caine chan :: fingers crossed

I don’t know why I love Redwoods so much, I just do. They calm me in a way that nothing else does. The past 4 days I did nothing but to surround myself w these indescribable beauty that put me in awe at every turn I took. I’ve never been this up close to so many Giant Redwoods at once and as I was hiking through endless acres of redwood groves, I couldn’t help but wonder how lucky I am to be alive, how proud I should be of myself for taking one difficult step after another in order to be healthy again, how grateful I am that after all, everything seems to be working out just fine, and how foolish it is of me to spend so much time and energy worrying about the little things that shouldn’t matter in the first place. I finished this trip with some renewed clarity and focus on how I could live the New Year a little differently to result in a better and authentic self because to be honest, 2017 really freaking sucked. Thank you @blackgoggles for joining me on this last-min road trip. (at Humboldt Redwoods State Park)

Since before I knew I would be interested in urban planning and mobility, I’ve always wanted to visit the Scandinavia. I’m particularly drawn to Copenhagen because I’m so fond of what I heard about the bicycle culture here (and LEGO is based here so that too). Riding a bike here today to get around town is truly a dream come true 😎 (at Copenhagen, Denmark)

Stockholm, you’re my very first taste of Europe. Your people are very well dressed and friendly. Beautiful architectures. Cute babies and latte papas are everywhere and you’re doing it right when it comes to childcare policy. Your history is fascinating and walking through your narrow-winding cobblestone streets at night was my favorite. Public transportation is incredible so bonus points there. I’m bringing back the concept of “fika” with me to the US. Your coffee is so so, but I still like you very much. Till next time ✌🏻 (at Stockholm, Sweden)

I'm never one to read poetry. That changed about 6 months ago when I picked up Rupi Kaur's milk and honey at the airport. The book of poems about love, lost and redemption, written by a 25-year-old opened a whole new world for me. Today as I listened to her spoken words, I thought, "How could someone so young to have experienced so much and most importantly have the ability to transform her thoughts and experiences into such beautiful, all encompassing and heart wrenching words?". The many different people I've shared experience with in the past entered my mind like a train on schedule as she recited her poems, sending me to destinations of regret, love, anger, jealousy, and hope. I remember reading some of them on the plane out- it was clear to me that my reactions to these pieces have changed between now and then. Funny how things work in this life huh. Funny how time really helps dilute feelings you had in the past that was strong enough to literally suffocate you, that with each passing of week and month, it was not so hard anymore to retract your thoughts to something else. Some are still bitter and sad, but now I am certainly seeing things in a much more positive light. Excited to read The Sun and Her Flowers. Anyone else have recommendations for good poetry please send them my way!! // it was when I stopped searching for home within others and lifted the foundations of home within myself I found there were no roots more intimate than those between a mind and body that have decided to be whole. -Rupi Kaur #rupikaur #thesunandherflowers (at Castro Theatre)

"Hey wana go hiking?" "Sure but I have stuff going on till 2" "We'll go after" "Yea let's go" "Perfect I'll pick you up at 2:30" Spontaneity keeps you alive. We hiked out to Alamere Falls to see the sunset on the first day of fall. It was perfect 🍂🌅 (at Alamere Falls)

That little tiny human there is me 🙋🏻 Finally made it to Half Dome after too many attempts at the lottery. Grateful to get an invite to summit this monster yesterday w new friends. Also got to see parts of Yosemite that I've never seen before. 15 hours on the trail in one day- definitely a personal record. It will take days for my calves to recover 😅 #optoutside #yosemite #halfdome #vernalfalls #sheexplores #caineatnationalparks (at Half Dome)

Not everything is supposed to become something beautiful and long-lasting. Some people you meet in this lifetime are meant to stay. Some become the core of your existence then you learn that they are only meant be a chapter. Sometimes people come into your life to show you what is right and what is wrong, to show you who you can be, to knock you down for being who you are, to teach you how to love and be loved, to make you feel like you are hard to love and not worthy of love, to make you feel better or worse for a little while or a long time, to let you know it’s okay to let go, or to just be someone to walk with in the middle of a beautiful day and spill your life to. Not everyone is going to stay, and we will just have to keep on going and thank them for what they have given us. With that said, I am grateful for every single one of you who’ve entered my life.

Honestly, nothing makes my happier than getting the invite to your good friends' wedding and a postcard from a friend who you don't talk to much but are like stars, you know they're always there #heartisfull

Spent the last few days at the wonderful Sapa, a culturally rich town in northwest Vietnam occupied by different hill tribe minorities near the Chinese border. The lush mountain ranges and rolling hills of cascading rice terraces were what attracted me to it in the first place. The incredible opportunity to interact with the local Black H'mong, Tay and Dzao tribe members is what makes me consider this trekking trip my favorite memory of my time here. The development in Sapa has been rapid with the advent of tourism. Trekking tours, almost exclusively led by female tribe members are the town's major economic driver. I'm humbled to be able to go on a tour like this to learn a culture that couldn't be more different than mine. I learned a lot about the town and the people from my 20-year-old guide, Zao who had been leading treks since she was 15 and learned how to speak English via the internet. We discussed the roles men and women play in our respective cultures and learned that women is Sapa are usually the breadwinners because they make better income as trekking guides than men who usually work in the fields. Despite of that, women are still expected to do more such as to raise children and take care of the households. We talked about how just last month she married her husband after dating him for only 4 months. They met on Facebook. How she didn't think he was handsome when she first saw him and that girl played games haha! I asked where she would want to go if she is given the opportunity to pick anywhere in the world and she said Paris. Then nonchalantly followed up to say it will never happen because her husband wouldn't let her. She showed us how farmers plant rice and the techniques they use to prevent mudslide from ruining the crops. She also taught me how to distinguish different tribes by the color of their outfits and jewelries. I learned that the younger generations like herself can much more easily communicate cross-tribe because they also speak Vietnamese and English, that the native tongue may be lost in 3 generations. #vietnam #vietnamtravels #sapa #northvietnam #travel #experiencesnotthings #laocai #doyoutravel (at Xã San Sả Hồ, Sapa, Lào Cai)

The Land of Scooter | Orderly Chaos Chatted up the guy sitting next to me at the banh mi stand this morning and he told me that there are 6 millions scooters in Saigon. Um, last I checked there are 8.4m residents here. Without hesitation, I hailed an uber on a motorbike my first morning in Vietnam. I didn't think that riding at the back of some stranger on a scooter on the busiest streets in Vietnam was perhaps not the safest thing to do. I oddly trusted these drivers that they know what they are doing cos after all they grew up doing this. I also read about the incredibly low collision and fatality rate resulted from scooter riding here. So I guess it was one of those "why not give it a shot" traveler mentality. Well, it's definitely quite an experience- a nerve wrecking but exhilarating one. There seems to be this peace and order underlying what seems to be the most chaotic organisation of moving vehicles here. As a driver you are constantly on high alert as you squeeze through tight street corners, between pedestrians and other vehicles (scooters, sedans, buses and coaches). It makes it less safe if you're not aggressive and you don't go anywhere. Same goes with trying to cross the street- you need to walk in confidence and know where you're going cos there's no such thing as right of way here. So take a deep breathe and go. And as the transit nerd you know of me, I find it to be an incredible way to learn how locals navigate around the city and what makes up this vast transporation fabric of the largest city in Vietnam. #vietnam #vietnamtravels #hochiminh #saigon #scooter #caineontheroad (at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Here's to learning something new: relax, breathe. Not everyday we spend has to be "productive", someone once told me. I learned that Productivity carries different meanings. I had confined myself to one narrow meaning in the past. Guess after all it's really up to you to tell your brain what to believe. I had a productive day today surrounding myself with good people and moments of calm and stillness. (at Cypress Tree Tunnel)

"Minimalism is a lifestyle where I strive for the ownership of physical goods that provide genuine comfort, of physical experience, connections, and relationships that would build a good life for myself."

Because we stand for what's right. Hope and love will carry us forward. #womensmarch #womensmarchsf #lovetrumpshate (at Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco, CA)

I made the goal to #optoutside more in 2017. First National Park visit of the year- Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado ✌️#caineatnationalparks 📸: @kiarragrant (at Rocky Mountain National Park)

This guy believed in me and took me under his wings 10 months ago. Sad to know that we are parting ways but I will forever remember the way he inspires me to do the work I do and most importantly, to stay true to myself. Thank you for giving me the opportunities to learn, make mistakes and grow. Thank for saying "yes" when I asked you if you would hire me again. Thank you for everything. Now go on and get people out of single occupancy vehicles!!! 💪 (at Half Moon Bay, California)

For the next 30 days I will strive to do something everyday to better myself physically, mentally and intellectually. I'm starting Day 1 with some reading, for reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. I used to read a lot when I was a kid. Now I barely do. I dread it. Everytime I pick up a book, I never last more than 20 mins before going back to my phone or computer. #alchemist #bebetter #readmore #buttacoffee ☕️📖 (at No Man's Land)

@ooflesaur took this picture of me when we went camping at Tuolumne Meadows at Yosemite during July 4th weekend. Pictured is Upper Cathedral Lake. Off the path Nathan took us to the lookout and everyone just wow-ed as soon as this view appeared before our eyes. Oh my gorgeous. #yosemite #hiking #cathedrallake #uppercathedral