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What do you get when you... get engaged, move across the world, buy a home, go through the immigration process towards citizenship, and can't work... during a global pandemic?

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Dream Malibu Staycation! ☀️•••••••••••••••••••••�....

My favorite backseat driver! 🐶•••••••••••••••••••••....

Hey, hey, we're the monkeys ⁠
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Photo by Anskar Lenzen on #500px ⁠
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@anskar.lenzen⁠
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I’m giving away over $4000 in prizes— because we ALL need some extra love and excitement in ....

Can 👏 You 👏 Even
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“Bailey does Washington” deserved its own post because... I can’t.
Which snap is your favorite?
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@goodbaileyboy @farmluxe #cockapoo #dogsofinstagram #cockapoosofinstagram #cockapoopuppy #cockapoolove

Hi friends! 👋••••••••••••••••••••••••••�....

That's a lot of stuff ⁠
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Photo by yiranding on #500px ⁠

Passing by ⁠
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Photo by Chrix Chan on #500px ⁠

Breathe in, breathe out ⁠
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Photo by Agnieszka Wieczorek on #500px ⁠
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@polatinaphotoandtravel⁠
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I was feeling really down about missing my 6th Burn this year. Lord knows I needed it more than ever. But, upon “scrolling” down memory lane on IG, I stumbled ...

Back from a trip to the Pacific Northwest 🌲🏔•••••••••••••••�....

Hiking Silver Falls 🌲••••••••••••••••••••••••....

Mystery man ⁠
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Photo by Patrick Dreuning on #500px ⁠
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@patrickdreuning⁠

Bloom where you are planted 🌱•••••••••••••••••••••�....

Celebrating Bailey's first birthday with @instinctpetfood 🐾🎂••••••••••....

Even as an avid traveler, the comfort of that first night home in my own bed is one of the best feelings in the world. 🛏
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# AD As ...

Hanging on by a thread 🧵⁠
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Photo by on #500px ⁠
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@isaa_mejia⁠
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@goodbaileyboy turns one tomorrow! 🐶🎂•••••••••••••••••�....

⁠The meow meow ⁠
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Photo by GF_Y on #500px ⁠
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{SOUND ON 🔈} Before I left Cape Town in March, I shot my daily routine complete with my @Wate....

Air ball ⚽️ ⁠
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Photo by nblinjia on #500px ⁠
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theblondeabroad

What do you get when you... get engaged, move across the world, buy a home, go through the immigration process towards citizenship, and can't work... during a global pandemic?

A stressful financial situation.
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# Sponsored Like many of you, this year has had a lot of highs and lows for us. We've had to make some crazy life choices while we await Meyer's green card, and because he's not able to work in the meantime, budgeting has been the "fireside chat" of 2020.
When it comes to planning for the future, making BIG investments, and starting new life chapters, you need to sit down and make smart choices together. Right now, we're budgeting for what will be one of our biggest investments—a destination wedding back in South Africa!
We've started using @YouNeedABudget to navigate our shared expenses, work through big financial decisions, and ultimately, save for our future! It's an easy-to-use software and app that teaches you how to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck, get out of debt, and save more money so that you can spend it on the things that matter most to you.
For us, that's putting lots of love into our new home, organizing a destination wedding and dreaming up an epic honeymoon!
Check out my tips for budgeting for a destination wedding PLUS get a free 34-day trial to #YNAB so you can start saving — LINK IN BIO!
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#YouNeedABudget 196 Comments 12.4K Likes

theblondeabroad

Dream Malibu Staycation! ☀️
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Sponsored While we wait for the opportunity to resume our international adventures and cross more things off the travel bucket list, I'm taking advantage of some isolated staycations!
A few weeks ago, we opted for a beachfront getaway in Malibu.
@RVshare was the perfect fit for us — it's an RV rental marketplace (kind of like Airbnb for RVs!) and there's a ton of different size RVs available, from Class A to camper vans. We decided to book this dreamy Airstream and have it delivered to this epic campsite.
Not only was it easy to find a pet-friendly rental, but the option to have it delivered to our campground made it so convenient and stress-free.
I Iove spending time outdoors, so I can’t wait for more RV adventures!
Check out my LINK IN BIO for a full review.
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#rvshare #rvlife #rvrental #vanlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #myrvadventure 261 Comments 11.7K Likes

theblondeabroad

My favorite backseat driver! 🐶
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# ad Bailey used to hate the car as a puppy — he would cry and cry, and I really didn’t understand why. After some research, and learning more about dog motion sickness, it made sense to me. I really hadn’t associated his fear of the car with potential motion sickness.
A lot of pet owners don’t bring their dogs along on road trips or travels because their pup gets uncomfortable or sick— - but who wants to leave their best buddy behind?!
Now, Bailey is the BEST travel dog. He goes everywhere with us from the scooter to the car to the plane– - but his favorites are long road trips with the wind blowing through his hair!
Read more about the signs of dog motion sickness, what you can do to better the experience for your pup, and ways that @ZoetisPetcare can also help on my blog! Plus, they have an online community, Ralph’s Amazing Adventures, full of information for pet owners and a place to share your dog’s adventures. LINK IN BIO
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#RalphOnTheGo 208 Comments 8.9K Likes

500px

Hey, hey, we're the monkeys ⁠
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Photo by Anskar Lenzen on #500px ⁠
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@anskar.lenzen⁠
⁠ 78 Comments 19.3K Likes

theblondeabroad

I’m giving away over $4000 in prizes— because we ALL need some extra love and excitement in 2020... #AMIRIGHT??
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In case you missed it — I'm giving away some incredible prizes through the end of the month!
I wanted to shine light on some of my favorite small brands and share the chance to win some incredibly cool goodies.
I’m giving away everything from educational courses, to lifestyle essentials, to car camping tents, to luxury bedding—a little bit of everything to help make this chapter in our lives a bit brighter!
There is a new 48-hour giveaway going live EVERY day, so be sure to check back DAILY and enter to win!
>>>LINK IN BIO<<<
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#giveaway 84 Comments 7.6K Likes

theblondeabroad

Hi friends! 👋
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Travel has been on my mind a lot lately, naturally. I've really struggled with staying put for such a long time — it's been almost a decade since I've stayed in one place this long!
I feel like I’ve been stuck in limbo. I love feeling the comforts of my own home, but I also constantly feel the urge to get out of my comfort zone and to experience new things.
I still haven’t left San Diego since we landed in California back in March. But, I'm planning some camping trips and little adventures within the US for later this summer.
How are you guys feeling about travel right now? Have you thought about when, and where, your next trip might be? When do you think you’ll feel ok to travel internationally again?
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I'd love to know what your thoughts are! xx 279 Comments 9.8K Likes

500px

That's a lot of stuff ⁠
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Photo by yiranding on #500px ⁠ 37 Comments 11.5K Likes

500px

Passing by ⁠
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Photo by Chrix Chan on #500px ⁠ 47 Comments 11.9K Likes

500px

Breathe in, breathe out ⁠
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Photo by Agnieszka Wieczorek on #500px ⁠
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@polatinaphotoandtravel⁠
⁠ 16 Comments 4.4K Likes

theblondeabroad

I was feeling really down about missing my 6th Burn this year. Lord knows I needed it more than ever. But, upon “scrolling” down memory lane on IG, I stumbled upon the caption from this photo that I posted 2 years ago... and it was just the reminder I needed...
“Home is where you hang your heart 💙
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The first thing I was told upon arriving to my first Burn back in 2013 was “Welcome Home.” An older man in nothing but a tutu immediately ran up, gave me a huge hug like we were long lost friends, and then told me to roll around in the dust. I won’t lie, the experience was completely jarring. I immediately thought, “What the hell did I just sign up for?!” I always thought I was an open minded person, but was this going to be totally beyond what I could handle? That week was one of the most uncomfortable, awe-inspiring, emotional, carefree, and life-changing experiences in my life. 5 Burns later, I’m proud to say that not much has changed. It still takes me at least 24 hours to shake the real world off, to stop thinking the word “weird” and to, if I’m being completely honest, stop judging. We all judge others based on what’s beautiful, what’s acceptable, what’s “normal,” and what’s cool, when those beliefs might not even be what we really feel. It’s just what we’ve been conditioned to think. If there’s any takeaway from #BurningMan that I try to carry with me, it’s that we’re all weird. There is no normal. Life is weird. Love is weird. The internet is REALLY weird. So why not be silly? Why live in fear of being uncool? Wear the tutu, roll in the dust, cry when things are sad and dance when everyone’s watching. You only have one life. How do you wanna spend it?”
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#burningman 278 Comments 16.1K Likes

theblondeabroad

Back from a trip to the Pacific Northwest 🌲🏔
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We traveled to the PNW to have a celebration of life for my uncle. We practiced social distancing as we honored my uncle's life and what a wonderful man he was.
While it was a very heavy day, it was also filled with so much joy and remembrance. I hadn't seen some of my family members in the better part of a decade and though I wish we were coming together under different circumstances, it did serve as an important reminder.
I've been thinking about mortality a lot lately—the lives we touch while we’re on Earth and the legacy we leave behind when we're gone.
My uncle dealt with medical setbacks his entire life—his kidney failed in his 30's, his son resuscitated him after a heart attack, and he suffered multiple strokes that left him paralyzed and restricted to a wheelchair.
Despite it all, he remained positive, happy and enhanced the lives of everyone around him until the very end.
Something I took from his memorial (that's both sad and happy) is that after someone has passed away, there is so much to be said about the impact they had on our own lives.
My uncle had enough time to hear and feel how loved he was while he was still alive, but I know not everyone gets the chance to.
It's a good reminder that we should continually tell the people in our lives how much we love them, celebrate all their goodness, and the things we adore about them while we have them here.
It's so important to let people know how wonderful they are as often as we can and not just memorialize them once they are gone. Each and every day we are breathing and each and every day we have with the ones we love is something to cherish.
I realize that at this time it can be difficult to connect and see the ones you love in person, but make the time for a phone call, a loving message, or a video chat. Let the people you care for know how much they mean to you in whatever means possible.
I think everyone might be needing a little extra love right now no matter where they are in the world, so spread all that you have to give.
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#pnw #oregon 190 Comments 10.6K Likes

theblondeabroad

Hiking Silver Falls 🌲
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Oregon is such a beautiful state and I’ve been lucky to explore quite a few hikes in the Portland/Salem area over the years! On our recent trip to the PNW, my family and I hiked the Rim Trail to the North Falls — it was dog and kid friendly — and absolutely stunning!
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#oregon #silverfalls #nature #cockapoo #cockapoosofinstagram #cockapoopuppy #outdoors #adventure 211 Comments 11.6K Likes

500px

Mystery man ⁠
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Photo by Patrick Dreuning on #500px ⁠
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@patrickdreuning⁠ 24 Comments 8.5K Likes

theblondeabroad

Bloom where you are planted 🌱
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Yesterday I posted about our trip to the Pacific Northwest for a family memorial. We decided to extend the trip a few days to stay with my friend, @farmluxe, and her family on their incredible property in Washington. Misha is a longtime friend and, like many of the women I’ve grown close with in my adult years, I owe our meeting to this platform. We met through travel blogging and we’ve traveled through Greece, Namibia and Kenya together.
Her family planted their roots on Bainbridge Island and to say that it is “insanely beautiful” would be an understatement.
It’s serious #goals but also a labor of love. They’ve given rescued animals a home and support the community in a big way. Each week they harvest from their garden and donate to the local food bank. This week alone they donated 600lbs of food.
I know we’ve all had to navigate a lot of feelings this year. We’ve been challenged to stay put. To change our course.
As the saying goes, we do not grow from things staying the same.
I’ve had to rethink the business I’ve poured the last decade of my life into. I’ve dealt with mental health struggles and debilitating pain from an injury. I’ve moved continents, gotten engaged, and bought a home in the middle of a pandemic. And travel, a big part of my life and identity is, of course, is on hold. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t gone through periods of self pity.
But with so much newfound free time, I now stop to smell the flowers. I see my family almost every weekend. I FaceTime regularly with friends. I do puzzles. I find joy in cooking again. Hell, I pickle now. I pickle everything. And I love it.
While I’ll never discount this year and the challenges it has presented for the world, I’m choosing to focus on the positives. I’ve been living at such an insane pace that I’ve missed so many of the simple joys of life along the way. I know more, now than ever, how I need to find a better balance moving forward.
I’m so grateful for our little adventure up north and for our friends who welcomed us to their little slice of paradise. It was a beautiful reminder of what’s important in life. 291 Comments 15.7K Likes

theblondeabroad

Celebrating Bailey's first birthday with @instinctpetfood 🐾🎂
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I can't believe Bailey is all grow'd up 😢! Does anyone else treat their dog like a puppy for their entire lifetime?
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Even though he'll always be our little fluff baby, part of becoming a "grown-up" dog means reassessing their food so it’s the right fit for an adult dog — enter raw dog food. It's full of real ingredients (that you can actually pronounce!), never cooked, minimally processed, and nutrient-dense.
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With our on-the-go lifestyle, it's important to us that we're always able to give Bailey the best food, and with Instinct Raw Freeze-Dried Meals, he can have the benefits of raw food in a dry form that won't spoil. It's the best of both worlds!
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Whether you want to use Freeze-Dried Raw Meals to incorporate into your pup's diet by sprinkling on top of their current food, or do a full raw swap, it's a healthy and delicious upgrade!
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As part of the launch of Instinct Raw Freeze-Dried Meals, Instinct donated 500,000 meals to @feedingamerica for their #instinctmealsformeals campaign!
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#instinctraw #ad 96 Comments 4.1K Likes

theblondeabroad

Even as an avid traveler, the comfort of that first night home in my own bed is one of the best feelings in the world. 🛏
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# AD As we've been slowly furnishing our new home, the importance of choosing local, sustainable and green have been top priority.
When we started researching mattresses, we were SHOCKED that many are full of harmful chemicals. I never knew that many mattresses and the materials they are made from literally release toxins while you sleep.
And, they say the average person spends 1/3 of their life in bed!
That's why @avocadomattress was a no-brainer.
Their natural mattresses are 100% certified organic using low emissions and made right here in California. It's the healthiest, most squishy, comfy, soft-as-a-cloud mattress I've ever slept on!
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#avocadomattress #homesweethome 96 Comments 4.5K Likes

500px

Hanging on by a thread 🧵⁠
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Photo by on #500px ⁠
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@isaa_mejia⁠
⁠ 27 Comments 6.1K Likes

theblondeabroad

@goodbaileyboy turns one tomorrow! 🐶🎂
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I’ve spent the entire day going through thousands of photos and videos of this little guy and have cried my eyes out.
We brought Bailey home as a tiny puppy and it’s been one of the biggest highlights of my life to watch him grow.
He’s scootered through Cape Town, camped all over Western South Africa, flown 10,242 miles to California, and surfed in the Pacific Ocean.
That’s one BIG first year of life and we promise to continue to spoil him with love and adventure!
We truly don’t deserve dogs. Their unconditional, unrelenting love is extraordinary. We love you Bagel-dee-BOOP!
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#capetown #southafrica 453 Comments 19.7K Likes

500px

⁠The meow meow ⁠
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Photo by GF_Y on #500px ⁠
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theblondeabroad

{SOUND ON 🔈} Before I left Cape Town in March, I shot my daily routine complete with my @Waterlesshaircare haircare routine. #Sponsored 💁🏼‍♀️
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While living in Cape Town, we experienced the largest drought-induced municipal water failure in modern history.
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The community had to come together to massively reduce their water use — that included everything from washing our hands, to washing our hair and even flushing the toilet.
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There was a conscious shift of mindset and huge conservation efforts throughout the country and, together, we overcame the crisis.
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I vowed to bring that same water conservation mindset home with me. Since moving back to California, I take
short showers (I only wash my hair every 4-5 days) and use Waterl•
And still flush our toilets less often 😉
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Check out my blog for my posts on how to become a more water-conscious traveler, make your home more eco-friendly, and don't miss my NEW VIDEO — LINK IN BIO!
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#GoWaterless 106 Comments 2.5K Likes

500px

Air ball ⚽️ ⁠
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Photo by nblinjia on #500px ⁠
⁠ 23 Comments 6.3K Likes