Some of my favorite moments of 2017
It has been
way too long since I’ve posted an update- my last few blogs documented my trip
to Memphis in September. The holiday craziness at work has kept me very busy
the past couple of months, but it hasn’t stopped me from planning my next trip!
But first, let’s look back on all that 2017 was- it was a very fun year in
terms of travel! The traveling began in February with an epic return trip to
South Africa that lasted until April. I got to explore the gorgeous city of
Cape Town more than I did on my first trip, which I loved. I toured all around
Robben Island, the former political prison that Nelson Mandela was kept in for
18 years. Robben Island is a life-changing place to visit, and even though I
was only there for a few hours, I think about that place almost every day. I
went skydiving for the first time, which was something that had been on my
bucket list for years. It was a huge adrenaline rush, and I’d do it again in a
heartbeat!
After my
time in Cape Town, I spent another six wonderful weeks back in Gansbaai at
White Shark Projects, one of my favorite organizations to work with. It was so
nice to be reunited with my fellow volunteer friends that I met back in 2015, not
to mention the amazing crewmembers of WSP! I returned to Cape Agulhas, the
southernmost tip of Africa, and made friends with some South African penguins.
The other volunteers and I swam in a spring in the only freshwater coastal cave
in South Africa. I set foot in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean on
the same day. I went fatbiking down the super-steep sand dunes of De Kelders,
despite how terrified I was.
When my time
in Africa came to an end, I returned home in April, just in time for my 24th
birthday. A few months later, in September, I took a little stateside trip to
Memphis just for the hell of it- and had a lot of fun! I saw Graceland, the
Civil Rights Museum, the Memphis Zoo, Beale Street, Sun Studio, and more- that
city has so much to do! Then the following month I took to the sky again and
spent a weekend in Virginia for my zoo sister Jesi’s wedding. I didn’t blog
about that trip since it all happened so fast- I was there less than two days
and most of it was spent around the wedding and seeing Jesi. I’d never been in
Virginia before, and it’s so beautiful, especially in the autumn when I was
there!
Overall 2017
was a very fun year in terms of traveling- it was really nice to explore more
of my own home country, which I haven’t done enough. So, in 2017 I traveled
thousands of miles, got more passport stamps, saw four new states that I hadn’t
seen before, went on a total of 16 flights, and even flew standby for the first
time. Not a bad year- but now, time to get on to my plans for 2018!
I’m beginning
the traveling adventures early this year. On January 22, two weeks from today,
I’m flying off to spend a month volunteering at the Costa Rica Animal Rescue
Center! Costa Rica has been on my bucket list for years, and I can’t wait to
finally be out there! I’ve been here in the US since last April, and although
I’ve still taken a couple of stateside trips since then, my feet are getting
very itchy. On top of that, I’m more than ready to get back out where the wild
things are. This animal rescue center is home to a variety of species in Costa
Rica, including sloths, several species of monkeys (some of which I worked with
in Bolivia), macaws and more. I’ll be working there for exactly a month-
January 22 to February 22- and I’ll be taking a couple of days off around the
midpoint in my trip to explore the Arenal Volcano, one of the biggest tourist
destinations in Costa Rica. I already have my flights booked, travel insurance
confirmed, airport pickup arranged, and tour of Arenal booked.
Fourteen
days and counting until I’m off on my next international adventure! As always,
I’ll be bringing my laptop and camera with me and documenting my travels. The
traveling I did in 2017 was definitely a lot of fun, and I’m super excited to
begin another year of adventures! This post’s food for thought: “For once you
have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for
there you have been and there you will long to return.”- Leonardo da Vinci
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