Over the years, I’ve become a master at maximizing my hard earned PTO. So when we had a business trip to the sports & entertainment capital of the world just prior to Easter weekend, I almost missed the golden opportunity to extend for 3.5 days in one of my absolute favorite places in the entire world…. southern Utah!

Of course I had already packed a week earlier, so with less than 24 hours until takeoff, I stuffed in my hiking gear & was ready for a spontaneous adventure. And for a mere $30, I changed my flight to a Sunday red eye without even blinking twice.

I have hundreds of bucket list hikes saved for these type of moments & quickly built a stellar itinerary basing out of St. George, Utah. And the icing on the cake was that every one of these treks were surprisingly all new territory for me.

Throw in free hotel room nights & breakfast due to saving my points, plus my local friend lending me her extra minivan, it was a recipe for a no frills, budget weekend…. just the way I liked it!

Each day I attacked a different direction & racked up 31 miles over 8 hikes & eclipsed 100k steps. It was physically exhausting but mentally reinvigorating. My poor feet!

And the weather wreaked havoc on my body. Vegas had been pushing 90 degrees all week, but the backcountry barely hit 40 degrees my first couple of days (not to mention the crosswind gusts were +40mph). Day 3 was the real doozy though, as I started my trek at 31 degrees with snow on the wood baseboards leading down into the canyon. Then my second hike of the day was the elusive Kanarra Falls, which was an inevitable plunge into the icy water knee deep for the last half of the hike straight up the belly of the slot canyon. Looking back, it was TOTALLY worth the temporary pain because it was absolutely breathtaking & worth all the hype!

From the unique spires of Cathedral Gorge State Park, to the sprawling views of Snow Canyon SP, to the awe inspiring towers of Kolob Canyon – Zion NP, to the glow of the Red Rock Conservation Area, the possibilities were endless until daylight finally faded away.

Considered by many to be the “8th wonder of the world”, the Terracotta Warriors are located in the central province (near the original capital of China) of Xi’an. To get access to this national landmark, most have to commit to a bullet train ride from either the major hubs of Beijing or Shanghai.

Already a UNESCO World Heritage site, this is the biggest tomb in the world at 35 square miles. It is an astounding 2,200 years old & took 38 years to build by over 1 million laborers.

Built to safeguard the tomb of Chinas first emperor Qin Shi Huang, it specifically highlights his pursuit of immortality & the afterlife. It has been excavated (thus far) in 3 distinct pits, where ~8k clay warriors/horses & +40k bronze weapons have been unearthed. Many were (unfortunately) severely damaged in a roof collapse in the not too distant past.

And to make the trip even more memorable, we exit the last pit to a frigid chill in the air & light snow falling into streets. Not sure if I was ready for this surprise!

One of my favorite days of the year is any time I get the opportunity to walk into Cameron Indoor Stadium. It never gets old……

I seriously get goose bumps just stepping foot into the grand lobby, in the presence of Blue Devil royalty. The nostalgia rushes back in an instant of my glory days leading the fast break in a musty old gym.

And once a year, I do everything in my power to descend upon this infamous playing ground to soak in all the energy of college basketball.

So when I found out that my 90s idol was back for the first time coaching against the Blue Devils, it was instantly my mission (no excuses) to be in attendance. My college ball mate Libby was game to indulge my fantasies & met me for a fun girls weekend in Durham.

Knowing that my December & January busy season was off limits, it worked beautifully that Arizona State was the first preseason exhibition game in late October. And it was extra special being a fundraiser to help kids fighting cancer!

Plus we got to check out the freshman phenom Cooper Flag in his TV debut, throwing down electric dunks & showcasing his extremely competitive persona. His rookie teammate Kon Kneuppel was equally impressive with his shooting range and basketball IQ.

Halftime was ridiculously enjoyable, as Coach K returned to the court with his heir apparent Coach Scheyer to present Bobby Hurley a commemorative ball & show a tear jerking highlight video of him leading the back to back National Champions from 1991 & 1992.

That team is the reason I love college basketball and the power of a collective unit firing on all cylinders. Coach K took 5 elite players & taught them the value of team first, elevating them to achieve greatness together. And ultimately, this led to a dynasty that is now commonly referred to as the Brotherhood.

Once you feel the power of being a Cameron Crazy, you are a die hard devil fan for life!

Until next year…..

What do sports event planners do for fun on vacation? We tour other facilities of course!

On my free day in Beijing prior to meeting my travel group, I actually braved the subway system (without getting lost I might add) to ride 12 stations north to Olympic Park. The undeniable first sight is the cage like behemoth of a structure monopolizing the skyline of numerous other sporting venues. This “Bird’s Nest” has a unique style that combines interlocking steel & an elliptical base like a tree & its roots….. the cradle of life & a nest of reproduction. 

This venue hosted the 2022 Olympics opening & closing ceremonies, track & field & football games with a staggering capacity of 91,000 guests. Made with 42,000 tons of steel, it is comprised of 3 concrete layer bowls & designed to last 100 yrs.

Olympic Themes:

2008 – One world. One dream. 

2022 – Together for a shared future. 

I opted to do the self guided tour & thought it was well worth the 100 yen (~$14). They had numerous displays highlighting the Games medals, costumes, credentials & shops with memorabilia. If only I had any room in my 1 book bag or understood the machines that put your picture on an Olympic medal, then I would have spent some money on these unique gifts.

We got to see the golden entryway where dignitaries were brought through quietly, watch from the grandstand the recent snow being plowed off the field, take part in numerous selfie photo opportunities & my favorite climbing to the catwalk to scale the roof exterior. It was a gorgeous day & the views of the city were exquisite.

Before I realized it, I had spent 3 hours exploring the area & needed to make the ~40min homeward journey via public transport (and maybe a side excursion to see the local Bell & Drum Towers that were along my route). Days definitely fly by when you are on sightseeing expeditions!

Took the 4 hour direct train from Vienna to Prague & had the whole afternoon to explore. After ditching my heavy bookbag at my cute boutique hotel only 1 block off the main tourist hub, I beelined for the Old Town Square & made it just as the infamous Astronomical Clock chimed at the top of the hour.

Tourists were buzzing everywhere & I hit all the major spots: touring St Nicholas Church, walking the beautiful Charles Bridge, escaping to nature at Petrin Hill, trudging up to the top of Prague Castle, basking in the glory of St Vitus Church and strolling the bustling shopping alleyways. I even indulged in a traditional Trdelník pistachio pastry while making my way back towards the main square & finally retiring my tired feet.

Prior to my direct flight the next afternoon to China, I even got up early to hit a few more city highlights: the Dancing House, Franz Kafka statue and the Municpal Library book tour.

After a whirlwind 23 hours in Prague, I had a semi-permanent smile & believe I have found my new favorite European city!

First day in Stuttgart, Germany & the day before my 50th birthday….. where would you go to? Oktoberfest of course!!!

Little did I know, but the family had traditional dwindles (long, lacey dresses) for us to wear & I was absolutely mortified. But I was a good auntie & “sucked it up” only to find out that MAYBE 10% of the crowd followed suit. Not happy….

So we enjoyed the rare sunshine, live music, watching locals dancing on tables, burgers & rides even though we couldn’t read or understand a darn thing. The kids loved the bumper cars even though I was clueless that the tokens had to be inserted in the hood to start up.

But the highlight of our adventure was without question the Euro Coaster. With four seats across, the girls all loaded up & I got scolded in German because I was crossing my feet (due to my flowing skirt) so the big, burly attendant had to reach between my legs to buckle me up. Oops! The ride was jerky & the photo snapped proves Emma was absolutely terrified, but the real entertainment started at the exit.

We all jump off the elevated seats & my stupid dwindle gets stuck on the seatbelt. So of course, I tumble over head first & walking on my hands to move with the cars while my ass is straight up in the air. Between sheer terror & laughing hysterically, I’m seriously stuck & took 3 guys to get me back upright. Definitely a top 10 GDC moment!

The family then attacks the Big Bamboo, which was a fun obstacle course themed like a Hawaiian beach party. Well….. Carter freaks out on the moving rope climb & we get to the top deck with a huge wind tunnel so all of our dresses are now flying above our heads. Nothing like mooning the entire festival! Then Belinda falls right thru one of the fake floor boards into the water hazard & I get drenched while filming the crew exiting the final plank challenge. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time!

Our final adventure was a haunted house roller coaster, which Emma dramatically disliked. Overall, it was a fun outing & core memories made!

There may or may not be a tear (or two) in my eye & a semi-permanent smile on my face. This dreamy, elusive location has held the #1 spot on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Euphoria has suddenly taken over my body & transported me to another world.

Altogether there are 1,192 islands in the Maldives, of which only 198 are inhabited. They are grouped into 26 atolls (chains of islands grouped together where the volcano rims caved in) and seemingly endless places to explore.

I had the best of both worlds…… 6 days by sea & 3 days on land:

• Sunbathing & letting my thoughts wander on deck
• Snorkeling to my hearts content amongst the breathtaking coral reefs
• Reveling in the beautiful & abundant wildlife below shorelines
• Enjoying my nightly dose of sunsets
• Walking aimlessly on random sandbars that popped up at low tide
• Wading in my own overwater bungalow pool
• Paddleboarding slowly & without a care in the world
• Floating in the beach bay for hours
• Strolling along the tropical grounds of the beach resort at night
• Sipping a freshly made, different tropical juice every day

A dream? Absolutely.

Dreams are meant to be slightly out of reach, but also attainable. Some may be big, while others could just be simple things. Keep dreaming……

My #1 bucket list location for years, just over the Canada border, finally became a reality in Sept 2024. I had planned a massive 10 day roadtrip loop through Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Revelstoke, Kootenay and (dipping back into the US) at Glacier National Parks.

I was very overdue for a backwoods adventure & disconnecting (on purpose) for a bit…..

My list of researched hikes exceeded 50, so I had plenty of options to happily get lost in. Day 1 was a crazy caving adventure above Canmore & enjoying a few of the local favorite trails in the Policeman’s Creek boardwalk & Upper Grassi Lakes (amazing).

Day 2 was another jolt of craziness in tackling the Mt. Norquay via ferrata, which was half a day of climbing the cliffside rock faces (highly recommend). Then I enjoyed all the downtown Banff sights, including Surprise Corner, Tunnel Mountain hoodoos, Bow Falls, Art in Nature trail, Cave & Basin and the massive Fairmont hotel.

Then it was off to stay for 3 nights in a quaint cabin in the centrally located Johnston Canyon area. Silverton Falls was a quiet 2mi trek without the crowds, while the main attraction was a nice reprieve meandering 3.5mi through the peaceful boardwalks built between the towering cliffs.

I even dipped into adjoining Kootenay NP to visit the majestic Marble Canyon prior to hitting the crown jewel – Lake Louise (I had to unfortunately pass on seeing adjacent Lake Moraine this time around). To skip all the madness & reservation confusion around the shuttle system needed to access the lake, I opted to arrive at 7pm sharp when cars were actually allowed to park at the base so I could enjoy sunset. The aqua blue water looked fake but mesmerizing. I settled into a quiet rock perch to enjoy a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and peacefully waste the evening away.

I could have used a couple more days to attack more nearby trails that had been recommended, but I wanted to forge deeper into the Canadian wilderness. So I continued north & west through Golden with the impressive Takakkaw Falls & the pounding Wapta Falls (two must sees), while also pushing further to hike numerous short trails in both Revelstoke & Glacier (Canada) NPs.

And I found the perfect, quiet Airbnb mountain retreat just south of Golden for a full recovery day prior to my long drive back into the US to the elusive Glacier NP in Montana.

And the adventure continues…..

Every hour on the hour between 9am & 11pm, a spectacle takes place in Prague’s Old Town Square as eager tourists all have their phones aimed at this medieval clock. It dates back to 1410 and got severely damaged during the second World War, but has had numerous repairs & been back in operation since 1948.

For 45 seconds, two windows open up while the 12 apostles pass by while the grim reaper rings the death bell while holding up an hour glass.

Did you know the clock actually has 3 hands – sun, moon & the current zodiac sign the sun is in? The lower round of the clock is actually divided into 365 steps serving as a calendar.

The local legends states that upon completion, Master Hanuš had his eyes gouged out so that he couldn’t replicate this creation. Then guided by the resounding chimes, he forced his hand into the clock’s movement & shut down its operation for 100 years until the next repair could be completed.

So eager onlookers eagerly crowd around to witness this special occurrence & I can honestly say I came back 3 times just to partake again and again and again!