Out with the old in with the new passport
Sometimes you forget that Canada is a foreign country. I dawdled on getting my passport renewed, which expired in April. I have a conference to attend in Toronto this weekend. It finally dawned on me that Toronto is in Canada, and I got busy and sent in my renewal with two months to spare. Two weeks ago, I received my shiny new ticket to the rest of the world.
It is kind of sad discarding an old passport. You are kind of officially closing the book on ten years of travel. When I look back at the last ten years though, they were the best ten years of travel in my life. They far exceeded my prior passport, which only saw a handful of European countries.
In the Polish town of Krasnystaw, Poland
The last ten years included a trip through Czech Republic and Poland and a three month jaunt through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, and Japan. Then I had a long drought of traveling overseas lasting five years. During this time I continued to travel extensively, but in nearby places like Wisconsin, South Dakota, Michigan, Tennessee, and Florida.
Thailand was a major highlight of the last ten years of travel
I finally broke the ice on my overseas travel drought with trips to Costa Rica, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana over the last two years. It has been a really good last couple of years for travel as I have mixed international with local. It makes me hopeful for the next ten years. I have a feeling the next decade will be even greater.
Howler monkey in Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica
My first stamp on my new passport will have a special significance for me as it will return me to the origins of Traveling Ted. I will be attending TBEX, Toronto which is a huge travel blogger conference held in different cities each year. I have never been to a Canadian city before although I have canoed and fished Canadian lakes many times in Quetico Provincial Park.
I will miss not paddling a scenic Canadian lake, but it will be nice to visit a Canadian city
You may wonder how I could be heading to the origins of my website if I have never been there before. My parents met in Toronto as graduate students at the University of Toronto. Although I was not physically conceived in the city, it was where the beginnings of me and henceforth everything else about me including this post commenced.
Travel is mostly about people and this trip will excel in this aspect as there will be anywhere from 750-1000 travel bloggers taking over the city. I will be staying with an extraordinary group under the label of RWTBEX (click on the link to meet the merry pranksters), which stands for Real World TBEX. A group of ten plus bloggers will be staying together in an apartment rental for four nights compliments of Flipkey, which should be absolutely crazy. Follow our antics on #RWTBEX.
I am excited to get my first use out of my new passport. My next decade of travel will be incredible, and I cannot wait to get in the car and start this Thursday with a trip to Canada.
Do you get both sentimental about the past and excited about the future when you renew your passport?
TT
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I know EXACTLY how you feel. My passport expires in January. This strip to Toronto will be the last one I take with it (since your passport needs to be active for 6 months prior to your return). Look forwarding to finally meeting in TBEX. Will be sad to get rid of mine as well. Too many memories in that passport!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..I’m a travel photographer and this is my Yosemite in Winter ebook
Look forward to meeting you as well on your swan song trip for you and your current passport.
uuuh, i only JUST now realized that i’ll need to bring my passport with me on friday. thanks for the reminder, ted! #rwtbex
thelazytravelers recently posted..#LTGoWithOh bucket list item 7
I pride myself on giving tips to travelers. I am glad you found the tip “bring your passport to a foreign country” useful.
Our passports in Canada are only good for 5 years though that’s supposed to be going up to 7 years. I do feel like a new one heralds a new part of your life – so I have a lot of 5 year segments in a drawer. I used to think my passport photos were really bad but now I kind of like the younger ones.
Doesn’t sound like there is much sleep in your future!
Leigh recently posted..When Travel Plans Go Badly Astray
Leigh,
I think I will be sleeping during the conference. I am going to absorb information through osmosis.
Cannot wait for RWTBEX! Going to be amazing! Love that your parents met in Toronto – can’t believe you’ve never been there!
Erin at The World Wanderer recently posted..Music Monday: Pursuit of Happiness.
As a kid, our vacation destinations were always outdoors, so there are a lot of cities I have never been to. Slowly catching up now. This weekend will be epic!
Ted, I hope to catch up with you at some point over the next few days 🙂 Congrats on the new passport!
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.) recently posted..Sous vide caramelized bananas with coconut gel and snow by Les Petits Chefs and Chef John Placko
Thanks Mardi,
Look forward to seeing you and others from the Puebla crew. You will have to give some eating advice while in Toronto. Thanks for the congrats. Good to have a shiny new passport for 10 more years of adventure.
Congrats of the new arrival 😉 Best of luck in the next 10 years of your adventures Ted.
Thanks Carlo,
I think they will be the best 10 of my life. I hope the same for you.
And what 10 years, huh! Ours are only 5 years and we need to hand them back – not fair! As for Toronto.. bet you had a bit of fun!
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted..A lovely weekend in and around Lisbon, Portugal
I had a little bit of fun in Toronto Mrs. O 🙂
Was so great to meet you Ted. The RWTBEX house was insane fun. Hope to catch up again some time soon – and like I said, there is space chez moi for you during the Keski!
Anita Mac recently posted..Monday Morning Series: Graffiti Message in Toronto
Look forward to seeing you in Quebec in February. I will definitely be there.
Hey Ted! I’m so glad you made the jump and renewed your passport! 🙂 Do you get to keep the old one as a keepsake? I hope so! It was absolutely divine meeting you and other awesome bloggers at TBEX. I’m glad i made the jump to go. 🙂
By the way. You’ll get a new one-renewed- revamped- reloaded.
With ten times the epic adventures!
Lauren recently posted..A Generation 9/11 First Timer on the Toronto City TBEX 2013 Convention
Hi Lauren,
I do still have the old one. One day when I am old and in a retirement home, I will flip through those pages and remember.
I am glad you made the jump to go too. Great meeting with you too and looking forward to staying in touch!
Great post Ted…there’s nothing I enjoy more than reflecting on my travels. I have yet to need to renew my passport (didn’t get my first one until I was 24) but it is coming next year and it will be sad to see those stamps go. But then again, it just gives me a good excuse to fill it up again!
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..The Adventures of #FlatDeej in Toronto
You can always keep the old passport as a keepsake. When you renew they send you a new one and the old one back.
I will weep when I have to replace my passport. AND, I always forget Canada is a foreign country. It’s like USA-lite.
Leah Travels recently posted..Summer Lovin’ @Triptease Style
First, I almost did not renew in time, then I almost forgot to stick the passport in my fanny pack. Although, I sure remembered Canada is a foreign country every time I walked out of the RWTBEX apartment and realized I had no phone service.
SO happy to be a part of your first new passport stamp 🙂 when i have to replace mine, i will do the same kind of story. soooo fun & interesting. if i were to pick my major highlight at this time it would be Cambodia!! wonder if i’ll top that before the passport expires?!
lola recently posted..it takes a village…
I have a feeling you will Lola or at least you will have a great time trying.