There is a magic to wandering…the secret is in just two small words.
Just Go!
– Wanderology Girl
live your dream
Be Brave…Live Your Dream
“We may place blame, give reasons, and even have excuses; but in the end, it’s an act of cowardice to not live your dreams.” – Dr. Steve Maraboli
Where will you wander dear reader? – Wanderology Girl
Arrived in “Little Greece” Tarpon Springs…
Just spent my first day in the greek, coastal, town of Tarpon Springs Florida. Had a fabulous day wandering the sponge docks and exploring all the unique shops. More Tarpon Springs adventure on the way…. Where will you wander? -Wanderology Girl
Eat Cupcakes for Breakfast….
Starting my morning off right for a new adventure! Doing something out of the normal routine….Eating Cupcakes for Breakfast! I need the sweet inspiration as I head out the door on my first Florida Beach Tour Roadtrip. Follow my wanderings on wanderologygirl.com
Beach Town Packing List
Going on a beach town tour has its obstacles. Packing the right amount, and the essentials needed, is the goal. When chosing your wardrobe for the trip, think simple, interchangeable, and multi purpose. I like to start with a color scheme, It makes putting outfits together much easier. My next tip is to try to pack 14 wardrobe items or less. Light weight wrinkle free fabrics are best. The only exception to the rule is that I bring my favorite linen beach pants… I just fold them neatly and hope for the best.
Always bring a super strong sunscreen, a floppy hat, sunglasses, flip flops, sandles, travel size skin care, make-up and toiletries. I bring very simple jewelry because you may pick up some cute beachy little bracelets or necklaces in the boardwalk shops. Below are pictures of my 14 items for my next road trip this week and a picture of my Eddie Bauer Boundary 24 liter backpack which I love for week long trips and it’s guaranteed for life.
I cherry picked things that can fit easily in my backpack. 2 neutral colored T-shirts, 1 graphic T-shirt, 2 tanks for the beach and for layering, 1 pair of denim shorts, 1 lightweight hoody sweatshirt for breezy nights, 1 swimsuit with swim trunks, 1 sundress, 1 light weight button up cardigan, 1 pair of trendy leggings for lounging or layering, 1 black maxi skirt that can be dressed up or down as needed, my favorite pair of striped, seaside, comfy, linen pants, and a light mango and white, chevron striped tunic. Hello! Beach Towns ……. here she comes!
Happy Travels!
-Wanderology Girl
10 Tips for Exploring a Beach Town
Hello World! Are you ready to follow Wanderology Girl on her Florida Beach Tour. Here is 10 fabulous tips for exploring new beach towns. Whether your visiting for a day, a weekend, or longer, these tips can make the most memorable, fantastic, wandering experience. Below are some pretty awesome ideas how to be a nomad, beach bum, or at least a relaxed beach drifter.
#1Pack Light
Take a minimal amount of travel essentials to truly be free to wander. Don’t be tied down to all your belongings. Think nomad, drifter, simple, and essential. It doesn’t mean you can’t be fashionable….the idea is comfortable. It’s about being a being a savvy packer. I will be posting my (packing like a wanderer) list soon.
#2 Backpack It My Friend
Find a great backpack and you’re set. You will find it difficult walking down cobblestone streets or wandering through beach shops, or skimming through sandy shores, with a giant tote bag or even dragging suitcases around.
#3 Find a Host
Getting to know the culture and learning more about a town can be greatly accomplished by staying with a host family at the beach. You will make new friends and learn much more about relationships in this enviorment. You may not always feel comfortable, but from this experience you will always feel grateful.
#4 Keep a Travel Diary
It may seem obvious how meaninful this tip is, but you would be suprised those who miss out on this. Even if you only keep track of places, visited, feelings felt, people you meet…your favorite discoveries, that will suffice. It will be a treasure to you for years to come.
#5 Explore Farmer Markets and Local Cuisine
Some beach towns have delectable cuisine. Find fun, trendy places to eat. Explore Farmer or Fresh Markets for a taste of local delight and to find recipes to try back home.
#6 Meet the Locals
Don’t be afraid to make conversation and ask locals questions. You will be suprised who you can spark up a new friendship with and get great tips for interesting thing’s to do in the area. The locals are at the heart of a beach town.
#7 Take a Class
Many little towns have classes on local gardening, preservation, cooking, or customs. On weekends some shops even host how to classes in art or crafts. Find something new to learn during your breeze through beachy towns.
#8 Check Out Calendar Events
Most little towns will post current events on a monthly calandar. You can usually get this information by just searching the towns current events. You might be there the perfect time for a parade, arbor tree planting, a festival. Check it out!
#9 Go Shelling
Some Florida beaches are known for shelling. You can kick your toes through salty water and sugary sand to find some great little shells to bring home. This is so relaxing with waves breaking and the ocean breeze in your face. It’s a form of meditation for me.
#10 Explore Like a Nomad Not a Tourist
Don’t just stick with trip advisor or tourist books. Let your soul wander shops and local little hidden gems. Remember not all treasures are easy to see or publicized…some treasure is buried. Your job is that of an explorer….now go discover something special for yourself.
My last and very important tip is always bring strong sunscreen. Florida will be friend or foe to you depending on this cruicial essential. She can help you unwind or scorch you.
Happy Travels!
-Wanderology Girl
If You’re Lucky Enough to be at the Beach…..
If you’re lucky enough to be at the beach….you’re lucky enough. Wanderology Girl starts her tour of some fabulous Florida beaches, and amazing towns to visit this week. Make sure to follow where she is wandering, on her blog @ Wanderogygirl.com
The Parable of the Jelly Fish….
I knew a young girl who had the dream of owning her own tank of Jelly Fish. I laughed, and couldn’t quite get her fascination, with such odd creatures. But what I did learn from her, is you can find beauty, adventure, and dreams, if your willing to put your wishes into words, and take a risk of getting stung. Unless you are fearless, in the direction of your deepest longings….you will never realize them. Every time I see a Jelly Fish now…I’m reminded of this gutsy girl, who set off in the direction of her grandest hopes….and is on her way to leading a life filled with all the things she loves, up in the San Francisco Bay area. -Wanderology Girl
Comfort, Growth, Finding Purpose in Your Life.
Sometimes in life I find myself in a familiar, yet safe, comfort zone. What life has been teaching me, is this…. the real magic happens when I stretch, feel the uneaisiness of a new venture, tolerate the fear of the unkown, and finally break free from the doldrum of the routine of life. Comfort feels warm, fuzzy, and safe, but growth takes me from soft living, into depths I never could have imagined. To travel, to wander, to try new things, and meet new people means something less superficial than a cozy life. It teaches compassion, understanding, expansion of the soul, and mind, in ways I could have never imagined. I’m taking a leap of faith, a risk, even the willingness to risk losing it all, in attempting a discovery journey. It’s an excavating of my soul, an archeologist dig into my purpose. It’s finding my true purpose in life in this world, that I know I was meant to discover and grow from. So for me, it will be, a wandering life, where ever my funds, my friends, my luck, and blessings can take me. Peace unto you all my fellow journey seekers. May you find something a little deeper than comfort in this life, and leave this life, with no regrets.
-Wandeerology Girl
Designing Dreams….My new Blogging Suite
I know one thing for sure…if you want your dreams to come true you have to design them. I wanted to be a wanderer, traveler, blogger, writer, and photographer.I wanted to inspire, elevate, and bring joy to my readers. So the process for me began with designing the very sanctuary where these ambitions could blossom. My own little haven of blogging bliss. I needed to have a clearing season, to clear away the unnecessary in my life and make room for different, new, goals and dreams. I have always had a desk for paperwork and other tasks. it was tucked back in a dark corner of my dining room. No wonder I never felt inspired there. I wasn’t where life was happening. I wasn’t near an open window with a fresh breeze to inspire my writing. I wasn’t near the light that enlightens the soul and fills the mind with inspiration. So where oh, where would I find this magical spot. I didn’t have a sunny bedroom in my home for an office. That’s when the brilliant idea came to me like a sudden burst of flowing thoughts. I could just carve out my little cavern of peace in the corner of my family room next to three huge windows overlooking my backyard. This will do. This will bring a fresh rush of inspiration. I love the light, the breeze, a place to gave when my mind wanders. So I had found the perfect spot to blog.
Now the designing part comes into play. My Blogging Suite had to have elements of goals, and dreams, and success to motivate my work. I chose a black and white theme to represent my travel dream of going to Paris eventually. Touches of pink that whisper I’m girly. I had to have a living plant to remind me of my wanderology theme to “Live” and a candle to bring light and guidance on my path.Just as luck would have it my husband just bought me a beautiful, pink calla lily. And I purchased a beautiful Fitz & Floyd candle in Rosemary & White Ginger. It’s so yummy! Topped it off with a coordinating water bottle , and thermal lunch bag from Thirty-One.
I bought black and pink coordinating file folders and binders from target. Totes and file holder and matching notepad from Thirty-One. It has a sweet ambiance with my Eiffel tower screen saver in a spring setting on the desk. At night I sometimes transition to a sparkly Eiffel tower in a night setting. I have my French calendar by Page-a-day, and a stone throw away is a full size France calender my dear friend Jewels got me.I have a brass compass that was found on Amazon, to remind me to head in the direction of my dreams, a quote a day book and the reminder “Paris is always a good idea”. I have a water globe from our family’s favorite vacation spot the Florida Keys. If you look closely I keep my Crown from when I was Mrs. Tampa America 2008 in the Mrs. America Pageant near by to remind me the only dreams you achieve are the ones you actually go for!
I found an adorable black stripe rug to put under my chair at Home Goods. I re-covered an old chair with fabric to coordinate. I tied my nearby love seat in, with a pink chandelier toss pillow, and black & white throw. I just bought a sharp looking velvet pillow of the Eiffel tower and put that on the sofa. It’s all coming together now. I bought a easy pocket size 2015 Paris Planner C’est la Vie. The planning, the designs, and then finally the dreams become realized. It started out I couldn’t find the a spot for my Blogging Sweet…until I allowed myself to think outside the box. To allow myself to have new eyes.The real voyage of discovery consist not of seeking new landscape, but in having new eyes.
-Wanderology Girl
WANDEROLOGY GIRL 