5 Ways to Turn Any Trip into Adventure Travel

The term adventure travel is my new favorite buzz term. But not the way it's being used by the travel marketing gurus.  It's not just reserved for cool gap-year hipsters or folks in mid-life crisis. It's about throwing away the travel guide and the online reviews.  About realizing that even if you are in a new country or city you are not on Mars.

Really, anyone can add adventure to their travel and it doesn't require some over the top physical activity.  It just requires a little less planning and letting go of what we know. Safety and practicing common sense doesn't mean you have to travel in a bubble.

Southern Africa is Calling...Now What? Finding a Travel Agent

Southern Africa.  Five weeks and counting.  Things are starting to fall into place. Had the most pleasant conversation with the different Consulates today and got a little travel advice too. People are so helpful when you just call and ask.

I think what I am going to enjoy more than anything, is being unplugged.  Little internet or cell phone service. No laptop.  Just a girl on an adventure full of love, life, peace and culture.

Volunteering in Namibia: The N/a'ankuse Donation Wish List

Three weeks volunteering will pass by in a flash. So beyond my time, labor and love, I'll be bringing some items that I hope will help after my time comes to a close. This is the published wish list. I can't bring it all.  But this list reminds me how fortunate we are and how much the little things matter.

Life and love lessons: Things travel has taught me.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
― Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It

As I re-read this post, I will warn you it's somewhat stream of consciousness and unfiltered.  But it's my blog and I'm not changing it so, deal with it. Mark Twain's greatest gift as an author was evoking passion, opinion, and emotion from his readers.

I wonder what Twain would think of how accessible it is to travel and how connected and small our world has become, yet how distant we still are. There are still only a small percentage that view travel as a way to learn, self-awareness and personal growth.

Finding myself in the sand...Atacama Desert Sandboarding

Well, let me first say, I will always be a skier.  But when standing at in the world's driest hot desert in the world, I guess a snowboard will have to do. If you ever find yourself in Chile this is a must do on your list.  There are about 15 different places where sandboarding is possible in Chile.  I chose Valle de la Muerte just outside San Pedro de Atacama.

Sebastian's shop is right in the square across from the church, and I literally walked in and signed up for the next day right there.  Price was reasonable and included my sandboarding and gear, lesson and two short hikes in Valle de la Luna, one at sunset. When we met in the square, I was the only Canadian with a bunch of fun loving Aussie, UK and American backpackers. 

Empanadas, Chupe, Ceviche...Cooking In Santiago, Chile

What would a mother daughter trip be without a cooking workshop? We found a flyer at the hotel and, on a whim, signed up with Uncorked for an evening cooking workshop to learn how to make a few Chilean recipes from scratch.