Top Ten Travel Adventures
I'm compiling my top ten travel experiences of the year and can't help but be reminded of how fortunate I've been. I started working as a travel agent 3.5 years ago and visited a number of countries, eaten some fantastic food and met so many interesting individuals around the world. Little did I know what was going to be in store for this career when I started. It is my passion to send clients to these same places so you can craft your own memories with the ones you love.
10. Flying over an Active volcano
I visited the "big island" of Hawaii in September. This was my husband's first trip to the islands and I wanted to do something extra special. What better than flying over LAVA?? It wasn't until about an hour before we boarded our heli that I surprised Brad. There was really no backing out at this point. I recommend flying out of the smaller airport in Hilo and make it into a whole-day affair. Start your day off with some Malasadas at Tex's Drive Inn, then cruise the Hamakua coast, a helicopter ride out of Hilo and then take the Saddle Road back to Kona. The changing landscape of the Big Island will make for an unforgettable day trip.
9. Ponte Vecchio at dusk
After a long day of site inspections in Florence, we had a scheduled walking tour. We were averaging 18,000 steps a day so a walking tour was the last thing from my mind. We explored the historic Duomo, Piazza della Repubblica and Uffizi and I didn't think I could take another step. My feet were hurting, my back was sore and I almost turned back. Thank goodness for our amazing walking guide. She convinced me this would be the highlight of the tour. Our guide was an art history major and spoke 4 different languages. The group was an intimate size and she was willing to tailor the experience to what we were most interested in seeing. Added value, this little badge can help you skip the long lines at major sites! The site of the river Arno at dusk was definitely worth the steps!!
8. Cruising the Waterways in Mayakoba
This was my first stay in Mayakoba and I was beyond impressed. Mayakoba translates to "Village of Water" in English. This little village is comprised of 4 resorts (Rosewood, Fairmont, Banyan Tree and Andaz) and a golf course. The highlight for me was the boat tour on the river. The boat driver was currently studying Biology and served as a wealth of knowledge. We saw Cormorant birds sunbathing, baby alligators and all sorts of other tropical birds. The Andaz Mayakoba was my very last stop for 2017 and I think it's safe to say, I saved the best for last. Whether you prefer a white sandy beach or a more natural setting like the river waterways, there is something for everyone in this exclusive destination.
7. Exploring Ancient Churches
I love when an experience stops me in my tracks and literally lights me up from the inside out. These churches are significant to me. They represent boundless spirituality, in a pretty little, sometimes drafty package. They are a quiet refuge, extremely ornate in their decor and rarely do you get to snap any photos on the inside. In fact, ancient churches are some of the only places in the WORLD where photographs cannot spoil the image/experience. When you enter the church, it feels like you were let in on this big secret. Or like you have this direct dial phone to something much larger than yourself. Sometimes I like to imagine people from the distant past attending a church service in their full historic gear. How different their life is from mine. It's also fun to imagine how these sites were constructed. These churches can make you feel so big and so small at the same time.
6. Driving the Saddle Road from Hilo to Kailua-Kona
The Saddle Road drive is on my top ten list because of the unique landscape of the Big Island. This road-trip is not for the faint at heart. The road straddles the island of Hawaii, curving between two volcanoes- Mauna Loa & Mauna Kea. Mauna Loa is considered an active volcano, last erupting in 1984. Mauna Kea is the tallest point the state and the tallest mountain in the world (33,000 ft. when measured from the base of the ocean). The saddle road peaks at 6,632 ft. and boasts heavy fog, rain and limited visibility. The drive starts out pretty tame but once the fog hit, it was almost like driving in a terrible blizzard in the middle of North Dakota. Between the fog and the elevation, I was getting carsick. Just as the fog cleared, we started to see some amazing sites. At times the landscape looked like chocolate cookie crumbles and other times it was lush farm land. At moments during our drive it looked like we were driving through Iceland, then Montana, then the moon-- all within the span of 2 hours!!
5. Meeting the Top General Manager of Luxury Hotels Worldwide
While traveling through Italy this fall, I had the opportunity to meet Claudio Catani. He was named the top GM in the world for Luxury Hotels in 2017. What sets these Italian properties apart is their leader Claudio. He's taken the historic Hotel Brunelleschi from number 400 out of 500 hotels in Florence, to number 19. His staff goes above and beyond to find little ways to surprise their guests. Claudio's own definition of Luxury is evident at both properties- "An experience with the possibilities to have surprises every moment". I believe the values of the General Manager tend to trickle down to the rest of the staff. The added value of a good leader, can make a huge difference in your experience as a hotel guest.
4. Snuggling in my Unico 20°87° sweatshirt robe
I'm still chuckling that a robe made it into my top 10 list, but it must be said- THIS ROBE IS AMAZING. It's the comfiest, coziest, snuggliest robe I've ever worn. Unico 20°87° has made a number of game-changing moves in the all inclusive world, including but not limited to- filet mignon by the pool, handmade soap selections for your room, churros on the room service menu, all spa services included in your rate, pop up entertainment, sweatshirt robes, boozy brunch... need I say more?! Need something beyond this list, check in with your local host (concierge). Unico 20°87° has clean lines, calming colors and all the tech plugins you can handle.
3. Celebrating love with family
One of the parts I love about my job is helping couples pick the place they will say "I do". Being a past destination wedding bride, I can remember exactly where I was when I said those words myself. I recall that rush of excitement, picturing the shenanigans my friends/family might get into, the beautiful backdrop for my wedding day and what the aisle may look like for me to walk down. It was important for us to find a place where everyone could have fun. We hoped for an experience that would be long lasting, longer than the 1 day that is allotted for a wedding back home. When my brother Dan came to me with interest in having his wedding be a destination wedding, I was thrilled. It was the 3rd wedding in our immediate family in Mexico- my mom & step dad, my own and now Dan's. My husband's sister also got married in Mexico so you could say, we had some experiences as to what we were getting into! Dan & Yabo's wedding was nothing short of amazing. They pulled out all the stops with an intimate sunset ceremony, mariachi band and even fireworks at the end of the night. I've been fortunate to be a part of a few destination weddings/group travel with my friends and I hope to see these events continue long into the future!
2. Taking a gondola ride through venice
This is one of those bucket list items. Everyone should plan to do this at some point in your life- whether it's at the Venetian in Vegas or the real thing in Italy. It's incredibly romantic and should be reserved for you and your romantic partner... or a bunch of travel agents, whatever opportunity presents itself first. Our group had a great time weaving through the narrow waterways of Venice. I have no idea where these guys take Drivers Ed, but it was pretty phenomenal to watch them navigate. We saw/heard numerous performers as they sang Italian opera selections to the patrons. I almost brushed off an Italian piece from my senior recital, but decided to leave it to the professionals that day!
1. the golden hour with sea turtles
My Best of the Best this year was the golden hour spent on the beach with my husband and a small clan of sea turtles during our stay in Hawaii. We happen to stumble upon these "honu" when we were out for a walk and decided to sit down and be spectators for a bit. Sea turtles are something I had yet to see in Hawaii so this marked a "first" for both Brad and myself. They didn't move much except to nuzzle down deeper into the grainy sand. As the sun retreated, it painted a masterpiece with the clouds. A sunset for me marks the end of another day. Whether you are on the trip of a lifetime or you are going through a hard time- the sunset gives us time to pause and reflect. You might be imagining the adventures of that day or needing a reminder that there is something larger than yourself out there. We each get to have that moment for pause when the sun puts the day to bed. I hope you treasure these moments as much as I do.