I am not easily “wowed”, even though I do appreciate many of mother nature’s miracles.

Helicopters are not really my thing (Nepal/Everest flashbacks), so when I found the only biplane certified to fly over the Napali Coast I knew this was my big adventure ticket while visiting the gorgeous island of Kauai. (And the price tag surprisingly didn’t break my already dwindling savings account)

With only 6 seats, everyone was guaranteed a window view and our navigator was a very enthusiastic retired commercial airline pilot. The next 90 minutes we soared over landscapes out of a fairytale, as picture perfect as you could ever imagine with ridges carved out by thousands of years of erosion. My eyes were peeled for waterfalls cascading over cliff sides from recent rains, as the center of the island is one of the wettest regions in the entire world.

As we finally reached the edge of the island and followed the stunning coastline, we spotted migrating whales and numerous surfers waiting for the perfect wave. And the cobalt blue waters were jaw dropping.

Besides a little bit of motion sickness sinking in, I really didn’t want the ride to end. Up amongst the clouds, all my everyday worries faded away and I could really appreciate my surroundings from a whole new perspective.

This was definitely a once in a lifetime ride and will be hard to top.

To date, I’ve ventured into the big blue 36 times and each one is very unique. You never know what sea life and forces of nature are waiting for you to explore.

During my gap year of adventure, I was already getting sad at the thought of my 10 month whirlwind rapidly coming to an end. So when we had a free afternoon along the coast of Turkey, three of my fellow travelers and I jumped at the opportunity to join a local dive boat in the cute town of Kas. And for only $70 for a two tank dive, which is a steal, we were ready to escape the scorching mid June European heat wave too.

After a safety briefing and signing our lives away, we were split into buddies and began the arduous processes of getting our equipment ready. Without question, donning a 5mm wetsuit is the worst part of any water experience. But it’s a means to an end, and we quickly anchor at our first site.

My buddy and I were already certified divers and jump off first into the aqua blue waters. He unfortunately had issues equalizing his ears, so we ventured onward on my own private 42 min tour. While the sea life was sparse and the reefs were almost colorless, I always enjoy the quiet expanse of the underworld and the rhythm of just breathing.

I always have a story and my day ahead was filled with a double whammy…….

As I was pulling myself back up onto the boat with the extremely heavy gear, my right foot slipped on the top rung and I plunged back down into the sea below. And of course I slammed into every rung along the way with my left toes and shin. OUCH!

After shaking it off and thankfully not drawing any blood, we fire up the engine for the short sail to our next spot. My buddy again can’t clear his ears, so he hands me his GoPro to capture footage of the wreck below. As we descend, my instructor takes the camera off of my wrist strap to shoot some video of me. I don’t remember getting the camera back, but in the first 10 mins of the dive a light bulb ignited in my head and sheer panic ensues. I hand sign while 30’ below deck that I lost the camera and want to abandon the dive, but he points ahead and we continue on for another painful 34 mins. Needless to say, that dive is a blur as I find tears pooling up in my mask. I can always replace a camera but I have no idea how many priceless pictures have been lost or how my new friend will handle his camera being lost at sea.

Back aboard, I share the bad news and two of the instructors swim off to see if they can find it bobbing in the swift current (the casing does float) or stuck amongst the rocky alcoves. I see nothing but wide open ocean and know it is a long shot to find. However…… my dive instructor then pops his head around the corner with a big smile on his face and all peace is restored once again!!

Mental note for future adventures: attach all items to my life jacket/BCD!

At 10,023 feet, the summit at Haleakala National Park is a must do when visiting the island of Maui.

The silence is inspiring.

The crunch of the volcanic ash beneath your dust caked hiking boots is deafening, in a crazy, cool way.

If you dare, take a portion of the Sliding Sands trail down into the belly of the crater. The lonely silhouette of a line leads into the vast emptiness beyond the furthest dormant cinder cones you can visualize.

The trek back uphill isn’t THAT bad when you just keep thinking one foot in front of the other, and the pleasant surprise of your ears popping as you very slowly ascend.

And if you time it just right in the late afternoon, you can witness another miracle nightly. Sunset is a spectacle with everyone flocking up the mountainside to breathe in the unspoiled beauty of another day setting below. Between the chill of the air and the anticipation of the fireball eclipsing the horizon, it’s one of those moments stuck in your head that can never be replaced or forgotten. That sunset glow….. just WOW!

A tropical adventure haven.

My first visit was a group multi sport trip of hiking, rafting, biking and multiple addons. We rode a 4×4 to an isolated farm to start our trek into the jungle, where we only brought what we could carry on our backs. True roughing it. We hiked through mud deep into the unknown to a quaint country shack overlooking the local active volcano. We slept in hammocks amongst the stars and it was glorious. We had homemade breakfast waiting for us every morning (made in the outdoor kitchen by the home owner) and then took off in a different direction each of the next 3 days to explore waterfalls and find exotic wilderness creatures.

Then we were off to white water raft the local rapids to reach our next hidden cliff top jungle cabins – so dreamy! Fresh fruits from the jungle were plentiful & we relaxed in our own hammocks without a care in the world. Our water adventure wasn’t so pleasant as my boat didn’t want to paddle which made the low waters hard to navigate without getting stuck frequently. At least we can laugh about it now!

We also hit the tourist Arenal Volcano area for biking and zip lining. That zip line exposed me to the Tarzan swing – basically a free fall the first 25 feet then you are literally swing out over the lush jungle. And I know your thinking do people actually beat their chest and yelp? Ahhhh yep. Surreal!

My second trip to this hidden gem was a last minute decision (seriously booked it and left 24 hours later) during the summer. I got whisked away via a boat to a lodge deep in the canals that was paradise.

I had my own log cabin overlooking the ocean and falling asleep to the crashing waves. We took a speed boat to visit the local floating cities, hiked the local trails, kayaked, ran on the beach, sipped on frilly drinks, swam in the turtle shaped pool, played board games until the wee hours of the morning and had no connection to the real world for 5 glorious days.

And I might have been the guinea pig to test that a massive spider walking on my face wouldn’t actually kill me – terrifying experience! 🕷

When I travel to Central America or South America, I typically use GAdventures to plan all the details as they do a great job sourcing local guides and finding quaint lodging that you would never be able to find on your own.

But I did venture out to another company for this trip. It was a little slower paced and I thoroughly enjoyed a different type of adventure. We sailed into the Caribbean on a small skipper, walked across country borders, hiked into the jungle to find ancient ruins, stayed in log cabins on an island paradise and indulged in local cuisine.

Scaling old ruins and temples was fascinating and totally enthralling. I could never tire of walking the steps of history and imaging life in primitive times. I was always the last to come back down and join the group, but I didn’t care….. I was just having too much fun.

I remember learning “less is more” upon our arrival onto the quaint island of Caye Caulker, where there are no cars and everyone was responsible for carrying their own bags. I could run around the outskirts of the island twice on my daily jaunt and loved being completely disconnected with the real world. We would spend the evenings jumping off the old watering hole and taking in spectacular sunsets. Ahhh to go back…… and not to forget on our way back to our little hole in the wall accommodations, the loose electrical wiring actually caught fire so we enjoyed a scorching summer night without AC, fans or lighting. I really can’t make this kinda stuff up!

Traveling in itself is the adventure. Be ready for anything and just let others happen. 🇧🇿 🇬🇹 🇭🇳

My story joining the “Happiest place on Earth” cast:

After graduating and coaching basketball for 2 years at my alma mater, I made the huge leap to start over in Orlando, FL. I wanted to go where no one knew me and see what I could make of it.

Over Spring Break in 1998, I visited my newlywed friends Alanda & Wayne who had moved to “The City Beautiful”. I was offered 2 jobs on the spot – #1 was an administrative assistant at a construction company & #2 was a hospitality hostess at either the All-Sports Resort or the Polynesian Resort. I returned to Lenoir-Rhyne College to pack up my minimum belongings and moved a week later.

Being a Disney nut, the choice was obvious even though it started at minimum wage with a college education. And everyone would think I picked the sporty option, as I was known as the jock. But remember, no one knew that persona in sunny FL, so I shocked my friends when I showed up to the upscale “Poly” having to don a lavender blazer, flowery bow tie & tan long skirt. Being that I got hired in the start of summer, I was dripping every day walking into work from the cast parking lot far, far away.

After intense Disney training known as Traditions, I got thrown into the craziness of the #1 vacation destination in the world. I picked up every overtime shift available and learned all the front desk roles in no time. With no seniority, I actually chose to take on the 3rd shift night auditor to somehow use my math degree and get 3 days off a week (4 overnight shifts * 10 hrs = more time to explore FL). And I loved being the courier/runner because I got to take & pick up deliveries to all different places on property, so I learned all the roads and secret entrances.

I’ll never forget my favorite part of the overnight shift was folding all the departing guests bills and then having to run around the resort delivering them by kicking them under doors. I made it a big game and had my own routes where I would try to beat my times nightly. I got so good at it that we would have time to watch 2 movies upon my return and prior to our morning counterparts arriving. Ahhhhh, the good ol’ days. And that was when I knew that I could and wanted to do more.

I also picked up a second job at the Central FL YMCA as a membership rep, which also led to being an after school counselor & an aquatics lifeguard supervisor for a summer. I slept when I could, but in your early 20s, I had boundless energy anyways.

After 8 months, I started getting antsy and I put all my efforts into volunteering at the newly opened Disney’s Wide World of Sports. I knew I had found my calling – sports & Disney in the same sentence was my definition of the perfect role. My first few events I helped at track and field meets, plus the elite Clay Court Tennis Championships. Being that I was the youngest volunteer by like 25 years, I won the coveted spot on center court sweeping lines for the pros like Michael Chang & Jim Courier. That was my ticket. I learned the operations, met the leaders and was picked up immediately, as I knew they would have to expand and hire to grow this new concept.

15 years later……. ✨ ✨✨

Would you purposely schedule an overnight layover in a foreign city just to get a glimpse of one of your long-standing bucket list destinations? Hell yes!

En route back to Athens from a glorious 8 days hiking on the island of Crete and a spontaneous 2 days in Santorini, I arrived into a deserted airport around 10pm. Prearranging for a driver is a must when dealing with after hours arrivals and I was off to find my hostel for the night. Hostels are not very common in America, but I really only needed a pad to crash in for a few hours, a reputable & clean spot, a cheaper lodging option and something semi close to the ancient ruins.

I originally booked a four person room for approximately $22 and of course got assigned a top bunk. My roomies were all out so I quickly got settled (the key is repacking the night prior to ease the stress) and actually got offered my own 6 bed room instead. Mmmmm….. yes please!

Odds would have it that I couldn’t sleep, so with 3.5 hours of shut eye, I ventured out into the Athens streets to make the most of my only morning. Ruins and archeological sites adorned almost every corner leading straight uphill for a mere 15 min walk to the majestic Acropolis. I climbed to Areopagus Hill at 7:50am to get my first glimpse of this iconic monument.

It was surreal to be standing in the shadows of ancient gods and structures so important to the Greek culture. And at 8am opening, I had the place all to myself to revel in. Truly a gift.

Restoration efforts were in full force and it was humbling to just sit in silence to imagine day to day life back in the site’s heyday. I’ve experienced a lot of ruins over the past month in Egypt and throughout Greece, but nothing compares to this massive site perched upon the top of the hill overseeing the Greek people far below.

I even got yelled at for setting up my mini tripod to get my own instagram worthy shot perched on the lone limestone block in a field of other rocks. I’m still not sure what I did wrong but I listened to the guide yelling at me in Greek, smiled and went along to explore the rest of the site in peace. (Pic #1 below)

My two hours were up and I backtracked down to the city center along narrow cobblestone stairways, found the metro station only 1 block away from my accommodations, grabbed my 2 book bags and was off to my next adventure!

Wheels up!!!

The after glow of a sunset from the infamous Waikiki beach just hit differently.

Truly spellbinding.

EVERY night no one missed a chance to slow down and appreciate Mother Nature put on a spectacular show. There was a silence from the droves of tourists lining the shoreline and hundreds of suffers bobbing in the water, as well as the sailboats cruising in the shallow waters.

It is always special to watch the last rays of sunlight dance along the horizon, but here in the aloha state, the real show begins just after that final sliver eases away.

The next 30-45 minutes you are dazzled by the kaleidoscope of colors popping before your eyes and begging you to keep them peeled for the possibility of more to come.

You breathe in the calm of another day gone and the hope of what is to come tomorrow….. which will inevitably include another chance to view a miracle.

Adventure travel is my passion and I have to say Southern Utah is my “go to” location for an awesome outdoor itinerary suitable for any weekend warrior looking to get out of their comfort zone.

In January 2022, I quickly threw together a jam-packed 6 day journey that exceeded even my own expectations. FYI, I consistently use the All Trails app for directions to trailheads and routes, as well as downloaded the Kanab Trails app for this specific adventure.

Here are my recommendations and even a few additions I didn’t have time to squeeze in (but did all the research for):

Day 1 – being a National Park junkie, I had never made time prior to hit up the remote Great Basin in eastern Nevada so that was my launching point. Winter season does limit some trail availability especially to Wheeler Peak (13k feet the highest point in the state) but I thoroughly enjoyed trying out crampons for the first time ever along portions of the Lehman Creek, Mountain View & Grey Cliffs trails. The highlight was without question the Lehman Cave tour (pic #1) at 200 ft underground and the formations were stunning! (As an alternative, I would highly recommend Zion NP which is closer and my favorite NP – hiking the Narrows or Angel’s Landing are must dos).

Day 2 – basing out of Kanab is highly recommended, as every day I opted to take my chances in the daily lottery for The Wave (9am at the Kanab Civic Center). Thereafter, I would break off in a different direction every day. First on my list was the Pipe Spring National Monument. The ridge trail was only .5 mi but it got the blood pumping and had amazing views towards the Grand Canyon to the south (pic #2). I then made my way west/north to Kanarraville Falls, which you need to secure a permit online prior (easy to get). Winter hikes can be hit or miss with icy conditions even though I had crampons, as I was only able to access ~ half of the 6 mile trek, but it was a beautiful hike that I would definitely return to conquer. I then continued my loop back to Kanab and squeezed in the 1.9 mile Red Hollow Slot Canyon in Orderville. So much fun!!!

Day 3 – I headed east to an awesome 2 mile jaunt to the Toadstools (pic #3). Right off the highway, you follow a wash to otherworldly hoodoos and a playground to explore all morning. Be sure to venture both directions past the “big hammer” hoodoo. Just a few miles down a dirt road, I also added in a spontaneous 1 mile walk to The Nautilus. You have to see it to believe it…. a natural “swirl” formation in the middle of nowhere. Finally I took a chance to see if my rented Versa could make the treacherous 8 mile or 30 min drive to the trailhead of Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch (which is the longest slot canyon in the world). And oohhh it was a blessing to spend 5 miles wandering through this stunning terrain (pic #4). One of the highlights of my trip! Bring lunch and take every chute to explore to your hearts content.

Day 4 – I made the quick drive north to Belly of the Dragon (pic #5), a man-made tunnel that is worth a quick visit, and you can even continue on for a few more miles through the wash to another small slot canyon if you desire. Then hit up the Moqui Caves for a touristy cave experience. Take a left immediately outside and climb up the sandstone cliff side to be delighted by another fun diversion at the Kanab Sand Caves (pic #6). On your way back to town, stop by the amazing Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to volunteer or take a tour of this beautiful property. When back in town, check out the big “K” adorning the cliff side and trek the easy 1.5 mile K-hill trail for great views of the city. I chose to end my day with a big 4.5 mile sunset hike up the Bunting trail (pic #7). Very doable, but this trek is at a 45% angle and the last stretch has you scaling very narrow ridges (in the snow it is very sketchy). But the views are tremendous and incredibly satisfying!

Day 5 – miraculously I WON the Wave lottery for tomorrow, so today I changed my plan to not go so strenuous. First hike was 3 miles into Tom’s Canyon, which is accessible easily from the east side of town. Next I scheduled an ATV tour with Kanab Tour Co. to one of my bucket list spots at Peekaboo Slot Canyon (pic #8). It was pricey but I didn’t want to take any chances getting stuck in the VERY deep sand on the access roads. Definitely no regrets, as we had a blast flying through the backcountry single track and up ridiculous sand hills en route to the canyon. The slot was awe inspiring and downright surreal to traverse (pic #9). Nearby is another gem and an easy .25 mile trek to Sand Dune Arch. I finished my day wanting to take in my last Kanab sunset, so opted to do the first part of the K-hill trail again to sit on one of the many benches and just enjoy my surroundings.

Day 6 – Wave day! I am fortunate I had already accessed the Wire Pass trailhead, so I knew the condition of the dirt road in and also where this trail bisected. Therefore, I chose to beat the crowds and start my trek just prior to twilight. The NPS gives you a good map and pictures to follow, but I recommend a headlamp and GPS as well. This 6.4 mile hike was one of my favorite hikes EVER (pic #10) – varied terrain, wildlife peeking out everywhere, sunrise glow was unparalleled and the colors were unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed!

A few alternatives if you have a rugged SUV and have time to drive a little further to the outskirts:

• Zebra slot canyon
• Spooky slot canyon
• Coyote gulch 2.5 miles
• Bull valley gorge .9 mile
• Willis creek 5.8 miles
• Devils garden 1 mile in Grand Staircase Escalante
• White pocket – Coyote Buttes south
• Cottonwood wash narrows 1.5 miles
• Cedar Breaks NM ridge line trail
• I had already been to Bryce Canyon but I HIGHLY recommend seeing daybreak from Sunrise Point & hiking the Figure 8 full loop!

I miss Utah already! My itinerary map (pic #11) shows a visual of this aggressive plan and how motivated I was to experience as much as I possibly could. Enjoy all the varied hikes and outdoor experiences that will definitely have me coming back for more…. sooner rather than later next time!