for that long is much harder than a 6 month old, especially when they aren’t into sleeping on the plane AT ALL. 🤪

Whistler was beautiful despite the lack of snow, and we enjoyed our time with family, the delicious food, and as much sightseeing as one could do with a jet-lagged baby. 
This was actually my first trip to Canada ever, (unless you want to count the move my parents took up to Alaska from Arkansas when I was two. 😂🤷‍♀️ ) and I loved it! We would really like to take a big Canadian road trip someday and explore more of the country! 😍😍🇨🇦
Instagram post 2162391766049924598_1586897 Being a mama may mean I don’t always have time to put myself together, but I would rather spend the extra moments making special memories with our daughter that she can cherish forever. I doubt that she will look at this picture and see a tired, messy haired mama that’s barely had time to wash her face nevermind carefully apply makeup, but am hoping she will see a mama that never tires of carrying and cuddling her, or sharing new experiences with her. 💕
Instagram post 2161269753608488280_1586897 Oh Switzerland, you beaut.🇨🇭 We spent a couple days enjoying the beautiful weather in the land of chocolate, cheese, mountains, and cows with bells 😍😍🤩. If you remember, we visited the same area  a month shy of two years ago but but the weather was quite the opposite! I’d have to say though, when you visit such a majestic and beautiful area, it doesn’t matter what the weather is, you’re going to be in awe and love it anyway!
Instagram post 2137973445900634297_1586897 We’re mid-fall festival season here in Germany! Bring on the wine, music, and all the delicious food🤩🤩.
Instagram post 2111707320150069901_1586897 3,285 days of adventure, love, and learning — that’s 9 years I’ve been able to call Derik my husband, and I can truly say it’s only felt like a few years NOT just one year shy of a whole decade. This year has brought so much change with welcoming our daughter into our lives, and through it has only solidified our marriage and how much I am so deeply in love with this man. He’s the best father (as I always knew he would be) and an incredible husband. I am beyond blessed. 
Happy Anniversary and BIRTHDAY my love! 
We need to get more photos of us together, but since having our little one, most of the photos we’ve taken have been just with her! These were taken on our 'babymoon' in Iceland! As I was going through them, I realized I have a ton to share of our trip, so hopefully that’ll come soon!
Instagram post 2104702897498505367_1586897 Summer in Germany. 🌻

This is the fourth one I’ve been through and they’ve all been a bit different: sometimes rainy, sometimes ridiculously hot, sometimes full of bugs, but always beautiful. Flowers, berries, festivals and wine walks in abundance.

The key to successfully living in a new country is to STOP COMPARING and enjoy it for what it is - entirely different than your native country. Embrace the struggle, the experiences, the adventures, the pain, and the beauty or else you’ll tragically lose out what could be one of the most magical times in your life.

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The Past

  • ▼2019
    • ►April
      • Traveling During Pregnancy: First Trimester
  • ►2018
    • ►October
      • Campervan Iceland with Happy Campers
    • ►September
      • A Taste of German Tradition in Spreewald, Germany
    • ►August
      • Changes, Life in Germany: an Unpublished Year
    • ►March
      • A perfect stay at House of Bruges
    • ►January
      • An Overnight Layover in Singapore
      • A Day in Brugge, Belgium
  • ►2017
    • ►November
      • Switzerland on a Budget
      • Travel Guide to Krakow, Poland
      • Korcula Town to Stari Grad with MedSailors
    • ►October
      • Andronikos Hotel Mykonos
    • ►September
      • Sailing to Vis, Croatia
    • ►June
      • A Visit to Berchtesgaden, Germany
      • A Day in Oslo, Norway
    • ►May
      • Why it is Important to Blog for Yourself
      • Staycation at Hilton Palacio Del Rio
      • Oh Hi, We Moved to Germany
    • ►April
      • Norway in a Nutshell
  • ►2016
    • ►December
      • Finding the Perfect Christmas Gift
      • 36 Hours in Istanbul, Turkey
    • ►October
      • Visiting The World’s Largest Pumpkin Festival
      • One day in Mykonos, Greece
    • ►September
      • 10 Ways Alaska and New Zealand Are Remarkably Similar
      • Exploring the Alamo with Jord Watches
    • ►August
      • Exploring Kenai Fjords National Park with Major Marine Tours
    • ►May
      • Hiking Bodenburg Butte
    • ►April
      • 6 Tricks to Enhance your Images
      • Hatcher Pass with Pins To Kill
      • Monkey Forest, Ubud
    • ►March
      • Glamping Bali with Sandat Tents
      • Cruising Milford Sound
    • ►February
      • 5 Reasons to Book a Yacht Charter This Summer
    • ►January
      • Bali Cooking Class
      • Revisiting the Grand Mirage
  • ►2015
    • ►December
      • What to do in Mallorca, Spain
      • PNW Coast with Jord Wood Watches
      • Why Park City, Utah Should Be On Your Winter Bucket List
      • Holiday Gift Guide for the Traveler and Expat
    • ►November
      • 24 hours in Wanaka
      • Finding and Photographing the Aurora in New Zealand
    • ►October
      • A Luxury Villa Stay in Mallorca, Spain
      • 20 more travel quotes you probably haven't heard before
      • Anniversary Getaway at the Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul
      • 8 Must-Try Foods in New Zealand
      • Kaikoura Dolphin Encounter
    • ►August
      • A Day in Ruedesheim
      • Living Expenses in New Zealand
      • A Romantic Stay at The Gangsa Private Villas
      • The Best Time of Day to Post on Instagram
      • 5 ways to encourage travel bloggers
      • A Luxurious Getaway at Samabe
    • ►July
      • The Other Half
      • An Adventure Tour through New Zealand
      • A Clean Slate
    • ►May
      • 5 Tips to Help Overcome Travel Anxiety
      • Staying at Sala Arun Bangkok
      • Fall in New Zealand
    • ►April
      • 6 lesser-known vacation spots you should definitely consider for 2015
      • Let's catch up.
      • Aurora Australis in New Zealand
      • Are You a Traveler or a Tourist?
      • 8 Things I Don't Like About Long-Term Travel
      • Maré, New Caledonia
    • ►March
      • 15 Blog Post Ideas for Travel Bloggers
      • 5 Reasons New Zealand Should Be On Your Bucket List
      • Finding a Place to Live in New Zealand
      • A Weekend Getaway at Kinross Cottages
      • Beachcomber Island, Fiji
      • How to Grow Your Travel Blog
    • ►February
      • Central Otago Wine Tour
      • The Best Times to Travel Internationally
      • Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
      • What 1,095 Days of Travel Has Taught Me
      • The Story Behind The Name
      • 10 Travel Quotes That Will Inspire You To See the World
      • Cruising Sydney Harbor
    • ►January
      • Let's Chat
      • The LIAL Guide to Seoul, South Korea
      • So You're Going on Your First Cruise...
      • Sunrise at St Clair Beach, Dunedin
      • 10 Ways to Save Money for Travel
      • New Years Eve in Sydney Harbor
      • What's In My Camera Bag
      • 2014-Our Year in Travels.
  • ►2014
    • ►December
      • LIAL Reader Survey 2014 RESULTS
      • Travel Insurance: Yay or Nay?
      • Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography
      • And We're Off!!!
      • Yonderbound: Make Travel Planning a Breeze
      • Things All Expats Do But Won't Admit To
      • Wellington, New Zealand
      • 12 Songs for Your Travel Playlist
    • ►November
      • Why You Should Travel in 2015
      • Travel Blogging + Marriage
      • Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Osaka, Japan
      • Things I Find Strange About New Zealand
      • Pearl Harbor
      • Five things you should do before you start traveling
      • Tunnel Beach, Dunedin
    • ►October
      • LIAL Reader Survey 2014
      • Queens Park, Invercargill
      • The 5 Types of Travel Bloggers
      • The Lunar Eclipse
      • 10 Tips to Improve Your Photography
      • Minus 5 Ice Bar, Queenstown
      • Rain Boots or Wellies?
      • What Travel Means To Me
      • Sandfly Bay, Otago Peninsula
      • Real Life Friends
    • ►September
      • Moeraki Boulders
      • A Journey Through Middle Earth: Hobbiton
      • Thoughts
      • Travel Blogging Isn't for the Faint of Heart
      • Finding Work in New Zealand
      • Radio Silence
    • ►August
      • Campervan New Zealand
      • A Case for Travel Partners
      • Getting a Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand
      • How to Survive Long-Distance Flights
      • 7 Tips to Help You Grow Your Instagram
      • Why Russell, New Zealand Should be on Your Travel Itinerary
      • 10 Things to See and Do While Visiting South Korea
      • New Zealand in Instagram Photos
    • ►July
      • Look Up
      • New Zealand Bucket List
      • Pros and Cons of Living in New Zealand (30 day edition)
      • The Suitcase Designs (New Look + Premades!!)
      • 6 of the best tropical destinations in Asia
      • Why New Zealand?
      • Not Captured on Camera
      • Pololu Valley, Hawaii
      • Thoughts On Living in a Campervan
    • ►June
      • Searching for Whale Sharks
      • Final Words on Korea
      • Moving Overseas? How to Get You and Your Belongings to Your Destination Country
      • Boracay, Philippines
      • Steel Wool Photography Tutorial
      • 10 Things to Do in Phuket
      • Why We're Leaving Korea
      • We're Officially Announcing...
      • Living Expenses in Korea
    • ►May
      • What I Miss About Summer in the USA
      • Phuket Botanical Garden
      • Instagram Favorites
      • Monkey Beach
      • Sunburn Remedy: Instant Pain Relief and Overnight Healing
      • Change is Inevitable
      • The Negative Side to Travel
      • James Bond Island
    • ►April
      • Tiger Kingdom Phuket
      • Korean Commercials Pt. 3
      • Macro Photography Without A Macro Lens
      • 21 Household Tips and Tricks
      • Belated Blogiversary
      • Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival
      • Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai
      • Pros and Cons of Living in Korea
      • Thoughts
      • Springtime in Geoje
      • 12 Tips on Night Photography
      • Sunday Night Market, Chiang Mai
    • ►March
      • Lately in Korea
      • White Temple, Chiang Rai
      • When Hotels Bite
      • Grand Palace, Bangkok
      • Living Minimalistically
      • Stay Out of Trouble While Traveling
      • Baan Chang Elephant Park
      • Things Only Expats Understand
      • Maui Photo Session
      • Backpacking for 60 days
      • Long Neck Karen Tribe
      • Back Home
    • ►February
      • One Year of No-Poo
      • How to Travel Right out of College
      • Two Year Expat Anniversary
      • Valentine's Day
      • Lessons of Love (From Abroad)
      • Your Questions Answered: The Miscellaneous
      • Teaching ESL is Hard
    • ►January
      • Your Questions Answered: Expat Living
      • Tips on Moving Abroad
      • Blogging 101: When Blogging isn't Fun Anymore
      • What Not to Say to an Expat
      • Your Questions Answered: Travel
      • Initial Thoughts from the USA
  • ►2013
    • ►December
      • 2013-Our Year in Travels.
      • Geoje Sculpture Park
      • Christmas
      • Saturday's Thoughts
      • Lok Kawi Wildlife Park
      • Have I Changed?
      • Korea has Taught Me...
      • Not Home for the Holidays
      • Rokuon-ji (the golden temple)
      • I Need Your Questions!
    • ►November
      • A Post About My Hair
      • Thanksgiving: Through the Eyes of an Expat
      • Blogging 101: Time Management
      • Sandakan: River Adventure
      • How to Photograph Fireworks
      • A Recent Blog Design
      • Chuo Ward, Japan
      • Search Terms for the Win
      • Miss/Don't Miss (part 2)
    • ►October
      • Blogging 101: Using Pinterest to Maximize your Blogging Potential
      • Busan International Fireworks Festival
      • Geisha Town [Kyoto After Dark]
      • Confessions of an Expat
      • Korea: Where Random Situations Rule (on Twitter)
      • Jinju Lantern Festival
      • Quarter of a Century
      • Capture the Colour 2013
      • Do You Have Fur On Your Legs?
      • Simply Just Blogging
    • ►September
      • [Japan] Fushimi Inari Shrine
      • Homeless for Half a Month
      • I Don't Understand
      • Looking for Saltwater Crocodiles
      • Blogging 101: Advice
      • Saturday Takeover: Misadventures in Japan
      • Korean Commercials Pt. 2
      • Expat Blues
      • Snorkeling Borneo
      • LASIK in Korea? You must be kidding.
      • 500,000? That's a Big Number
      • Finding Home
      • [BORNEO] Sunsets and Coconut Water
    • ►August
      • Guess We Didn't Get the Memo
      • Korea Doesn't Care About Miley
      • Step Into My Life
      • Blogging 101: The Sponsor Game
      • Don't Get Mugged
      • Introducing...(aka HUGE NEWS)
      • Three Years Ago the Wedding Bells Rang
      • Let's Talk About 'No Poo' (FAQ 2)
      • We're Back!
      • As of Now...
    • ►July
      • Why I'm the Worst Traveler Ever
      • How To Be a Tourist in Asia
      • It Wasn't That Long Ago...
      • Blogging 101: Wordpress Plugins
      • Lately [10]
      • 30 day challenge
      • Korean Commercials Pt. 1
      • Weird Wednesday (7/17)
      • The temple on the sea
      • I love bloglovin!
      • A saturday photo session
      • Friday Funnies {7}
      • A game of charades (aka everyday life)
      • Blogging 101
      • The collective social blog hop
      • This one goes to the cats
      • This holiday we call the 4th of july
      • The good, the bad, and the ugly
      • Island camping: it's pretty nice
    • ►June
      • Friday Funnies {6}
      • Recipe: blt stuffed avocado
      • Using the shadows
      • Friday Funnies {5}
      • Camping with the locals (expat level: expert)
      • Lately [9]
      • 'No poo' frequently asked questions
      • Would you like to know? [3]
      • Friday Funnies {4}
      • Thanks for having a birthday buddha
      • Weird Wednesday 6/12 + Sponsor Spotlight {june} pt.2
      • No gym membership required
      • Friday funnies {3}
      • Would you like a cup of tea with that? (Boseong)
      • Korea: the country where random situations rule
    • ►May
      • Friday Funnies {2}
      • Lately [8]
      • Weird Wednesday (5/30)
      • Things I wish I had known...part two
      • Seoraksan favorites
      • Lately[7]
      • Friday Funnies (LINK-UP!)
      • I STILL Don't Use Shampoo
      • Weird Wednesday (05/22)
      • The thing about 'selfies'
      • Latey [6]
      • Would you like to know? [2]
      • Green smoothie: grapefruit
      • The time we went to an adult playground
      • Lately [5]
      • Things i wish i had known...
      • Breakfast in seosan
      • Lately [4]
      • Hakdong (pebble) beach
    • ►April
      • Why would i say that?
      • Recipes: fish tacos
      • Lately [3]
      • Would you like to know?
      • Weird Wednesday (4/23)
      • Friend connect bloghop
      • .org vs .com and how I almost lost it
      • Cocoppa: an ocd iphone lover's dream
      • Lately [2]
      • The candid series: busan
      • For every woman
      • DIY Lip Balm
      • Lately
      • Of 'Weird Wednesdays' and liebster awards
      • Recipes: boneless bbq chicken
      • Shopping habits
      • Out with the old...
      • I'm attracted to attractions
      • Preparing for war
      • Recipes: cheddar garlic biscuits
      • The purple mountain (Mt. Daegeumsan)
    • ►March
      • Weird Wednesday (03/27)
      • Osaka aquarium kaiyukan (part two)
      • The dentist.
      • I don't use shampoo
      • Weekly photo challenge: my korean happy meal
      • Fireworks + friends = epic
      • Thirty-three reasons why I love my job.
      • Japan: land of the rising sun
      • So...you want to be an ESL teacher?
      • Weird Wednesday (03/06)
    • ►February
      • Bored on a thursday night?
      • Osaka aquarium kaiyukan (part one)
      • The time i went to north korea (DMZ)
      • Weekly photo challenge: forward
      • A trip to the bamboo forest
      • Year one
      • Be mine
      • French press lattes
      • Weird Wednesday (02/13)
      • The bet we made with the boys
      • [Vietnam] last day in paradise
      • [Vietnam] $10 dollar scooters and free spray tans
      • Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique (Dr. Seuss)
    • ►January
      • Weird Wednesday (01/30)
      • I practice my hobbies on saturdays...
      • Weird Wednesday (01/23)
      • [Vietnam] the time i ate sea urchin
      • The candid series: farmer's market
      • [Vietnam] landing in paradise
      • Weird Wednesday (01/16)
      • 5D
      • [Vietnam] a morning in the bay
      • Weird Wednesday (01/09)
      • [Vietnam] in silent waters
      • [Vietnam] of busy streets and great food
      • Weird Wednesday (01/03)
  • ►2012
    • ►December
      • Dear santa...love, an expat.
      • Delicate
      • Bring forth the holiday cheer pt.2
      • Recipes: grandma knows best
      • I've become domesticated.
    • ►November
      • Weekend reunions
      • Bring forth the holiday cheer
      • They deserve it the most...
      • Three quarters.
      • 11/11
      • Halloween: 'korean style'
    • ►October
      • I wish I were...
      • Foreign
      • Sorry if i'm rude, i'm american.
      • Expat resources
      • As the days get colder
      • Big
      • Colors of change
      • Chuseok
      • 24
      • Top ten
      • Jasmine: not the tea or the disney princess.
      • Where do i get it? 10/4
    • ►September
      • [Bali] the ubud experience
      • six months plus.
      • [Bali] late night cruisin'
      • [Bali] water adventure day
    • ►August
      • Grand mirage...a piece of paradise. [bali]
      • The first of many [bali].
    • ►July
      • The dirtiest people i've ever seen
    • ►June
      • Its not always about the pictures.
      • Yeosu world expo. Basically the coolest event i've ever been to.
    • ►May
      • Seoul. It's beautiful chaos.
    • ►April
      • When did time escape me?
    • ►March
      • That BBQ Chicken...
      • Sick Days...
      • Busan
    • ►February
      • Of food and other things.
      • The Journey Over
      • The Grand Adventure
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Instagram post 2191262001464883691_1586897 We spent Thanksgiving back in North America: Whistler, Canada! A 10 hour flight from Germany , and I can’t say this one was better than the one we took over the summer on our trip to Alaska, but we survived! Entertaining a 11 month old for that long is much harder than a 6 month old, especially when they aren’t into sleeping on the plane AT ALL. 🤪

Whistler was beautiful despite the lack of snow, and we enjoyed our time with family, the delicious food, and as much sightseeing as one could do with a jet-lagged baby. 
This was actually my first trip to Canada ever, (unless you want to count the move my parents took up to Alaska from Arkansas when I was two. 😂🤷‍♀️ ) and I loved it! We would really like to take a big Canadian road trip someday and explore more of the country! 😍😍🇨🇦
Instagram post 2162391766049924598_1586897 Being a mama may mean I don’t always have time to put myself together, but I would rather spend the extra moments making special memories with our daughter that she can cherish forever. I doubt that she will look at this picture and see a tired, messy haired mama that’s barely had time to wash her face nevermind carefully apply makeup, but am hoping she will see a mama that never tires of carrying and cuddling her, or sharing new experiences with her. 💕
Instagram post 2161269753608488280_1586897 Oh Switzerland, you beaut.🇨🇭 We spent a couple days enjoying the beautiful weather in the land of chocolate, cheese, mountains, and cows with bells 😍😍🤩. If you remember, we visited the same area  a month shy of two years ago but but the weather was quite the opposite! I’d have to say though, when you visit such a majestic and beautiful area, it doesn’t matter what the weather is, you’re going to be in awe and love it anyway!
Instagram post 2137973445900634297_1586897 We’re mid-fall festival season here in Germany! Bring on the wine, music, and all the delicious food🤩🤩.
Instagram post 2111707320150069901_1586897 3,285 days of adventure, love, and learning — that’s 9 years I’ve been able to call Derik my husband, and I can truly say it’s only felt like a few years NOT just one year shy of a whole decade. This year has brought so much change with welcoming our daughter into our lives, and through it has only solidified our marriage and how much I am so deeply in love with this man. He’s the best father (as I always knew he would be) and an incredible husband. I am beyond blessed. 
Happy Anniversary and BIRTHDAY my love! 
We need to get more photos of us together, but since having our little one, most of the photos we’ve taken have been just with her! These were taken on our 'babymoon' in Iceland! As I was going through them, I realized I have a ton to share of our trip, so hopefully that’ll come soon!
Instagram post 2104702897498505367_1586897 Summer in Germany. 🌻

This is the fourth one I’ve been through and they’ve all been a bit different: sometimes rainy, sometimes ridiculously hot, sometimes full of bugs, but always beautiful. Flowers, berries, festivals and wine walks in abundance.

The key to successfully living in a new country is to STOP COMPARING and enjoy it for what it is - entirely different than your native country. Embrace the struggle, the experiences, the adventures, the pain, and the beauty or else you’ll tragically lose out what could be one of the most magical times in your life.
Instagram post 2078684799322929913_1586897 Our little girl has officially become a world traveler as of a couple weeks ago! The @condorairlines flight from Germany to Alaska was long, and she only slept 40 minutes out of the 9:10hour trip, but we survived and she still did remarkably well even with being overly-tired.  My hope is our trip back to Germany runs a bit smoother and that she sleeps so mama can sleep too. 😂😬🙏 Prayers welcomed. Between that and the 10 hour time difference, schedules (eating/sleeping) have been thrown way off and I don’t expect them to level out for a few more weeks 😩.
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