I love to travel and it shows here in WordPress showcasing every place that we go to and enjoying every travel and experience we have in life. Sorry, I am not always here in WP for the reason that I am busier on another channel which is Youtube. Anyway, WP makes it better as I can embed my site here to promote to you ALL who are still here following me and I thank you ALL for supporting me. We have our reasons and I didn’t totally jump ship because I still make time to visit some of you but sad to see that some are either closed their account or not blogging anymore. Just want to say “Hi” again to all who have time to read this and check out my YT channel as below videos. Please feel free to comment here or on my YT channel and will get back to you asap. Here are some videos for you to watch and I hope you can also support me on YT please LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE, and if you could support me by clicking the “Thanks” button that would be great!
Thanks in advance!
short video Rotorua, Vinneve
ROTORUA TRAVEL SERIES PLS CHECK IT ALL , Vinneve
COPYRIGHT
The photos and articles on this blog are the property of the blogger EveWanderer11 unless otherwise stated. None of them should be used without her permission. Snippets and links could only be used on one condition: full credit is given to Evewanderer11 and the site, “Wanderlust, A new chapter”.
I have been away from WP for a bit and though I may become busier with other things in life and other avenues of passion still saying my thought should be here in WordPress. People who reads my stories, blogs and seen my photos here have the same passion like me which is writing and letting the other people know what its like in our own world.
I came to realization that “Going back to a simpler life is not a step backward” by Yvon Chouinard. Hence, I feel much happier to have a simple life than a lavish lifestyles that I have experienced before that after awhile once the sparkles and shows faded I found myself still wanting more and in the end didn’t really make me happy longer.
Gone are the days of festivities, scrumptous buffets in an expensive hotels and restaurants, shopping spree and never ending activities that will not just exhaust your body but also your wallet. Those are considered material things in life that are unnecessary in this type of world we live in now. COVID makes me realize that there is no racial discrimination, no age group, no gender and no life superiority are safe in this world. Everybody in some ways or little (if you are lucky!) have experienced hardships and trials since the pandemic began. Economic health, emotional / mental health and relationships suffered the most. Unfortunately, those who cannot withstand it loses their lives or their control over it.
“Expect nothing and appreciate everything” anynomous.
“There is beauty in simplicity” anynomous.
“When you are happy with what you have, you are the happiest“ Lailah Gifty Akita
I am living the simplest life I can have now. I am happier. I wish you are too!
COPYRIGHT
The photos and articles on this blog are a property of the blogger EveWanderer11 unless otherwise stated. None of them should be used without her permission. Snippets and links could only be used on one condition: full credit is given to Evewanderer11 and the site, “Wanderlust, A new chapter”.
There are times in our lives that we are reminiscing the past. Time flies, 2 years to be exact since we left United Arab Emirates for good and at that time I was a bit heart broken. Not knowing that this decision will keep us SAFE here in New Zealand – The land of the long white cloud as we are having more COVID FREE-DOM than being on a lockdown. Just a few countries in the world can say the same thing! We are finally back HOME. Still, I cannot help but to wonder how things changed over there in the UAE. I have this feeling of attachment to every place and countries that I started to love. I still have some friends left in Abu Dhabi and come to think of it… still having my UAE phone number still active up to now. Some businesses that I went to still trying to contact me thru emails or phone. Sending their felicitations and sales promotion not knowing I am not there anymore. Though I cannot say forever since The UAE is the nearest stop over to Switzerland which we also have a strong ties. So perhaps I will say NRAKUM MARATAN ‘UKHRAA.
COPYRIGHT
The photos and articles on this blog are a property of the blogger EveWanderer11 unless otherwise stated. None of them should be used without her permission. Snippets and links could only be used on one condition: full credit is given to Evewanderer11 and the site, “Wanderlust, A new chapter”.
Hi for all my fellow WP who are wondering where am I and what happened to me why I haven’t got any new blog. I am actually been busy with other social media and because I lack of motivation writing here knowing and realizing too late that this person is ALWAYS copying my blog and putting it in his making it his own by covering it saying it’s a reblog. But I stopped putting a reblog button but he still somehow managed to steal it and paste it on his blog. I told WP about it (didn’t help much) but as perhaps some of you may know there are some hassles as I have to personally tell this person to stop but I did and it didn’t faze him and continues. Don’t get me wrong… I do not mind people reblogging one or two of my post in the past and I do thanked them actually for appreciating and I was flattered by it BUT NOT the person who put MOST of my post in his website and putting “by (his name)” as if he is the author himself. That is really absurd and not really appreciating your hardwork. Now would you like this to happen to you? Will you be alright with this?
What more, I found out that I am not the only one he is copying and pasting the blog into his blog. He is just plain LAZY and yes I can say a STEALER. He doesn’t have a single blog that he can claim as his own. All the posts there are coming from other bloggers like us so be aware for people like this. The reason why I am angry about this is because he hides as a FOLLOWER so he can steal your blog. It was a shock to see most of my blogs ended up in his website. So now I understand that some bloggers put a copyright on their blog post and will start to do now. Writing is still my first love. Next time this person do this I will mention his blog name for everyone to see and so he can be shamed at (unless he changed his name). So this is a WARNING. WP doesn’t have a button so we can ban the blogger that we don’t like to see or follow us. Let me know if I am mistaken and give me some advice. Let me know if you also experience this and what did you do.
Thank you for reading this and yes will continue to blog as I have so many travel stories to share as we have been one of the few countries in the world that are COVID FREE in the community! See you next time.
PS: I have seen that I lost a lot of followers and I am sad about it. But I do thank you all who stays with me and wait until I return. Thank You so much for staying.
So true it’s not always sweet and rosy on the other side of the fence but if you are lucky you will have often taste the sweet life than the lemon sour on your taste buds. Definitely the UAE particularly Abu Dhabi gave us a huge opportunity and a different kind of life that we didn’t experienced in our own backyard.
It is now finished and just reminiscing the good life we had while we are there pre-covid times. Unfortunately for those newcomers in times of pandemic they may find it very hard nowadays to even feel the life unless of course you want to risk getting sick if you do the way people do before the pandemic. There’s a lot of job losses and businesses closing here and there. On and off lockdown and non stop quarantining of people.
Let’s face the reality… I may not be able to see these places above. Travelling is banned overseas (well for us NZr’s & most countries) and it may take a year or so before we even get back to normal outside of our boundary. We definitely do not want to risk it.
No more lavish buffets, eat all you can and shop till you drop when there’s a big sale which is almost every public holiday or special events! End of those days we are so feeling carefree. FYI, foods (restaurants & hotels) and branded products are so much cheaper in the UAE or some part of Middle East and yes including Saudi Arabia… and may I add even GOLD. Even now they introduced 5% vat in the UAE for all goods and services, it’s still cheap as compared to prices in the West, South and most part of Europe. Correct me if I am wrong!
Seafoods galore & Hotpot nonstop
No more ladies night (50% are mom’s like me who sometimes enjoy the night out and the hubbies are the ones taking care of the children for once! Fact, most hotel bars are decent and caters to all women with free sushi and drinks to lure them). No more beautiful events to be held in the posh hotels and parks (Fact, you can even get 50% discount to these posh hotels by buying in groupon and other discount coupons!)
What I am saying is… I truly treasured the times we were in Abu Dhabi as an expat family. I will never forget the high and lows. These were good memories that will last a lifetime as we may never have this again.
Now back to our home country New Zealand, facing the reality now of having the pandemic all over the world and the market crashing down… I can also say we are lucky just in time to be HOME. NZ is still not open for other countries which I approve of to minimize the risk though on the other end our economy is suffering… but ALL countries are anyway so we just have to bear with it and try to be patient. Health is wealth!
Take care everyone!
COPYRIGHT
The photos and articles on this blog are a property of the blogger unless otherwise stated. None of them should be used without his/her permission. Snippets and links could only be used on one condition: full credit is given to Evewanderer11 and the site, “Wanderlust, A new chapter”.
I am happy to announce that we are covid free now here in New Zealand!! This is also in response to WOTD: Victory We are now on level 1 and it may stay like this for awhile, restrictions still in place. Personally, I prefer it this way to protect our safety so I am not keen of opening the border, although there are some citizens and residents (repatriation) coming home from overseas and they may bring the virus with them so they are required for a 14 day quarantine. It took 5 million people, a big team effort to do this as when we were on lockdown we cooperated and only going out to buy essentials like food. Though of course anywhere in the world there may be some silly people (not a lot here) still goes out that time to do silly things but they are being apprehended by the police and given a penalty depends on their situation/alibis. FUN FACT. Normal police officers here in NZ doesn’t carry any firearms. They carry confidence, kindness and diplomacy.
Since we are now on level 1 the government is pushing domestic travels to help our economy and communities. Buy NZ Made. Buy local products which mostly people are doing right now including me. Both Jetstar and Air New Zealand are having their sale these past couple of weeks and it has been sold out faster! I use our voucher/coupon to redeem and bought tickets to Christchurch finally! Looking forward to it. So for now we are talking about domestic travels and here’s the following information thru personal experiences from other bloggers who went here in NZ before the pandemic. Please click their link, and they have some amazing photos to show you while traveling around New Zealand.
Before you travel to any country or even if you were stranded here in New Zealand it is a MUST for your own sake to have your own travel insurance. Though our healthcare system helped this young tourist as per this link >> “How NZ generous healthcare system saved my ass”
Here above is the response for the June Photo of the Day: REFLECTIONS.
For sure people are now thinking of reuniting / partying with their friends and families more than a group of ten since it is now permitted. It may not be the same as before but this new normal surely will stay for quite awhile. So we better adapt to it and accept all the challenges in life. Stay safe peeps!
UPDATE: We suddenly not a covid free country anymore (just of today’s news June 16th) because of 2 female citizens/residents coming from the UK and testing positive for covid but for some reason was given a COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS to drive to Wellington (from Auckland) to attend a funeral of their parents. Shall we understand this or not?!! For goodness sake! we suffered in lockdowns and up to level 3 to becoming covid free for 3 weeks and the communities all over the country cooperated and because of this hindsight WE ARE AGAIN IN TROUBLE. Why? simple. Driving from Auckland to Wellington is 8 long hours Non Stop! I do not believe they didn’t even stop to pee, eat or put on gas that is simply lying. Those people who doesn’t know that they served these women are now at risk even their loved ones! So is this harmless? NO. I cannot understand why there is compassionate grounds at all since those people who died because of covid-19 didn’t even had the chance to see their loved ones. I am so annoyed with this news. It is unbelievable and I put the blame on the health department who didn’t think twice about this compassionate grounds. That is plain stupidity if I may say so! Sorry for the outburst but we will know within this week or so if there are people at risk now because of this. Our sacrifices (life, jobs, businesses, etc) and cooperations are nowput in the drain.
While on lockdown in New Zealand I must admit that I was hooked up into watching vloggers (up to now actually) traveling the world especially traveling to my birth country THE PHILIPPINES. We supposed to travel there last April but of course, it has been canceled. It amazed me that these foreign vloggers begin to love the country and what it can offer even in these tough times. While traveling they learned about cultures, values, and learned to appreciate the Filipino people who helped them and make them feel at home. Check their vlogs and you will see some beautiful places and their roller-coaster experiences while on lockdown and up to a current situation which is the General Quarantine (GCQ). You may find some useful information about the country and their real image as shown by the vloggers as per their real experiences. Please click their name as I linked their sites and their travel experiences before the pandemic.
Prepare to be amazed.
MAKE IT HAPPEN VLOG an Austrian couple who always keeps coming back to the Philippines and finally decided to call Manila home and now stranded in SIARGAO (while on holiday) as per this link & another vlog as per this LINK. An extra info from Meljean Solon “20 things to do in Siargao” as per this LINK.
2. THE JUICY VLOG a couple from the UK traveling around the Philippines who got stranded in their own home base in Manila. “11 Ways the Philippines is better than the UK” on this LINK.
3. MARTIN SOLHAUGEN a Norwegian travel vlogger who is now engaged to another travel vlogger named AVELOVINIT and traveling the Philippines when they got stranded in Siargao as well. You will see his latest vlog about “Top 10 places you must visit in the Philippines.”
4. EIGHT MILES FROM HOME a couple from the UK with a child named Story and her nan also stranded in Siargao. They have traveled around Asia and lived in Portugal and now thinking of living in the Philippines even after the lockdown.
5. JUMPING PLACES a couple both from different countries decided to do full-time vlogging and currently stranded in the beautiful island of EL NIDO PALAWAN. Here is their current quarantine experience “A Day in El Nido Quarantined” check their other travel to another side of the island >> CORON.
There are some more foreign vloggers and tourists stranded all over the Philippines. You can easily check them out on Youtube. These are just 5 of my favorite foreign vloggers telling their own experiences and love of travel. Since we all cannot travel to any country aside from our own so it’s best to show you what I know and why I keep coming back to my birth country the Philippines. Family. Friends. Values. Nature. I hope once you have checked them out you will agree with me.
Please also check this site out: Mom & Son expats (NZ after lockdown)
We learn from our mistakes. If there’s a will there’s a way. No pain no gain and so many other sayings. This pandemic teaches us so many things in our lives. How to be strong in these tough times. How some of us become like a master chef or baker in our household without relying too much upon in takeaways or fast foods? How to pray for our beloved safety and well being. How to be kind to one another. How to be tolerant about things we cannot control and accepted how it is. Otherwise, you will only be miserable if you cannot accept defeat. Life is in constant change. We are facing a new life. Be patient.
There is always a reason for everything and yes there are some positive outcomes of this world problem. We learn how to be more hygienic or overdoing it at times just to protectour loved ones. Our world started to heal from the pollution and the birds and other animals profited from it too. If you love traveling like me, another positive outcome is you are now seatmate free as the seat in the middle will now be vacant for each passengers safety. New Zealandis now on alert level 2 which means “almost” back to normal (apart from social distancing, proper good hygiene, and “being kind” as what the PM always telling on her media interviews. The tourism industry is now being pushed forward after being dormant for so long. We just have to support and discover our own backyard deepest corners. Besides, we have a beautiful country!
We hope of a safer tomorrow. Wishing a covid-19 free world sooner than later. Let’s be patient. It will come.
PS: Please also support my other blog site as per this link >> Life and Wonders. I have transferred some of my older posts in there as it was the first chapter of my new life being an ex-pat in the Middle East (The UAE). There you can see how it was living in that world and you will be surprised. Nevertheless, you can still see some of the remaining post here dated from mid-2015 up to early 2019. FYI. Thank You!
In response to the Word of the Day Challenge YES as per thisLINK.
As per the quote above… why not? Life is too short anyway not to say yes to life! There’s more about the world we live in that we must see and discover. IF I didn’t say yes to a new adventure in the Middle East 5 years ago (particularly Abu Dhabi) I wouldn’t even know how beautiful this City is and other UAE cities too! Do not prejudge things, places, religions, culture, and people unless you already experienced it yourself and be open-minded. Saying yes open my eyes to these. I will miss this place now that I have a new adventure ahead. FOLLOW me while back living in our home country New Zealand.
expatslifeinAbuDhabi, vinneve
Yes, I believe we will get to the new normal way of life but it doesn’t discourage me to travel step by step (don’t worry even to your nearest suburbs or cities it’s ok!) and see how lucky we are and besides didn’t we get to learn new tricks and passion while on lockdown? C’mon, don’t be gloomy! Say YES and you will feel life will say yes to you. Cheer up!
This is in response to Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge as per the below words. Please click each word per photo to go to the link, BUT first finish this read, like or comment that would be great! 😉 Sorry, some word challenges are a bit late but it’s better to be late than never right? This also highlights my past travel and those photos that I am wanting to visit again in person if possible. If not at least I have them in the archives of my past experiences and will remember always in my heart.
Nice warm weather with a cool breeze surrounded us with lots of tall trees in Auckland Zoo (will post about this next time). My son wants to come back here once we can go back to normal life or half of it as some say life will never be the same again… (sigh!) very sad indeed.
Those were the happy go lucky days. A time to indulge your sweet tooth and meet your happy friends making your life happier!
WestAKLSky, vinneve
And finally a view of the sky outside my house. It somehow tells me that Life is still beautiful and more to look forward to the next day. Do not be gloomy as what’s happening in the world right now. Have faith and there’s hope! See below (better late than never!) 🙂
CovideasterEggs, vinneve
I hope you like these photos. You may also join the word or photo challenge as per those links to Cee’s blogsite. The more the merrier! Cheers!!
Wanderlust - A new chapter 