Surviving the Wait

That may sound like a ridiculous title since I have been waiting to see my life's goal materialize for years and years. I will be waiting (and working towards it) some more too. Good thing is that I know it will happen soon enough. Still, the wait can appear soooo long. That is why I like small "mini-trips" (I would call them weekend getaways but this one is during the week). A few days here or there seems to break up the seemingly long days of saving, planning and waiting. A small high on this journey. 

As of RIGHT NOW I am on transit heading to one of my best friend's home where five of us will pile into a car, cruise to the BC Ferries terminal and board a ferry to cross the Straight of Georgia. We will alight on Vancouver Island to continue on a scenic drive to Tofino!!! Tofino is Vancouver Island's gem. Although  a surfing mecca it offers visitors so much more: beaches, nature, relaxation and occasionally incredible thunder storms. It is my first visit there. I have yet to hear a negative comment about Tofino. 

I am so very excited for this getaway. A chance to wander through new-to-me spaces and celebrate a dear friend's birthday (all without breaking the bank) is the perfect remedy to break up the monotony of the wait. 

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - SAINT LUCIA

The Caribbean Sea is peppered with lush green islands beckoning you to step foot on their pristine beaches and feel the water lapping your toes. So many to choose from! How about Saint Lucia? One of the Lesser Antilles islands of the Caribbean, this gem is recognized by its famous Pitons mountains.

Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Spa, Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia offers crisp beaches, lush mountain hikes, fun water adventures, stunning views and food that will set your taste buds dancing. A Caribbean getaway dream.

Photo Credit: Caribbean Travel

On Aging

Today is one month until my birthday. Yeah I know, I am a bit overzealous but I love my birthday. And when I say I love my birthday, I mean I LOVE my birthday. Planning events, hearing well wishes, fun festivities and the occasional gift is enough to make a girl giddy. And the attention. I relish the attention. The one day of the year I can claim as my own (despite the fact that I share that day with several people I know, including my oldest friend and her twin brother). According to my mom, even as a kid I looked forward to my day.  Yes, I LOVE MY BIRTHDAY. 

Many of you are the opposite - you dread your birthday and the idea of becoming yet another year older. That very idea boggles my mind. I do not understand it. A few times in my history I have dreaded a milestone birthday. Soon, however I realized it was for naught. For starters it does not change a thing. You can not get younger so why stress over it. Go have fun and celebrate yourself! I do so unabashedly - actually I tame it in sometimes because if I really showed how excited I was those around me would think I was nuts. Secondly, somewhere we started believing that all the great stuff happens when we are young. HA! Sure you have some great stuff happen when young but not everything. Many of the goals and desires we crave take time to come to fruition. Others, the joy is in the journey. Career advancement, paying off your mortgage, building your marriage, seeing children, grandchildren grow are things many desire and they are the journey. Why lament your youth when many wonders are in your future?  You could not pay me enough money to go back to my early - mid 20s, let alone my teen years. It was not until my late 20s that I started to come into my own. Before that things were a mess for me. No going back. Finally, the older you grow the more you learn, the more you experience. An interesting thing happens as you age - you begin to see. You learn what really matters. No, things do not become easy and without concern but you know yourself more and can see what is truly important. I can not really explain it but your mindset changes. It understand perhaps. I personally am intrigued as to what my future holds. I do know that big RTW trip is around the corner. After that? Who knows but just imagine the experiences I will have when I am old and gray, to have seen much and done so much more. A future worth looking forward to. 

On a side note, I do wish for my former young size 6 physique I once had...but that is it.

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - BLUE NILE FALLS

Nature is the greatest beauty. In Ethiopia, 225 km from the capital Addis Ababa, is the Blue Nile Falls (a.k.a. Tisisat Falls), a stunning waterfall comprised of four streams when it is in full force.  Feeding into Blue Nile River, Africa's longest river, the falls can be reached easily from the closest town, Bahir Dar.

Blue Nile Falls, Ethiopia

Best time to see the falls in the rainy season when there is more water. Keep in mind that the hydro dam also contributes to the flow (or lack of). Still, the reviews I have read say the trek is doable and worth it despite the water flow.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, owned by Peter Jeschofnig

SUNDAY'S SPECIAL SPOT - ALBERTA BADLANDS

It has been said things happen in three's...that is how today's special spot was chosen. On my sister's recent visit she mentioned that next year she will be visiting Drumheller, AB (Canada) to see the Alberta Badlands. Shortly thereafter we watched an episode of The Amazing Race Canada where the teams were in that exact place. Finally, while scoping out Facebook I saw pictures from a friend's trip to see the hoodoos found across the Badlands.

The Hoodoos of Alberta's Badlands

Badlands are basically eroded (soft) rocks and clay leaving incredible hoodoos, canyons and crevasses. Alberta's badlands cover an expanse of over 90,000 square km and is riddled with fossils. From trails to dinosaurs to stunning hoodoos, the Alberta Badlands are a sight to see.

Photo credit: Grant Black, Calgary Herald