Guides to Wander

01/05/2022

Where the heck have we been?? 🌊

Hi, how are you? Maybe you remember us… we’re Devon and Thea, and we LOVE to travel.

We started our travel blog just before the pandemic and as soon as that started, we were going through so many different emotions and didn’t feel like posting on here anymore. It didn’t feel right.

Now, almost two years later, I (Thea) feel like posting again! Devon doesn’t even know about this yet lol (sorry babe 😘).

So anyways, a lot has happened and changed over the past couple of years. To catch you up real quick…

📍Devon is still living in the UK, Thea just moved to the UK from Switzerland last September.

🏡Devon bought a house that we’ve been renovating for the past year.

📸 Thea started a photography business for entrepreneurs and is LOVING it! (If you ever need photos, let me know 🔥)

🇨🇦In the meantime, we’ve been preparing to leave the UK for the past six months. We’re moving (back) to Canada!! We applied for Thea’s visa and received it woohoo!!

📚 We’ve both been studying our bottoms off. We’ve learned so many things from business, to real estate, and so many other things. In other words, we found something productive to occupy ourselves.

👩🏼‍🎓 Thea (FINALLY) got her Bachelors in Psychology and Sport Sciences last fall!

✈️ We’ve continued to travel throughout the craziness of the past couple of years. It has kept us sane in many ways lol.

That pretty much sums it up. 🍾

So anyways. I don’t know where this journey (aka life) will take us… But it felt like a good time to start documenting it again, just for sh*ts and giggles.

We’re so grateful for each of you, and if you’ve read the caption this far, props to you!! 💛

What have you been up to the last couple years? We’re excited to connect with all of you again and just see where this goes 🌊

14/07/2020

What's the highest mountain you've been on?⁣
⁣
Devon went to the Kilimanjaro with his dad a few years ago. They climbed to the top within a week, tackling over 5000 meters of elevation.⁣
⁣
And Devon and I (Thea) went up to Aiguille du Midi (3800 meters) by cable car on our recent trip to Chamonix, which was the highest I've ever been.⁣
⁣
Quick facts about this location:⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Eiger is almost 4000m high and rises above the valleys of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.⁣
⁣
2️⃣ The top of the mountain can only be reached by experienced climbers, but you can take a train through the mountain. There are two stops on the line where you can look outside through little windows carved in the rock.⁣
⁣
3️⃣ The train that goes through Eiger Mountain is part of the line that goes up to the Jungfraujoch which houses the highest train station in Europe.⁣
⁣
If you want to learn more about this location and the hike Thea did there, go back to our post from June 23rd where we talk about it more in depth.

10/07/2020

What is your favorite tradition that you picked up or learned about while traveling?⁣
⁣
Quick facts about this location:⁣
⁣
1️⃣ What we now call "Old Town" in Geneva used to be a fortified medieval town. Built on a hill, it offered the advantage of seeing the enemy from a distance.⁣
⁣
2️⃣ Every year, Geneva celebrates "L'Escalade" which stems from a battle won in the 1600s. "L'Escalade" translates to "Climbing" and gets its name because the enemies tried to climb the walls around Geneva at the time. The legend says that Lady Royaume was simmering a vegetable soup that night, which she spilled over one of the enemies. Today, people in Geneva celebrate "L'Escalade" by breaking and eating chocolate soup bowls.⁣
⁣
3️⃣ If you feel like taking a break from exploring the old town of Geneva, Café Papon offers great food and drinks with a view over the Old Town. It is located only a couple minutes from St-Pierre Cathedral.⁣
If you like learning about history, check out our post from a week ago (the one with the girl and the flags) to learn more about Geneva's background. We'll see you there!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣

08/07/2020

Are you a backpacker or more of a luxury-travel kinda person?⁣
⁣
Quick facts about this location:⁣
⁣
1️⃣Lauterbrunnen is a great place for backpackers. Europe in general has a great network of public transit. But Lauterbrunnen is one of those places where a car is essentially useless. The town itself is quite small and it has a train station and gondolas that take you to all the main attractions.⁣
⁣
2️⃣Lauterbrunnen is known for its many waterfalls. But if you feel like seeing a unique waterfall in Europe, you need to go to Trümmelbach Falls. There are ten waterfalls inside the mountain, made accessible by tunnel-lift.⁣
⁣
3️⃣There are a few great restaurants in Lauterbrunnen where you can order traditional swiss food. If you feel like sitting outside, you truly will have dinner with a view!⁣
⁣
To learn more about Lauterbrunnen and the area around it, go back to our post from June 30th where we give more information on the town itself.

07/07/2020

What was your most challenging hike so far?⁣
⁣
Devon went up the Kilimanjaro with his Dad a few years ago, which was a once in a lifetime experience but also very challenging. I (Thea) hiked The Old Man of Coniston (UK) with Devon last year and that was pretty challenging for me, not being an avid hiker.⁣
⁣
Quick facts about this location:⁣
⁣
1️⃣ The small town of Iseltwald is the only one on the south side of Lake Brienz. It has around a population of around 400.⁣
⁣
2️⃣ There is a beautiful path from Iseltwald that takes you to the Giessbach waterfalls. It's an easy 1.5-hour hike one way with a gorgeous view of the lake and the mountains around you.⁣
⁣
3️⃣ The mountain hugging the north side of the lake, which you can see in this photo, is called Augstmatthorn. The highest peak is 2137 meters high. There's a mountain ridge trail that we can't wait to hike; or at least part of it. If you want to hike from one end of the mountain to the other, you would hike 24 kilometers, with over 2000 meters elevation gain, and with drops on either side of you that can reach up to 1500 meters. This hike is called Hardergrat.⁣
⁣
To learn more about an awesome hike in the Interlaken-area, go back to our post from June 23rd (the one with the girl and the mountain). We tell you a bit about the hike and how to get there.

03/07/2020

What is your absolute favorite backpack for travel? 🤔⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Mine has got to be my trusted backpack. This post isn't sponsored by them... Yet 😜 . I've had this backpack for the last five years, and it's been with me on every single trip and every day to university.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Quick facts about this backpack:⁣⁣
⁣⁣
1️⃣ I love this backpack because it has lots of different compartments which help me keep my things organized. I'm a little OCD when it comes to that so this is perfect for me. 😆⁣⁣
⁣
2️⃣ These backpacks are made 100% of recycled PET bottles. The model I'm wearing was made with approximately 29 plastic bottles. Pinqponq is also vegan and PETA approved.⁣⁣
⁣
3️⃣ Pinqponq is an official member of the Fair Wear Foundation, who help them check and improve their work conditions. Pinqponq is also associated with bluesign, which means the items they sell aren't made with any nasty chemicals.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
4️⃣ The model I'm wearing is the Cubik Medium by .⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Make sure to share this post and tag and so that we can see it! @ Bachalpsee

01/07/2020

What colors does the flag of your home country have?⁣
⁣
Thea's home country is Switzerland and the flag has a white cross on a red background 🇨🇭 (like the ones in the photo). Devon's home country is Canada, which also has white and red, except, it's a red maple leaf on a white background, with red stripes at either end. 🇨🇦⁣
⁣
Quick facts about this location:⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Switzerland is divided into 26 Cantons, which compare to states or provinces. Each Canton makes up a lot of its own rules and guidelines, which need to be in line with the core values of the Swiss Constitution. But overall, each Canton is pretty independent.⁣
⁣
2️⃣ Each Canton has a different flag and different colors on the flag. In Geneva, the flag has a crowned eagled on a yellow background and a golden key on a red background. The eagle symbolizes the power of the Bishop of Geneva and the key is a property of the San Peter apostle, who is the patron saint for Geneva's cathedral.⁣
⁣
3️⃣ Exploring the Old Town of Geneva is one of our favorite activities in the city. There are so many beautiful, narrow streets, cafés and restaurants and hidden pieces of the city's history.⁣
⁣
If you like this photo and the information in the caption, feel free to check out the photo we posted two posts ago. There, you can see what the front of the cathedral looks like and learn more about the building itself.

30/06/2020

Are you a mountain (🏔) or a beach (🏖) person?⁣
⁣
This is a hard one for us! We love hiking and spending time in nature to recharge ourselves and get new ideas. But we also love sitting at the beach with a good book and a cocktail.⁣
⁣
Quick facts about this location:⁣
⁣
1️⃣ The small town of Lauterbrunnen is situated in one of the valleys that stretch south of Interlaken. It is well known for its beautiful views and its many waterfalls.⁣
⁣
2️⃣ There are 72 waterfalls to be exact, the most famous one being Staubbach Falls that you can see on this picture. Staubbach Falls drops almost 300 meters from a cliff and is one of the highest free-falling waterfalls in Europe.⁣
⁣
3️⃣ The Lauterbrunnen area is a perfect area for all nature and hiking lovers. You can take various cable cars and trains from Lauterbrunnen to different mountaintops and hike down, or if you're up for a challenge, hike all the way. This last option would require either a guide or a solid backpacking background as the mountains can be unpredictable.⁣
⁣
If you like this photo and love seeing mountains feel free to check out our "Chamonix" Story Highlight. We went to the French Alps last winter and shared a few of our favorite moments there.

26/06/2020

What is some of the best travel advice you have ever received? ⁣
⁣
We can't remember any specifics, but something we try to live by is this: as much as we love planning for a trip, once we're day we try to take every day as it comes and let the flow of the place we're in guide us (as opposed to just ticking things off our to-do list). ⁣
⁣
Do you have a principle or piece of advice like this? ⁣
———⁣
Quick facts about this location: ⁣
⁣
▶️ Saint Peters Cathedral was built in the 12th-13th centuries and remodelled over the years. The inside of the Cathedral was destroyed in the 16th century during the Reformation of the Church.⁣
⁣
▶️ There is no entrance fee to the Cathedral. You can walk up to the towers which offer a beautiful view over Geneva.⁣
⁣
▶️ The Cathedral is located in the heart of Old Town Geneva. The Old Town is worth exploring, with many cute little streets and beautiful architecture. ⁣
⁣
▶️ Underneath the Cathedral is an archaeological site with a museum. We highly recommend a visit because different remains show how old the town of Geneva is, and the history behind it. There is a small entrance fee to the Museum: 8 CHF for adults, 4 CHF for kids and students.⁣

23/06/2020

Who else has been feeling a little overwhelmed and lost after these last few months? ⁣
⁣
⁣
I took some time in nature this weekend to gather my thoughts and recharge my mental batteries. It's so important to practice self-care, especially when we're constantly getting flooded with information. Time in nature is one of our favorite ways to practice self-care, especially when we get to move our bodies and discover new places!⁣
---⁣
Quick facts about this place :⁣
1️⃣ The Bachalpsee is a small lake in the Swiss mountains accessible by foot. It's an easy 50-minute hike from the gondola.⁣
2️⃣ Take the "First" gondola up from Grindelwald when it first opens to avoid running into too many people at the lake. The ride is about 30 minutes long and has a great view of the mountains around you. ⁣
3️⃣ The mountain reflecting in the water of the lake is called Schreckhorn (which translates to Peak of Terror) and is 4000 meters high (or around 13'000 feet).⁣

16/06/2020

Drop a "🙌🏼" in the comments if you miss flying and exploring new places as much as we do!
-
We miss traveling so much, but we've made it our goal to discover at least one new place in our area/country every other week. There is beauty all around us if we look for it. We just have to form new habits and get used to exploring places closer to home. 🏡

14/06/2020

Who is your favorite travel buddy? Tag them in the comments along with the next destination you want to go with them! 💫
-
We are super excited to start traveling again, and some of our destinations for 2020 include the French Alps, Canada (hopefully), and possibly Croatia. ✈️

10/06/2020

Popular destinations for Brits and their current travel restrictions due to coronavirus

We did some research - digging into government & airline websites along with other sources to find the latest information. 💪🏼

Also, we’ve summarized plans for easing lockdowns in the four most popular travel destinations for Brits to give you an idea of when you may be able to travel. ☺️

Check it out! ⬇️

https://guidestowander.com/popular-travel-destinations-for-brits-and-their-current-travel-restrictions-due-to-coronavirus/

09/06/2020

A view that was worth waking up for at 5 AM on a Sunday morning ✌🏼
This castle was built in the 13th century and was remodelled over the years. It is fascinating to think that this building has seen generation after generation, and has lived through all the wars and revolutions and that it will probably stand for years (maybe centuries) to come! ✨ @ Nyon, Switzerland

08/06/2020

Find Out What's Happening in the Travel Industry - https://mailchi.mp/e4d649961427/find-out-whats-happening-in-the-travel-industry

07/06/2020

We have been feeling anxious about traveling after this pandemic. ✈️
With borders starting to reopen and flights starting to pick up, you would think that we'd be the first to start traveling again. But we've both been feeling quite anxious about it, not because we're scared to get sick, but because the whole process seems so daunting. 😅
We've been doing a lot of research on restrictions in each country. It seems like there are so many extra steps and precautions to be taken to travel now. 😷
On June 15th, a lot of borders will be open here in Europe, but we have decided to wait a few weeks and see what happens before we make the decision to travel again. And we certainly won't be traveling as far as we did earlier this year when we went to Hawaii, but we're excited to (hopefully) explore Europe this summer. 🇪🇺
How do you feel about all this? Will you be the first on a plane when borders open? Or do you feel a little anxious too and might wait a little like us? 💬
(Swipe to see the before and after 👉🏼) @ Oahu, Hawaii

02/06/2020

Explaining British Airways’ terrifying outlook for the future that will undoubtedly affect you

According to British Airways, it’ll take six years for passenger numbers to return to highs seen before the coronavirus outbreak. 🤔

What do you think? When will you return to flying?

https://guidestowander.com/explaining-british-airways-terrifying-outlook-for-the-future-that-will-undoubtedly-affect-you/

02/06/2020

Devon and I grew up in two seemingly very similar environments, yet we notice things that are different about our upbringing almost every single day. Although we are aware that this contrast might be small, these differences make us humble and help us acknowledge and respect each other, and everyone around us. ⁣❤️
⁣
We try to learn and improve every day and spread love and positivity to try to make this world a better place in every way we can. 🌍🌎🌏 @ Waikiki

31/05/2020

What is one place that you've discovered around where you live recently? 💫⁣
⁣
We don't know about you, but both Devon and I have been loving getting out of the house and exploring where we live. That has been our way to feed our need for travel during the last couple of months. 🚐⁣
⁣
Things are slowly starting to go back to normal, but it's been so nice to "travel" around where we live because that wouldn't be something we'd normally do. We'll definitely be incorporating more local travels into our routines, even when we're free to fly again. 👌🏼⁣
@ Switzerland

18/05/2020

What was the last place you traveled to before COVID-19? ✌🏼⁣
⁣
Our last destination was Hawaii (as you can probably tell by all the photos we've been posting ahah). It feels so weird to think we were there only three months ago, not having a clue what was waiting for us. 😅⁣
⁣
If someone had told us we'd all have to follow strict rules and stay at home for 2+ months, we might've not believed it. We probably would've just kept on exploring and forgot all about it. 🏝⁣
⁣
But we're learning to deal with this situation, and some new projects and goals have sprouted from our minds during these last couple of months. One of them is that we want to buy a van and remodel it so we can explore the world in our home-on-wheels. 🚐⁣
⁣
Would you ever consider living in a van for a few months or years? Have you done it before? We'd love to hear your thoughts! 💬⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
😍 @ Kauai, Hawaii

14/05/2020

What is one thing that travel has taught you about yourself? ✌🏼⁣
⁣
When we went to Hawaii, on our first morning there we woke up at 4 am because of the time difference. After trying to fall back asleep, we ended up getting up and ready at 5 and went for a walk. We went to get coffee and watched the sun go up. 🔥⁣
⁣
That morning was one of our favorite moments of the entire trip. It taught us that we love getting up super early (sometimes lol) because being up before everyone else and watching the sunrise can be magical. 💫⁣
⁣
Once the sun was up we walked into the Hilton Hawaiian Village and got some Acai Bowls. We sat down on the beach, eating our bowls, and watched Waikiki wake up. 🏝⁣
⁣
What is one thing that you learned about yourself while traveling? What's one of your best travel memories? 💬⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

13/05/2020

Yess!! Travel please!!!

Check it out - 4 Gorgeous Places on Our Travel List for Post COVID-19

https://guidestowander.com/4-gorgeous-places-on-our-travel-list-for-post-covid-19/

11/05/2020

Who has travelled around Europe? 🙋🏼😍

If you haven’t, we highly recommend it! There are so many different cultures clustered together to make every day a different experience.

Eastern Europe is rich with old architecture, beautiful coastline and ancient traditions. In addition, it’s extremely budget friendly.

A pint of beer in Prague? $1.80

Dinner for two in Dubrovnik? $20

What destination would you add to this itinerary?

01/05/2020

Boy did we underestimate the value of a hug two months ago. 😅⁣
⁣
Happy Weekend everyone! Do you have any plans? 💁🏼‍♀️⁣
⁣
For us, it's gonna be doing some work on our laptops, having our usual Saturday date night (popcorn and a movie), and then get ready for the new week on Sunday, maybe go for a walk if the weather plays along. 👨🏼‍💻⁣
⁣
If we're feeling crazy, we might even look into planning our next trip. Obviously, big vacations in faraway lands will be a no-no this summer. But hopefully, come summer, we will be able to travel our own countries, discover new areas that we had no idea were right there all along and make the most of our summers. 🌴⁣
⁣
Anyhow, we wish you all a great weekend! Stay safe 💛 @ Kauai, Hi.

26/04/2020

Remember when we were all still allowed outside our house without worrying or avoiding all human contact? It seems like years away. One of the last places we visited before this "End of the World" situation was the Byodo-In Temple.⁣ ⛩
⁣
There's something about monuments like the Byodo-In Temple that makes us feel connected to our soul. There's something about the tranquility and energy in such places that make us feel connected to our higher selves. ⁣💫
⁣
We've been trying to channel some of that energy to our homes because now more than ever do we need that connection to something bigger than us. ⁣🙏🏼
⁣
All of us, as a community, are going through challenging times. For us, the most challenging part about it is the uncertainty. Believing that there's a bigger picture, a purpose for what we're going through, helps us get through the days where we just feel like lying on the couch feeling sorry for ourselves. ⁣🙈
⁣
P.s. Someone was ringing the giant gong when we took this picture, hence our interested faces in that direction lol.💁🏼‍♀️💁🏼‍♂️ @ Oahu, Hawaii

21/04/2020

What's the first thing you do when you visit a new place? 💁🏼‍♀️💁🏼‍♂️⁣
⁣
We usually love to unpack as soon as we get to our temporary home. It makes us feel like we've arrived. 🧳⁣
⁣
When we visited Florida last year, we arrived late at night, so the first thing we did the next morning was rent a boat with the family and go to the (apparently) traditional Sunday boat party on Marco Island. 🚤⁣
⁣
This was such a fun way to quick start our vacation! Meeting up with family and celebrating Sunday with the locals was such a fun way to get into the Florida-mood! 🌴 @ Naples, Florida

18/04/2020

Where are you traveling to when isolation is over and borders are open again? 🌍⁣
⁣
Our first flight will be to see each other, either Devon coming to Switzerland or Thea going to London. ✈️⁣
⁣
We're super excited because Switzerland just announced that we'll slowly be starting to come out of isolation within the next few weeks. This makes it seem like there is light at the end of the tunnel.✨ @ Kauai, Hawaii

15/04/2020

I should be drinking black tea out of this mug, instead of coffee, to get into the London spirit. ☕️⁣
⁣
This souvenir cup from London brings back so many good memories. London has a special place in our hearts. 🇬🇧⁣
⁣
It is where Devon lives now, but he moved there from Canada two years ago. Since Devon moved to London we've spent countless hours in the city, getting to know every little café and side streets. It's one of our favorite cities! ⛩⁣
⁣
This is the third post in our series "Things in our house that reminds us of our travels". So far we found a mug, a candle, and a Bahamian dollar bill. What do you have in your house that reminds you of your travels? We'd love to hear about it, make sure to share your photos with us and tag us . 💬⁣

@ London, United Kingdom

13/04/2020

New BLOG Post!! Some feelings of inspiration and nostalgia for ya!

Check out these 10 movies to relive past travel experiences and be inspired for new ones.

https://guidestowander.com/10-best-nostalgic-and-inspirational-travel-movies/

Motivation. Exhilaration. Excitement. These 10 travel movies will inspire your inner traveller to start planning your next trip.

12/04/2020

Raise your hand if you miss sunsets (or sunrises) in new places. 🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♂️⁣
⁣
We took this photo on our first morning in Hawaii. With the time difference, we were up at 5 am and we decided to get ready and catch the sunrise. 🔥⁣
⁣
After watching the most beautiful sunrise over Diamond Head (a volcanic crater), we walked through the Hilton Village Resort, grabbed some açai bowls and lattes and had breakfast at the beach. 🥥⁣
⁣
This is one of our favorite memories from our last trip! What's your favorite memory from the last trip you went on? Let us know in the comments! 💬⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣

@ Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii