I have encountered so many amazing experiences during my travels. Traveling has left me with an open mind and so much joy. I am so thankful for having the opportunity to travel all over the world and I am so excited to share some of my favorite moments with you. Of course I have many more memorable experiences, but these 9 are at the top of my list.
- Tubing in Kauai-
There is an old sugar plantation in Kauai that has canals where you can tube down. It is slow moving, and the water is freezing, but it was still a great experience. The canals wind through beautiful scenery and through several tunnels that are lit by a headlamp you wear. In one of the tunnels we turned our headlamps off. It was so dark I couldn’t even see my hand in front of me. As a person who is afraid of confined spaces and the dark this was a little terrifying, but I live for the adrenaline rush so I would probably do it again. - Zip-lining in Alaska- My first experience zip
-lining was in an Alaskan rain forest in Juneau. This course was high up in the trees where we had to be strapped in the whole time. I am terrified of heights so I was a little hesitant to go first, but now zip-lining is one of my favorite things to do. If you can get past the high speed while wind is blowing in your face, it is a great way to peacefully enjoy the nature around you. - Power snorkeling in Turks and Caicos-
This is probably my favorite adventure moment. Power snorkeling is perfect for the lazy person. It is a great way to see the beautiful world under the sea without having to do any work. You just hold on to this machine with a motor and it zooms you around while you get to watch the sea life. Turks and Caicos is a great place to snorkel. There are lots of beautiful reefs full of sea life as well as an 800 foot drop off! That was a little scary. I love the ocean, but I don’t love it so much when I can’t see what is below my feet. - Riding a funicular to the top of a mountain in Switzerland-
As I think back to this moment, I still cannot get over how amazing this view was. It was my first time taking a funicular and it was so much fun being able to watch below as we rode up the steep incline on the side of the mountain. Once we got to the top we climbed to the roof of a church and from there my breath was taken away. We had a 360 degree view of mountains and lakes. I felt like I could sit there forever while taking in the peacefulness and quietness I felt there. - Swimming through crystal clear waters in Greece-
Greece is just as beautiful as the pictures in travel magazines make it out to be. The white buildings contrasted against the soft sand makes everything look so fresh and simple. We had a beach day in Mykonos and it is one of my favorite beaches I have been to. The water was just so beautiful. I had never been in water so clear where I can see the bottom. Even when we swam far out where the boats were anchored we could see the bottom. The water was also very warm. Just beware of all the topless women and men in speedos. As an American I am still not used to that sight. - Flying to Europe alone- This may seem like a weird and unexciting
moment, but for me it was the moment where I gained my independence as a traveler. I was leaving to study abroad in Italy for a month and this was the first time I had ever traveled without my parents. I almost wanted to back out of the trip, but when it was over I felt accomplished and left with a sense of pride. This trip pushed me out of my comfort zone. It forced me to fend for myself and meet/live with people I had never met before. - Watching the Euro Cup on a big screen in a piazza in Italy–
This is the moment where I truly felt like a local in Italy. It was my first weekend during my month of studying abroad, and the Euro Cup finals were going on. The final game was Spain against Italy, so of course we had to go watch it. All the locals would gather in the bars and piazzas throughout Italy to watch the game on a big screen. We went to a grassy area by the river to watch. The energy was great and I felt like I belonged there. Unfortunately, Italy lost, but it is still one of my favorite experiences to this day.
- Scuba diving in Bermuda- I have always been obsessed with the
ocean. I just think the fact that there is a whole other world down there is amazing. If I could be any animal it would for sure be something that lives in the ocean. Scuba diving gave me the ability to see what it would feel like to live under water. It was my first time scuba diving, so I was panicking a little bit in the beginning. It is a strange thing to be under water for so long and not have to come up for air. After a while, however, I started to get the hang of it and felt like I could be under there forever. - Wandering through the Italian Riviera–
This isn’t one specific moment, but more of a collection of moments over a period of 3 months. I felt like I had to include it because those 3 months were one of the best times in my life. I was living as an Au Pair in Genoa, so during my free time I would travel up and down the coast. There are so many beautiful sea side cities that I had never heard of before I went to Genoa. It was such a great time discovering the unique charm and beauty of each of these cities. Transportation in Italy is great. I used the bus and train as a way to travel and one of my favorite things to do was to watch out the window of the train while riding along the coast.
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