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Ashlyn · Travel + Active Lifestyle

@thelostgirlsguide

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Feed’s all over the place because I’M all over the place
Award-Winning Adventure Travel Writer + Content Creator
✈🌍 66 + 7 continents
🏡 SK🇨🇦

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Did you know this is Saskatchewan, Canada?

YES this is real.

Follow @thelostgirlsguide for more hidden Canadian gems like this

These are dunes, not a desert. Even though it looks similar. (Deserts are dry. These dunes get lots of precipitation and you’ll find vegetation out here).

These dunes rise up nearly 100 feet close to the southern shore of Lake Athabasca.

It’s a totally otherworldly place.

The province actually has 4 major dune fields in nearly all 4 corners of the province.

I’ve written about where they are and how you can access them all here (link in bio)
https://www.thelostgirlsguide.com/saskatchewan-2/sand-dunes-in-saskatchewan-4

#exploresask #saskatchewan #explorecanada #canada #sanddunes #desert taken in Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park by @thelostgirlsguide

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3 years ago

Yeah this is Saskatchewan. But…. See why I love it so much? 😍

Follow @thelostgirlsguide for more hidden gems like this in Canada
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#exploresask #explorecanada #saskatchewan #canadatravel by @thelostgirlsguide

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3 years ago

If you leave your summer plants outside with a FREE sign, just know I will be one of the people stopping to pick them up.

Went for a walk and found a beautiful palm looking for a winter home, and I simply couldn’t say no.

Naturally, it came home to join the jungle that is already my living room. (Added it to the two Boston ferns and palm I got from our community pool on closing day) 🤭 taken in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan by @thelostgirlsguide

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a day ago

I admit, birthdays are always hard for me. As grateful as I am for my life and all the opportunities I’ve had, there’s something about birthdays that makes me acutely aware of how quickly time passes.

Every year goes faster than the last, and I find myself reflecting on all the big things and little things that make up a life.

But today was a really beautiful reminder that the best days aren’t about big adventures or grand milestones. They’re about the little things (thanks to some really thoughtful planning by Aaron): coffee and breakfast in bed, a birthday run in the sunshine, a relaxing facial, seeing my brother, a motorcycle ride, Dairy Queen ice cream cake with a cheeky cat on it, cuddles with five cats, and SO many lovely messages from people throughout my life. Even a birthday card with all the cats’ paw prints stamped inside. 🥹

It was a day full of little moments that added up to something really special.

And that’s what I’m always trying to get better at: being intentional with my time, appreciating the ordinary moments, and remembering just how lucky I am to get another year of them.

And since it’s my birthday, I have one little wish: my three foster kittens, the Three Musketeers, are headed back tomorrow to the Saskatoon SPCA to get ready for adoption. If anyone has room in their heart for three ridiculously sweet boys, I’d love nothing more than to see them find a home together. ❤️

Here’s to another year of finding joy in the little things. ✨ taken in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan by @thelostgirlsguide

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7 days ago

This is the closest thing to a real-life Disney castle!

That’s because this is the castle that actually inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle sits in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, and is surrounded by mountains, forests and lakes.

(Somehow it looks even more magical in person than it does in photos!)

It was built in the late 1800s by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who only lived in the castle for a few months before mysteriously “drowning” at the age of 40. (It’s disputed...)

And the castle was never actually finished.

Parts of the interior were completed, so you can take a quick 30-minute tour through the finished rooms (but no photos or videos allowed). There’s also a little café inside and a balcony with beautiful views.

However, you can’t just drive up to it. It’s about a 1.5-minute walk uphill from the village

It’s touristy, it’s busy, but it’s absolutely worth the two-hour trip from Munich!

#germany #neuschwanstein #neuschwansteincastle🏰 taken in Neuschwanstein Castle by @thelostgirlsguide

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11 days ago

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#SandboxBCGiveaway #ExploreBC #TravelBC taken in British Columbia by @thelostgirlsguide

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14 days ago

One of the coolest things we did in Berlin is completely free — and it involves climbing to the top of Germany’s parliament.

After my brother ran the Berlin Marathon, we gave him just enough time to shower before dragging him back out sightseeing. 😂

One of our stops was the Reichstag, home of the German Bundestag, and its famous glass dome.

This is a neat spot in the city — partly because it’s free (you just have to register in advance), but mostly because it’s such a cool piece of architecture.

You walk up this huge spiral ramp inside the glass dome, getting 360° views over Berlin as you go.

And then you can look down into the actual parliament chamber below.

The whole design is built around the idea of transparency — literally being able to see into the heart of government.

There’s also a massive mirrored cone in the middle that reflects daylight down into the chamber, while the open top of the dome collects rainwater and allows air to circulate through the building. taken in Berlin, Germany by @thelostgirlsguide

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14 days ago

The Berlin Marathon was the whole reason I came to Germany.

My brother is working his way through the Six Majors, so my mom, one of my other brothers and I came over to cheer him on and, of course, make a trip out of it!

We spent the day bouncing around the course, trying to catch him at different points, surrounded by nearly 60,000 runners.

It’s wild to watch that many people running through a city, all with their own reasons for being there. And then every so often, there’s my brother coming around the corner and we’re yelling at him and cheering him on. The entire day is about finding him in the crowd. 😂

I’ve now travelled to Tokyo, New York and Berlin for his races. My parents made it to London (where my oldest brother lives), and Blair’s also run Chicago.

I love that this has somehow turned into a family tradition — following him around the world while he runs marathons.

Boston is still on the list, along with the two new Majors in Cape Town and Sydney.

Not a bad way to see the world. ❤️ taken in Berlin, Germany by @thelostgirlsguide

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18 days ago

My first Oktoberfest experience!

I was a bit hesitant about it - wondering if Oktoberfest was similar to the Calgary Stampede but Bavarian.

And when you first arrive, it kind of feels that way. Rides, food stalls, games, crowds of people dressed up but in this case in dirndls and lederhosen (which look incredible, by the way!)

It’s very much a giant fairground.

But then you walk into the beer halls, and that was a cool moment!

Tables packed with people, litre beers, servers carrying enormous planks of food, people standing on benches and singing along to the live bands.

The music was one of the things that surprised me most. I think I was expecting more traditional music, but instead it was Journey, ABBA, the Proclaimers… essentially a giant singalong of songs everyone knows.

This was probably my favourite part - the energy inside the beer halls. Every one had a slightly different feel, but they were all loud, chaotic and fun.

I didn’t dress up this time, which I kind of regret. But I didn’t have enough time to rent an outfit, and buying seems quite expensive for one evening, anywhere from 150-200 euros.

Would I do Oktoberfest again? I think so! Although next time, I’d likely dress the part! 🥳 by @thelostgirlsguide

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20 days ago

Woke up in Munich this morning!

But honestly - flying to Europe and managing jet lag is rough.

You leave North America in the late afternoon or evening, when your body is very much expecting it to be nighttime soon, and then you land in Europe the next morning.

If you don’t sleep on the plane, you’ve essentially skipped an entire night.

But half the time you’re leaving home ridiculously early, so you didn’t get a proper night’s sleep before the flight either.

Which means you can end up going almost TWO nights without really sleeping.

And unfortunately, I am very much a “hit the ground running” kind of traveller. There is often no leisurely hotel nap and easing into the day over here.

There are places to see, things to do, food to eat!

So I’m functioning on questionable amounts of sleep and sheer enthusiasm.

I genuinely don’t know what the secret is to beating European jet lag, but if you’ve figured it out, I’m all ears. 😂 taken in Munich, Germany by @thelostgirlsguide

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20 days ago

Well, this is so wonderful!

Last night, while I was halfway around the world in Munich celebrating Oktoberfest, I was named Travel Media Professional of the Year at the Hospitality Saskatchewan Tourism Awards.

I couldn’t be there to accept it in person, but friends and colleagues sent me photos from the night <3

I’ve spent more than a decade writing about Saskatchewan, photographing it, talking about it on TV and radio, making videos about it, pitching stories about it and generally trying to show people that this province is worth getting off the highway for.

And this past year has been a particularly big one.

I was selected as a Lonely Planet contributor and co-authored and photographed Lonely Planet’s Best Bike Rides Canada, writing the Saskatchewan and Manitoba cycling routes for the inaugural edition. I published 22 Saskatchewan feature articles and videos, did 34 media interviews promoting the province and reached millions of views through my The Lost Girl’s Guide to Finding the World platform.

But the numbers are only a small part of why this award means something important to me.

I’ve always wanted my work to do more than show Saskatchewan is beautiful. I want it to make someone actually want to come here.

I want people to discover a community they didn’t know existed, add a Saskatchewan road trip to their list, book a campsite, stop at a local restaurant, hike a trail, or look at this province a little differently than they did before.

That’s what I’ve been trying to build for the past 12 years: a career centred around making Saskatchewan impossible to overlook.

And being named the Travel Media Professional of the Year is a nod that I’m heading in the right direction.

I’m especially grateful to the people who have trusted me with their stories, invited me into their communities, worked alongside me, answered ALL my questions, and shared their expertise with me.

I’ll be raising a stein to Saskatchewan from Munich tonight! 🥳🥰 by @thelostgirlsguide

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22 days ago

One of my favourite ways to spend a day in Saskatoon?
A ride around the river on the @meewasinvalley trails. | Ad @discoversaskatoon

A few stops worth checking out:
• @remaimodern + River Landing
• Taking your bike across the Train Bridge
• Sculpture Garden near the@usask Campus
• Views of the @deltabessyxe + downtown skyline
• @fableicecream for made-from-scratch ice cream
• @flintsaloon for a cocktail on the patio

Need a bike? Rent from @lifeoutsidegx or @bikedoctorstoon and make a day of it!

What are your fav river stops?

#Saskatooning #ExploreSask #Saskatoon #SaskatchewaN taken in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan by @thelostgirlsguide

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a month ago