Things in the Scandinavian Air: A Mini-Photo Journey

A little over a week ago, I got back from a two-week trip to the Scandinavian countries — Norway, Sweden, and Denmark — with quick pit stops in London and Amsterdam.

It’s been a bit crazy town since touching back down on the 18th. Between work, social obligations and getting back into a healthy routine, I haven’t had much time to write about my trip and integrate the experience into a really meaningful narrative. I’d like to do this eventually and produce more in-depth posts on the three new cities I visited.

Until then, I wanted to share some highlights that hopefully appease the handful of my readers who have been asking for photos and stories. For some reason, my travel MO this time around was taking pictures of things I was eating or drinking while holding them up against whatever awesome backdrop I was in. I hope you enjoy seeing things in the Scandinavian air :)

London

Toasting to a sunny day in London! Taken in Hyde Park on our way to the Kensington Palace.

Bergen

Attending the local Pride Park festival in Bergen for their Pride celebration! They had these cute succulents on the tables.

Drinking fresh fjord water from a waterfall in Mo, a tiny village up the fjord from Bergen.

Chili garlic street dog from a famous cart in Bergen - Trekroneren. So good, so cheap (and cheap is a Norwegian rarity).

Stockholm

A free cup of coffee from the cutest cafe in Stockholm! The first cup of the day is always on the house.

Cheers to another sunny day in Stockholm. We spent the afternoon exploring the Djurgarden near most of the city’s museums.

Grabbing a spot of fika (Swedish culturally-enshrined coffee/pastry time) in the Pop Hotel of the ABBA Museum. Swedish pastries are only ok.

Another fika at Albert & Jacks, the local Starbucks equivalent. When in Sweden!

Copenhagen

In Copenhagen, there are no open container laws! You can stop at a 7-11 for a beer anytime. Which is what we did. Frequently.

Enjoying a well-recommended Danish pilsner at Sticks N Sushi, an upscale sushi chain in Copenhagen.

Aperol spritz is obviously a must in Europe, so we enjoyed many. This one at Mother’s in Copenhagen, a trendy pizza place in the Meatpacking.

Amsterdam

Back in Amsterdam at one of my favorite outdoor bars, Hannekes Boom! Drinking a delicious Belgian La Chouffe.

If you’re interested in my recommendations when traveling to London or Amsterdam, check out the following posts:

• Summer In London Is Magic. Here's Where To Eat, Drink & Be Merry

• What To Do In Amsterdam: 3 Day Itinerary

• Amsterdam: City Guide

To ensure that you receive my full travel rundown on Bergen, Stockholm and Copenhagen, make sure to subscribe to Blue Sky Mind.

How to Travel the World at Zero Incremental Cost to Your Normal Budget

Travel is expensive, and I’m often asked how I can afford to travel as often as I do. One of my favorite strategies since graduating college (because my parents will be quick to point out that I financed essentially 0% of my travel back in my collegiate days) has been designating my yearly tax refund or company bonus specifically for travel.

This year, I got a couple thousand back. I know — lucky me. Recognizing this isn’t the case for everyone, in years where I’ve received much less in a refund, I’ve opted to designate my annual bonus specifically for travel.

My first year out of college, I went to Colombia for two weeks with my mom. That was pretty special and adventurous.

Being able to use your refund or bonus for travel might seem like a no-brainer. Like, duh, I can definitely choose to spend that money however I want. But I would argue that this travel financing strategy does require some planning. In fact, data from the National Retail Foundation found that only 12% of Americans spend their tax refund on travel!

Many people rely on their annual income infusion to help pay off long-standing debt or count it as their yearly contribution to their savings account. To make sure that my tax refund or company bonus are eligible for me to use for travel, I make budgeting and saving part of my monthly, ongoing routine.

I spend about an hour every week using Mint.com to make sure that I’m staying on top of my budget and paying down my debts (credit card & student loans) regularly. I evaluate my savings strategy every time my financial situation changes, whether in accepting a new job or in getting a raise. I make sure that I’m saving roughly 20% of my income in mix of accounts, namely a 401K, discounted company stock, personal investment account, and personal savings account.

My second year, I spontaneously went to Bali with my (at the time) brand new boyfriend.

This habit frees me up both mentally and financially to use my annual influx of cash as I see fit, rather than having to use it as a Band-Aid to poor financial planning.

Here’s how I used my refund this year:

• 4-day girls trip to Sayulita, Mexico

  1. Flights: Combo of airline credits & tax refund

  2. Airbnb: Tax refund

  3. Food/entertainment: Mix of personal monthly budget & tax refund

• 2-day getaway to Paso Robles, California

  1. Gas: Personal monthly budget

  2. Hotel: Combo of hotel credits & tax refund

  3. Food/wine: Personal monthly budget

• 4-day bachelorette party in Charleston, South Carolina

  1. Flights: Credit card points (I have Chase Sapphire Preferred, which I love)

  2. Airbnb: Tax refund

  3. Food/drinks: Personal monthly budget

• 2-week trip to Scandinavia

  1. Flights: Tax refund

  2. Airbnbs: Tax refund

  3. Food/entertainment: Mix of tax refund and personal monthly budget  

Walking through the gates of the little oasis compound I stayed at in Uluwatu, Bali.

I’m already three fourths of the way through these experiences, and I only got the refund about 3 months ago. So I’m not doing a great job at spreading out the travel love. But that’s not what matters at all.

I could have bought new clothes or home furnishings, two material goods that I’m a current sucker for, but the positive psychology offered by material gains are minuscule compared to the richness and joy that experiences and strengthened relationships brings us. Note to self: memories > clothes.

If you can, I would recommend using your refund or bonus to spread your travel throughout the year. If I hadn’t been beholden to the timing of others on these trips, I would have planned something for each quarter of the calendar year, so that I’d always have a little recharge from work (and wouldn’t be taking too much time off in a given stretch, which is sometimes more stress than joy).

My third year of tapping into the tax refund sent me to Cambodia, where my most magical moments were spent on the island of Koh Rong.

Here’s your blueprint for putting this strategy into practice:

1. Make a commitment to yourself that you will use your tax refund or company bonus exclusively for travel next year.

2. Share this promise with your favorite travel buddy to add accountability and potentially convince them to do the same (#MoMoney).

3. Recalibrate your savings strategy to make sure you’re saving about 20% of your income on a monthly basis.

4. Find a budgeting tool or process that allows you to stay on top of your monthly cash inflow and outflow, thereby ensuring that you can comfortably pay off what you spend each month.

5. Collect your tax refund or bonus, usually in the February time-frame.

6. Keep track of how much you’ve used of your new travel budget, whether that’s through your new budgeting tool/process or on a pad of notepaper.

7. Travel stress-free, knowing you’re making zero sacrifices to your monthly spending habits, while still getting to enjoy the happiness boosts that travel brings!

Now go forth and practice financial responsibility so that you can travel a bunch of places for basically no money next year. Keep in mind: there’s power in mindfully asserting to yourself that your annual refund or bonus is used for travel, non-negotiable. This will reorient the way that you think about your finances all year round. Good luck, and let me know if you have other travel budgeting tips in the comments!

Summer In London Is Magic. Here's Where To Eat, Drink & Be Merry

I opened my last blog post about London by saying I’m in love, and I’ll do it again. I’m in love with this city! What is it about London that is so incredibly compelling to me? Is it the familiar Western Culture mixed with alluring European distinction that combines to make me feel like this could be my home, yet an endless source of adventure & joy? Is it that both times I’ve been, I’ve encountered not one drop of rain? It’s hard to say.

All I know is I love the grand history mingled with the modern and varietized. I love the energy of walking home at midnight on a Wednesday, the streets still filled with young people talking and laughing and drinking beers outside of the pubs. I love the fashion, all pretty ruffled dresses and white tennis shoes right now.

How fortunate for me that I got to visit this place for four whole days (compared to my last trip was a whole 48 hours) with some awesome people that I happen to work with. 

Although it was a short trip, there were still many memories made & recommendations to be given. My trip in a bottle below:

London Drinks Situation

This was a focal point of the trip, as are most socially-oriented gatherings in my life. I’m actually really trying to cut back in terms of the amount that I drink (and kind of failing miserably). There’s just so many outings that revolve around it. If anyone has advice as to how to create a social life that is less dependent on alcohol for fun, I’m all ears. In the meantime, here’s some of the pretty awesome places that we enjoyed a beverage or four:

• The Coral Room: Located within the Bloomsbury Hotel, this has to be one of the most beautiful interiors in London. True to it’s name, the walls and furniture are all coral or salmon pink, accented with antique details and gold. Drinks are not cheap but nothing really is in London. Probably why this San Francisco girl feels right at home!

The beautiful Coral Room interior.

• Aqua Kyoto: Cute rooftop situation near Oxford Street. It’s also pretty massive in terms of bar space, so big groups work well here. I ordered Paloma after Paloma, as tequila is my new spirit drink (& helps immensely with the jet lag!).

A perfect Paloma at Aqua Kyoto's rooftop bar. Pardon the grown out nails, which are colored in my new favorite: OPI Cajun Shrimp. 

• Archer Street: We were in this bar for a total of 5 minutes, but I’m positive that if I lived here, I would be a regular. It was full of good-looking young people, jam packed at 11pm on a Wednesday, famous for its Broadway-theater actors who bartend on the side and take turns standing on the tables & belting out crowd-pleasers like Journey.
• Lamb & Flag: This is the spot if you’re looking for a traditional British pub that still has a ton of life. It’s picturesque in it’s quaintness, but still has a hoard of people drinking beers and smoking cigarettes on its doorstep. Aka fun. 
• The Shard: The Shard is the tallest building in all of London, and anyone can go to the top for the views if you’re willing to order an(other) expensive drink. We went to Hutong’s on the 32nd floor, which isn’t the highest (52nd is as tall as it gets), but we still felt pretty pleased with the view.

Sunset view from the 32nd floor of The Shard. Drinks ain't cheap, but the view is -- priceless. 

• London Eye Champaign Experience: If you’re going to spend a low key crazy amount to ride the London Eye for 20 minutes, you may as well get the Champagne Experience. You don’t have to wait in line (which can end up taking much longer than the ride itself) and you get a glass of champagne to enjoy as you look down upon the peasants. Roughly $50 per person.

Looking down from the top of the London Eye (champs in hand, bc life is worth celebrating).

• Brewdog: This was a cool, funky little spot in Covent Garden where we stopped to get beers. On a nice day, their upstairs is full of sunlight and the guy who started the place actually started and sold his microbrewery for the largest sum in microbrewery history. Then he started Brewdog. So the beers are pretty good! They also sell hot dogs.

A quick visual recap of where to get your good times on.

London Hotel Situation

• St. Martin’s Lane: I stayed here and was very pleased with the experience. Very modern hotel, much like The Standard or a Virgin Hotel with its funky oversize furniture pieces and retro décor. The rooms are beautifully white & modern, though a bit teensy. Nice & quiet at night and in the cutest area.

My bright, minimal room at St. Martin's Lane Hotel in London.

• The Bloomsbury: Most of my coworkers stayed here, so I became very familiar with it. Home to the gorgeous Coral Room and other beautiful spaces, it’s classic charm is pretty sumptuous & irresistible. I may try to stay here next time.

London Shopping Situation

• Covent Garden: Candles, tea, restaurants, other quirky shops. Very lovely setting, fun to wander.
• Seven Dials: Upscale boutiques, some big brand names (Vans, Urban, etc.), buncha shoes, fairly spendy. I loved this one little novelty shop called Magma. They had a bunch of stuff from this company called The School of Life that seeks to develop emotional intelligence with their products. An obvious fit for BSM.

Seven Dials inner courtyard. Saw some definite IG models doing their photo thing here.

• Oxford & Regent Street: All of the big brand names. Crowded and chaotic streets in the summertime. Didn’t spend much time here but would if I needed to do a legit shopping expedition.

London Food Situation

This was more of a social/professional trip than a cultural/foodie trip, so there weren’t many super notable culinary experiences. I don’t actually love traditional British food anyway, so it didn’t feel like too big of a miss. A few stick out though:

Classic English food just doesn't rev my engine. That's fried cheese on the plate & this is a healthy item!

• Bombay Bustle: Incredible Indian food & “Derailed” tequila-based drink. I went with a group of 13 and has 6 delicious courses. London is famous for their Indian food.
• Shake Shack: I know this isn’t even local to Europe, but as someone from San Francisco where we don’t yet have our own, it felt right to get this for lunch two days in a row.
• J. Sheeky: I wont say I had the best meal in the world here, but it is something of a London classic and clearly so, because we saw both Stella McCartney & that actress from Three Billboards finish their meals while we were eating. It’s on the spendier side.

J Sheeky, the apparently esteemed London eatery (movie stars eat here).

Mindful Travel Situation

Traveling for work is both an enormous blessing (one that I’ve wanted my entire life) and an exhausting lifestyle. In order to accept the yin with the yang, I try hard to maintain some sort of mindfulness practice while I’m traveling for work. That means finding time for my brain and body.

• Innerspace Meditation Shop & Space: I stumbled on this little gem while exploring the Seven Dials shopping area near my hotel. The first floor is a bookstore on all things mindfulness and meditation. The basement has a free, public meditation space, as well as a classroom where they run workshops. I took some time to leaf through a few books and felt inspired by the positive energy in the words.
• Insight Timer meditation: With all of the drinks and socializing that come with team offsites, it’s extremely important for me to get away, get some alone time to clear my head and find myself again. I found on this trip that meditating helped me feel more alert when I was crazy jet-lagged and also helped me pull back on the drinking once I’d realized it was just making me feel worse, not more fun.

It's not about what you're doing, it's about who you're with. But doing cool things helps!

• Gratitude journal: Just a few words at the end of the night about all there is to be grateful for really enhances my experience of life, no matter where I am. I have a naturally down disposition, so practicing gratitude helps get me up and stay up.
• Morning run: Part fitness, part plan to beat jetlag. I woke at 5:30 am on Tuesday morning, so decided to go on a run to explore the city and do something good for my body after the 10 hour plane ride. It felt really good to sweat, and it was such a fun way to explore the city.

Casual architectural sighting on my morning jog around London.

• 10K steps or bust: When in a new city, there is no excuse not to get at least 10K steps every day, because you should be exploring! If you’re fortunate enough to find yourself on vacation in a city that is not your own, you owe it to yourself and the place you’re visiting to give 10,000 steps to these new streets. Fill your eyes and your heart and your mind with the new experience. Absorb it through your feet as you walk. I know this sounds corny, but I believe this wholeheartedly. Try taking everything in with your whole being, rather than just your eyes and your mind. Feel the experience physically, viscerally. Walking helps me do this.
• Only indulge in what’s worth it: For me, that was Shake Shack. It used to be that when I would go on vacation, I would stuff my face at any and all occasions because I was on vacation, okay? It would leave me feeling overly full & lethargic, to the point where I was no longer enjoying the new experiences and just feeling guilty about pigging out. Now, I try to prioritize fruits, veggies, & protein while traveling, until the fancy dinner or delicious dessert opportunity. Even then, I try to eat mindfully and only indulge until I start getting full. Try being the operative word here, but that’s all being mindful asks.

After my second successful trip to London, I think that if I were to pick up and move anywhere tomorrow, it would be here. Where would you go if you had to do the same? What city in this big ol world calls to you? Let me know in the comments.

Up Next: Read Dealing With Travel Setbacks