Did you know that I Did THAT?

When I sat down to start making a list of all of the fun, unique and adventurous things that I’ve done in travel since 2006, I was quite amazed at the list. Check it out!

** Updated Jan 1, 2016 – updates still in progress

Dominican Republic
White water rafting – Jarabacoa
River kayaking – Sabonita
Latin dancing – Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, La Romana, Cabarete and Sosua
Photos of Not for Profit School “Dominino” – San Luis district of Santo Domingo
Botanical Gardens, Santo Domingo
Visited Banos salt mines and the only sand dunes in the Caribbean.
Puerto Plata Teleferico (cable car) – 2555 feet – the highest cable car and manicured gardens in the Caribbean.
Horseback riding through rivers on Christmas Day 2014
Danced Merengue, Salsa and Bachata in a local barber shop – Santo Domingo
Survived local transportation in the form of carros publicos, guaguas, tour buses & moto conchos

Peru
Homestays – Luqina Chico & Ccaccaccollo
Lake Titicaca Boat Tour – Lake Titicaca
Rowed a boat made of reeds – Uros Islands
Volunteer Family Photographs – Ccaccaccollo
Incan Ruins – Machu Picchu, Pisac, Ollantaytambo
Hot Springs – Aguas Calientes
Train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu & return to Cusco
Ate local delicacy – guinea pig

Ecuador & Galapagos Islands
Lava tunnels – Santa Cruz Island
Snorkeling & swimming with wild sea lions – near Santa Cruz Island
Charles Darwin Centre – Santa Cruz Island
Boat tour & hike of the highlands – Floreana Island
Dolphins – Floreana Island
Teleferico (cable car) – Altitude 13 280 ft – Quito
Old town Quito private city tour – Quito

Poland
Old town Warsaw night tour – Warsaw
Packaging and delivering wishes to terminally ill children – Southern Poland
Majdanek Concentration Camp – Majdanek

Germany
Berlin Zoo – Berlin
Bradenburg Gate – Berlin
Checkpoint Charlie – Berlin
Train from Berlin to Warsaw

Mexico
Rapelling & Snorkeling in cenotes – Mayan Riviera
Zip lining – Mayan Riviera
Tulum Ruins – Mayan Riviera
Snorkeling with sea turtles and sting rays – Mayan Riviera
Coco Bongo – Playa del Carmen
Chichen Itza Ruins
Learned to surf – Sayulita (2015)
Horseback riding

USA
Bayou swamp tour – New Orleans, LA

St. Pierre & Miquelon
Zodiac boat tour – St. Pierre
Wild horses – Miquelon

Cuba
Catamaran & snorkeling – Varadero
Swimming with Dolphins – Varadero

Costa Rica
Cable car & Rain forest Zip lining – Arenal
Leatherback turtles laying eggs – Tamarindo
Black sand beaches

Nicaragua
Masaya (active) Volcano tour – Masaya
Granada Islets boat tour – Granada

Bermuda
Sea do tour & snorkeling – Dockyard
5 day cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines – Boston to St. Georges

Turkey
Hot Air Ballooning over Cappadocia at sunrise
Learning (trying) to make pottery
Horseback riding through Cappadocia at sunset
Visited Troy / Gallipoli and Anzac
Visited Aya Sofia / Blue Mosque / Galata Tower

Belize
Swimming with sharks and rays
Climbing waterfalls
Listening to spoken word poetry from our local guide in the jungle
Jungle horseback riding

Thailand
Snorkeling off Koh Phi Phi Islands
Travel from Malaysia to Thailand overland (train / bus)

The Philippines
Learned to dive
Visited the chocolate hills
Saw Tarsier monkeys
Learned about sand bubbler crabs
Snorkeling at _______________
Visited El Nido – Island hopping / snorkelling
Tried a bite of crocodile

Malaysia

Argentina
Visited Iguazu Falls
Street Art Tour

Uruguay

Chile
Felt an earthquake while at dinner

Montenegro
Visited the islands with the church / museum

Slovenia

Italy

Greece
Treno Sto Rouf Dinner Theatre
Street Art Tour

Croatia
Hiking through abandoned villages

Vietnam
Visited Halong Bay
Learning (trying) to make pottery
Agent orange museum ??

Cambodia
Visited Angkor Wat

Singapore
Singapore flyer ride

 

Nicaragua Captured my heart

This morning I had a spam comment on an old blog that I used to write. When I went to remove the comment, I found this old blog post that I had written when I returned from Costa Rica and Nicaragua in 2009.

Since I returned from Ecuador and Peru a week ago I’ve been feeling a little guilty about the fact that I want to return … I’m drawn to South America … after re-reading this blog post it just solidifies the fact that I’ve wanted this for a long time. Apparently I’ve been thinking about it since 2008.

March 15, 2009

For the past year I’ve been thinking about traveling outside of Canada to volunteer in another country. I’ve been searching for just the right program and right place so that I can volunteer and have lots of time to take photos. I want to be completely immersed in another culture.

Everyday I am thankful for what we have in Canada. The conditions we live in, our health, our safety. The fact that I have a good job that I love. We have no war and very little violence.

I sit and try to imagine what a different life other people live. Then I stop myself because imagining this is sad. So, I want to live it instead. I want to go and be part of a community where things are SOOOO different than my life here that I can truly appreciate the smallest things in life.

In January this year I traveled to Costa Rica. I haven’t found that perfect fit for a volunteer program yet, so I decided I would take a vacation to Costa Rica and see how I felt about Central America. While I was there, I took a day trip to Nicaragua and it captured my heart.

In the city of Granada our huge tour bus barely fit down the streets. You could see children nearby staring, longingly at the bus hoping it stopped in their area of the city. Of course they know that tourists come with money …

One of the most interesting things for me was when we got to go shopping at a local market. Only a few years ago, the market was full of young children begging for money. Now, those same young children work for their money. This market has beautiful hand crafted items, and if you pay one of these boys, who now are in uniform, they will take you through the busy market to find whatever you need.

What a wonderful project that someone has started! Instead of kids begging for tourists money, they are providing a service and getting paid for this. They are learning how to make money the respectful way. These boys speak English and help you discuss products and prices with the locals in the market.

The same as right here at home, who wouldn’t rather give money to someone who is truly making an effort, then to someone just begging on the street?

I look forward to returning to Nicaragua sometime in the near future. It may be the place I end up doing some volunteer work, although I’m not sure in what capacity yet.