Would you sign up for a week long cruise that wasn’t in your dominant language? Intimidating. Yes. A huge lesson in getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. Absolutely. This leap of faith was a wake up call to myself to embrace the unknown.

I love learning about all South American cultures and can get by with Spanish, but I honestly haven’t improved much over the years since I use it so infrequently. But I love cruising and when you find a $60 RT direct flight deal to Cartagena, Colombia, South America, you push that purchase button. 🇨🇴 🚢 ✈️ 🏝 🤿 🌅

My dear friend Diana helped me find a local guide in her home country and my adventure began. First stop was outside town and a must do in my opinion. Vulcan de Tutomo – vat of mud – was a short, steep climb where you emersed yourself in mud head to toe while a local rubbed all over your body for 25 mins. OMG. It was a strangely delightful experience like you were rolling around in chocolate pudding. After this crazy experience, you had to walk down to the lake to wash off…. naked! What??!! Ummm nope. After my initial panic, I went for it. Even with the locals turning their backs while onshore only 50 feet away, it was very liberating to start this new journey off with a totally out of character moment. Onward!

We drove through the old, colorful city of Cartagena and all the beautiful courtyards. I walked the historical fort and memorials. A fantastic day. Boarding the ship was a little less efficient than my US experiences and no AC in the port buildings, but nothing beats stepping onto a cruise to begin a new journey.

We visited the ABC islands – Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao. On every Caribbean trip, I try to squeeze in a diving excursion and Aruba was my choice this time around. We did a 2 tank dive to a colorful reef and an awesome wreck 90 feet down. And we had an additional stop in Panama, my first time exploring this country besides just passing through the locks here over 10 years prior on the inaugural Disney cruising crossing.

Undoubtedly my favorite times on a cruise are the spectacular & unobstructed sunsets on the horizon, as well as the impeccable stargazing. I just can’t get enough. Seriously.

I rarely read for pleasure anymore, but sunbathing on the top deck with a drink in hand is a perfect triple threat.

So I hope if you ever find the opportunity to cruise to far off lands, you go for it and never look back. Maybe add in a mud bath too!

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There is no greater bond. Any athlete that has participated in team sports knows the trust and sacrifice you put into your “band of brothers”.

This is one of my legacies at the Y. I knew how powerful and rewarding bringing together all different groups could be – members, volunteers, staff and family. We even added in weekly training sessions to build excitement, endurance, self confidence and ultimately strengthen our relationships.

Four straight years, the Y team proudly represented our united front to promote a healthy lifestyle in mind, body and soul. Team members had numerous different motivations, overcame fears, problem solved and had a blast playing in the dirt/mud. But it wasn’t easy or for the faint hearted. We laughed, crawled, splashed, ran, pulled, dragged, climbed, fell, jumped, cried and carried our teammates to cross the finish line hand in hand…….locked together.

The culmination came for me when we joined forces of 3 different YMCA teams into one joint powerhouse on the course. I will always smile at the memory in sharing this hard core experience with a kick ass group of individuals that always put others first. By signing up to personally conquer the tough savage course, they inspired others to push their own limits and show again the power of an accountability group outside the fours walls of the gym. And if any of them ever called or needed help, we would all step up and respond without question.

RIP Coach Andrew Highsmith 💔 you will never be forgotten – “The opportunity to connect with one another is unique and can be lost if you don’t make the most of the opportunities when they are present.”

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Sustainable travel aims to preserve the planets natural resources and minimize the environmental impacts of tourism. The primary beneficiary of tourist dollars should be local businesses.

Regenerative travel is picking up steam, as simply trying to not harm a location isn’t good enough. We should all be actively working to improve an area.

Don’t just focus on leaving lighter footprints but making a bigger impact in the local communities that serve tourism.

• Eat local
• Shop local
• Drink local
• Plant trees
• Grow your own food
• Recycle
• Use refillable water bottles & not get sucked into plastic
• Cover 100% of your carbon emissions

Live loud.

Sedona is that special place you hear about but can’t truly appreciate until you let yourself get lost in the thousands of miles of red rock trails. Boynton Canyon is one of the 7 local vortexes where the life force of the earth is especially strong…… a must do on any visit.

As I got deeper into the canyon my thoughts drifted & I was so proud of my adventurous spirit. Too many times in life I’ve been told to slow down to be “normal”, back off the intensity during practice, pace myself on a project and so on…. I don’t have a slow speed or do anything half a$$ & I’m proud of it (now).

I’ve never been the smartest, fastest or extraordinarily gifted at anything but my HEART & willpower can rival the best. But ultimately, I’m not in competition with you, just enjoy challenging myself & trying to do my part to make things better in this crazy world.

So if you can make it the 3.2 miles to the end of the trail, you will be rewarded by the majestic views that few will see (actually venture just a wee bit further to the edge of the cliff & listen to the fresh breeze). I lay out this challenge to you…. NEVER let anyone dull your sparkle & always just “do you”.

#doyou #liveloud #beyourownhero

Most of the time I think no one will listen to all the random thoughts I have on a daily basis. So to think I am 50 blogs in on my new journey……and so much more to say!

Recently I made my own keepsake tokens of every country and state that I have visited – a key ring dedicated to both. Companies are selling these for $5 each plus shipping so that obviously wasn’t something I was going to entertain. Quick math: 50 countries & 39 states = $445+. I bought the metal kit for $40 + 200 rings for $20 = $60.

They may be a little uneven and some letters lighter than others, but it is hand made and personal. The perfect addition to my ever growing travel room and a fantastic conversation piece to share.

So with 50 countries and subsequently 50 blogs behind me, I am more motivated than ever to keep exploring and learning! (And now Hawaii can be added as my 40th state too).

#neverstopexploring #yolo #50countries #40states #50blogs

I was saving a trip to Hawaii for “some day” but WHY? Why have I put this destination on such an elusive pedestal? So to say that I’m stoked is an understatement. I opted to base out of the Big Island for this 3 week adventure with an open ended ticket.

Crazy start to my journey & my 40th state….. After a chill week at one of my fav havens in Myrtle Beach, I drove home to a planned 48 hrs of cleaning, errands, workouts and visiting friends. Instead I get blasted with alerts of major snow and ice storms reeking havoc over the south, where I had purposely planned my layover due to low risk of delays. NOT! I only had 2 alternative options to Chicago or DC (in winter, really?) AND to head out a day early.

Luckily I’m a maniac when it comes to packing 2 weeks early (to build up excitement) so 15 hrs later LETS DO THIS! Hardest part was finding a ride to the airport mid day but with pandemic forcing many to work from home, everything fell into place.

Smooth sailing until on the runway out of Dulles and the pilot tells us we have to return to the gate as the case of baby chicks in cargo have to be moved away from the pallet of dry ice. WTH. But I digress…. I did later confirm both my Houston connections were expectedly cancelled, so crisis averted as San Fran was enjoying gorgeous & sunny low 60s weather.

After enjoying lunch outside overlooking the bay, I casually made my way to the airport to continue with my no stress start to vaca. I actually wasn’t allowed to checkin online for the first time ever because they didn’t believe I had no bags to check. Hmmmm. They’ve never met me.

Here are the important deets on Hawaii’s all new post COVID rules:

There is an additional pre check area for Hawaii, where officials will cross check you have already uploaded a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of departure (I found it easiest to go thru the Walgreens drive thru with results guaranteed to be emailed to you within 24 hours & received my negative confirmation within 2 hours), a recent picture saved on your profile on a new Hawaii travel safe site, 2 min online health form complete within 24 hours of the last flight and finally verification of a QR code sent to you prior. Sounds daunting but fairly easy to navigate if you reread the directions a few times. Finally you are given a wristband so you can bypass additional checks or quarantine upon arrival in the aloha state.

Wheels up to paradise! 🤙

Update: Aloha!!! 🌺 Officially feet on the ground at 10:09pm so 5 hours behind EST. We stepped off the plane to humidity & immediately got whisked away to take a 2nd nose swab test – out in 4 mins flat (I assume they call or visit you if there is an issue). My cute little Airbnb is 1 block from the famous Magic Sands beach. I’m sooooo ready to disconnect & can’t wait to wake up to explore. Good night! 😴

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Have you ever taken a timeout? Just 24 hours to erase anything and everything from your calendar. No commitments. No social engagements. No pressure. No phone or computer.

My goal is once a month and I’m actually fairly successful over the last crazy year.

It could be a snooze fest to just daydream (I have started to shy away from these as the after effects are usually my whole sleep schedule being severely out of whack for days). Maybe a drive along the east coast. Hike through the local wetlands. Binge watching my latest series obsession. Whipping through the trees on a downhill mountain bike trek. Lining up a mini golf hole in 1. Reading my fav lawyer books in a hammock. Stargazing around the fire pit. Baking a new concoction. Firing up the jetski to cruise the coastline. Penning a new travel blog post. Cranking out some riffs on guitar hero (extra loud). Pounding some racquetballs. Enjoying some pedicure magic. Drawing up my next big adventure. Catching a midnight movie. Practicing my pool cue stroke. Driving at the range. Hitting some fastballs at the cages. Swimming a few laps. Venturing out for a run. Snoozing during a 90 min massage. Shooting some hoops. Taking an online leadership course. Stamping metal jewelry & keychains. Scrapbooking. Committing to 90 mins of a hot yoga sweat fest.

Needless to say, I have numerous hobbies and can never boast that I’m bored. I challenge you to keep this monthly promise to yourself and can almost guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Could you choose?

Currently I live 1 mile from the inter coastal waterway on the east coast of Florida. But I have spent the last 5 months exploring the beautiful national parks in the west.

I get asked frequently which I enjoy more? I don’t like to be a wishy washy person and say both, so let’s dig in deeper.

Ocean life.

If I have 3 hours open, you would always know where to find me…. on my jet ski cruising the waterways full throttle with a killer music playlist blasting and a huge smile on my face. Plus how can you beat riding your bike to the shoreline in 5 mins to catch the frequent & explosive rocket launches? Whenever I need a little inspiration or just a quick wind down, I can indulge in an unbeatable coastal sunrise/sunset. On a clear weekend, it is nothing to drive the coast with the sunroof open and watch the cruise ships leave port. Enough said.

Mountain life.

Considering I have spent the last 5 months off the grid wandering in the glorious mountains of 15 different states, I’m jaded as I am still geeking out over the stunning vistas & forests I’ve been able to get purposefully lost in. It was truly life changing. From stare downs with bears to crossing crazy suspension bridges to imagining the magnificent forces that carved endless canyons to cheering on a bison who was making his own path down the roadway without a care in the world that he is blocking traffic for miles, nature is raw and unassuming. You don’t want the days to end, but you also wake up with renewed energy as you don’t know what is going to happen on a new day. You may be a little dirty, feet aching or lacking sleep, but the adventure is addictive.

So…….

I love water life so very much, that I think I’ll keep planning mountainous trips for vacation getaways!

My motto: work hard play hard.

I got the extreme adventure travel bug 10 yrs ago with the hike to Macchu Piccu with my younger brother and love to challenge myself mentally and physically. I don’t do anything half a$$ and traveling is no exception…..I’m all in. As an introvert naturally, travel has given me the courage and confidence to be able to conquer anything. My heart comes alive in remote places. My imagination soars. I yearn to see and immerse myself in different cultures.

My treks up Kili & Everest were the pinnacle – inspire others to get out of their comfort zone too.

Iceland, Iguazu falls, Patagonia, Swiss Alps and numerous more. I research, talk to others and always have the next few trips planned.

Jordan was never high on my list but something pulled me here. 4×4 thru the desert watching the wild camels run by, riding my own camel enjoying another sunrise, climbing on historic ruins, unparalleled sunset over the dunes, a magnificent diner cooked underground, sleeping in a tented camp under the stars, floating in the Dead Sea with black mud smashed all over my body…..memories will take me back often.

Petra was mesmerizing. Massive in scope and completely fascinating to learn the history. I got lost in my own thoughts. Not impressed easily, I was truly blown away. The anticipation on the long hike thru the Sig just added to the excitement & pure joy upon first sight of the iconic view I always just knew from an Indiana Jones movie. Around every bend was another crevice begging for someone to jump inside and learn about it’s incredible narrative. From the floor of the canyon to the top of the towering cliffs, you could just feel a story that was begging to be told. Having the discipline to climb countless steps to even better views the deeper you got into this historic site. 48,000 steps in one day and I wanted to explore more, but end of daylight dictated the close of another magical day.

Little Petra I couldn’t help but have a huge smile on my face. Pinch me. Is this for real? Hidden by a small alcove except for those who accept the challenge to dive in deeper. This place of wonder was once the epicenter of daily life. I climbed the steps at the back of this courtyard into the unknown but the promise by a local Bedouin guy it would reach “the best view in the world”. It did indeed lead to a little coffee shop perched into the top of the cliff & a priceless moment.

In this instant, I realized I can create my own destiny. On this journey & in life, I can choose left or right. Neither way is right or wrong. Both leading to different paths. Completely my choice.

“Happiness looks good on you”.

Find your passion and what sets your souls on fire. #berelentless #grit

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Everyone has a dream. How many have the resilience & fortitude to make it a reality?

Can you vividly describe yours when asked? Does it keep you up at night plotting out a course for the distant future? Does it get you genuinely excited to get started?

If not, dream bigger. Dream more……

On Day 17 of my recent US National Park dream road trip, I landed at sunrise at Dead Horse Point State Park. As the orange hues came over the horizon and the brisk breeze swept through me, I had this overwhelming sense of pride in living mine out to the fullest.

Right here. Right now.

This massive vista made me realize I was only just getting started and I smiled even wider.

What are you waiting for?
#liveyourdream #makeithappen #onedayordayone #tellyourstory #inspiration #seetheworld

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