Oh how I loved my summer days lounging on the shores of Lake Eerie. Flying into the small airport in Buffalo then hitting the casino before arriving at a waterfront cottage for a week of quiet bliss. A couple years we even make it to gawk at the ever impressive Niagara Falls, a must see.
Visiting the Hauck family getaway was always a treat that I cherished. I thoroughly enjoyed grabbing my kindle to get lost while dangling from a hammock in the brisk lakeside daily breeze and always taking too many naps. Our daily walks along the shore in search of washed up sea glass were frequently met with an awesome sunset trying to peak through the clouds. Nightly card games kept us entertained, as well as an occasional pop up guitar hero concert. And we ate home cooked meals every day, which I would so much rather indulge in than going out all the time.
There were no worries or clocks to live by at the lake house. A total disconnect from the pressures of the real world. Time inched by but, on the other hand, my long weekends always flew by way too fast.
Until we connect again, I have the calm of that last sunset to hold me over.
Exactly 365 days ago I started my blog & it has ignited a new passion – I hope I have inspired you to make changes that will lead to your own dreams, challenge your comfort zone, see the joy in simple things & cherish your tribe! 🌅✈️🥾🌎
How often do you get to support a great cause and fulfill your inner adrenaline junkie?
I first started helping with Habitat for Humanity house builds in NC during college, as I scheduled volunteer time for “my girls” that I mentored in my resident advisor days. Giving back your time to whatever sparks a fire in your heart is one of the keys to a better life (in my opinion).
So in moving to Disney and Central FL in the late 1990s, I hopped around to a bunch of apartments early in my career but I consistently stayed involved with the Habitat in Osceola County whenever possible. I loved making a difference alongside other like minded people and especially loved the reward of seeing deserving families make their own dreams come true.
I admittedly am not very handy, but knew I had to take it up a notch for these families. There is nothing better than sleeping in your own home on that first night, so I dug in hard because they deserved only the best. I learned how to nail up drywall, apply shingles, paint baseboards, dig out landscaping, install cabinets, place flooring and much more. But the turnover ceremonies were always extra special and it never got old.
So in moving to Brevard County, I knew it was time to get involved again at a different level since my spare time was almost non-existent. So I set out to raise $1k to help Habitat reach their goal. And to celebrate, we got to rappel off one of the biggest buildings in Melbourne.
You would never believe it now, but as a kid I was ridiculously scared of heights. But event day, I was more than ready. I have rappelled off waterfalls in the dark in Costa Rica and off cliff tops in Alaska, so this was a seemingly simple task.
But little did I know, I would have a higher purpose that day. I was paired to go tandem off the side of the building next to a young female who was tremendously intimidated. She was getting very emotional and almost bailed on the feat. BUT after trying to calm her down, helping her tap into her inner strength, and finding out that this jump was actually raising money for HER families’ new home, she did it!! We were all crying and it was a big highlight for 2020.
This was my first trip to Asia and the long haul to get there. And while I love to share all the highlights of my trips, there are certainly lows when dealing with the unpredictability of weather and flight delays.
With time, my memory blurs quite a bit. But I remember being delayed out of JFK, then also being stuck circling above Dubai due to a sand storm and being diverted to Oman. So in turn, I missed my connection upon arrival in Dubai. Ugh. So with an 8+ hour layover, Emirates gifts you a free hotel room but it will take 2 hours to sit in the line with all of the other angry passengers. What do you do?
I opted (of course) to go explore instead in this opulent city. Thankfully not needing a visa, I jumped on the city tram to head directly into the madness. I walked for 4 hours in the three story mall without retracing a single step. It was over the top with an indoor aquarium, biggest LED screen in the world, replica airplane, theme park, 2 Niketowns, ice skating rink, haunted house, Ferris wheel, 3 story fountain and the tallest edifice in the world (Burj Khalifa).
So I also gambled with a change in itinerary with a brief layover in Bangkok then on to my final destination in Ho Chi Min City. However, it backfired because we were delayed again in the air and despite running through another airport, I missed the first day of my tour kayaking in the national park. After another night of no sleep, I landed in Vietnam with 6 hours to kill before my group returned from their excursion, so I took off on foot through the city’s museums. Finally I crashed after a tuk tuk ride to dinner and city center.
The next day we crossed over into Cambodia and wound through numerous small villages to get to the prized jewel of experiencing the elusive Angkor Wat, which is the largest religious structure in the world. We spent 2 full days getting lost in these ancient remains and it was crazy amazing! Around every corner we were surprised with history lessons and eye popping ruins. Our guides even knew all the cool tourist shots and we posed for every single one. If you are willing to work for it and brave the extra hours to get there, it is THAT special.
One of my other favorite moments was our ATV ride through the countryside each in our own speedster. We stopped at numerous hidden temples and learned stories for each. Then I asked to let the throttle loose and one guide took me alone on a high speed jaunt & I had the time of my life. We took turns too fast, barreled over obstacles and whizzed by cows mooing at us. We landed in an open field waiting for the rest of the group while enjoying a picture perfect, unobstructed sunset over the rice fields. I literally held the sunset in my palms. Priceless. Then we got dropped off at a local restaurant to try the local delicacies….. grilled crickets. Yum. 🦗 😋
We then visited the floating cities and stopped in quaint fishing villages, where we interacted with a local family with 10 kids all under the age of 12 that were helping cut off fish heads for dinner and to sell to the tourists. Yes, even the 2 year old braved a sharp knife. They had a flip flop to play soccer with and all slept on the same old mattress on the floor. Truly heartbreaking BUT they all had beautiful smiles as they didn’t know any differently.
The border crossing into Thailand wasn’t so smooth, as we waited 4 hours just because they didn’t want us to pass. No issues but nothing we could do about it.
Bangkok was beautiful and I explored every inch over the next 2 days. The palaces and temples were the biggest and most gorgeous I’ve ever or probably will ever see. All plated in gold, it was insanely impressive. I even splurged to get an amazing foot massage inside the Grand Palace walls for a measly $15. We jumped on a local ferry to see more temples up close and even experienced the infamous floating markets. And I ate Pad Thai every chance I had. 🍝
Some destinations just speak to your soul. Chania, Greece (pronounced hania) was that sweet dose of perfection. The old harbor was bustling with both locals & tourists post Covid just opening its borders 2 weeks prior.
Rustic sailboats gliding with the gentle breezes, quaint cafes lining the narrow alleys, street music echoing, smells of Greek cuisines tempting your tastebuds, old 7th century Byzantine ruins beckoning you to get lost even deeper in the labyrinth of streets….. it was the quintessential Greek city that was so inviting, clean and overall a highlight on my trip of a lifetime.
Dream big, as I’m so very thankful that I DIDN’T GIVE UP up on my vision of 8 months of traveling while I was still young enough to enjoy every last wonderful second!!!! 🇬🇷🌍🇬🇷🌍
If I thought a year ago that I would find some peace and my own therapy in writing out some of my favorite life stories, I would have laughed hysterically. It just wasn’t something that interested me in the least bit BUT I am super thankful for my tried and true circle of friends who pushed me over the ledge to be vulnerable and go for it.
That is a lot of fluff.
AND I accomplished this feat in just 1 week shy of one year on the road!
I keep thinking that it is a story for the 47 states that I’ve visited so far AND for each of the 55 countries I’ve been to too. Just a little perspective.
What do you own in quantities of 100? I have a few:
Winnie the Pooh beanie babies (504) 🐻
Disney car toppers 🚗
Shoes (I know it’s sad 🤷♀️) 👟
Basketball figurines 🏀
Christmas tree ornaments 🎄
Disney Cruise Line pins 🚢
RunDisney medals 🏅
Foreign coins 🪙
Photos, frames & scrapbooks 📸
Graduating into triple digits, I’ll have to step up my game. I had a lot to write about over the last 46 years, so it will only get tougher to think up new content.
I’ll just have to dig deeper and surprise even myself.
Cheers to pushing your own limits and venturing out of your comfort zone! 🥂🎉 💯
Sometimes the greatest gifts are following your gut instinct and leaping into the unknown. I did just that on my whirlwind 5 week international trip in June 2021.
After 2 weeks in Egypt basking on a Red Sea beach at Sharm El Sheikh and exploring all the ancient wonders around Cairo, I also had trekked for a glorious week in Greece on the island of Crete and had purposely scheduled 2 free days prior to my next tour in Istanbul, Turkey. I had thought maybe 2 recovery days would be beneficial. But 3 of my fellow travelers were extending for a few days in luxurious Santorini. Could this dream actually become a reality?
I jumped on a speed boat with Yvonne from Germany and landed in paradise 2 hours later. Ilana from Texas had already checked into a stunning suite in the town of Messaria, almost dead center of the island. The perfect hideout for 2 days of exploration!
We immediately hitched a ride on the bus to the town of Thira to wander the seaside cliffs and indulge in more gelato (double scoop of blueberry and cinnamon cookie). After a quick break in our hot tub, we walked to the top of the local hill to try to catch a glimpse of the infamous Santorini sunset. I took a chance following a private driveway that had its gates wide open, just beckoning us to sneak a peak.
And there it was in all it’s glory……speechless!
As we stood atop the chalk white colored cave houses, the sun blanketed the island with its fiery glow. My eyes welled up and the memory of that moment will never fade. After a few pictures, we just sat in silence to appreciate the journey that led us here. The concierge could have kicked us out, but he welcomed us down to get a personalized tour of the luxurious suites reserved for the elite at up to $2500 per night! (we even learned the Kardashians filmed one of their shows here) Each had its own private hot tub and massive balcony, plus this magical unobstructed view. Those 30 minutes in Santorini were without question my idea of paradise found!
We could have gone back into town to experience this nightly spectacle, but I’m so very thankful for off the beaten path adventures and stumbling upon an even better experience just because we took a chance to explore!
I always pack goodies on my adventures, partly because I’m a snacker but mostly because I know that I will have room to bring back some souvenirs.
For many trips, I shied away from buying anything plus most touristy locations all have the same crap. I now look for unique items that tell a story and won’t be just be out on a shelf to collect dust.
My main room has a travel theme. So for myself, I collect mini liquor bottles that have the destination on the labels. I also have a shelf now that has smaller pottery and local textiles. But my most prized possessions are the personal pictures that I have blown up or printed, along with my fav motivational quotes. Recently, I have also been looking for small destination stickers to adorn my new water bottle as I’m passionate about lessening our impact with single use plastic bottles.
What do you look for or like to bring back upon your journey home?
Little did I know in the mid 2000s that planning this adventure road trip would jump start a passion for crazy and unique road trips.
My middle school best friend Tracy and I lost touch for years, but reunited via a shared interest in outdoor recreation. We met up in Vegas to start a 10 day loop in the Southwest wilderness. I had spent numerous hours mapping out a route, finding cheap lodging, researching hiking trails and hoping it all came together smoothly. This was prior to Facebook social interest groups and outdoor apps that make planning in 2021 a breeze. I had a typed out plan and just a dream to explore.
Driving south from Sin City, we immediately hit up Red Rocks country for a few short hikes and bouldering/climbing on the massive boulders lining the cliff sides. A great start to warmup before we jumped right into the madness, as our first stop was a BIG test.
We drove into the desert expanse to get as close to Havasu country as possible (which was a cheap hotel & diner 45 mins from the infamous cliffside of the elusive Grand Canyon southern rim). The plan was to leave at 3:30am to arrive at the start of our adventure at twilight to escape the torturous May heat. A permit was easily achieved day of (not anymore) and I will never forget first sight of this natural wonder. Just WOW.
We started our descent down a winding 10 mi trail and it was awe inspiring around every bend. The canyon walls towered around us and it is hard to imagine how early settlers survived in the grueling conditions of extreme hot mixed with desert baroness. Fun fact – Havasu is the only remaining settlement in the US that still receives their postal mail via horseback. This was my first true multi-day backing adventure and I was hooked. Everything we needed for 2 days we had strapped to our backs.
Arriving to “base camp”, we actually lucked out in getting a reservation at the only lodge (as there was no way we could have been prepared to camp coming from the east coast & having no supplies). Our room was simple and rustic. We dropped our bags and a quick snack at the cantina, then needed to rush out to still have daylight on our quest another few miles to the main show – Havasu Falls! Everyone has seen the picture, as it is featured in every magazine, website and social media site. The pictures don’t do it justice. Between the vivid red rock cliffs, the baby blue waters glisten in the sunlight. It is truly magical like out of a storybook.
After a dip to actually enjoy the fruits of our labor, we heard you need to continue further to Mooney Falls. Anytime I see rock tunnels and chains necessary to descend, you know you are in for a gnarly climb. The aqua blue pools of water were mesmerizing and we walked until our toes turned into prunes. We hugged the river rocks and followed the canyon walls until darkness threatened, then headed back to our accommodations to crash from pure exhaustion.
The next day we had 3 options to find our way out of the canyon – hiking straight uphill for 8 hours, jump onto a donkey or luck into a flight on the one and only helicopter. Even though I’m scared to pieces of hovering in a small aircraft, it seemed like the best option despite the exorbitant cost. However, we weren’t able to grab a seat so we opted for a saddle. I don’t remember much of that painful ride, since I don’t wear pants hiking or in the scorching May heat in Arizona, but I can’t ever forget my horse getting spooked and flying off down an abandoned trail and skirting the cliff edges. I couldn’t get off fast enough.
After one last look over the magnificent, multi-colored cliffs, we took off down the dirt road to our next destination – Arches National Park and Moab – which is yet another story. 🚁 🥾🏜
FearlessAdventures 