This week I was in London, Ontario. I this blog post I will discuss the spa Grand Wellness, the spa Ethos Rejuvenation Centre, my Airbnb, my thoughts on Solo Travel, as well as my hoildays with my family.
Grand Wellness
I started this trip with a spa appointment. This spa is in Brantford, Ontario and is called Grand Wellness. At this spa, my mother and I enjoyed a salt cave session as well as infused soaks.
In the salt cave we experienced Halotherapy. Halotherapy is good for detoxification of the lungs and prevention of infections. I don't recommend the treatment if you have dry skin or airways. My nose was bit uncomfortable because of the salty air. But if you are congested, it might just be perfect for you.
The salt cave is not warm, it only about 18 degree Celsius, so you can get pretty chilly. The staff does give you a blanket and a warm drink to help keep you warm, but the salt cave might be best in the summer.
My soak was perfect! The water was warm and smelled really good. It had a bunch of differently coloured flower petals and the bathtub was the perfect size for me (I am 5'5). I had a complimentary coffee and tea and my mother had 2 hot apple ciders. You can order alcoholic drinks here as well as buy some snacks, but you I don't believe you can eat them in the spa. I have snacks from Picards peanuts, and some freeze dried sweets (Bananas, Skittles, etc.).
London
This week was 'Reading Week' at my university. That means students have a week long break during the term with no classes. The week is meant to help students catch up on their school work, but some students with visit family or travel during the break.
During this reading week was the holiday Thanksgiving. Canada and America both celebrate this holiday but we celebrate it at different times, namely in different months (Canadians in October and Ameicans in November). So, at the beginning of reading week I visited family. We ate and laughed a lot. It was good to see my family. It had been too long since the last time we spent time together.
Airbnb
From there, I went to my Airbnb. This Airbnb had a grandmothers house vibe. The patterned couches, the TV stand with the VHS tapes, the old wooden style, etc. It felt like I was visiting my grandmother's home. It was really cozy.
The private patio was the perfect place for my morning coffee. This Airbnb was in the middle of the city, but it was really quiet and peaceful. I felt quite safer here. They had everything I needed and so much more (shampoo, conditioner, soap, rice, coffee, some fruits, etc.).
I think, the best thing in the whole world is having a quiet morning coffee. I am definitely a morning person.
Ethos Rejuvenation Centre
While I was in London, I visited another spa called Ethos Rejuvenation Centre. I had the 'Restorative Beauty Facial Package'. This facial focuses on anti-aging, and so my esthetician cleansed, exfoliated, and moisturized my skin. She massaged my neck, chest and shoulders. The products she used did smell nice, but the smell was quite strong. This spa is quite expensive and the staff wasn't exactly polite. Honestly, I do not recommend going to this spa.
London
The nature in London is so beautiful during the fall. Canada is a huge country, therefore in cities there are many open roads surrounded by beautiful nature. The trees are all different shades of orange, red, brown and green.
Since it was 'Reading Week' I spent a lot on my laptop studying. So I spent many hours in cafes. When I travel, cafes are one of my favorite things to enjoy. To me, the atmosphere of a cafe has a romantic vibe. Something as simple as working in a coffee shop can be so beautiful. There is so much that is simple and mundane in our lives, and there can be so much beauty and romance in it. Much of our life revolves around our perspective on a given situation.
Life doesn't have to be this fast-paced, constant rush, go-go-go. There is no right way to travel. There is no need to explore everything the city has to offer. Travel the way you want.
It's simple but it brings me so much happiness to hear the song 'Micheal Buble - Everything' at a cafe in a new city while I'm working on schoolwork.
There is so much beauty and romance in simplicity, even in a new city.
Summary
I definitely recommend London, Ontario for your next trip to Canada. It is a beautiful city that has many things to offer foreigners. The nature in autumn is beautiful, the weather is nice, the majority of people are polite, and it has quiet cafes.
This city also has two universities - Fanshawe College and Western University. So, there are many students and young people and so there are many opportunities for making new friends.
I will definitely visit again!
Solo Travel in Canada
This trip was the first of many more solo trips that are in my future.
I'm still trying to figure out solo travel. It's new to me but I love traveling and my alone time. There isn't always another person that can travel with me (too busy, not enough money, etc). But I still want to travel, so I have to do it alone.
What is a bit difficult is the transportation. Buses and trains are different in Canada than Germany. Because Canada is a big country, taking transit takes a long time. So if I want to go to another city, it can take many hours by bus or train. But in Germany it is possible to travel by bus or train to another country in just a couple of hours. I might be able to ride my bike, but not in the winter (winter in Canada is incredibly cold).
I'm also concerned about my safety. I am young and a woman. Canada is pretty safe, but in every country there are people with bad intentions. I already have a few things I do for my safety. But, what is very important to know as a traveler is the self defense and gun laws in Canada. They are very strict compared to Germany or the USA. So you can't have knives or pepper spray and absolutely no guns. You can pretty much only have alarms. I'm not explaining this to scare you, just so you are cautious when traveling to Canada.
I think solo travel is lonely sometimes too. I can call my family and friends, but is it still a bit lonely. The more often I travel, the more or different answers I will have to all my concerns. With more experience comes more knowledge.
Guys don't go to London, I live here, it's awful