4 Years Ago, I became addicted to traveling!

Rewind a bit, I was a workaholic who only cared about getting to the next level of my career and making money. Nothing wrong with that, but I was not living a balanced life. I wasn’t dating, I barely saw my friends, AND I wasn’t seeing new places.

I finally got burned out and decided the best way for me to recover was to go on an overseas adventure! At the time I had always wanted to go to London, and I was going to make that happen. 

And I did! I had the best time of my life experiencing Europe and I caught the “Wanderlust Bug” and couldn’t wait to go back. I work in production in the Entertainment Industry, so I’m great at planning things. So when traveling became my “new thing” I may have gone a bit overboard figuring out the best traveling tips. Now, I want to share them with you because whether you’re going solo traveling or with a group there’s no need to stress about your travels and there’s almost ever No Need to go through a travel agent if you do your research.

I’ll be covering…
Group Tours
Road Trips
Cruises
Solo Traveling

Hope you get inspired this March and plan your next adventure soon!

Xo, @kellithinks

One of the best ways for a new traveler to see the world is through a group tour. That’s how I started exploring the world. There are soo many different ones to choose from, but you have to make your group tour work for you! Here are some tips to do that below…

1. Choose the Right Tour Company - The are soo many different tour companies these days and you have to do your research and see what’s right for you. What do you want to get out of your trip? Do you want to party? Do you want a cultural experience? Do you want something fast paced? Slow paced? Make sure when choosing your tour and company you call and ask what the age range is of the tour. People in their earlier 20s tend to party more and it’s more fast paced. If the median age is 28+ chances are it’ll be a more cultural experience and not heavily focused on being fast paced and partying. Ex. I have  done Contiki Tours and found that their European Tour was fast paced with the perfect amount of partying, Greek Islands Tour was definitely party based, and their Spain/Morocco Tour was a slower paced cultural experience. Same company different offerings. Just do your research! When I first started traveling I wasn’t aware of these things (especially when I was in Greece) hindsight I would’ve chosen a different company visiting their specifically or I would’ve gone on my own so that I could’ve really experienced more of the food and culture and history of Greece.
        
Here are some companies I recommend looking into for your next Tour Company Travel Adventure.

• Contiki
• Acanela Expeditions
• G Adventures

2. Make the Tour Work for You - Remember, just because you’re apart of a tour group doesn’t mean you have to be around them 24/7. There’s free time when you can explore whatever city you’re in on your own, at your pace, doing what you want. I highly recommend doing this!! You’ll spend a lot of time with your group (Usually Traveling by Bus) so it’s nice to get away.

3. Take Advantage of Your Tour Guide - They’re highly seasoned travelers so ask them questions so you have info for your next adventure. They love to chat and give information/tell stories about the different places they’ve been. It’s always great to have ideas and a plan for your next trip. And don’t forget to tip them! Their wealth of knowledge shouldn’t come for free!

4. Avoid Tour Group Drama - It’s going to happen, when you’re on a group tour and with soo many different people and personalities. So just avoid it and enjoy YOUR vacation.

5. Make New Friends - One of my favorite things about going on a tour is that you make new friends from around the world. By sharing the same adventure (and sometimes room), you become close to your fellow travelers allowing for fun memories and someone to reach out to when you’re wanting to go on another adventure. I love staying in contact with people I’ve met traveling, if I’m ever in their hometown or we happen to cross paths traveling again, I know I have someone to reach out too!

If you have a tour group you've traveled with that you absolutely LOVE or a fun group travel story, comment below. I'd love to hear!

Xo, @kellithinks

Many people often ask me why I’m single, and I figured a great way to close off this last full week of February would be to tell you.


SINGLE BY CHOICE.


I can now say it’s been a year since my last “Relationship” and about 5 Months since me and my Guy Friend who landed in my “It’s Complicated” box called it quits. It was actually my Guy Friend who helped me come to the reasoning that maybe it was time to just get to know me a bit better.  


So why am I not speaking with this Guy Friend (Who we’ll call Dan) who helped me come to that reasoning. Well Dan and I stopped speaking because he wanted get to know himself as a single person because he was very much “my person” as I was his. What I mean by “My Person” (You Non Grey’s Anatomy Watching Readers. LOL) is that we reached out and told each other about everything, we spoke throughout the day and in the evenings after a night out as well. So his thinking was as long as we had each other, he at least wasn’t going to truly be single.


I then started thinking about his reasoning. And realized even through my dating relationships with other guys I probably went to him more about my thoughts then the guys I was actually seeing. 


Example #1- I was seeing this guy who broke up with me Christmas Eve, his reasoning I wasn’t as smart as a girl who went to an Ivy League and I didn’t know how to pour wine properly (We’ll call him Princeton F*ck Boy) and although sad about it I bounced back rather quickly because I had Dan to turn too. Dan immediately wrote this dude off for me and joked about how I didn’t want to be with a Princeton Guy anyway. AND we both laughed at my inability to pour wine the “proper way”. Little does Princeton F*ck Boy know some days I drink it straight from the bottle. LOL.


Example #2 - I started seeing a guy fairly soon after Princeton F*ck Boy and he broke up with me around Valentine’s Day last year. This guy was the case of the he moved to quickly and it made me nervous and he could sense my hesitance. Oh and he was upset like ALOT because he worked on the Hillary Clinton campaign and we all know how that ended. He took things hard almost daily. Which I got but I didn’t want to hear about it daily. AND The funny thing with this one is during this time Dan started reaching out whenever he knew I was on a date with this guy. Think he could feel this guy was trying to pull me away. But he was there for me when Mr. Moving too fast decided he wanted to put the breaks on things because I wasn’t reciprocating as fast and then apparently I was reciprocating too fast.


With both of these guys I always had Dan there throughout the dating process to vent and immediately after. And although hurt, I bounced back quickly after those two situations because Dan was in my corner. He was right, we both needed a break from each other to truly be single.


I needed to break my F*ck Boy dating pattern and become the strong force I am in my work life in my dating relationships. 


I have to say it’s been great getting to know me. At first it was weird not having Dan to turn too because I realized how often I did turn to him. And then it was great! I finally stopped wondering about Dan (as much. LOL) and I started doing things for me. More girls nights. More nights in. More hiking. More creating. JUST MORE of everything. AND There’s just a lot less worrying in my life, by forming a stronger relationship with myself I’ve learned to filter the F*ck Boys a lot quicker. I’ve also learned to say NO to situations that I don’t see necessarily going anywhere. No time to waste over here. My time is precious. 


Single by Choice does not mean I’m alone and miserable. It means I simply choose me more because I know what I want and I don’t have time to waste with someone who’s not giving that. I encourage all my single ladies to give this a try at least once in your life. Stop bouncing from guy to guy and choose yourself for once. It’ll be the best decision you make.


Xoxo, @kellithinks
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Valentine’s Day is THIS WEEK and whether you’re celebrating that or Galentine’s Day. I have some ideas for all my single ladies out there! Whatever you do this week, don’t sit at home and be miserable. You’re worth soo much more then that. Show yourself some love (because we should wait for no man to do that) and go do something for you!  Xoxo, @KelliThinks

Man Crush Movie Night
When: Whenever!

Put three of your celeb crushes names in a hat (Mine would be Zac Efron, Zac Efron, and Zac Efron. Lol!) and then choose! Whoever you picked, find a movie they’ve been in and watch it that evening. Choose a good one to enjoy with some wine, candy, a girlfriend, and some popcorn!!


Cinespia Movie Night - Roman Holiday
When: February 14th. Doors Open at 7pm

Is there a better way to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the Ladies then watching Audrey Hepburn and putting on your best Formal Gown?! We think not. 
Cocktails, Live Music, DJ, and Photo Booths all in the historic setting of the Los Angeles Theatre you’re bound to have a fun night full of lots of smiles and picture opportunities.


Spread Galentine’s Love
When: Whenever!

Sit down and write little notes (digital or handwritten) to send off to your Gal Pals. When they get it, it’ll for sure put a smile on their face! 


Listen/Participate in the Love Hurts Story Slam  - The Moth
When: February 14th. Doors Open at 6:30PM.

Have a story you want to tell about a relationship that made you go ouch?? Well The Moth is giving you a chance to pull a Taylor Swift in speech format. This is sure to be a fun night listening to other tales and possibly telling your own. Oh, and they hold this event at a bar so you can drink too!


Treat Yo’ Self!
When: Whenever!

Make sure you take time to tell yourself how much you love you this week as well! Go get a mani + pedi, go to the spa, make a romantic dinner for one that you enjoy while watching your man crush movie. Whatever you do, just be a little selfish and spoil you!

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Celebrate at Tiki No in North Hollywood
When: February 14th. Bar Opens at 5PM. Karaoke Starts at 9PM.

What could make you happier then going to a tiki bar?? Just saying the name makes me smile and Tiki No in North Hollywood is going to have $7 drink specials all night. AND karaoke starts at 9PM so you can sing all the Adele and Mariah love songs your heart desires!