Category: Travel

Today is moving day…… again

As I have hinted in a few of my previous posts, I am moving to another city.

I’m sorry that I haven’t been very active on WP for past one week or so. Going back and forth to get a house leased in another city and doing the legal work has kept me busy.

I will try to be here as much as I can but you all know that it is a big undertaking. Luckily we aren’t moving far, just a few hours north. But packing up our stuff and relocating would take up a lot of my time.

Hope to see you all on the other side!

#Keepitalive

#MovingDay

WQWWC # 30: Vacation

Marsha is the host of WQWWC

#WQWWC Logo
Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays Writing Challenge Logo

This week we are going to explore your favorite vacations, whether they are just in the planning or happened years ago.

“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us”

Maya Angelou

As kids, we would go to our grandparent’s home during summer break. My father was very attached to his parents and would take every opportunity to visit them. There would be at least one of his other siblings with their kids and we would enjoy the company of our cousins. There was very little to do but play outside, climb trees and steal the juicy mangoes from them. Those were fun days and simple pleasures.

After I got married, my husband would take a few days off from work and we would drive to the northern mountainous resort of Murree. It used to be a fun place to visit. The weather was cool and we would explore the mountains. The place catered to tourist from all over the country and we could buy lovely handmade local stuff. It was our routine for many years till my kids grew up.

The world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page.”–

Augustine of Hippo

When my daughter shifted to the USA for her studies, I got to see quite a bit of America whenever I visited her. She learned to drive and bought a car. Whenever I visited her, she would plan a trip someplace near and took me driving. She is truly fond of traveling and would always be planning her next vacation. One year, we flew to east coast, to Washington DC, New York and Pennsylvania and stayed there for a few days.

In summer 2019, my daughter took me to various places in Washington state for short vaccination trips. I wrote about my whale watching trip here!

In 2020 we were planning another trip, this time to Disney land in California. But as you all know, all travel plans were abandoned in 2020.

Though I wasn’t very fond of traveling, I have benefited such a lot from seeing the world. My knowledge and mind have broadened. I have met so many people from different cultures and countries and learned a lot from them. I am thankful for all the opportunities that I got to see this world and to meet so many wonderful people.

Let’s hope that travel restrictions ease up soon and we all are able to vacation safely again.

#Keepitalive

#WQWWC

WritePhoto # My first day at the Beach

KL Caley is the host of WritePhoto

At the Beach – Image by KL Caley

For visually challenged writers, the image shows 2 large pairs of wellies and a child pair of wellies on a sandy beach.

♾♾♾♾

The first time I visited the beach, I was 8-9 years old. Going to the beach meant traveling to Karachi, our biggest port city. The journey was so much fun because we traveled by train for around 36 hours. I have shared that story in a previous post.

We stayed with my father’s sister’s family. They had lived in Karachi for a long time and were the perfect hosts.

The day we visited the beach, was a Sunday. There were lots of families there to enjoy the bright sunny day. I approached the water tentatively as it looked so vast and intimidating for me. But when I got my first wetting, I became bolder and ventured further into the coming and receding waves. It was a fantastic new sensation that I experienced that day.

An unforgettable day, etched in my memory, more so because going to the beach has been a rare experience for me as I’ve always lived far away from the ocean.

Thanks KL for giving me this prompt to relive my childhood memories.

#Keepitalive

#WritePhoto

A to Z Challenge- People, Qualities or Things that inspired me – Y

For Letter Y, my choice is Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park

It’s considered to be the first national park in the world, located in the US states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

The park is known for its many geothermal features, especially the Old Faithful geyser, one of its most popular attractions.

The first time I visited the USA, I stayed with my younger brother and his family in Idaho.

As a treat for me, they planned a three-day trip to Yellowstone Park. It was a wonderful experience. I took lots of pictures, trekked the trails, and enjoyed the sights. We stayed two nights in the motels which dot the different locations in the park. I still have my stuffed Bison and black bear which I bought from the souvenir shop.

These images are from Wikipedia as all my photos are in old fashioned paper form.

It was a marvelous trip. Highly recommend visiting there if you’re nearby.

♾♾♾

#Keepitalive

#AtoZChallenge

Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays Writing Challenge

Marsha is the host of WQWWC

Where to find quotes

Quotes are great fun. You can see how I quadruple-dipped here with one post. Make your post count for the most visibility and have fun with it. 

If you respond to this #WQWWC prompt – Travel, leave me a link in the comment section. I don’t always get pingbacks. I love it when you do that, too, but I have missed people and I hate to do that.

WQWWC Instructions
9 Ways to Respond to a Quote for Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays Writing Challenge

You can copy, paste and edit this little logo in your own post and add my link each week to the url and have an automatic pingback. Or just add it if you think its a good logo. Canva is my graphic artistic consultant.

#WQWWC Logo
Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays Writing Challenge Logo

 “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet”

– Rachel Wolchin

First of all let me admit, I don’t think I’m very adventurous. I like my comfortable routine and physical endeavor makes me all stressed out and tired.

But luckily I have had lots of opportunities to travel and see some parts of this wonderful world.

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” 

– Aldous Huxley

Back in 2015, my daughter moved to Seattle from Pakistan to study for her Doctorate. I moved with her to help her settle in. This was the beginning of my adventure. I learned a lot about this country and her people. And I traveled a lot because my daughter loves to travel and explore new places.

We visited east coast and drove around many states. We also visited New York a couple of times and really enjoyed these visits.

In 2019 we explored Washington state and had a lovely time.

#Keepitalive

#WQWWC

JusJoJan January 19 2021 – City

Linda is the host of JusJoJan

My hometown, Lahore

A city of gardens and old grand buildings

Dripping with history going back centuries

A place where people love to eat and live to eat

Warm and generous hosts who would invite you

To share their table, stay in their home, or even

Be a part of their festive life for more time

A cradle of culture and literature, the birthplace of famous poets

It has a heritage of Punjab and it’s very diverse language

Come and visit my hometown and be amazed

A view of the famous “Badshahi mosque” ( Mosque of kings) built in 1672.

Image credit; Mine

#Keepitalive

#JusJoJan

Today is the day I leave

I am pre-scheduling this post. I will be traveling to my home country, Pakistan today. It’s a long journey, will take me almost two days, home to home. Three flights and around 7000 miles, I will be going to the other side of the world, exactly. It’s a difference of 12 hours from here.

I hope to be online sometime on Saturday. But may try to catch up if I find an internet connection on any of the airports. But I will miss most of your posts and prompts in these two days. Some comments could go unanswered too. So please do understand.

I will be reposting a couple of posts for the coming days so that you don’t miss me, 😛!

Hope to see you all on the other side. Take care and stay safe.

#Keepitalive

Question Fun- Staycation, Vacation or Excavation?

Question Fun Emoji

Question Fun

Season 3 – Game 16

Question Fun Directory

Welcome to Question Fun!

An easy game, and more so if you love questions! 

If you wish to award a ping back in your response, then link to …

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HERE

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The Topic Today Is – Staycation, Vacation or Excavation?

What was the last holiday you took away from where you live?
The one I am currently enjoying here in Seattle.

Where did you go?

Seattle, Washington.

For you when is the best time to take a vacation [Holiday] as in which season, and why?
Any time is good when you have time.

Provide five links or titles [your choice] of the best comedy holiday films you have seen to date?
Don’t remember a single one. I am not good at remembering movies or songs or names!

Will post if I remember any.

Did you overspend or underspend to your allocated budget for the vacation that you took?
Typically overspend. This time I have tried to be sensible and did less ” overspending “

Have you ever fallen unwell, experience jelly belly or worse on a holiday and what happened?
I think that I do usually have at least one episode of falling under the weather on my holiday trip.

Are you a mankini/bikini/teenykini or nokini holidayer/vacationer?
Neither

Last time you went potholing/skydiving/parachuting/dolphin or shark swimming and if none of those, when was the last time you swam in the deep blue?
How about…….. Never ever.

How long do you normally vacation away?
Depends upon the free time I have. This time around it’s more than three months. Free spirits, you know!

Please provide three musical tracks/song titles that make you feel in the vacation spirit?
Hurray hurray it’s a holi holi day. I just remember this from my school days. Baaaaaad memory!

Please display five images of the top archaelogical ruins Landmarks you would love to visit or have visited and please define which they are [as in visited/love to visit].

Dolmabahće palace, Istanbul, Turkey

(Been there)

Eiffel Tower Paris

( Wanna visit)

Statue of Liberty,New York

( been there)

Some place in Switzerland

( Wanna visit)

Alnwick Castle, England ( Hogwarts Castle In Harry Potter movie)

( Wanna visit)

They are not ruins, but archeological landmarks.

If you are a staycationer, what do you tend to do when at home on your holiday/vacation break that is different to the normal routine?
If I am happy, I will be happily staying at home relaxing. I am adaptable, you see. The holiday spirit is evident with sleeping in late, eating too much and visiting friends.

Last time you were seriousy sunburnt was?
Never. I avoid the sun.

Do you speak any languages if so which and how fluent are you?I try to learn a few words of the language of the country I am visiting. But not a multilingual person.

When on holiday or vacation are you the same as when at home behaviour wise or are you a complete party animal?
EXACTLY the same! I swear.

Have you when away ever upset the locals to the point that the law had to be brought in?
As it is a very leading question, I am sure that you have. But the innocent me….. Never.

Provide three images to the worst souvineers you have ever purchased thinking they were fanbloodytastic when you bought them?
Don’t have any images. But I do buy souvenirs every time I go to a different place. Fridge magnets. But they all are back home and I am on vacation 🎼🎶🎵

What is your preference, solo/group/duo or family holiday/vacation time away?
I prefer to go with family or friends. Much more fun that way.

Please name five places you have never seen that you would love to visit?

Switzerland, England, Scotland, Paris and Mount Everest.

Why do you want to go there?
Just enjoy the place. I don’t have to DO anything.

Come on fess up, l’ll not tell a soul, but have you ever seriously embarassed yourself or been embarassed by another when on holiday/vacation so badly that you wanted to excavate yourself right there and then? 

You know I am not that kinda person. Though there was this instance when a friend of mine….

Please explain …. in full detail …. if images ha ha help then go right ahead!

Well it’s better to keep mum!

Question Fun Emoji

Answer provided on a postcard will always be welcomed with cheer!!!

Left all my postcards at home.

Please take note and do remember THIS post will be reblogged twice daily till the new game so if you respond, either provide a ping back direct to my blog or to the link provided above. Otherwise you’ll probably get a “Oops page can’t be found” message.

Many thanks to Rory for these fun questions.

#keepitalive

#questionfun