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MONTHLY UPDATE…SPAIN, TED, IBIZA + BARCELONA
HELLO FRIENDS!
The past 4 weeks have been WILD! So…buckle up!
This edition of the Monthly Update includes…
- Stumbling upon Semana Santa in Seville
- Attending my 2nd annual TED Conference + learning about AI
- Attending my 1st annual Intelligent Change Summit in Ibiza
- Meeting Sam Branson [Richard Branson’s son] + Neil Strauss, Joe De Sana, Tony Fadell, Prince EA, + Tim Gray
- Epic sightseeing + prepping for our vow renewal in Barcelona
WHERE ARE ASHLEY + CAMERON?!
APRIL 15th – 30th | Spain, TED, Arizona + Ibiza
After Egypt, I ventured to Southern Spain in search of a European hub while Cameron popped over to Barbados + Canada. I hit Madrid, Seville, Ronda, Malaga, + Valencia in 14 days. I didn’t find a hub, but I had a blast exploring each of these wonderful cities.
First place goes to Madrid. It has gorgeous architecture, is super approachable, has space to walk, + has just the right amount of tourists.
Seville on the other hand…was INSANE! I had no idea it was Semana Santa aka Holy Week. I’ve never witnessed anything like it. My mind was completely blown. No wonder places were super hard to find + ridiculously expensive. I left with more questions than I came with…but it ended up being a bucket list item I never knew I had.
Ronda was RIDICULOUSLY CHARMING! The old + new bridges are GORGEOUS and it makes for a perfect day trip.
Malaga was great after I figured out how to get to my parking garage amidst all the traffic + construction. The main downtown area is the star of the city. Shopping galore. The harbor was peaceful + hiking up near Castillo de Gibralfaro was breathtaking. It didn’t grab me quite as much as other people, but I’m glad I got to experience it.
Valencia…the birthplace of paella. I only just learned this. There weren’t a ton of sites to see so it was super chill…meandering around the historic area, the small streets, + eating at cute cafes. I loved the more local vibe.
After my lil Spanish road trip, I met Cameron in Vancouver to attend my 2nd annual TED Conference [Cameron’s 7th]. The core theme this year…AI – the good, the bad, + the ugly. We all left equally excited + scared about the future of tech.
We listened to the CEO of Open.ai + TikTok [smooth operator], watched as Chris Anderson’s face + voice was overlaid on top of his female friend in the audience [pretty creepy], discussed avatar ownership, learned how AI will transform education for students [tutor] + teachers [assistant], discussed the ramifications of AI in the hands of bad actors + malicious world leaders, watched in awe as a gigantic cement block floated over our heads, learned about death from a vibrant death doula, + shook our asses to Tolliver. When we weren’t in sessions we were connecting + decompressing with red light, nano antioxidant, meditation, massage, + compression therapy.
My perseverance [thank you Cameron] paid off, + I got a free DEXA scan to measure my body composition + bone density. I’m glad I finally confirmed my suspicions…my bone density is below average. So, I’m doubling down on resistance + weight training to get it back up.
Phew! I’m not gonna lie…digesting 125 talks in 5 days while battling some serious jet lag was BRUTAL. But, my inner Sage is very satiated. We’re gonna take next year off, even though it’s TED’s 40th Anniversary. But, who knows…FOMO might creep in last minute.
After TED, I zipped down to Arizona + ran around like a chicken with my head cut off. The next time we’ll be in the states is in September, so I had to stock up on 5 months worth of supplements/toiletries + knock out as many appointments/errands as humanly possible. I crammed two weeks worth of shit into ~48 hours. Pure insanity! Thank goodness, none of my appointments canceled or moved on me. The craziest part was unpacking ~50 bottles of supplements, transferring them into Zip-loc baggies + labeling them all. ½ of my brand-new Away suitcase is solely dedicated to my daily + longevity supplements, non-psychedelic mushrooms, + Athletic Greens.
Jokes aside, these 48 hours almost broke me mentally, emotionally, + physically. But I got it done, because I’m a finisher. As I boarded my flight to Ibiza pure exhaustion flooded my body.
This is one of the toughest parts of traveling full-time. The logistics + organization are INSANE! Please…if you have questions about the not so glamorous side of travel, drop us a comment. I’m happy to share my experience.
I was beyond excited to attend the very first Intelligent Change Summit hosted by Alex + Mimi Ikonn. The icing on the cake…they had it at the Six Senses Resort [my first time staying at one…eeek!] in Ibiza! As soon as I arrived, I treated myself to a massage. The summit, people, activities, + talks were amazing – AI, influence, spirituality, sexuality, female + male dynamic, energy, connection, sustainability, etc.
Funny highlight on the last night, I’m at dinner talking to Joe De Sana [founder of Spartan races] and his wife. I turn to the gentleman to my right, ask him what his story is, and as we’re talking about music production + travel he casually drops in…”my dad is Richard Branson.” Ummm…what? I didn’t say that out loud, but I said it in my head. I was like WTF?! Part of me felt like a complete asshole for not knowing who he was. Regardless, we swapped amazing travel destinations + experiences. He and his wife stayed with me until my friend came back so I wouldn’t have to sit alone, which I thought was super thoughtful. If that wasn’t cool enough…as I’m talking to Tim Gray about biohacking, Neil Strauss walks by, chimes in, and we start talking about epic dining experiences + our bucket lists. Like what?! Seriously pinch me. Is this real life?
Cameron would’ve been there with me, but he was busy hosting his in-person, bi-annual COO Alliance event in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was a complete hit, and I’m so happy + proud of him! If the dates work, we’ll be attending the 2nd annual Intelligent Change Summit next year.
MAY 1ST – 15TH | BARCELONA, SPAIN
We get to spend 3 whole weeks in one spot, + we’re over the moon about it. We’ve been on a tear lately, so it feels really nice settling into a city for a bit + seeing all the main sites without being in a rush.
Plus, I crossed off 4 bucket list items in 1 week! That must be a record for me.
- Visiting Barcelona
- Wind Tunnel [SO FUCKING COOL!]
- Tantra/Erotic Massage
- Eating at a 3 Michelin Star restaurant
For our 1st anniversary [May 20th], we’re renewing our vows, since my vision for our wedding didn’t go entirely as planned last year. Don’t get me wrong…I loved every minute of it, but I originally wanted to share our vows with just us. That didn’t happen, so this year we’re doing a lil redo. So, sorting out all the details hasn’t made this the most relaxing trip, but I’m excited for it all. I even bought a second wedding dress yesterday! Eeek!
Okay…that’s everything I got for the past 4 weeks.
I hope I left you wanting more, because next month is gonna be EPIC…
We’ll be renewing our vows on a private sunset cruise, getting up close + personal with the Gorillas with Wayfinders in Uganda, attending a conference for entrepreneurs called Baby Bathwater on a private island in Croatia, + finalizing our residency/banking in Dubai.
You won’t want to miss it!
VIDEOS YOU’LL LOVE
Let’s get this party started with some Summer 2021 throwbacks when Cameron and I embarked on a 30-day, west coast, national parks + forests road trip. I’ve selected two of our favorite experiences + videos I know you’ll love!
Angel’s Landing Hike in Zion National Park was breathtaking + slightly terrifying all at the same time. Plus, you won’t want to miss one of our most unique Airbnb finds ever. We stayed in an actual tree house where we climbed up the trunk to get inside.
Soaring over the Grand Canyon + glamping with Under Canvas made our trip to the Grand Canyon super memorable + magical.
TRAVEL HACK OF THE MONTH
SUPPLEMENTS + TRAVELING
I always calculate [simple division] how many pills I need for how many days/weeks/months I’ll be traveling. Instead of lugging giant bottles around where the pills get thrashed around in the open space [hack…pack them with organic cotton balls], I transfer them to Zip-loc baggies + label them with the name, how many to take, when to take them, + if they need to be taken with food or not.
There’s also two week cases you can purchase. This is Cameron’s preferred method. I’ve also seen cool lil carrying cases with envelopes to separate out each type of supplement. Regardless of the method, it saves a ton of space. Thankfully, no one has pulled me into secondary security yet, because I’m rolling deep with capsules. I typically check that suitcase which probably helps. I’m all ears if you have a different/better way. Comment below.
BIO HACK OF THE MONTH
SWEET VS. SAVORY BREAKFAST
Some say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you break-fast, do you opt for sweet or savory? I mean sweet is awfully tasty, but it doesn’t stay sweet for long. Unfortunately, it puts you on a volatile glucose roller coaster that lasts all day long. Basically, leading to the highest highs + the lowest lows. And, it’s on the lows where you’re putting your hand in the cookie/candy jar, reaching for coffee, sodas, + chemical laden energy drinks. Which only starts the roller coaster all over again.
On the other hand, when you opt for a savory breakfast it lowers glucose spikes + promotes more sustained energy throughout the day. Think eggs [white + yolk] or salmon/grass-fed beef [protein + fat], ½ avocado or hummus [good fat], greens [fresh, steamed, or sautéed], berries [only], sweet potatoes or a small piece of healthier toast if absolutely necessary.
I know, I know…it sucks…no more french toast, pancakes, toaster strudels, donuts, candy disguised as cereal, + orange juice [all juice is a sugar bomb without any fiber]. What are you gonna do? If you absolutely need a fix [still not recommended] opt for it in the middle of the day, since that’s when your body is typically most glucose tolerant or for dinner since you’ll be going to bed during the crash.
BONUS TIP…drink a full glass of water [add lemon + apple cider vinegar], wait ~60 mins to have breakfast so your body clears cortisol [I know this isn’t always possible], and have your morning cup of coffee after eating, not before or during.
Next month, I’ll share the right order to eat your food in order to promote more sustained energy throughout the day. No more reaching for the sweets, coffee, or vending machines.
Comment with your favorite part/video, questions, and/or constructive feedback any time.