Vanhalla Adventures

18/03/2024

My Dad passed away peacefully at home on Saturday evening ❤️ He was the perfect Dad for me and I know he’ll be in every sunset and wave crashing in the sea. I’ll get to see him in the dance of nature from now on. And I’ll have to learn that that is enough. Right now I’m a hot mess of emotions. I’m riding the rollercoaster of Grief and my heart just hurts.

05/03/2024

I had all these plans for the winter in New York. I have several videos that need editing, shorts to create, and other ‘work stuff’ I wanted to get to. But then LIFE.

My mother called me a couple of weeks ago and told me my dad’s body was shutting down. I booked a ticket and made my way to Seattle as soon as I could.

I knew this day would come but there isn’t anything that quite prepares one for seeing a parent cross over to the next realm.

I’ve been busy making hospice preparations and spending time with him everyday. It’s been an emotional week full of planning, preparing, loving, and surrendering.

And I’m exhausted in a way I’ve never been before. My brain feels like total mush and anxiety keeps popping up in the middle of the night.

The mantra that keeps coming up is “one day at a time. Stay present.” Every time the anxiety sets in I just say that over and over. And it soothes the questions, worry, and future fears.

I’m going to work on staying present right now and stay with all the big feels rather than push them away.

So that’s where I’m at right now. Just present and surrendering to what is ❤️

25/02/2024

Portugal's REMOTE Hidden Gem (The Hawaii of Europe)

On a whim we decided to pack our bags and head for what we heard was the "Hawaii of Europe". A remote island located in the Atlantic Ocean that is closer to ...

10/02/2024

There’s some places in the world that aren’t vacation destinations to me. They have a deeper resonance/feeling/energy/vibration. They move my Soul, touch my heart, make me feel in a way I never have before.

Orkney is one of those places.

A place filled with Viking history, the kindest people I have ever met, landscapes that make you go silent in awe, and a way of life that is calm and rooted in connection with nature.

Closer to the arctic circle than it is to the most southern part of the UK, it’s an archipelago in northern Scotland.

If you long to go some place that’s filled with history and that will remind you of the beauty of humanity I suggest Orkney. It’s more than a vacation - it’s an experience (as cheesy as it sounds).

For those that have been - what did you most enjoy about it? For those that haven’t, feel free to ask questions 🤓 it’s a GEM and I’d love to support you in visiting.

08/02/2024

B is on to new things (well, kind of…) We started our YT channel as a sort of project/hobby together. B wasn’t working much at the time and we wanted to look back on our travels together when we got “old”. We also both have a need to create each day or we go a little bananas.

But now things are changing.

B has a ‘regular job’ (which isn’t really regular at all) and it asks a lot of his time, energy, and creative capacity. He’s focusing in on learning new skills and being as dedicated as he can be to his career. I’m over the moon proud of him!

YouTube requires a lot of time so he’s not going to be around much in the videos this year. While you may still see him here and there he’s going to be doing his thing on tour with (Gary is not just an amazing artist but a but really good human)

I’ll be traveling solo for most of 2024. This is not something entirely new to us as we’ve always spent a lot of time apart. I’m excited and a little nervous for the travels I have planned…another camino, a trek in the alps, van life in the USA, and maybe some time abroad.

I’m sitting with the questions “what makes me happy? What brings me joy? What do I want more of? What do I want less of?” as I head into more time alone.

I’m curious what new levels of expansion this year will bring for me, B, and our marriage as we both Create in our own way.

In curiosity, C ❤️

07/02/2024

It’s been a 🌶️spicy little minute since I’ve been on this app. I nearly died in Mexico and walked my way across France and Spain on the Camino de Santiago since I posted on here last.

Both of those experiences combined shifted something deep within me.

Death no longer scares me. Living no longer worries me. I trust myself and this world in a way I never have before.

This trust opened me up to several revelations, or I guess I could also say I feel Awakened to a new part of me.

All of this called me to step back from SM.

I’ve spent time mulling through, releasing, and even transforming trauma from my past. SM just didn’t fit anywhere in that equation.

Now I feel this steadiness and desire to be in community online (again).

If you are still here I love that ❤️

I feel called to utilize SM as a diary of sorts. I really don’t care about everything being curated so perfectly or asking questions on posts just to get engagement. I am now here to BE in space with YOU.

I crave connection in a sea of BS and AI-generated content. I want the messy, the unfiltered, the healing, the human-ness in all that I create, see, and tether myself to.

So…”hello”. I’m back 🙂let’s ride the wave of Life in 2024!

17/12/2023

Orkney has over 70 different islands and we did a little island to check a couple of them out

Part 3 of our 3-part series all about the beautiful Orkney Islands! We've seen the mainland and now it's time to venture further to HOY & ROUSAY - 2 incredib...

09/12/2023

Viking settlements, stone henges, burial mounds, and prehistoric sites. We think this is Scotland's Most Underrated Island 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

After 3 days exploring one of Scotland's most Northern Isles, we can't help but wonder why more people aren't talking about ORKNEY more...It is a fascinating...

23/11/2023

Living on a *REMOTE* island in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone ❤️

Seal pups, Northern lights, rugged coastlines, turquoise water, and pure beauty abound on Orkney - a remote island off the coast of northern Scotland. This ...

22/11/2023

✈️ LOOKING FOR TRAVEL-FRIENDLY ITEMS FOR BLACK FRIDAY?

I just posted a new blog featuring some of the items we never leave our van without; everything from luggage to clothing to health items we love.

Even if you are not shopping for Black Friday this is a great list to *SAVE* and look at later for yourself or another jet-setting friend.

May the Black Friday deals be ever in your favor 🤗

23 gifts that are perfect for those who love to travel! as full-time travelers, we use almost every item on this list daily ourselves.

04/11/2023

ICELAND!

This is exactly how to spend a 48-hour stopover in Iceland! We met a few locals on our first day in Reykjavik and they helped us create the perfect travel it...

04/11/2023

ICELAND 🇮🇸 48 HOUR ICELAND STOPOVER | Hidden Gems & Must-See Attractions

The land of fire and ice …we visited a few months ago and let’s just say we froze our little butts off but loved every minute of it 🥶

WATCH NOW ✨

This is exactly how to spend a 48-hour stopover in Iceland! We met a few locals on our first day in Reykjavik and they helped us create the perfect travel it...

23/09/2023

NEW VLOG TODAY ⛰️ I'M DONE (finally reaching the breaking point on the Great Glen Way)

Brian finally met that point where the trail teaches us a bit about who we are and when we give up too easily or not soon enough…

WHAT HELPS MOTIVATE YOU WHEN YOU WANT TO GIVE UP?

✨blessed Saturday everyone ✨

{DAY 4 Great Glen Way} I've found that the trail always meets us exactly where we are at and today Brian finally gets to the breaking point, the moment where...

03/09/2022

new vlog is LIVE ✨ https://youtu.be/0AUQsEBgf6Y ✨

This was one of the best days of my life and I’m so happy to share it with you!

Everything about this day was magical - the fog, the mist, the rainbows, the horses (despite my fear), the sheep, and the kindness of Emer carrying my bag…

It was surreal in a way. SO much beauty in every moment.

It taught me how to be brave and renewed a sense of faith in humanity.

I am filled with gratitude.

I trust this vlog will give you a peak into the Joy of the Camino or bring it back to you if you have already walked before

✨ BUEN CAMINO ✨

Day 2 on the Camino Frances | From Refuge Orisson to Roncesvalles Spain | SUBSCRIBE 🛎️ http://bit.ly/2ZeoSsT This was one of the most magical days of my li...

03/09/2022

The most Magical Day of my life ⛰️ I can not wait to share with you the next vlog in my CAMINO SERIES!

Tomorrow at 10am EST // 7am PST CROSSING OVER THE PYRENEES MOUNTAINS FROM FRANCE INTO SPAIN BY FOOT goes LIVE over on YT 👇👇👇https://www.youtube.com/c/vanhallaadventures

I’ll be watching it with you because I adjust SO excited to share this experience with my YT fam ❤️

The Camino continues to teach me every day how to BE. The people I meet, the challenges I face…everything is well worth the Journey.

See you tomorrow fellow adventurers!

✨ BUEN CAMINO ✨

26/08/2022

WANT TO KNOW A BIT ABOUT THE CAMINO?

The walk I am currently on is called the CAMINO FRANCES, also known as The French Way. It is one of the 9 main routes of the Camino de Santiago and the most popular/crowded. It was made more widely famous by the Martin Sheen movie THE WAY (I HIGHLY recommend it!)

It is a pilgrimage of over 500 miles, one that has been around since the 9th century (possibly earlier), that thousands of pilgrims walk each year to reach the final destination of Santiago de Compostella Spain where the supposed burial grounds of the apostle St. James are located beneath the cathedral.

I'm not catholic nor Christian and most people I have met on The Way (the nickname for the road to Santiago) are not either. However if you are - the churches you will find along the way and the masses are beyond words. I've been moved to tears more than several times.

However, many walk because they heard the call, for the adventure, or because they are in the midst of a life transition. For me I woke up one day, having NEVER thought of walking the Camino, and knew I was suppose to do it.

I'm beyond thrilled to share this journey with all of you! It has so far been the greatest experience of my life and simultaneously the most trying - physically and mentally.

🥾 ✨ NEW VLOG IS UP TOMORROW AT 10am EST / 7am PST 🥾 ✨

21/08/2022

my worst travel fear *was* getting lost in an airport in a country where I don't speak the language...

as intuition would have it, that came true in PARIS.

new vlog is up where I get stuck in the airport for nearly 4 hours.

join me on the anxiety-ridden adventure >>> https://www.facebook.com/vanhalla.adventures/ (just look at the top post for the link!)

21/08/2022

New vlog is LIVE ✈️ My FIRST flight alone internationally and I get LOST in Paris ✈️ https://youtu.be/bVlHtQtQeKE

After looking back on this I can't tell if I my intuition was at play or if my fear created the experience 😆 either way I made it to Saint Jean Pied de Port! Also known as SJPDP, it is a very popular start point for those walking the Camino Frances.

Next week I'll share with you my experience as I climb over the Pyrenees! (it was one of the most remarkable moments of my life!)

✨ Blessed Sunday Everyone ✨