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A 30-something coffee-chugging, globe-trotting, street-food fanatic who is not afraid to voice an unpopular opinion. This blog is dedicated to all the wanderlusters - take a minute to discover something new – perhaps plan your next trip, and fall in love with life or coffee.

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Helping you create & check off that Bucket list ✈️

🍂 SEVEN DREAMY HIKES IN ONTARIO FOR BEAUTIFUL F

🍂 SEVEN DREAMY HIKES IN ONTARIO FOR BEAUTIFUL FALL COLOURS 🍂

🍂 Cup and Saucer lookout - Choose between the blue Trail (6.5 kilometres), the white Trail (5.5 kilometres), or the adventure Trail (0.5 kilometres). Depending on your choice, your hike time can be anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours.

🍂 Niagara's Glen - 4-kilometres of paths that take you through the pristine forest and view the Niagara River Whirlpool.

🍂 Elora Gorge - 7.2 Km loop mostly flat aside from mild slopes and hills takes you through the stunning Elora Gorge formed by glacial meltwater that is surrounded by limestone cliffs.

🍂 Dundas peak - 3.9 km trail featuring a stunning waterfall! PS: Due to its popularity, visiting on weekdays is recommended.

🍂 Cliff-Top Side Trail - Carriage Trail - 8 KM trail in Mono Cliffs provincial park.

🍂 Buffalo Crag Lookout - 3.2-km loop trail near Oakville, Ontario. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 44 min to complete.

🍂 Brickworks Trail - This is for my city folks! sometimes it's hard to plan a fall hike because of access to a car or begging a friend to take you. I gotcha! Discover this 2.4-km loop trail near without leaving the city. A great place to view the fall colours or go for a nice bike ride.

Drop below your favourite fall hike to this day!
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#ontariotravel #discoveron #loveontario #beautifulcanada #torontodateideas #ontariohikes #ontariohiking #ontariofall

🍂 THREE FALL HIKES for FALL colours anyone can

🍂 THREE FALL HIKES for FALL colours anyone can do (even with kids, YES!)

Honestly, the surrounding areas in the Niagara region don't get enough credit. I can't believe I've not explored what's past Niagara falls and the past few years that's what I've been doing.

If you want to go for a mini Fall adventure without driving far, I recommend three of these hikes anyone can do! It's best to combine 2 or 3 trails to spend a few hours here (That's what we did.)

📌 SAVE this and please share with others!

🌊 River Trail

Level: Easy
Distance: 1.6 Km
Time: Under 1 hour

The River Trail follows the edge of the Niagara River. The backdrop of trees with changing colours and the turquoise colour of the River makes this the most famous trail in the area.

⛰️ Niagara Glen Cliffside Trail

Level: Easy
Distance: 1 Km
Time: Under 1 hour

This trail is very short and you will be walking beside the rocky escarpment wall. Once you finish, you can do another hike intersecting with this one.

🪨 Terrace Trail

Level: Moderate
Distance: 1.2 Km
Time: 1 hour

This is the forested part of the park, you will come across caves and unique rock formations.

A few notes:
🔸 Please obey the signs and don't get too close to the water, these are rapids. If you fall... you BE GONE son.
🔸 Parking is paid - $1.25/hr unless you've the annual Niagara Glen annual pass
🔸 To access all these trails, you will have to climb up and down a 6-story staircase - there is a metal one and a wooden one.
🔸 Some areas, esp rocks can be slippery. Please wear boots or shoes with a good grip
🔸 Bring a bug spray during the warmer months
🔸 There are washrooms on the premises but it closes at dusk

Have you already done a Fall hike this year? 🍁
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#niagarafallscanada #niagarafallsontario #niagarafallscanada🇨🇦 #niagarafallstourism #niagaraonthelake #niagaraglen

Have you already done a Fall hike this season? 🍁

Follow coffeecupsandstamps for more travel content.

📍 Niagara Glen Nature Center
🇨🇦 Ontario, Canada

🌊 River Trail

Level: Easy
Distance: 1.6 Km
Time: Under 1 hour

The River Trail follows the edge of the Niagara River. The backdrop of trees with changing colours and the turquoise colour of the River makes this the most famous trail in the area.

Share with a friend you'd go here with 🍂
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#niagarafallscanada #niagarafallsontario #niagarafallscanada🇨🇦 #niagarafallstourism #niagaraonthelake #niagaraglen

I CAN’T BELIEVE I DID THAT! 🥹 Yeah sometimes

I CAN’T BELIEVE I DID THAT! 🥹

Yeah sometimes, I still can’t believe I did this. I left a stable job and I travelled solo for three months.

As a child of immigrants, my parents packed their lives in a suitcase for a better life for their kids. I grew up watching my father hustle so hard and spend his entire life in pursuit of his Canadian dream. He raised me to pursue the same dream and while I can understand and admire that he wanted me to be like him. I wasn’t born to follow in his footsteps.

For a couple of years, I did try to be that perfect corporate employee, I spent years studying and working to match those aspirations my father had for me. I felt numb by my structured life and this immense guilt for letting all my childhood dreams rot away slowly.

Till I decided that “one day” has to be now. This trip was painful and frightening in a lot of ways.

Somehow the frightening moment feels strangely pale in my memory and all the memories of feeling extremely content make me smile to this day.

I was so so GIGGITY even months after I came back and little did I know that shortly after, the whole world would shut down. I believe I was meant to be on this journey so I can survive the lockdowns.

I felt like I could take on the world, the way I did as a child; strong, fearless and independent.

Maybe I did take on the world. 💃

Tell me if you've ever travelled solo or aspire to do so in the comments below 👇
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#krabithailand #krabibeach #discoverthailand #visitthailand #thailandtravels #wheninthailand #vietnamtravels #vietnamlife #vietnamnow #vietnamwonders #sapavietnam #novascotiatourism #novascotiacanada #beautifulcanada #atlanticcanada

🤑 HOW TO SAVE MONEY FOR TRAVEL: 7 ways to fund

🤑 HOW TO SAVE MONEY FOR TRAVEL: 7 ways to fund your next adventure! 🤑

Money & time are the two biggest hurdles for those who want to travel more. I know travelling isn’t always cheap but there are some tips I always suggest if you want to get the biggest bang for your buck!

🔸Track your spending – EVERYTHING on a spreadsheet or an app (MINT, YNAB, Wallet etc) for 30 days and look for things you can cut back on. They're usually things such as clothing, eating out, pricey lattes, bar nights, and those darn TV subscriptions. Meet friends during coffee walks, at parks or hiking, etc more often.

🔸Sell stuff on the marketplace – Being forced to sit at home in 2020 made me realize how much clutter I owned. I made approx. $1000 from all the stuff I sold. That’s insane!

🔸Book a flight SIX weeks in advance – you can certainly find good last-min flight deals but when you leave booking hotels for the last min, IMO there is a high chance you will pay more. (it does depend where/when you travel)

🔸Try camping or hostels – I know it’s not for everyone but it brings the cost down substantially.

🔸Plan free activities when you travel/Cook your own food if you have an Airbnb.

🔸Have a “savings goal” – want that trip to Santorini next year which will cost you $5,000? Write it somewhere you will get to read it every day and put away a certain amount each month. Heck, open a separate savings account for it (that’s what I do).

🔸Travel shoulder season – MY FAVOURITE money-saving tip and a great way to avoid crowds. Sept/Oct or early spring is my favourite time to book an international trip.

But remember if you’re taking that dream trip, do splurge a little. The occasional splurge with boundaries, even if you’re tight on budget, is ok, it will make the trip more memorable! Drop your favourite money-saving tips below.
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#novascotiatourism #novascotiacanada #beautifulcanada #atlanticcanada
#discovernovascotia #explorenovascotia #peggyscove

15-DAY ATLANTIC CANADA ROAD TRIP COST 📌 SAVE t

15-DAY ATLANTIC CANADA ROAD TRIP COST

📌 SAVE this for future planning

💰 I spent around $150 bucks/ day per person.

The amount of stuff we can do on a trip where we spend around 5k is so much more in other countries. But it is what it is. Canada is not the cheapest to travel in but here are some things you can do to save a few bucks.

A few tips and things to note;

🔸BOOK hotels in advance - Airbnbs are rare and hotels are much cheaper.

🔸Buy grocery store sandwiches, you will thank me later. You won't find food after 7 pm in some places since most restaurants close early. There are no fast food places here either.

🔸Look for a good flight deal or book a car rental in advance. We wanted to DRIVE but you will save so much time by flying to Halifax/PEI. Another reason we drove from Toronto is that there were no car rentals available in PEI or Halifax during the peak months (July and August).

🔸OR travel during off season to save lotta 🤑🤑

Any other questions/comments, drop them below! Have you ever been to this part of Canada?
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#novascotiatourism #novascotiacanada #beautifulcanada #atlanticcanada
#discovernovascotia #explorenovascotia #cabottrail #capebretonhighlands #capebretonadventure

WE HIKED 5 HOURS TO GET TO THIS TEA HOUSE Having

WE HIKED 5 HOURS TO GET TO THIS TEA HOUSE

Having freshly brewed coffee and homemade chocolate cake with the view of the mountains after hours of hiking will make for a truly memorable experience.

📌 Add this to your bucket list and SAVE this post!

Important ⚠️
If you’re travelling during the peak season, keep in mind that parking lots fill up fast. We aimed to reach the parking lots by 6 am and were not able to find parking. We then had to park our car in a lot (they don’t allow cars parked on the shoulder of the highway) and we had to take a shuttle (paid) to reach the hike start point.

We combined these hikes and it ended up being 20 km in total, totally dead the next day.

🏞️ Lake Agnes Teahouse and Beehive Circuit

8 km; 3 hours (Lake Agnes Teahouse) / 14km; 5 – 6 hours (Beehive Circuit or Mount Piran)

Difficulty and elevation gain: moderate; 570 m /difficult if you’re completing the circuit; 1200 m

This trail also starts at the Lake Louise shore on the right side. Use the parking lot at the lake.

This hike gives you a bird’s eye view of Lake Louise. It is a moderate hike of 3.5 km switchbacks to Lake Agnes. You can hike 15 mins more to the Lake Agnes Tea house and turn back.

If you continue the hike towards the beehive circuit, you will lose all the crowd. It is steep uphill but it's WORTH it.

🏔️ Plain of Six Glaciers – MY FAVOURITE HIKE EVER

14 km; 5 – 7 hours
Difficulty and elevation gain: Moderate; 750 m

Drive to Lake Louise and park at the Lake Louise parking lot. The hike starts at the shore of the lake.

You can walk another 1.5 km from the teahouse to get a better view of the glaciers. Furthermore, you will also be able to see the Abbot pass for another 20 mins.

Both the tea houses are open daily during summer with light refreshments (cash only). They bring the supplies to the mountain with horses and sometimes a chopper. Crazy right? Have you ever been to a backcountry cafe?
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#banffalberta #canadianrockies🇨🇦 #beautifulcanada #lakelouisecanada #lakeagnes #lakeagnesteahouse #plainofsixglaciers #banffcanada

IS IT TOO LATE TO START OVER IN YOUR 30s? If some

IS IT TOO LATE TO START OVER IN YOUR 30s?

If someone had told the 20-year-old me that I would be unlearning everything I spent the last decade learning. I’d have not believed them. I’m a planner, I had my whole life plan. My dream of a fancy corporate career. A luxurious place in the city and 10 cats.

Life is funny sometimes – you get what you worked for so long and then you want none of that anymore (I will take the cats still lol). In my late-20s, I started to re-invent myself stripping almost everything I’ve learned in my past.

When I started University, I wanted my father’s approval so much that I studied something I hated so much. I played it safe with everything.

Meeting my husband and marrying him was the only highlight of my 20s, everything else was pretty blah. I became stagnant, lost all my confidence, worked jobs which made me unhappy and sought approval from people who would never give it to me.

Then the big THIRTY lingered over me – and I knew things had to change.

I made a list;
Take a solo trip.
Change what you daydream about.
Change your habits.
Change what you read.
Change your social circle.
Change how you talk to yourself and others.
Change your job.
Change your mindset.

Almost done with the list today but still working on making these changes; quit my secure job, travelled to my heart’s content, went back to school, trying to start a side hustle and it’s been FREAKIN scary, uncomfortable, exhausting but in a way FREAKIN awesome.

Most people my age are told to stop dreaming and settle down and if that makes you happy then good. But DON'T choose misery because it’s comfortable.

Don't think of it as STARTING over again – think of it as re-moulding yourself.
Pick the pieces you want to build up, and select the pieces you want to tone down. You will still be you but wiser.

If you had some sort of epiphany and you’re scared to reinvent yourself, let your misery fuel your thirst for change because you’re never too old to build a life which brings you joy. ✨
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#santoriniisland #santorinisunset #oiasantorini #santorini🇬🇷 #santoriniview

The BOAT HOUSE 🏠 📌 You'd wanna SAVE/SHARE t

The BOAT HOUSE 🏠

📌 You'd wanna SAVE/SHARE this & follow me for more travel content.

This has been one of my favourite Airbnbs to this day. This cottage is located in Golden Lake, Ontario. It is a short drive to Algonquin Provincial park, which BTW is a BUCKETLIST FALL road trip.

The cottage has cozy and retro vibes which I loved. Also, Cindy, the host is so lovely and accommodating.

How to spend 48 hours in Golden Lake, Ontario

🥾 Go for a fall hike, there are soooo many amazing hikes to choose from (PS: I've a post about my favourite hikes here).

🛶 Go canoeing, I love canoeing here. Also, the resort provides free canoes! You can also book canoe tours from an outfitter.

🚲 Biking

🚗 Go for a nice long drive

🐮 Book a Moose and beaver watching tour. There is so much wildlife in Algonquin.

🏎️ ATV adventure tour

There is an abundance of things to do here, Algonquin Park has something for everyone. Tag a friend you wanna go here with!
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#ontariotravel #discoveron #loveontario #beautifulcanada #torontodateideas #algonquin #algonquinpark #algonquinprovincialpark

32 this week ♥️ bringing you a complication o

32 this week ♥️

bringing you a complication of my best dance moves. LOL

I wanted to take a min to re-introduce myself here and thank you if you’ve been here for a while.

Hi I’m Zara.

Nothing makes me more excited than trying new things, I get super excited for warm weather and good food.

I preach travel. Because I’ve cured a broken heart with travel. lonely? Travel. Lost? Travel. Depressed? Travel. It's the cure for everything. Travelling isn't really encouraged in South-Asian culture, I WANT TO CHANGE THAT. I want to see more of my kind in the travelling industry.

I’ve been learning the difference between ambivert vs omnivert but I’m pretty sure, I’m an omnivert. I love being alone but I also love being surrounded by people with good energy.

I admire honesty, hate small talk. Cut the bull shit and open up to me. Tell me about your dreams, your fears, what keeps you up at night, moments which changed something inside you.

I don’t have a middle name and don’t usually do well in situations requiring me to stay in the middle. I’m all in or all out kinda girl. In some ways I’m a Phoebe, spontaneous plans, carefree, let’s go crazy. In other things in life, I’m such a Monica. My house chore lists are so organized, I think I’m a psychopath.

And oh yeah I randomly start dancing sometimes.

My two biggest motivations for starting this page was to share my travels and create a community. I’m here to inspire because not too long ago – I was inspired here. Think of this as me paying it forward.

I can't tell you what a humbling experience it is when you put your thoughts in public and you find people who can resonate with you. People who message me saying something I said, helped them get through a tough time. Something I said, made them book that flight. Quit that job. Take a leap of faith.

The times when this app feels so frustrating, messages like those keep me going so thank you for the support, the check-ins and all the in-between.

So much love,
Zara

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