Ever since middle school I've been camping. Every chance I got to go with a group of friends or classmates for a school field trip I was ready. Now being a full-time employee, it is harder to squeeze in trips to the great outdoors and I've been missing it a lot lately. The city life is one I love but it soon starts looking the same. The concrete, the crowds, the rush of cars and people trying to get from point A to point B. In nature all those things are voided and it's just you and the beauty of Mother Nature in front of you. Living in San Francisco and in California in genereal, I am only a few hours away from the the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and Big Sur. The options are endless here. Just a reminder why I need to take more advantage of the natural beauty around me.
One of my really good friends is planning a trip north to Victoria, British Columbia which I've never been. I'm interested in seeing the Pacific North West in general as it's only a two hour flight away from San Francisco to Seattle, WA or Portland, OR. I've been meaning to check out these cities because of it's proximity to National Parks and I hear Portland is a great foodie town with a lot of local shops. This year is the year to re-visit Nature. I am hoping to make the trip to B.C. and do as the locals do there. Whether it's to Victoria or Vancouver. My friend introduced me to the city of Tofino in Vancouver Island and I started researching a bit. The beach is just steps away from most of the towns in Vancouver Island and you can do many outdoor activities like Whale Watching. I'm excited to learn more as the pictures on the websites speak to me.
I'm also curious about farming and sustainable living. San Francisco is a VERY eco-friendly city and always at the top of innovation and the green economy. As a city, our leaders have banned the use of plastic bags at grocery stores and mass-chain retailers. Beginning in October of this year retailers will charge .10 cent's per bag at stores. We have ialso nitiated selling McDonald's Happy Meal toys in order to promote healthier eating habits for children. We will ban Foie Gras beginning July of this year because of its treatment to ducks as well as Shark Fin soup, which is a big food delicacy in Chinese culture. And these laws most likely will ripple to other cities. Some out-of-towners might see these laws as dumb and make fun of San Francisco for it, but I believe it sets an example of how to live a sustainable life if we want to keep our city green for generations to come. Not to mention teaching our children so they can practice these eco-friendly habits and teach their children and so on. From a young age, I remember learning about recycling and having a Trash-Fashion show where all my teachers dressed up in re-used materials for Earth Day. I'm happy that has stuck with me and I continue making it a very huge part of my every day life. I try to stay socially conscious of where I put my trash. Littering on the streets is a big no no for me. Along with going back to nature I am trying to make an effort to stray away from all materialistic things and move forward to more simpler things. Living a simple, care-free life full of exploring and looking at the bigger picture =)
Because of my urge to travel back to nature, I've discovered new blogs that all share one thing in common: TRAVELING and EXPLORING. I've become very fond of these particular blogs "A Well Travelled Woman" and "Lost in America" Check them out!
And get out there!
