Our Winter Escape to One of the World’s Most Vibrant Cities
Yes, our newsletter has returned after a long, leisurely hiatus. We decided to take a break from online sharing once we hit a major milestone this past autumn. As of October, it had been five years since we quit our jobs and headed off into the unknown with only our suitcases and our dogs.
Those five years were filled not only with travel but also more than 150 YouTube videos and countless Instagram posts. After sharing so much of our journey on social media, it felt healthy to take an extended break while we assessed what our next chapter looks like.
After all, 2024 was a significant year of transition for us. We shifted away from full-time traveling, bought a new home, plunged into small-town living, and dabbled in shorter trips with our jaunts to Peru and Thailand.
Re-establishing a home base in Canada turned out to be the right move, allowing us to reconnect with friends and family after a decade overseas. Plus I can’t overstate the pleasure of having my very own bed and pillows, perfectly calibrated to my preferences, after sleeping on random mattresses in dozens and dozens of Airbnbs.
At the same time, we still have a serious case of wanderlust and are looking forward to exploring new destinations. In fact, this year’s line up of trips is already starting to take shape and - exciting news - one of them is open to hiking partners who are up for a challenge.
Exploring the wilder side of Georgia
Georgia has been on our wishlist for years and it's hard to say what’s been the greatest draw for us: the history, food, or the world-class hiking opportunities. In September, we’ll finally have our chance to discover this intriguing country, including a guided trek through the spectacular Svaneti mountains range.
The trek includes ticking off many highlights of the region - the UNESCO-listed villages of Mestia and Ushguli; the Shdgura waterfall; the Chalaadi glacier; and more -all while staying in rustic guesthouses and feasting on traditional Georgian home cooking. Distances will range from 10 to 22 km per day with some solid elevation changes.
We typically prefer self-guided hikes but decided to book a small-group tour for this one to make way-finding and logistics easier (I didn’t relish the thought of wandering off path in the remote hills of Svaneti with zero knowledge of the Georgian language). A tour also gave us the added bonus of luggage transfer - it’s always nice to be reunited with a fresh cache of socks and t-shirts during a challenging multi-day trek.
Falling in love all over again with Mexico City
While we love our new home in Ontario, we knew that once the cold and snow set in it would be time to take flight to sunnier climes. We chose Oaxaca City and Mexico City, both places that we had visited previously.
Second time round, Oaxaca still had lots of new experiences to offer. On our first visit, we explored the Monte Alban ruins and Hierve de Agua, a stunning rock formation that looks like a waterfall. We did a tasting at a mezcal distillery, toured artisan workshops and visited the sprawling Tlacolula Sunday Market.
This time, we tried our hand at making Oaxacan classics at a farmhouse cooking class (highly recommended); brunched our way across the city; and made the happy discovery of an expat hiking group offering multiple hikes every week.
Next up was Mexico City. During our last visit, we stayed in the green and charming neighbourhood Roma Norte. This time, we chose the greener and even more atmospheric neighbourhood of La Condesa. Within our first few days here, we could confidently say that this is a place we would be happy to come back to for future wintertime retreats.
For fans of architecture, wandering through La Condesa is a visual feast with gorgeous art deco buildings wedged between modern apartments. We (not to mention our dogs) particularly loved the tree-lined pedestrian walkway that loops through the entire area, following the path of a former race track, with buzzy cafes and stylish restaurants on every corner.
All too quickly, our month in La Condesa has come to a close. In just a couple days, we’re hopping on a flight back to Canada, trading in the perfect weather of Mexico City for still-wintery Ontario. Fortunately, we’re already looking forward to our next trip: a springtime trek through a country that we’ve never properly visited before (because 12-hour layovers don’t count). More on that in our next newsletter…
See you on the road,
Stephanie & Gillian
I enjoyed your update. The spring air...and snow melt in your Ontario town will lead to a beautiful rebirth of beautiful Ontario Canada.
You're gonna love Georgia!