It's come to my attention that my title as Wander Woman, might not be suitable. As a friend kindly pointed out, I'm no longer wandering. Contrary to my initial intentions, I've had the same address for almost six years. Although I haven't painted my apartment (too permanent), I have conceded to hanging wall art, and I am easily locatable via Face Book, Google or Whitepages.com. I have full-time employment that I'm expected (by my bosses) to take seriously. I have signed up for classes in January, and I have found myself in what looks like could turn into a long-term relationship. Actually, it's been well over a year which is already long-term in my world.
When I first returned from my European wanderings, my friends considered me a flight risk. My plan was to flee the Pacific Northwest as soon as I found the place I desired to flee to and was financially able. Given the facts above, it doesn't appear this Wander Woman will be wandering off very far or for very long in the very near future. Regardless, like many women (and men), I am still a wander woman at heart.
Although my wanderings look different these days, I am still a traveller, an adventure seeker, an explorer. The year 2011 included travel adventures both close to home and further afield. In March, Mr. Wonderful and I went to San Diego for a friend's wedding reception. San Diego always feels like a vacation somewhere special when the Seattle rains have overstayed their welcome. We enjoyed the Southern California sunshine, had a blast wishing our friends a happy marriage, and did our fair share of day dreaming about moving to San Diego.
In April, my best pal and I embarked on a two week trip to Peru which included a trek to Machu Picchu via the Inka Trail. A trip of a lifetime, we set out to explore Peru hoping for adventures, laughs and further bonding of our 30+ year friendship. Our time together certainly accomplished all three. As I gasped my way up steep inclines our very first day, my fit outdoorsy friend assured me I was in fine shape to make the four day trek to Machu Picchu the following week. We were just getting acclimated; I live at sea level after all. We spent the first week exploring the surrounding Cuzco region, seeking hostels that provided hot water and toilet paper along the way (although, after the first hostel, we learned to carry our own just in case). We visited the colorful local markets, hiked several "warm up" trails to various ruins to prepare our bodies and lungs for the big trek to come. We sampled local flavors, and this adventurer must have eaten something foreign which resulted in spending an entire night in and out of the bathroom. This is where the further bonding began.
When our trek began, she cheered me on as I lugged a far too heavy pack (my own fault) up the steep terrain. I offered supportive words as she frequently commented on the toilet situation (or rather lack thereof). When our long awaited arrival to the Sun Gates offered us nothing but fog, we both needed a bit of cheering, but when the sun broke out an hour later, the views of this amazing wonder took our breath away. It was definitely a memorable trip for two long time friends.
For my birthday in July, Mr. Wonderful whisked me away on a surprise "all expense paid" trip to San Francisco. Although close to home, it was a city I'd never been to and had always wanted to visit. We stayed at the swank Le Meridien Hotel in the financial district. We walked along the waterfront, took the boat over to Sausalito, visited Ghiradelli Square and ate a Ghiradelli square. We walked through China Town, over to Coit Tower, and then across and up to Lombard Street. Saw the painted ladies, Haight Ashbury, and Pacific Heights. We walked and walked. And when we weren't walking, we rode the bicycle built for two through Golden Gate Park where we hopped off to explore the Japanese Gardens, the Conservatory of Flowers and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. On our final day we walked along the Presidio and then across the Golden Gate Bridge where we walked, and kissed and walked some more, and day dreamed about living in San Francisco. For our final trek back to the hotel before heading to the airport, we boarded a street car so I could experience a true San Francisco treat. My sweetie wined and dined me (hence all the need for the walking) in true birthday fashion. It was a trip and a birthday I will never forget.
In October, Mr. W. and I took a road trip down the Oregon Coast and had a long weekend at Nye Beach. I had never been to Nye Beach and Mr. W. had only passed through on one of his motorcycle journeys a few years ago. We stayed at the charming Sylvia Beach Hotel where each room is named and decorated for a famous author. The first two nights we stayed in Virginia Wolf and our last night was spent in Agatha Christie with gorgeous views and sounds of waves crashing right outside our window. We chose the coast expecting stormy fall weather, which is always romantic in October. We took our books, warm clothes and planned to hunker down next to a fire for three days. Instead, Mother Nature bestowed upon us unseasonably warm weather, so we took many walks on the beach, meandered around the small seaside town, and of course, sampled delicious local cuisine. We love walking which is good because we equally love sampling.
The travel year concluded with a week in Belize. A daily deal from Tippr came across my desk and I was quickly sucked in. Seven nights for two at a beautiful resort in southern Belize. A brief discussion with Mr. W., a quick look at the website, the clock was ticking, I bought it! Once the airfare and ground transportation were added on, the 'deal' wasn't looking like such a 'deal' any longer. But no looking back, we plunged in and decided we'd make the most of it. And we did. Jaguar Reef Resort sat on the golden beach looking as beautiful as boasted on the website. Pristine landscaping, tropical flowers and local fauna (iguanas, geckos and opossums) shared our thatched roof cabana. The food at the resort was marginal, but we, you guessed it, walked into the rustic village of Hopkins and found local flavors to sample. We also met wonderful people, and at one point, tripped across a group of traditional Garifuna drummers playing outside our favorite restaurant.
On the second day of our trip, we joined an excursion out to the Barrier Reef for some of the world renown snorkeling. It was a clear day, but winds churned up the sea a bit. A rather jarring ride out to the reef on our small boat forced me to keep one hand holding onto the side of the boat while the other was making sure I stayed inside my swimsuit top! Once snorkeling we saw an array of colorful tropical fish, amazing coral, and unique plant life. Although I didn't remove my silver earrings the Barracuda did not sidle up to me as I'd sort of hoped.
Our next excursion took us to two of the Mayan Ruins (Xunantunich Ruins and Cahal Pech Ruins) near the border of Guatemala. It began to rain lightly just as we arrived at Xunantunich and climbing the slippery limestone steps up the 130 foot Castillo proved exhilarating to say the least. Even in the rain, the views were spectacular, so lush and green. After a traditional lunch of rice and beans with chicken, fried plantain and empanadas, the down pour that developed subsided and we headed on to Cahal Pech. Smaller than Xunantunich, but no less impressive, Cahal Pech included various plazas, temples, palaces, and ball courts. The now dry weather allowed us to poke around, explore and walk through the structures placing us in a time our modern minds could only imagine.
Zipping through the jungle on a cable is something I had always wanted to experience and it was just as fantastic as I'd hoped. Each turn took us further up the mountainside and the cable lines got longer and faster. Flying through the jungle made me ponder how the spider monkeys might feel as they swing from tree to tree. I wasn't ready to finish. I don't think anyone was, not even the woman who was at first very nervous to be attempting this stunt.
But we had to wrap it up as it was time for the cave tubing portion of the program. We hiked through the jungle until we came to the spot where we put our tubes in, tethered ourselves together and floated down the river inside caves filled with crystal stalactites, stalagmites and other interesting formations. Cave tubing was more relaxing and peaceful compared to the adrenaline rush of the day's earlier activity, but still quite amazing.
Besides the excursions and exploring the raw basic lifestyle of this beautiful country, we spent ample time lounging on the beach, reading our books, people watching and sipping cocktails at the pool bar. Oh, and of course, day dreaming about buying a place in Belize.
So while my true Wander Woman days may be taking a break, hopefully it's a brief one and these shorter vacations will satisfy my cravings until more extensive wanderings can once again commence.
When I first returned from my European wanderings, my friends considered me a flight risk. My plan was to flee the Pacific Northwest as soon as I found the place I desired to flee to and was financially able. Given the facts above, it doesn't appear this Wander Woman will be wandering off very far or for very long in the very near future. Regardless, like many women (and men), I am still a wander woman at heart.
Although my wanderings look different these days, I am still a traveller, an adventure seeker, an explorer. The year 2011 included travel adventures both close to home and further afield. In March, Mr. Wonderful and I went to San Diego for a friend's wedding reception. San Diego always feels like a vacation somewhere special when the Seattle rains have overstayed their welcome. We enjoyed the Southern California sunshine, had a blast wishing our friends a happy marriage, and did our fair share of day dreaming about moving to San Diego.
In April, my best pal and I embarked on a two week trip to Peru which included a trek to Machu Picchu via the Inka Trail. A trip of a lifetime, we set out to explore Peru hoping for adventures, laughs and further bonding of our 30+ year friendship. Our time together certainly accomplished all three. As I gasped my way up steep inclines our very first day, my fit outdoorsy friend assured me I was in fine shape to make the four day trek to Machu Picchu the following week. We were just getting acclimated; I live at sea level after all. We spent the first week exploring the surrounding Cuzco region, seeking hostels that provided hot water and toilet paper along the way (although, after the first hostel, we learned to carry our own just in case). We visited the colorful local markets, hiked several "warm up" trails to various ruins to prepare our bodies and lungs for the big trek to come. We sampled local flavors, and this adventurer must have eaten something foreign which resulted in spending an entire night in and out of the bathroom. This is where the further bonding began.
When our trek began, she cheered me on as I lugged a far too heavy pack (my own fault) up the steep terrain. I offered supportive words as she frequently commented on the toilet situation (or rather lack thereof). When our long awaited arrival to the Sun Gates offered us nothing but fog, we both needed a bit of cheering, but when the sun broke out an hour later, the views of this amazing wonder took our breath away. It was definitely a memorable trip for two long time friends.
For my birthday in July, Mr. Wonderful whisked me away on a surprise "all expense paid" trip to San Francisco. Although close to home, it was a city I'd never been to and had always wanted to visit. We stayed at the swank Le Meridien Hotel in the financial district. We walked along the waterfront, took the boat over to Sausalito, visited Ghiradelli Square and ate a Ghiradelli square. We walked through China Town, over to Coit Tower, and then across and up to Lombard Street. Saw the painted ladies, Haight Ashbury, and Pacific Heights. We walked and walked. And when we weren't walking, we rode the bicycle built for two through Golden Gate Park where we hopped off to explore the Japanese Gardens, the Conservatory of Flowers and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. On our final day we walked along the Presidio and then across the Golden Gate Bridge where we walked, and kissed and walked some more, and day dreamed about living in San Francisco. For our final trek back to the hotel before heading to the airport, we boarded a street car so I could experience a true San Francisco treat. My sweetie wined and dined me (hence all the need for the walking) in true birthday fashion. It was a trip and a birthday I will never forget.
In October, Mr. W. and I took a road trip down the Oregon Coast and had a long weekend at Nye Beach. I had never been to Nye Beach and Mr. W. had only passed through on one of his motorcycle journeys a few years ago. We stayed at the charming Sylvia Beach Hotel where each room is named and decorated for a famous author. The first two nights we stayed in Virginia Wolf and our last night was spent in Agatha Christie with gorgeous views and sounds of waves crashing right outside our window. We chose the coast expecting stormy fall weather, which is always romantic in October. We took our books, warm clothes and planned to hunker down next to a fire for three days. Instead, Mother Nature bestowed upon us unseasonably warm weather, so we took many walks on the beach, meandered around the small seaside town, and of course, sampled delicious local cuisine. We love walking which is good because we equally love sampling.
The travel year concluded with a week in Belize. A daily deal from Tippr came across my desk and I was quickly sucked in. Seven nights for two at a beautiful resort in southern Belize. A brief discussion with Mr. W., a quick look at the website, the clock was ticking, I bought it! Once the airfare and ground transportation were added on, the 'deal' wasn't looking like such a 'deal' any longer. But no looking back, we plunged in and decided we'd make the most of it. And we did. Jaguar Reef Resort sat on the golden beach looking as beautiful as boasted on the website. Pristine landscaping, tropical flowers and local fauna (iguanas, geckos and opossums) shared our thatched roof cabana. The food at the resort was marginal, but we, you guessed it, walked into the rustic village of Hopkins and found local flavors to sample. We also met wonderful people, and at one point, tripped across a group of traditional Garifuna drummers playing outside our favorite restaurant.
On the second day of our trip, we joined an excursion out to the Barrier Reef for some of the world renown snorkeling. It was a clear day, but winds churned up the sea a bit. A rather jarring ride out to the reef on our small boat forced me to keep one hand holding onto the side of the boat while the other was making sure I stayed inside my swimsuit top! Once snorkeling we saw an array of colorful tropical fish, amazing coral, and unique plant life. Although I didn't remove my silver earrings the Barracuda did not sidle up to me as I'd sort of hoped.
Our next excursion took us to two of the Mayan Ruins (Xunantunich Ruins and Cahal Pech Ruins) near the border of Guatemala. It began to rain lightly just as we arrived at Xunantunich and climbing the slippery limestone steps up the 130 foot Castillo proved exhilarating to say the least. Even in the rain, the views were spectacular, so lush and green. After a traditional lunch of rice and beans with chicken, fried plantain and empanadas, the down pour that developed subsided and we headed on to Cahal Pech. Smaller than Xunantunich, but no less impressive, Cahal Pech included various plazas, temples, palaces, and ball courts. The now dry weather allowed us to poke around, explore and walk through the structures placing us in a time our modern minds could only imagine.
Zipping through the jungle on a cable is something I had always wanted to experience and it was just as fantastic as I'd hoped. Each turn took us further up the mountainside and the cable lines got longer and faster. Flying through the jungle made me ponder how the spider monkeys might feel as they swing from tree to tree. I wasn't ready to finish. I don't think anyone was, not even the woman who was at first very nervous to be attempting this stunt.
But we had to wrap it up as it was time for the cave tubing portion of the program. We hiked through the jungle until we came to the spot where we put our tubes in, tethered ourselves together and floated down the river inside caves filled with crystal stalactites, stalagmites and other interesting formations. Cave tubing was more relaxing and peaceful compared to the adrenaline rush of the day's earlier activity, but still quite amazing.
Besides the excursions and exploring the raw basic lifestyle of this beautiful country, we spent ample time lounging on the beach, reading our books, people watching and sipping cocktails at the pool bar. Oh, and of course, day dreaming about buying a place in Belize.
So while my true Wander Woman days may be taking a break, hopefully it's a brief one and these shorter vacations will satisfy my cravings until more extensive wanderings can once again commence.
