I recently returned from an unforgettable adventure through Canada—a 9-day, 8-airplane journey with one big goal: helping my aunt check the Northern Lights off her bucket list.
She invited my mom along, and my cousin Anna and I gladly invited ourselves on the trip. It all began on March 24th with an early morning flight out of Savannah to Atlanta, then on to Boston where we stayed a few days with Anna, her husband Drew, and their kids. Leigh, who lives with Anna, rounded out our travel crew. From there, it was off to Vancouver for two nights, then on to the icy beauty of Yellowknife for three. Finally, we wrapped up in Toronto—just my mom and me—so we could see Niagara Falls before heading home.
Traveling can be exciting… and nerve-wracking. I hadn’t flown since 2021, and I found myself stressing about all sorts of things:
– Eating in airports with my corn allergy
– Packing for drastically different climates (hello, negative temps in Yellowknife!)
– Avoiding travel bloat from long hours of sitting
To ease my mind, I planned like a pro. I ordered a carry-on and backpack from Bagsmart and filled them with everything from high-protein snacks (Chomps meat sticks, pistachios, tuna packets, RX bars, and edamame) to a Bluetooth eye mask, water bottle, and charging cables.
A few travel wins I want to share:
- I boiled eggs before early flights (game-changer for protein on the go!)
- I used packing cubes to fit bulky winter clothes into my two small suitcases
- I bought a nasal spray and throat spray that I heard about on the Funk’tional Nutritionist podcast (Thank you Erin Holt) to stay healthy in the airports and planes.
- I moved often in airports—walking terminals and doing calf raises while waiting
- I downloaded a white noise app to sleep with my Bluetooth mask (since I can’t sleep without sound)
- And I was pleasantly surprised by the number of healthy options in airport restaurants, protein boosts, and plenty of water stations for staying hydrated
We were fairly active in the three cities—from the sidewalk along the river in Vancouver to the frozen stretch of The Great Slave Lake in Yellowknife and the city streets of Toronto. I even squeezed in a couple of weight workouts: one at Anna’s and another in the hotel gym when I couldn’t sleep that first night in Vancouver (thanks to a fussy AC and light situation, which Anna promptly fixed).
Have you ever seen the northern lights—or is it still on your bucket list? I’d love to hear about your own adventures, dreams, or places that have left you speechless. Hit reply and tell me: what’s one place that’s taken your breath away?
