41

CIRQUE DE SOLEIL

40

Learn to play the harp -- specifically this song.

39: EDC

With it snowing here, all I can think of is the fun summer time...

Some year when I have the time and money I want to go to the ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL -- the biggest electronic festival outside Europe!

Venice

I know I was really going to try to continue posting my dream vacations in one picture daily for the month of November but I've been working so late and now my car is crapping out on me so I haven't had much of the spare time. But it's times when nothing seems to be going right when the magnificent daydreams grow and the yearning to be somewhere thousands of miles away grows too.

The romantic in me, hidden as far down as she is, would love to go to Venice just for the mere romanticism in it. I can just close my eyes and imagine the old beautiful buildings and sitting next to my loved one being paddled around VENICE...what the New York Times describes as "undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man". Stretched across 117 small islands, Venice boasts 455 bridges, hundreds of canals where romantic gondolas wind their way through the city

37

My dream home -- a Chaga hut near Kilimanjaro. Plan B -- La Sebastiana.

"A traditional Chaga hut in Kilimanjaro. The hut is surrounded by pineapple plants which are thorny, preventing snakes and other animals from entering the hut. The pineapples are also used as food. Two boulders mark the entrance to the hut, with a long Masele plant near one of the boulders. The Masele plant has symbolic meanings to the chaga. Leaves can be plucked and arranged in different fashions and hung on the door, enabling a fellow villager to know what the hut owner is doing at a particular time. They can also be used to re-establish peace between quarreling villagers. A pot on the top of the hut prevents rain water to seep into the hut whilst acting as a chimney to allow smoke out. Banana plants seen in the background are the main diet of the people. A chaga man is outside his hut." *wikipedia

36

I did a presentation on the catacombs in my french class in high school and always thought it was super fascinating. Because I had a long day at work and it's late I'm just going to post the wiki link to the catacombs in Paris. In fact, the whole concept of death and funerals in France is interesting. Many of their most beautiful parks are cemeteries and families and friends gather there for picnics whereas in the states cemeteries are made to be eerie and creepy.

Taj Mahal

"Should guilty seek asylum here,Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory."

-Emperor Shah Jahan




Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is widely considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and stands as a symbol of eternal love. It was also the first Mughal structure (consisting of India, Persian and Islam architecture).

34: witness the northern lights

This video makes me wanna travel to Norway just to be witness of this breathtaking view.



In The Land Of The Northern Lights from Ole Christian Salomonsen on Vimeo.

33

I'd like to start off this new week by continuing my daily wish-i-could-visit-here-today pictures because I have been busy lately with work and such. As it rains hard here, I wish I could be somewhere a little warmer and a little less gloomy outside.


 


DJOUDJI NATIONAL BIRD SANCTUARY

 

The Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary provides a range of wetland habitats which prove very popular with migrating birds, many of which have just crossed the Sahara. Of almost 400 species of birds, the most visible are pelicans and flamingos.

UNESCO World Heritage website entry

Machu Picchu

Great Pyramids

30

Kingda Ka



Fastest roller coaster in the USA at 128 mph.
Located at Six Flags Adventures in Jackson, NJ.
Tallest steel roller coaster at 456 feet tall.

29

So I've been kinda busy lately and haven't posted in over a month. I haven't really had the energy to plan my travels as in depth as I would like so I thought I'd try to post more this month, even if it's just in the form of a lovely picture which serves as pleasant distractions from the Pacific Northwest's lugubrious gray days.



Sydney Opera House

Sail the Indian Ocean

DREAM ADVENTURE 28: Sail the Indian Ocean/Visit Madagascar

excerpt from National Geographic "25 Best New Trips for 2010"

Known for its 70-plus species of lemurs, Madagascar has the market cornered in trips focused on exotic leaping animals. But few travelers are aware of the country’s marine life. Enter Kumuka Worldwide, whose first-of-its-kind sailing trip plunges into the coral-filled Indian Ocean while hitting a cluster of little-visited islets just off the main island. Starting on Nosy Be, the largest of Madagascar’s outer islands, you’ll travel by dhow—the traditional sailboat used by African and Arabian traders for millennia—from one deserted beach to the next, camping on white sand by night, and kayaking, snorkeling, and fishing by day. The first port of call is Ambavatoby Bay, where your chances of seeing a whale shark (massive, spotted, and up to 60 feet long) are unusually high. Nosy Iranja is up next, a hawksbill turtle breeding reserve prime for sea kayaking. Then it’s on to Nosy Tanihely, whose soft corals, lobsters, and eels make for prize snorkeling sights. Of course, you wouldn’t want to leave without at least glimpsing a lemur; Nosy Komba, or Lemur Island, is one of the last stops. In the wake of the political unrest here last spring, animal poaching—specifically lemur poaching—has become a growing problem. But Kumuka is keeping close tabs on security (at press time, the U.S. State Department had lifted its travel warning) and knows tourism is one of the best ways to help protect wildlife. “By seeing lemurs, clients learn firsthand that they’re a more valuable commodity alive than dead,” says Kumuka’s Steve Murphy.

Outfitter: Kumuka Worldwide; kumuka.com
Price: $805 ($)
Length: 8 days
Departs: April–December

Lots to do in Florida

DREAM ADVENTURE 27: Visit Florida

There's a lot I want to do in Florida. South Beach would be an awesome town to explore with the big nightlife scene. And the beach. Perhaps swimming with the dolphins?

Then, of course, there is Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World and all the other Disney affiliated parks: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks

Five day tickets to Disney World are about $70 a day for a 5 day pass to any park with the Park Hopper and Water Park offers included coming to about $250 for the 5 days.

Visit the Monkey Jungle!

"Where humans are caged and the monkeys run wild!  

Visitors today are immediately welcome by the Java monkey troop, now numbering in the 80’s. The Java monkeys forage through the Jungle eating natural foods. This experience with the monkeys continues to be a highlight of Monkey Jungle. The Java monkey is a skilled diver in the wild, collecting crabs and other shellfish along the riverbanks and mangrove swamps. Scheduled feedings at MONKEY JUNGLE show off these water skills as animals dive into a pool to receive fruit from the guides.

As part of the park’s continuing effort to promote the understanding of primates, MONKEY JUNGLE has given a new look introducing audiences to the lifestyle of the orangutan. Always unpredictable, the audience often witnesses impromptu acts by these lovable apes.

A total of 30 species of primates are represented at MONKEY JUNGLE including gibbons, guenons and spider monkeys. The Golden Lion Tamarin is native to the Brazilian jungle. Threatened with extinction, MONKEY JUNGLE proudly participates in an international effort to save the tiny creature."

Visit the Miami Zoo, with over 2,000 animals and more than 1,200 plants.

 

After all that city entertainment, I'd definitely want to visit the Everglades. The Everglades are subtropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. Water leaving the lake in the wet season forms a slow-moving river 60 miles (97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state. Writer Marjory Stoneman Douglas popularized the term "River of Grass" to describe the sawgrass marshes, part of a complex system of interdependent ecosystems that include cypress swamps, the estuarine mangrove forests of the Ten Thousand Islands, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rockland, and the marine environment of Florida Bay.

 

How could one go to Florida without checking them out. Maybe not Bear Grylls style but kayaking would be AMAZING, hiking and of course I'd have to go visit the alligator farm!

If I've piqued your interest, check out the National Park Service website for the Everglades.

 From October to May in Key West and Miami, you can learn to kiteboard.Check it out for yourself at TheKiteHouse.com. I think if I added any pictures of kiteboarding in Florida it'd make all the other things look way less awesome in comparision.

Last but certainly not any less epic, CAVE DIVING! 

"Few people ever witness the strange sights of these underwater chambers—fossils, sunlight beaming in from holes in the cave ceilings, and even ancient mastodon tusks—because the only way to see it all is by donning a mask and flippers. Cave diving is rife with potential dangers. The good news is beyond good training, all it really necessitates is a little nerve.

Test the waters at Ginnie Springs Cavern, a beginner cave that Jacques Cousteau once described as “visibility forever.” It requires only an open-water diver certification. From an aquamarine, cypress-lined pool, descend and enter a chamber called the Ballroom, 130 feet (40 meters) long and 55 feet (17 meters) deep. There you can see water’s artwork in the limestone formations and feel the force of 30-plus million gallons of water per day pouring out of the inner cave entrance.

To graduate to the 6.5 miles (10 kilometers) of passageways in the Devil’s cave system, take a cavern or cave certification course at Ginnie Springs. Claustrophobes be forewarned: The tiniest swim-throughs require divers to take off their tanks to squeeze through. But the reward of these contortions is witnessing a vast watery underworld, some of which still remains unmapped." - National Geographic

photo by Nat Geo photographer Wes C. Skiles

 I can't think of Florida without thinking of Will Smith's song Miami... I'd definitely have to rock that while getting ready to go out.

sea kayaking and snorkeling in Ha'Apai

DREAM ADVENTURE 26: Go kayaking and snorkeling in Tonga's Ha'Apai islands

WHEN: July
LENGTH: 13 days
COST: $5,500
HIGHLIGHTS: tropical islands, coral reefs, humpback whales



Itinerary:
*WildernessTravel.com

Days 1-5
Foa / Nuku’namo / Uoleva Islands

From a comfortable resort set on a private beach, we paddle to nearby islands to snorkel among spectacular reefs with an amazing geography of caves, canyons, vertical walls, and colorful coral gardens. We also enjoy outings aboard a sailing catamaran in search of humpback whale encounters. We observe these marvelous cetaceans breaching and spy hopping, then with snorkel, mask, and fins, slip into the water to swim alongside them! Our underwater show may reveal elaborate courtship displays and the haunting echoing songs of the humpback. On Sunday morning, we attend an island church service and hear a chorale of Tongan singing, one of the most beautiful sounds in the world.

Days 6-9
Uoleva / Uiha Islands

Traveling as the ancient Polynesians did, we paddle to a series of remote islands for incredible snorkeling in pristine waters, island explorations on foot, picnics on deserted beaches, and visits to isolated villages where the way of life remains unchanged. Our base is a rustic hideaway on a white-sand beach beneath swaying palms.

Days 10-13
Uiha / Foa / Ha’ano Islands

Sea kayaking along an isolated chain of reefs and islets, we rendezvous with our catamaran for a sail to Uiha Island for an authentic Tongan feast of roast suckling pork, fresh root vegetables, reef fish, and vegetarian dishes—all steamed in a traditional underground oven called an ’umu. The next day we snorkel in aquamarine waters with visibility exceeding 95 feet; it’s easy to view the large schools of fish, along with huge table, brain, and soft corals. Paddling to Ha’ano, we enjoy some of the best snorkeling in the Tongan Islands. We see plenty of reef fish, including Moorish idol, butterfly fish, wrasse, and clown fish, and might even catch a glimpse of the elegant stingrays and sea turtles that inhabit these extraordinary reefs. Depart on Day 13.

Maui Eco-Retreat/Learn to kiteboard

DREAM ADVENTURE 25: Visit Maui, Hawaii and stay at Kahua O'Malio





Kahua O'Malio's retreat philsophy: The Ecstasy Of Retreat

Most of the furniture and buildings are made out of bamboo. Their energy is generated entirely from solar panels. For backup sources they ues only bio diesel made from corn, hemp or sunflower oil. Their water is pumped up from 460 foot wells connected to an underground aquifer. They do not use any agricultural chemicals in maintaining our beautiful grounds. All organic yard and kitchen wastes are disposed in a compost bin where it slowly breaks down into very rich, fertile compost. The recycle. The keep bees and chickens for eggs there. It's right next to the ocean and only 15 minutes from town. Rates under $200 a night.

I've never been to Hawaii but when I do and travel to Maui, this is the place I want to stay.










DREAM ADVENTURE 25 1/2: Learn to kiteboard on Kanaha Beach on Maui.


*Nat Geo

ActionSportsMaui.com -- they offer other sport lessons too besides kite boarding like surfing, windsurfing and others.

WSOP Hold'Em Tournament

DREAM ADVENTURE 24: Compete in the WSOP Texas Hold'Em Tournmant held in Vegas.

If I ever have an extra 10k around, this is what I'd spend it in.

4.2% of the total entry pool will be withheld for entry fees, and 1.8% of the total entry pool will be withheld for tournament staff.

Last year's winner brought home over 8 million bucks.

Structure of the game: http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/structure.asp?grid=607&tid=7283

The Main Event of the WSOP has been the $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold 'Em (TXHE) tournament since 1972. (In 1971, the buy-in was $5,000.) Winners of the event not only get the largest prize of the tournament and a gold bracelet, but additionally their picture is placed in the Gallery of Champions at Binion's. The winner of the Main Event has traditionally been given the unofficial title of World Champion.

Khao Sok National Park

DREAM ADVENTURE 23: Visit Khao Sok National Park in Thailand

Khao Sok national park (Thai: เขาสก) is located in Surat Thani province in Thailand. The park comprises the largest area of virgin forest in Southern Thailand and is a remnant of rainforest which is older and more diverse than the Amazon Rainforest. The wild mammals include, Malayan Tapir, Asian Elephant, Tiger, Sambar Deer, Bear, Guar, Banteng, Serow, Wild Boar, Pig Tailed Macaque, Langur, White handed Gibbon, Squirrel, Muntjak and Mouse Deer.It is perhaps most famous for the Bua Phut (Rafflesia kerrii) flower which grows within the park. In addition to its exotic flora, Khao Sok is inhabited by a wide variety of animals, including gibbons and barking deer.

"Khao Sok is connected to two other national parks, Kaeng Krung and Phang-Nga, as well as the Khlong Saen and Khlong Nakha wildlife sanctuaries. Together, these reserves form the largest contiguous nature preserve – around 4000 sq km – on the Thai peninsula. A major watershed for the south, the park is filled with lianas, bamboo, ferns and rattan, including the wǎi tào phráw (giant rattan) with a stem more than 10cm in diameter. A floral rarity in the park is the Rafflesia kerrii Meijer, known to the Thais as bua phút (wild lotus), one of the largest flowers in the world. Found only in Khao Sok and an adjacent wildlife sanctuary (different varieties of the same species are present in Malaysia and Indonesia), mature specimens can reach 80cm in diameter. The flower has no roots or leaves of its own; instead it lives parasitically inside the roots of the liana, a jungle vine. From October to December buds burst forth from the liana root and swell to football size. When the bud blooms in January and February it emits a potent stench resembling rotten meat, which attracts pollinating insects." -LonelyPlanet.com

All the pictures just like stunning. If you want more information, check the park's offical website: http://www.khaosok.com/



There is lots of stuff to do during a short stay here: kayaking, jungle trekking, mountain climbing, rock climbing, caving, birdwatching, swimming and hiking. And zomg! Wild elephants!!!

I've read that the best times to go visit are between December and April but it's a nice spot regardless year round. Just at certain times you're going to have to put up with a lot of rain.

Upon arrival, you'd have to set yourself up with a floating bamboo hut on Cheow Lan Lake.



One interesting excursion was the Nam Thalu cave. You get there by kayak and you have a short walk til you reach the cave and I've read that the cave has absolutely amazing stalactites, stalagmites and limestone formations and an amazing colony of bats and a stream that runs through the middle of it.

Information about their bungalows: http://www.khaosok.net/

Smack Nightclub

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 22: VISIT SMACK NIGHTCLUB

If I ever go to the United Kingdom, I will definitely have some fun at this place. I do not have the words the explain how awesome epic this nightclub is.



other video

Camel Journey

picking up from my previous Timbuktu dream adventure leads us to...

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 21: Timbuktu to Taoudenni via the Salt Road on camels



WHEN: November to February
HOW LONG: about 2 weeks, some 500 miles

"Join a Touareg caravan leaving from Timbuktu for a journey of a lifetime. There is austere beauty in the desert, and little sound other than the soft shoe shuffle of camels moving over hard sand and sharp stones. Sleeping under the stars (could you even imagine the view?!) in the immense silence of the desert is a profound experience. Days begin before sun up, and the caravan travels doggedly until darkness falls. Strong, sweet mint tea is frequently brewed and beings to taste like nectar from the gods. At night, rice and dried meat is cooked and eaten, with a sprinkling of sand thrown in. Reaching the halfway point of Arouane, a tiny settlement en route, feels like a great achievement. From there on in, the desert is empty -- no grass, no trees, just sand stretching to the horizon. There is little wildlife -- desert rats, lizards, beetles and perhaps gazelles, but you may pass camel bones: bleached by the sun they underline the fact that your life is in the hands of your guide. When the stony desert becomes sand dunes, you know you are within reach of Taoudenni. Here, in a vast basin that was once a sea, a couple hundred men dig for salt, living in primitive, almost Biblical conditions. However, within 24 hours the camels are fully loaded with their heavy cargo, and are ready to being the trek back to Timbuktu and civilization."
*501 Must-Take Journeys. London: Octopus Publishing Group Lmtd, 2008.

You can also rent 4x4s to do the journey and it takes about 3 days but I'd really want the whole experience of being part of a camel caravan. With nothing else to do, think about the realizations and thinking about yourself and life that you can accomplish. To me, after completing that journey, I'd feel like I'd just climb a mountain or something. Plus the temperatures there can reach 120 degrees. Holy shit. It'd be such a savage journey.

You can also arrange with Tuaregs to take you out on tours for relatively cheap if you want to go on one shorter than 2 weeks.

Raft Trip: Upano River

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 20: Visit Ecuador and raft the Upano River

WHEN: November to January. However from May to August, water levels fluctuate due to rain and it can change Upano's usual class III rapids into IV or V.

HOW LONG: 5 days, including put in and take out.

WITH WHO: there are many rafting agencies who will provide all raft and safety equipment. 1 backpack is allowed per person.

HIGHLIGHTS:

"On its swift-flowing path from the Andes to the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Upano River becomes broad jungle waterway spun with thrilling rapids. Occasional clearings in the dense forest on its banks are home to the indigenous Shuar people, whose frail balsa rafts are the only river traffic. The descending river powers through canyons trialed with vines and foliage, then twists into a narrow gorge chocked by massive boulders. A dozen waterfalls crash hundreds of feet from the high canyon walls, adding their sparkle to the drenching spume of contorted water. It's spectacular, ecstatic, breathtaking -- one of the best white-water rafting adventures in the whole world.



Everything about the legendary five-day Upano raft trip is perfect. You join the river at the frontier town of Macas, where it runs broad, , a flight path for egrets, parrots, raptors and the darting brightness of songbirds galore. Shuar guides share their knowledge of the forest and of culture in the headwaters of the Amazon. After the Patuca Bridge, the Upano enters a series of rocky gorges, culminating in the Canyon of Sacred Waterfalls. These are grade IV and V rapids, and all the more exciting because you have been well prepared for them. Better still, there are lots of them, they come in groups, so you won't get completely battered or exhausted. By the time you leave the river at Santiago, 65 miles downstream, you fell exhilarated not jut by the speed thrills of distance rafting, but by the the feeling of having learned a bit about the Shuar and the Amazon rain forest from the amazing side-trips and the evenings in camp."
*501 Must-Take Journeys. London: Octopus Publishing Group Lmtd, 2008.

Also quickly found this website for trips on the river and it's relatively cheap at a little over $600 a person.

http://www.detourdestinations.com/products/The_Upano_River_Expedition__6_Days_16248.html

Visit the Netherlands

I haven't done one of these in awhile but I still have been daydreaming as always. I've come to believe that working a mundane retail job leaves lots of room for daydreaming in order to get your mind off work for the sole purpose of not going insane. Of course this may not be the most smartest thing to be thinking about at work but...

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 19: visit the Netherlands.

I've already been kinda planning it out in my head for 2011. I'd need enough time to save up money because I'd go in Novemeber and that's kind of short notice now; especially because a couple of my friends said they'd be down to join me.

Looking up airfare (of course I wouldn't be buying it for another year or so but just for an idea at the moment) but the cheapest I found was under $1000 roundtrip so that's not that bad. Plus I already have my passport but you don't even need a visa to get in the country... or a return ticket... :P

I've had a layover at Amsterdam when I was travelling to Ghana. Schiphol is an amazing airport with a whole mall, casinos in it and of course Heineken...

First thing, I'd get a pint of Heineken -- from tap.

Secondly, attend Qlimax -- an annual event held by the Dutch entertainment enterprise, Q-Dance. It is considered one of the leading hardstyle events on the calendar and a major attraction of Q-Dance and contains some of the most sophisticated production and setup for any event AKA zOhMyGawd LAZERS!



I'd be a judge in the Cannabis Cup.

"The High Times Cannabis Cup is the world’s preeminent Cannabis festival. Founded in 1987 by Steven Hager, the High Times Cannabis Cup takes place each November in Amsterdam. The event allows judges from around the world to sample and vote for their favorite marijuana strains. These judges-at-large decide the Cannabis Cup (overall winner in the cannabis strain competition), best new product, best booth, best glass, best hash and best Nederhash. A team of VIP judges decide which seed company has grown the best marijuana. The High Times Cannabis Cup also includes live music, comedy and an expo for marijuana-related products from cannabis-oriented businesses. Beginning with the 6th Cup, Hager began fusing counterculture spirituality into the event and using the time 420 (cannabis culture) as an important ceremonial moment. "Most of what I learned about spirituality came from Stephen and Ina May Gaskin and from attending National Rainbow Family Gatherings," says Hager.

The event is widely endorsed by activists who fight for decriminalization of marijuana.

Marijuana use is decriminalized in most parts of The Netherlands. Much of the marijuana present at the Cup is from the different coffee shops around Amsterdam. Usually the High Times Cannabis Cup features a surprise strain of marijuana that is new to the culture and will be tested by the judges. Many tourists go to Amsterdam specifically to attend the festival."

Visit the Red Light District.
and the erotic museum.



Visit the Artis Zoo.

"A regal entrance detailed with gilded eagles and ornate gates welcomes visitors to this intriguing zoo, which was instituted in 1838 and still boasts a 19th century ambience. With more than 6000 animals representing 700-some species, the zoo offers a glimpse of wildlife from around the world that's sure to prove enlightening to kids and adults alike. On the grounds, you'll also find (at no extra charge) an aquarium, planetarium, botanical gardens, and two museums devoted to zoology and geology."

Shop for an amazing piece.

Eat breakfast with an amazing view on the Euromast.



Have a few more pints of Heineken.
and perhaps visit the Heineken museum.

Visit the Floating Flower Market.

"The flower market on the Singel between the Munt tower and the Koningsplein is one of the most colourful, sweet-smelling sightseeing attractions in Amsterdam. The Singel is one of the oldest canals in Amsterdam. Of special mention are the goods which are set out on floating stalls. A tradition stemming from the time when all flowers and plants were daily transported by boat, fresh from the horticultural regions around Amsterdam. The flowers are still delivered daily but trucks have now replaced the water transport.

Since 1862 this market has developed into one of the most famous flower markets in Holland. Everything that grows or blooms can de found here - from Dutch tulips and geraniums to indoor cypresses and 'mano' bulbs from the Easter Islands."

excerpt from www.bugeurope.com (FANTASTIC SITE!!)

Visit the Anne Frank House.

Visit Hortus Botanicus.

"The modern incarnation of an early medicinal garden cultivated for physicians, Hortus Botanicus has been in existence at this location since 1682. Seafaring traders brought from their journeys exotic plants, which found their way to the garden and were the beginnings of a collection that now numbers 8000+ species. Visitors will find both outside and within specially-built greenhouses rare palms and plants representing tropical, sub-tropical and desert environments. Abundant flowers, water features, mature trees, and plantings for herbs and roses also fill the garden's pastoral acreage. Be sure to step inside the small greenhouse full of live butterflies."

Visit Giethoorn- a place in Holland, where you will never find a single road, because all, I mean it all transportation are done by boats alone.



Visit the Hash, Marijauna and Hemp Museum.


Visit the Van Gogh Museum.

time

just my thought of the day...

There are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day...

It takes the Earth 365.25 days to orbit completely around the sun at approximately 66,000 mph.

That's how fast time seems to fly for me. I feel like I'm a being traveling through my own life at warped speeds following a continual pattern of living that will inevitably end some day.

I think my perception of time is flawed. Remember being a kid and being like, "I have to wait a whole week?!" When you were 16 and being a little kid seemed like ancient history? Now I look back to when I was 16 and it seems like an eternity ago. Weeks seem to pass by with the blink of an eye. It's as if time is speeding up.

It makes me sad because I remember being a kid and thinking about how good life was going to be once I was older to explore it. When you're young, you don't think about bills and responsibilities.

I feel as if time is moving twice as fast or maybe my mind is just moving twice as fast. I just feel as if one day, I'm going to wake up as an old fart and be left wondering where my life went.

I'm realizing there just isn't enough time. As a kid, I remember wishing for time to hurry up; I had all these milestones I wanted to hit and was impatient. I'd give anything for time to slow down now. As a kid, of course I always knew time was finite but now that realization is dawning on me with each 60 seconds that make up a minute that make up an hour that I spend doing something that I don't really want to.

"Only the present moment is real and available to us. The peace we desire is not in some distant future, but it is something we can realize in the present moment." --Thich Nhat Hahn

I wish I could freeze time. Pick a moment and cherish it for awhile instead of it passing by me so fast. All we are left is with our memories and as we grow old, even those fade. Nothing is concrete and I feel like I'm flailing my arms trying to find something constant I can hold onto.

By the time my brain can even process what is happening, that moment is gone -- now just a part of my past. It's like standing on tippy-toes trying to reach something I can never obtain. And while I'm standing trying to grab it, something else passes me by. I can't win. Yet you don't want to be the one always wishing for the future, exclaiming, "One day I'll be happy, one day I'll have this or that..." because that day won't come unless you do something about it. I think it's important to value each day for what it is because it's a day you can never get back.

For the most part, the memories we have, the details of those memories is directly related to how emotional we were when that even took place. This sucks on one hand because all of those horrible memories will live on with you forever. But then again, all those wonderful happy feelings will as well.

I feel like I was cheated out of my life. Growing up, I wasn't able to do what I wanted, experience life in ways I wanted to. I had a shitty childhood and I can never gain that time back. I feel as if there'll never be a time nor a place for someone like me to be totally happy.

Maybe I'm so blue because I finally realize that all my fantasies are being met with the harsh reality of life.

Everything will end one day and I hope that I'll be ready when my time comes. I fear not remembering all those times in my life where I was truly happy. I fear running out of time before I get the chance to explore all the places I want to explore and to do all the things I want to accomplish.

Sometimes I get this invincible feeling; that I'm young and can conquer the world. I wonder if it's better to live fast and die young. When you're dead, you're dead. Might as well get on with the living and stop worrying and stop living in the future. It's overwhelming to always dwell and try to plan out all those small details. I know for a fact that things just naturally fall into place but it's still hard not to stress about them.

Sure it's normal to miss our past, but there's nothing we can do. Each day is a new day. You can only hope for the best while expecting the worst.

I just have to accept it. We all grow older. Shit sucks sometimes but I'll never stop dreaming.

"And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death..." -- Pink Floyd

Fiji Cruise

I'm growing sick of the months of grayness and now that summer is only a few months away I'm getting itchy to start being outside and I've been finding myself fantasizing about tropical islands thousands of miles away from this rainy state.

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 18: Tui Tai Cruise in Fiji



"You'll spend most of your time wet on a Tui Tai cruise. From snorkeling to sea kayaking, there's hardly a water sport you can't do from the deck of the 140-foot (43-meter) boat, called the Tui Tai. Back onboard, hit the spa or watch paradise glide by from the floor-to-ceiling window of your cabin or from one of the on-deck lounges. Four luxe staterooms have iPod docking stations and queen-size beds; the other eight rooms are slightly more modest and have double beds."
*National Geographic 



This cruise would be one of the most luxurious getaways of my life... but every fucking thing is included in the price; every drink, any activity you wanna do, even diving lessons, every meal, spa treatments, massage done to the sound of a cascading watefall, a morning yoga class on the top deck, kayaking in a volcanic carter... I bet that week would be some of the most fun and easy-going 7 days of my life. It's really expensive for a cruise, at $3,900 per person for the cheapest double bed room, certified scuba classes, PADI diving courses, plus tourism tax but it must be a fucking amazing experience. 5 nights runs you about $3,200. Not doing the scuba and PADI course will save you between 800 to 1,000 bucks. Those are just the regular cruises. Now I am not even going to get started with the honeymoon resort packages of 5 days on the Tui Tai and 5 days at an amazing resort in Fiji... http://www.tuitai.com/honeymoon_packages.php



Each cruies only has 22 guests and 18 staff members. Tui Tai is the only luxury-adventure ship operating in the Pacific Cultural Triangle, providing guests a remarkable look at three distinct cultures that history and circumstance have put together within a nearby triangle of islands. In addition to visiting islands where indigenous Fijians live, Tui Tai sails to islands where Polynesians and Micronesians were relocated after World War II, and where the villagers live in their historically natural ways. Only the Pacific Cultural Triangle offers adventurers a chance to experience such strikingly different cultures and histories during a one-week visit.

Check out their website and fall in love... http://www.tuitai.com



Ahhhhh all these bright beautiful pictures uplifted my spirits.

greatest raft adventure in the USA!

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 17: Raft the Grand Canyon


Endless in scenic wonder, rich in Native American history and loaded with fun and adventure, Western River Expeditions' Grand Canyon rafting tours are a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Exploring the Grand Canyon by river is an experience unlike any other. Discover hidden waterfalls and paradisiacal side canyons - areas of Grand Canyon National Park that are accessible only by river. Listen to the sound of the mighty Colorado River as you lie down under a blanket of innumerable stars each night after your Grand Canyon rafting experience. Watch the morning sun cast its warm glow through towering canyon walls. Discover the rush of excitement from legendary Colorado River whitewater. Escape completely on a worry-free vacation with no schedules and no stress - where time stands still. -Western River Expeditions


Plus a photo gallery from Western River Expeditions that only adds to the already burning desire to raft the Grand Canyon.



A couple sample iteneraries from OARS.com:

Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek

Lees Ferry to Whitmore Wash

Side Canyon Hikes
Each day varies, but on an average you'll spend 3-5 hours per day on the boats, with the rest of the time hiking and exploring side canyons, eating, or just relaxing in camp. The easiest hikes are no more difficult than negotiating a few yards of beach sand or stepping over a few rocks. Others may go for several miles over a rough trail, climb steeply up a hot hillside, require the use of both hands over awkward boulders and demand caution as you totter on a narrow trail above a steep cliff. Our guides are happy to help novices with hand and footholds and reassurance. Many times their helpfulness enables the timid and inexperienced to get to special places that many other groups pass by. All hikes are optional. The side hikes take you into the true heart of the canyon that can only be reached by hiking from the river and shouldn’t be missed. -OARS.com

I've read the spring and fall are the best time to partake on this rafting adventure.

-Video from OARS.com

Zambezi River/Victoria Falls

DREAM ADVENTURE 16: Raft the Mighty Zambezi River!!

"White water rafting on the Zambezi River. This is an absolute gem of a trip - featuring big white water, spectacular African scenery and warm sunny weather! One of the many highlights is bobbing around at the base of the magnificent Victoria Falls - definitely one of the more dramatic places on this planet to begin a 7 day river adventure. Your following days are spent challenging some of the most awesome rapids with names like 'Oblivion' and 'Stairway to Heaven' while your nights involve camping on expansive beaches of white sand, gin and tonic in hand listening to the noises of wild Africa. And after completing one of the most exhilarating adventures in the world, you can head off to sample the wildlife viewing that this region is famous for."
*WaterByNature.com

WHEN: August through November



Itinerary posted from WaterByNature.com:

DAY 1: Arrive Livingstone, sample the beauty of the Victoria Falls and then a chance of doing a sunset cruise on the gorgeous Upper Zambezi, before returning to our hotel.

DAY 2: We start the trip beneath one of the Seven Natural Wonders Of The World, Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the Smoke that Thunders) and take on some of the best rapids on the planet. Stairway to Heaven, Devils Toilet Bowl and Star Trek... are just a few!



DAY 3: We load the rafts with all our food and equipment for the rest of the trip and take on exhilerating rapids such as Creamy White Buttocks, the Mother and OBLIVION!

DAY 4: Amazing sights of Fish Eagles amidst other great rapids, Open Season, the Narrows and one of our favourites, Upper Moemba! This is a great adrenaline rush to end the day.

 DAY 5: We portage the rafts around Lower Moemba and the Chabango Falls, then load up again and run the amazing rapid, Ghostrider!

DAY 6: Yay! Its layover day! On a stunning remote sandy beach a chance to relax, swim or try your hand at kayaking!

DAY 7: A great mellow day to relax on more gentle water, take in a few waves and lie back and enjoy the scenery and wildlife.

DAY 8: A gorgeous overnight camp gives rise to the gorge opening out and us rafting amongst hippos and crocs! We pack up the gear and take a spectacular 40 minute helicopter flight through part of the gorge and over the spectacular Victoria Falls arriving back to our lodge on the banks of the Zambezi. You have done one of the best river trips in the world.

DAY 9: A chance for some last minute shopping before your flight home.



Dude, aren't these the most epic rapid names you've ever heard of?!?!




DREAM ADVENTURE 16 1/2: VICTORIA FALLS

Plus isn't Victoria Falls absolutely jaw-dropping?!?!!?!?
No wonder it's a World Heritage site. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, it is claimed to be the largest. This claim is based on a width of 1,708 metres (5,604 ft) and height of 108 meters (360 ft), forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world.