I woke up at 5:30am to drive the coast from Kona to the southernmost point on the Big Island (and in the US), since I had a full day of adventures scoped out.
My rental wasn’t 4 wheel drive so I parked about 2 blocks from the rugged coastline, as the potholes were deeper than the car itself. Then began the 2.4 mi journey to find the rare green sands beach. And I should mention that I saw 2 SUVS but never saw any form of life for 2 hours. I felt like I had landed on Mars with the massive gulleys carved into the crisp green landscape. (This is ironic because the day prior NASA had landed a rover on the red planet)
Luckily my phone GPS still worked and I could see my progress along the trail and knew I was getting close to this elusive beach. And suddenly along a dramatic cliffside, I got my first look at the green sands. The sharp lava rocks are no joke to traverse so I took my time climbing down. The access point is via a mini slot canyon and adds to the excitement. And sure enough, the sand had a green tint tucked into a beautiful bay between towering cliffs.
Worth the extra effort? Absolutely! How many people can say they have had grainy, green sand between their toes?
Mid 2010-20 decade, Iceland was still emerging as a tourist destination. And when I found a $99 one way flight deal on now defunct WOW airlines, I booked it on the spot. I love any beach vaca but I equally love an adventure into the unknown especially in the “land of waterfalls”.
Hiking in waist deep snow to frozen waterfalls, seeing my 1st geysers explode, soaking in natural hot springs, exploring the countryside on ATVs, climbing inside lava caves, indulging in the freshest seafood I have ever eaten….. it was a fabulous adventure! Albeit it was below freezing most days, this hidden world was downright fascinating. I would go back in a heartbeat if my darn bucket list would just stop growing.
I stayed a day after the rest of the group departed in my first ever hostel (and I was fortunate to have the 16 bunk bed room to myself since it was the start of off season) and finished it all with a dip in the iconic Blue Lagoon. I opted for the earliest bus because, of course, there was the infamous sunrise that I just had to experience while swimming with a drink in hand. And it didn’t disappoint…..absolutely BRILLIANT!!
You are spoiled with an extra thick bathrobe and slippers. BUT you still have to dig deep to take it all off and run like hell (without falling) the last 20 steps between the door of the bitter cold temps outside to the bubbling water. After you recover & your heartbeat returns to a manageable level, it was time to explore. From hidden waterfalls to a sauna room to waterside bars to massages poolside, it was an over the top touristy experience. The best (and weirdest) part was the swim up mud bar where you could pick your poison and then smear it all over your face and arms. The perfect ending to an Icelandic experience.
On a whim in the Outer Banks in the late 2000s, my lifelong friend Tracy & I first tried hang gliding off the sand dunes at Jockey State Park. It was such a rush. Ten feet off the ground amongst the ever changing dunes and we were literally flying.
Fast forward a decade and Wallaby Ranch just a few miles from my house hosted the real deal. My friends Steven & Les challenged me to join them for a “ride that will blow your mind”. My parents joined in the watch party just a few days after Christmas, as this was my leap of faith jumping into a new year with new goals and higher expectations. Go for it.
Fog delayed our jump twice, so we dug into our buffet breakfast and I was silently freaking myself out. But the clouds parted and it finally was go time. After a quick safety briefing & lesson that I don’t remember due to nerves, the small plane we (my experienced guide is tucked in behind me tandem) are attached to is speeding down the grass runway. OMG.
I blinked, we were airborne, the cable released and we are literally gliding alone above the FL farms. It is truly indescribable. The dead silence. The calm in the air. The extreme peace is unforgettable. The next 15-20 mins I alone am controlling our speed and descent. Every slight bloody movement tugs us in a different direction. I have NEVER felt so carefree and completely in awe. Stunned to my core. It was magical and you couldn’t wipe the ginormous smile off my face for days.
The landing was smooth and without incident, but my known limits had been forever changed. If you get up the courage to try, let me know, as I would come support just as my 2 friends & parents did for me.
If you are not a Duke men’s basketball fan, you will probably want to stop reading now.
Visiting Cameron Indoor Stadium is top on the list of any college basketball fan. I have been fortunate to visit numerous times and it never gets old. Thanks to a friend of a friend of a friend from Disney & a second acquaintance from the Y, I have had the thrill of attending one game every season since 2005. I usually make a long weekend of it – stay in the same hotel 1 mile from campus, eat the same local Buffalo chicken pizza, run the campus trail, raid Bojangles and spend $100+ at the bookstore. If it was an early game during preseason, I would also bookend a trip to my alma mater or family close by for auntie time.
That first visit……we walked all throughout campus & even though I had graduated 10 yrs prior, could pass for an eager student. And I’m embarrassed as a fan to not being able to find Cameron. Yep we got lost. And I certainly wasn’t going to be the bozo that asked where it was. Besides one Krzyzewskiville sign, it is a small, old brick building. So we naturally clued in when everyone was taking pictures in front of this iconic place.
Inside has serious old school vibes and smaller than you would ever expect. But the energy is larger than life. Over the years the lobby has slowly expanded and new innovative displays have been added, but the seats and floor still remain the same.
Our seats…….gates only open 1 hr prior & my main objective was to see it all! You have to climb the stairs to get to the main concourse and after making a loop to see all the memorabilia from past legends, we still couldn’t find our seats. Hmmmm. One more loop than I asked an usher. “You are downstairs”. Hmmmm. Another usher confirmed – “yeah just walk on the court in front of the Duke bench & then you will just have to hop over the press box desk”. Speechless. One row behind the announcers at dead center court looking straight across at the Cameron Crazies and I cried the entire game of pure elation. I can only remember 2 times in my life so far that my tears were uncontrollable. One of the highlights of my life.
Our seats were never that good again, but in my book, anywhere inside was a treat that I still don’t take for granted. Every year I tried to take a different friend & diehard Duke fans so they could also share in this crazy, over the top experience. From seeing JJ Reddick’s jersey retirement to Zion’s monstrous dunks to my alma mater men’s team playing on Coach K court, to watching the women’s games from media row & many more, those 3 hours I was mesmerized.
The stadium has been sold out since who knows when & tickets are almost impossible to find. A few years I even got relegated to the rafters joining media row. Say what??!! We had to go to the top row of seats then climb a rickety old ladder to the “crow’s nest” and I even mistakenly sat in Dicky Vs seat. Oops. What a crazy vantage point from high above all the madness – an unobstructed, perfect spot. It was so hot we were dripping (the temp is purposely kept scorching adding to the home court advantage but that high I’m surprised we didn’t get nose bleeds too).
Another memorable yearly sight is always tent city, which usually pops up about a month prior to the UNC game. Students will camp out in below freezing weather for weeks (not days but WEEKS) to get their shot at front row to the best rivalry in all of sports. Truly CRAZY!
We will just pretend Covid year didn’t happen, so my last experience was extra special….. as I got to take my niece Olivia to her first basketball game. Now granted, she had no idea what she was getting into or the trance that her favorite aunt can’t help but get swept up in. But to see her wear a blue devil shirt (which my brother swears he burned as soon as we got home – a true Hokie household), plus start cheering and dancing like a maniac, was truly priceless!
To end each visit……if you wait long enough after the end of the game, it is such a thrill to walk onto this historic court to take pictures. I’m not a big autograph seeker, but I love just seeing the players interact with young fans. And then I typically just sit on the bench and take a few moments to myself.
Down in the bottom tip of South America lies a beautiful, untouched wilderness that is worth the extra effort to find. I booked a birthday trip to Chile to trek the famous W trek and get lost for a few days. I knew I was in for something extra special, as upon arrival after an unexpected travel delay, I was surprised with a MASSIVE chocolate cake the local owner made just for me & a HUGE knife sticking out of the top for that WOW factor!
It wasn’t easy, as I had to fly into Santiago then catch a bus for a few hours on the “road to the end of the world”. Our home base was the quaint, coastal town of Puentas Arenas. It seemed semi-insane to be camping in close to 0 degrees weather with the wind howling, but the special tents and sleeping bags were actually quite toasty.
The day we were to trek to the elusive 3 spires that this area is known for, the weather was sleeting & the fog was thick so we had to forego this treasured spot. You win some and lose others.
I even think I broke 2 poles along the way, having gotten stuck in the mud so many times that I lost count. Our ultimate goal was to see the glaciers that were abundant this far down from the equator and sadly all receding at alarming rates every year due to global warming. Small icebergs bobbed everywhere. The glaciers & “bergs” were fascinating and my new obsession, just as impactful as sunsets and waterfalls.
I vividly remember the aqua blue water of the glacial lakes sparkling beneath the snow capped mountain tops. Breathtaking. And we had some fierce sunsets peeking out from behind the hills. I also will never forget pitching our tents at the base of the mountain we had just traversed and thinking “who really gets to do this & have seen this magnificent slice of nature?” We ended our multi day trek with a boat ride across the channel and the peaks reflecting back to us. What a wild ride and tremendous sense of accomplishment.
I stayed 2 extra days after the group left to take in the local culture, but I believe I was so exhausted on the first day that I slept for almost 20 hrs straight. I do remember this was during my running craze & being on the tail end of my trip, I only had shorts left that were clean. So I was the crazy blonde haired American traipsing along the shoreline in 2 degrees weather (I couldn’t feel my legs for days after) trying to catch the cargo ships that were constantly leaving port to head towards the untamed continent of Antarctica. I also squeezed in a ferry ride to see the ice caves and more glaciers, which was the perfect wind down to close out this tremendous experience. 🇨🇱
And had a new destination (continent) to add to my ever growing bucket list…….
I had almost forgotten that I spent one summer in the early 2000s chasing hot air balloons for some extra cash. Wake up call was typically 430am since the best time to fly was at sunrise with the wind patterns and views. (Being a night owl, this was definitely a struggle, especially on my days off on sporadic weekends between working events)
Being in Central FL, the tourist capital of the world, there are always waves of tourists ready to spend money and book an unforgettable vacation experience. Flying over Disney World would definitely qualify.
My role was to carefully lay out all the tie down ropes prior to the guests arriving, then use my body weight (along with others) to hold the ballon down while the gas pumped it up. It was truly fascinating to see the power of helium and the glow in the darkness of the sea of balloons getting ready for flight.
As the balloons glided skyward, us runners loaded into the follow van to be staged at the end drop point an hour later. Routes were fairly consistent but with the unpredictability of wind, we would be pulled over on the side of the road watching the balloons soar far above.
Upon descent, we would catch the bucket and help offload all the smiling passengers. They would also be rewarded with champagne and fruit to celebrate their feat. Then it was time to catch the balloon being deflated and carefully roll it up for storage until the next flight. These apparatuses were extremely fragile and any holes could obviously be detrimental.
To this day, I still haven’t taken my own flight as for many years I was scared of heights. Through my numerous crazy hiking and climbing treks, I have now outgrown that fear but my dream has always been to take my leap in the one and only Cappadocia, Turkey. If you’ve never heard of this amazing location, do yourself a favor & put it on your travel bucket list.
My idea of fun is chasing a good vacation deal. I always wanted to show up at the airport with only a book-bag and take off to the cheapest destination I could find on the departure board.
Luckily technology is at our fingertips these days and there are many sources to find flight deals. My “go to” is Google Flights. It does all the work for you and a huge time saver.
If you are open to an adventure, it can show you the current trending locations. You can also see the difference only one day can make in adjusting an itinerary, which in some cases, is hundreds of dollars in savings that you could use to actually take part in activities at your final destination. It can show trends and recommend alternatives, plus send you tracking emails when prices go down. All airlines are compared on screen then I go to each airline direct to book (gain miles for free flights).
I don’t really have an airline or hotel loyalty, as I’m typically swayed by price, direct flights and mostly timing to fit my tight schedule.
So my recent adventure was one of those crazy finds that I just couldn’t pass up – direct San Francisco to Kona, Hawaii round trip for $238. Even my big planned excursion to see the elusive Pearl Harbor cost more.
So I’m not a genius, just have a ton of patience and resilience to go find the next deal. The hardest part for me is always pushing the “purchase” button BUT I have never regretted it!
I keep coming back….to recollect awesome childhood memories. To disconnect from my crazy grind. To remember how to enjoy simple pleasures. To get lost in the ever changing tides of the SC marshlands.
I visit Surfside Beach to FEEL ALIVE – smiling at the past but also planning for my next big adventure.
This sleepy town sits just south of the big tourist attractions in Myrtle Beach and my family spent 2 weeks here every summer growing up. It’s familiar. I know every street and have walked thousands of steps on this beach. Live music playing at the end of the pier was my idea of a great night amongst the fresh ocean air and fishermen lining the walkways. We went to the local batting cages, spent too much time on the warp speed PAC-man at the arcade, learned to drive on golf carts, rode around on my pink skateboard, had our own dabbers for bingo, frequented the local water parks and became experts at mini golf.
Do u have that place that always brings a calming effect & keeps u grounded?? This is where I reenergize & can’t help but feel at peace in my own skin. #feelalive #bigplans
I really didn’t even get the travel bug until college and even then I didn’t realize it. Playing 4 sports (yes, no typo), I was always trying to study on the bus or catch a quick snooze or change discreetly into a different uniform on the way to away games/matches. Every minute was valuable and I certainly didn’t waste many. 🏀🥎⚽️🎾
Actually, I didn’t even take my first plane flight until after graduation when the fundraising we had done during my senior year led to a tournament berth in the Bahamas 🇧🇸 during my first year as a basketball grad assistant coach at my alma mater. To this day I still get jittery in the air, as my overactive mind knows there is no backup plan to escape.
But my wanderlust and value of my limited time off has led me to some of the most exotic places that can’t be driven to. And I wouldn’t trade anything for these life lessons and the people/places that have impacted my life for the better.
My passport is one of my most valued possessions. It has forced me to be independent, more confident, a lifelong learner, fearless, an elite researcher, meet beautiful people, eat some exquisite delicacies, dive into amazing cultures and attempt some crazy feats.
My phone case below is my daily reminder that I have seen and done more than most, but there is so much more to learn in this one, crazy life we lead! #yolo #onedayordayone #fearless
How many people on this planet can claim they have ridden their bike through the castle at the Magic Kingdom? Answer is probably less than 1k.
Once the most hated “job” on race day, the bikers bringing up the rear of every race don’t have the best reputations. While we do get yelled at for being dream crushers and being insensitive for not letting runners finish the race (because they are behind the 16 min per mile pace or unfortunately injured), it is 95% a positive experience nowadays and our core team all have been together for 8+ years. We reunite just 5 weekends each year, but our bond is unbreakable boasting truckloads of inside jokes as a bonus.
If you are one of the unfortunate couple of hundred souls stuck in the last corral, you know the sight of the “balloon ladies” is very, very bad. They mark the infamous 16 mile pace just ahead of our SAG bike team and the visual many walkers need to stay motivated and truckin’ forward towards their goal of the finish line. They ooze positivity and even have their own cheering section!
We do have a very unique perspective from our vantage point. I’ve lost count for how many times I’ve been told “I just got out of the hospital yesterday” or “I didn’t train at all”. Why??!! We try to overcommunicate to racers that they are behind pace, but most just try to pretend we don’t exist. We’ve been puked on, punched, guilt tripped, seen defecation, dodged bus windows being shattered, cryfests, bullying and, well, you get the picture. BUT we’ve also cheered on heroic/wounded vets finish on their own 2 “new” legs, helped moms cross the finish line in honor of their kids who passed away in a house fire, walkers fulfill a lifelong dream after losing 250 lbs, hard core racers stop to pick up a fellow comrade and SO MANY MORE! We have laughed hysterically, biked through complete downpours, stayed with a hurt runner until an ambulance arrives, performed CPR to save a life, curled up in discarded blankets to stay warm and always sign up again to be part of the magic that is Disney.
Our call time is typically around 3:30am, which on any other normal day would be downright ludicrous, so that we beat all the road closures on property. And we indulge on food eating over 1500 calories prior to race start on a wide variety of fan favs – breakfast burritos, doughnuts, half pound chocolate chip cookies, bagged lunches, egg sandwiches, (my personal fav) tacos and hot coffee/chocolate. Then we also raid the candy box to maybe motivate a walker with a little chocolate treat plus my partner in crime Jay & I have a pact to take a moment to eat a Twix at mile 7. The biggest calorie misconception is that we ride for 46-50 miles each weekend BUT at 1 mph it’s a little hard to say we even exercised. But nonetheless, the leg muscles are ridiculously stiff come Monday morning.
So after all this rambling, it is important to say that we genuinely want to help each and every runner/walker achieve their goals and dreams. It is heartbreaking to pull anyone off the course and a last resort reserved for safety concerns or injuries. We will find ways to leapfrog you ahead on carts, shave corners to gain you mileage, kick cones out of your way, float you candy for motivation and call ahead to race announcers to make your big finish OVER THE TOP memorable amongst the blasts of confetti and walking hand in hand with the big mouse! 🎉 🏃🏼♂️
FearlessAdventures 