back to winnipeg!

• 19 comments •





In the months following our departure from NYC, we returned to Winnipeg to gather our belongings, dragged them across the country, and bought a new home in Montréal so that we had a base for our new adventures.

We never wanted to go back to Winnipeg once we left, but we couldn't leave our belongings in storage forever! Paying for storage seems really wasteful and it kind of bothered us. So, when we decided that we were going to spend awhile in NYC, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to go back to Canada and sort everything out.

Our main priority was to find some real estate, so we spent hours upon hours researching and looking online for something we could both agree on.

While surfing the net for prospective housing is always fun, it did end up being a bit of a challenging month for other reasons. Against our better judgment, we took a disingenuous offer that, in hindsight, we really shouldn't have. At the end of the day, nothing was lost and we are now (hopefully) better people for the lessons we learned.

That's not to say we didn't have fun seeing our friends again - sushi dates, the zoo, veggie burgers at Cousin's (and a new place called Boon - if you're a Winnipegger, you have to go), more pizza, and board game nights. We also got to go back to one of our favourite restaurants, Oui Bistro, for some sous-vide steak + frites.

The internet makes it easy to keep in touch with friends these days, but we'll still miss them terribly. These people are the only thing that kept our time in Winnipeg from being a total drag, so, if you're reading - thank you (and thanks again for the sweet and totally unnecessary gifts).

Luckily, things went well in the end. Our fantastically amazing friends, James and Antonia, allowed us to stay in their apartment in Montreal for a month while they were gone. We couldn't be more pleased with how everything turned out. We found exactly what we were looking for.

We started this blog as a way to document our travels, which we hoped would be a year or more. The posts began shortly after we hatched our plan to leave our ‘old lives’ behind and explore the globe.

12 months and 12 countries later, it’s apparent to us that we have barely begun. Although our travels were referred to as “around-the-world”, it would be remiss to label our trip as such. Our 'wanderlist' came into fruition when we went on our evening bicycle rides after work and discussed our dreams. Because this was a travel blog, we included the travel bits. Of course, like most bloggers, there is so much more to our lives than the topic we post about. We have aspirations and hopes for the future that wouldn’t be feasible if we continued the nomadic lifestyle and dedicated 100% of our lives to travel.

We can’t believe our good fortune in that we’ve been able to share this “honeymoon” chapter in our lives with such positive and helpful people. We are continually thankful for everyone who anonymously views this travelogue, those who leave thoughtful and amusing comments, and those who have told us that they religiously keep up to date with our often inane musings.

Our travels are far from over, and we hope that you’ll hang around because we enjoy having you here - after a few posts from our journey to Montreal, we'll be posting about Spain!

By the way, for every bad thing we have ever said about Winnipeg, we have 100 nice things to say about it. It can be a lovely place to live and was a great place to grow up. Despite the fact that many locals complain that there is nothing to do, there is actually a lot - you just have to look a little harder. But after a lifetime there, we are just done with it - and we'll always remember it fondly (as long as we repress those winters).

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19 comments

  1. Really excited to follow this new chapter! Have a great time in Spain, I cannot wait to read all about it.

    Kim
    xxo

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  2. I've been reading and dreaming along with you. I've always thought that if I want to live anywhere in Canada it might be Montreal. As for the winters: I'm from Regina so I understand what you mean completely!
    Good luck!

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  3. Your blog has inspired me in so many ways. I'm so excited to read about the trip to spain and i hope you guys keep doing what you love!

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  4. I can't believe it's over! Even though it really isn't. I am beyond excited to see the next part of your lives unfold...I hope to see some blogging about it! You guys are great and and deeply inspired me to get out there are see the world as much as I can. Thanks for being such great bloggers!

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  5. I'm originally from Winnipeg and, after living in Japan for nearly three years, am now spending a month here before departing on a trip through Asia for six months. Yes, a month...in winter. I haven't lived here in eight years and I find that the longer I'm gone, the more fondly I think of it. I totally agree that it is an amazing place to grow up (I grew up in Fort Garry!) and that there is indeed a lot to do here if you are willing to seek it out.

    Anyway, all this is to say that I have so many times felt similar Winnipeg woes, but I, too, have dozens of lovely things to say about the little prairie city. I've only recently discovered your blog and it's so nice to read about other travellers from Winnipeg; the few times that I've met another Winnipeger on the road, it's been amazing. Can't wait to read about your future adventures, whatever they may entail!

    -Brenna (thisbatteredsuitcase.blogspot.com)

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  6. love your blog so much, i can't wait to see where this adventure takes you next! <3

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  7. This post made me nervous, I kept thinking you were going to say you're shutting it down! Can't wait to see your posts about Montreal and Spain (probably my favorite travel destination to date).

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  8. I love this blog, its been amazing sharing everything with you, thank you so much! Have a wonderful christmas!!

    p.s. I'll stick around even if there is a chance you are pretentious douchebags :D haha.

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  9. Haha I was born in Winnipeg and have tons of family still living there, so I have been back to visit a lot. For whatever reason my parents were the only ones who made it out of Winnipeg. I know just what you mean!

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  10. Looking forward to your new adventures!!

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  11. Congrats you two! Can't wait to see what adventures await you!

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  12. i'm looking forward to hearing about montreal. i actually made a map of montreal awhile back for NGS - if you're interested in a copy let me know. i've got some extras lying around.

    can't wait to hear about future adventures. thank you for sharing it with all of us.

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  13. Can't wait to see your posts on Espana!!!

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  14. I've loved following along in your journey :) I'm sure you are not "pretentious" douchebags! hahaha You're just more cultured and know what you want! Neither of which are bad :) Please keep on posting!

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  15. thanks for the update!

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  16. How long will you be in Malaga? My birthday is January 8, (which means I get to have fun) so if you happen to be in Spain after the 1st, I really would hop on a bus or train to wherever you are. I'm excited to hear about Malaga. I have never been there, but I plan to before I leave. You will have to tell me what you think of Spanish food. Everyone talks about how great it is, but I don't like it that much and the tapas with weird brain looking fish gross me out. For Christmas we are going to Amsterdam. On Christmas Eve we are going to a World Christmas Circus. I want to go ice skating, eat street food and go to Anne Frank's house. Do you have any tips?

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  17. this post reminded me of a song by the weakerthans: "i hate winnepeg" :)

    i've enjoyed living vicariously through your blog--i'm a traveler & explorer, but find myself rooted for the time being. so thanks for the momentary satisfaction of my wanderlust by glimpses into other places in the world!

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  18. Goodluck living in Spain. i will live vicariously through you. great post

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  19. Love this! Lovely blog you have here!

    xoxo,

    colormenana.blogspot.com

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