Category Archives: travels

Embracing the Florida way of life

18 Wednesday Oct 2023

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“Blessed are the flexible, for change is inevitable. To fulfill our true destiny as spiritual beings we must trust in our divine power to adapt.” ― Anthon St. Maarten

Eight months ago, if you asked me if I would ever live in Florida, I will respond: NEVER!  And now here I am!  And it feels right and good! 

The plan is to inject more fun and life into my days.  I plan to work remotely from Florida, Brazil, and other possible traveling locations. 

Right now I am in Florida for a couple of weeks. So far working from here has been perfect. My computer, monitors, etc, all arrived and are working perfectly.

Our condo is in a golfing community. It has been quiet and calming.  In NY I am surrounded by huge building constructions, with the noise starting at 6am, Monday through Saturday. This silence has been a welcomed and desired change of pace.

We arrived on Saturday and the weather has been absolutely perfect – warm days and cool nights.  We are not right on the beach, we are a 25 minute drive from it. Most evenings will either drive to the beach for long walks or walk around where we live.

This new life is amazing!  I am so blessed and I know it!

Always a Delta fan – well, will see how it will go with the new changes to their rewards program.  We were upgraded to First Class.

Great meal for a 2 and half hour flight – it tastes so much better than it looks.  Even if I am not hungry I will always accept the meal/snack, as I am always curious, and afraid I will be missing out.

My view while I work.  I look out of the balcony and hear birds and see palm trees.  I could get used to this.

My new mode of transportation.  We don’t normally use it, other than to make sure that it continues in good working conditions.  We are not golfers, and normally opt to walk, instead of ride.

New Smyrna Beach at sunset.  A gorgeous cool evening.  Along the walk we encountered a couple of people only.

New Smyrna Beach – This life feels like a vacation.

Lonely bird fishing at night.

“With change being an inevitable element in our lives, we have only two options. Either embrace it and live life to the fullest or be stuck in the comfort zone of a compromised life.” ― Mohith Agadi

Leaving Iceland and getting back to NY

28 Monday Aug 2023

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Downtown Reykjavik

Downtown Reykjavik

“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” ― G.K. Chesterton

The fifth day in Iceland was the day we were leaving.

The day before, Michael had driven over 10 hours.  By the time we got to the hotel he was exhausted, as expected, so we didn’t go out and went straight to bed.

He had hiccups that were persistent and kept getting in the way of his sleep. We Googled and tried some of the techniques recommended to stop hiccups. They would work for a while, but then would return.  Eventually we fell asleep.

The next morning, I wanted to have breakfast first and then leave for the airport.  Michael wanted to skip breakfast and leave right away.  Our flight was at 11:30am.  In the end, I agreed with Michael, we still had to stop at the gas station and fill up the tank.

His hiccups came back again, on and off.

We stopped at a gas station to get gas, and made it to the airport with a lot time to spare.   We checked in, and then got breakfast.  There was not a lot to choose from, so we got croissants and coffee. 

We had to take a bus to get to the plane, I haven’t had to do that in a long time.  It was an uneventful flight.  To eat, they gave us a choice of chicken sandwich or cheese platter.  I got the chicken, and Michael got the cheese.  They were both good, but he barely touched his.

We both have Global Entry, and our bags had priority tags, so it took minutes to get out of JFK airport and into an Uber.  They were handing out Covid tests, and for a moment I thought about stopping to get some, but decided that we needed to just get home.  We got home it was only 2 pm, 6pm Iceland time.

“The most poetical thing in the world is not being sick.” ― G.K. Chesterton

As I was unpacking, Michael said: “I think I should take a Covid text”. What? Seriously? Why? He answered: “because persistent hiccups can be a symptom of Covid”. He had just Googled and found that out that it can be a Covid symptom, although rare.

I got a test, and lo and behold: He was positive.  It was shocking to me.   Who knew hiccups can mean Covid?  It turns out the fatigue he was feeling was not only about the driving.

I tested negative. The next few days I woke up with a scratchy throat. Five days later we tested again. He was still positive, and I was still negative.  On day 10 we both tested negative.  I never got it, so I think my scratchy throat was just a cold.

By now he is already feeling back to himself, and back to the gym. I finally came back to the office.  Because I had been exposed, I made sure to stay away from the office. 

“One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries.” ― A.A. Milne

Back to the trip.  To summarize, it was a wonderful trip.  We did a lot in 4 days.  In hindsight, we would do some things differently, such as staying in hotels throughout the country, so we wouldn’t have to do too much driving in and out of Reykjavik.  I would have researched restaurants and coffee shops and already have a plan of times and places to stop to eat. 

But then again, it is fun not to have everything so planned.  It can be fun to just leave room for discovery.  Beautiful things can be found in the unexpected and unplanned.

As far as being an expensive place as everyone say, it is!  But with planning, it doesn’t have to be.  We bought our tickets and hotel just one week prior, so we probably overpaid.  There is an airline called Play Airlines that flies out of Stewart Airport, about 1 hour from me.  They sell tickets to Iceland for around $500.  Actually, I just checked and it is now $299.00.  We didn’t want to take a chance since we were going for only 4 days.  But when I retire, we will perhaps take a chance on budget airlines.

Iceland is gorgeous, clean and safe.  They even recommend hitchhiking!! I may go back at some point, but only after I crossed off some other countries off of my list first.  Well, I better start making that list then.

Iceland in 4 days: Day 4, final day sightseeing

25 Friday Aug 2023

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“I can speak to my soul only when the two of us are off exploring deserts or cities or mountains or roads.” ― Paulo Coelho

Day 4. Drive to Jokulsarlon Glacier

We were going to have breakfast first, but at the last minute we decided not to wait until 7am and instead stop at some place on the way for breakfast.  To get to Jokulsarlon Glacier from Reyjavik takes approximately 5 hours.  In hindsight we should have done it in 2 days.  Michael ended up driving over 10 hours. I didn’t drive as we had not added my name to the rental agreement – originally we were getting a manual transmission car. 

The route taken is Route 1, also known as Ring Road.  It circles the entire country.  The whole trip is so worth, the landscape is beautiful!  We stopped to get coffee in the town of Vik at a gas station that had a snack shop.  It seemed like the only place around, as we didn’t want to leave Route 1.   We got coffee and muffins. I had a couple of bites of mine, but Michael didn’t touch his – that says a lot.  They were awful. We threw $15.63 in the trash.  The service wasn’t that great either.  The clerk forgot about our coffees, and we were just standing there for awhile.

Little did we know that right next door there was a coffee shop.  We saw a sign as we were driving away, we decided not to stop and just keep driving.  We had crackers and chips, and other snacks in the car.  We did stop back there on the way back. It is called lava Café and it is inside a clothing/souvenir store.  We got 2 small round pizzas -smaller than a regular slice, 1 croissant, and small Swiss mocha. Not that good, but edible. $20.22. 

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon sits on the southeast edge of the Vatnajokull National Park.  The Park is huge with many hiking trails and other activities.  On this trip we decided against any hiking because my hips have been acting up.  Plus, we didn’t really have time for much.

We got to the glacier and the parking lot was full, so we parked across the street at the parking lot for Diamond Beach.  Both parking lots are very convenient. 

We wanted to do a boat tour, but there was no availability.  We didn’t want to book beforehand as we had no idea of what time we would get there, just in case we made additional stops along the way.   The Amphibian Vehicle tour is $50.00 and it last 30 minutes.  The Zodiac tour, which can get closer to the icebergs, last one hour and fifteen minutes and it costs about $105.00.

We spent about 30 minutes there, taking it all in.  There are countless icebergs floating on the lagoon, that have broken off from the glacier.  We saw some ducks and a couple of seals. I took pictures of the ducks, but the seals were camera shy.  

There are restrooms and food trucks here.  I didn’t see anything I wanted to eat, so I just had a yogurt, one of those children’s squeezable ones, Michael had coffee.  $8.35

From there we walked back to Diamond Beach.  Diamond Beach is a volcanic black sand beach.  It is named Diamond beach because of the icebergs that wash up on shore resembling sparkling diamonds.  It is not a swimmable beach due to dangerous waves and tides. It is a beautiful shoreline.

We spent about 20 minutes there and then were back on Route 1 to return to Reykjavik.  There were also 2 waterfalls I wanted to stop at.  There are many along the way, but these are the two more famous ones.

The first we stopped at was Skogafoss Waterfall.  This fall is part of the Skoga River and can be seen from the road.  It is impressive, and visitors can get really close to it.   I got as close as I could without getting myself wet.  There is also a stairway on the side that leads up to a viewing platform at the top of the waterfall.  I didn’t go up as it would have taken some time. 

We probably spent 30 minutes there, but ideally one should reserve up to 2 hours for this stop to go up the viewing platform and to hike along the Fimmvorouhals Trail.  There is not a parking fee, but they ask for donations to use the restrooms.

Another 30 minutes from there, it is the other waterfall I wanted to stop at, Seljalandsfoss.  It is just minutes from Route 1. It is part of the Seljalandsa River.  It is smaller than Skogafoss, but still impressive.  At this one, visitors can walk behind the curtain of falling water, there is a path all around the back of the falls.  I didn’t do it, but I think it would be a lot fun to do it when one is ready to get wet. 

The path behind is closed in the winter because of the icy path. There are lights illuminating it, so people can still stop by on the rare times when it is dark. 

On the road, between these two waterfalls I saw a fence covered in bras.  We passed by it fast and didn’t have a change to stop.  I looked it up, and there are a couple of different stories. The most popular is that, around 2012 several bras were stolen.  They were later found strewn on the fence.  Ever since then travelers have been adding more bras to the fence.  It is such a whimsical sight.

Before we got to Reykjavik we made stops at a couple of places looking for a coffee shop, but failed.  We eventually stopped at Kronan supermarket and got some additional chocolate to bring home as gifts.  This bill was only $15.11.  A prior chocolate trip to Bonus Supermarket was $24.27.

We also got some souvenirs such as fridge magnets, shot glasses, and keychains.  I got only 1 t-shirt for my sister.  I normally don’t buy a lot souvenirs, but always get something for friends that collect those.  I have some receipts, but I am not sure what is for what. $35.82, $14.34, $58.51, $24.66 and $21.23.

We got to the hotel exhausted. I don’t even know what we had for dinner, but my guess is cheese and crackers at the hotel, as I can’t find a receipt for anything else.  Plus Michael was exhausted, from what we thought was the driving.  More to follow.

Iceland in 4 days: Day 3

23 Wednesday Aug 2023

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The Blue Lagoon

Day 3. Saturday. Blue Lagoon and Surrounding areas.

We had a 9am reservation at the Blue Lagoon, in the town of Grandivir. It takes approximately 45 minutes to get there from the hotel.  That meant that we had enough time to eat breakfast at the hotel – yippie.  I don’t normally eat breakfast until 12pm, but while on vacation there are no rules.

We got there right before our appointment.  We got in line and waited about 5 minutes.   The place is very busy, but also very clean and organized.

We proceeded to the lockers, showered, changed and met outside in the pool.  This pool is really big with many areas that one can be alone away from everyone.  Very, very different from the Secret Pool.

The Blue Lagoon

We paid $127.00 per person. It gave us 1 drink at the pool bar, the use of a robe and a towel and 3 face masks.  The first was a lava scrub to exfoliate,  the second was silica mud mask to deep cleanse, and the third was a choice of a moisturizing mask or anti-aging one… any idea which one I got? To drink I chose a strawberry prosecco and Michael had a beer.

We could have stayed there as long as we wanted.  There are a few restaurants and a café to choose from.  We chose not to eat there and left in a couple of hours.  We really enjoyed being there but wanted to explore Grandivir and the surrounding areas.

Fish House Bar and Grill

After leaving we drove around the Harbor in Grindavik. We stopped for lunch at the Fish House Bar and Grill. I had fish and chips… yes, I keep insisting on fish and chips, even though I always find the batter on the fish too greasy.  Michael had the Artic char with potatoes.  To drink, Michael had the Swiss mocha, I didn’t want anything.  I know better than to have Swiss mocha in a place other than a coffee or dessert shop.  The food was good.  The Swiss mocha, as expected, was bad. The bill was $64.27.

Hopsness Lighthouse

We then drove along the shore with no itinerary.  The place was deserted.  We came upon the Hopsnes Lighthouse.  All around this lighthouse there are remnants of shipwrecks and their history. 

We came across this blue box with a saint.  I imagine is a patron saint for the sailors. Or I could be totally wrong.

From there we continued driving West.  In about 20 minutes we reached Brimketill Lava rock pool.  It is right off the road, with a viewing platform.  From there one can see the beautiful force of the waves, and the natural pools it forms.  I read about people swimming in the natural pool, but I cannot imagine it.  Unless there is a day with absolute zero waves.

Brimketill

We really loved this place and were happy to have found it.  From there we drove to Gunnuhver  Hot Springs.  This is a very active geothermal area made up of mud pools and steam vents.

Gunnuhver

Iceland is so rich in folklore. In Brimketill the stories are about Oddny, a giantess or a troll. Here at Gunnuhver the story is about a woman called Gunna. Both interesting stories, but for the sake of brevity I am not writing about them.

It was a good stop and very, very interesting to see, but we didn’t hike the whole area.  There is so much we wanted to do, we didn’t really spend enough time at any site.  From there we went back to Reykjavik, about 1 hour drive.

Upon arriving in Reykjavik we realized that today was the day of the Pride Parade.  It had been at 2pm.  I am sorry I missed it, I was told it was a lot fun.  Iceland is very LGBTQ friendly.  It was now hours later, but still the streets in downtown around the parade area and our hotel, were closed.

Reykjavik

Eventually we found a place to park and got to the hotel.  We changed and went in search of a place to have dinner.  The town was packed, but I saw an empty table outside a restaurant and was quick to grab. 

The name is 101 Bistro.  The waitress was friendly. I had a fish sandwich that had too much tartar sauce on it, but it was surprisingly good. Michael had pizza – not good, but he ate the whole thing – well, that is not saying much, he will eat whatever is in front of him. The bill was $54.26.  He has a beer.  I didn’t want anything to drink.

Skólavörðustígur, Rainbow Street on a regular week day

From there we walked to Skolavordustigur Street, known as the Rainbow Street. We had been there on the first day of the trip when we were looking for a market.  It had been empty.  Today it was busy, festive, with people all around the bars and the street. 

Hallgrímskirkja, Lutheran Church

Walking up Rainbow Street leads up to Hallgrimskirkja, an Evangelical-Lutheran Church.  We paid $19.73 both, to go up to the top and see the beautiful views of the city. I enjoyed seeing the town and surrounding areas from the top.

In front of the church sits the statue of Leif Erikson, a hero of Viking age Iceland.  I will write a following post about him.

Reykjavik view from the church

On the way back to the hotel we went to Gaeta Gelato again. I had a gelato after dinner.  This time there was a huge line.  I waited. I really wanted a Swiss Mocha.  

Then back to the hotel and get ready for the next day of long driving.

 “We need the tonic of wildness…At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.” ― Henry David Thoreau

Iceland in 4 days: Day 1

18 Friday Aug 2023

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“To the complaint, ‘There are no people in these photographs,’ I respond, There are always two people: the photographer and the viewer.” ― Ansel Adams

Day 1.  Arrival and visiting the are northwest of Reykjavik.

Please forgive the misspellings of names and locations.  I tried my best to recollect all the places we have been, in the right order, and correct spelling, but I probably failed miserably.

I have included some of the prices we paid for items such as food, etc, so you have an idea if you ever decide to visit.

Our trip was last minute, so I am sure that we overpaid for flights and hotel.  We used Delta Vacations and paid $3,252.16 for the flight and hotel.  We were happy to use Delta vacations.  The flight alone was showing up as $1,600 per person.

We landed at Keflavik International airport in Reykjavik at 9am.  We got through Immigration.  Uneventful.  I noticed that I was not told “Welcome” by the agent.  I like to think that everyone is happy to see me arrive 😊.

We got our 1 checked bag and cleared customs. We then waited in line at Hertz for about 30 minutes to get our rental car.  It was a long wait, but we were so happy and excited to be away that we didn’t mind.

Michael wanted a small Suzuki, but they upgraded us to a bigger Skoda sedan.  The car rental bill was $767.36 for 4 days.  We joked that he got upgraded because he is probably the only person that buys all the extra insurance they offer. 

The gas bill was $168.25.  We drove 3 out of 4 days, for about 20 hours or more. We did a lot driving.

After finding our car in the rental parking lot, we searched for the nearest bakery.  I always need to check the local bread situation. We chose Sigurjonsbakari in Keflavik.  It seemed to be mostly frequented by locals, and I like that.  The bread was forgettable, but perhaps I ordered the wrong one.  To drink I wanted something similar to a café mocha, and the girl suggested a Swiss Mocha.  OMG! It was delicious.  Very similar to my everyday concoction made of coffees, chocolates and creams – only better!

They line the inside of the cup with chocolate fudge then they add the mocha mixture, which I assume includes chocolate and milk, then they brew espresso on top.  They then add whipped cream – which I would love to have the recipe, as this whipped cream didn’t turn into a oily mess.  Then they added chocolate shavings. Heavenly!

Since it was way too early to check into the hotel, we decided to drive northwest.  The landscape really hit us we drove for hours, stopping at different places on the side of the road to take in the enormity of the place.  It is so different to what I have seen before – Keep in mind I haven’t been to many places, such to the canyons in Grand Canyon and even the waterfalls in upstate NY.  We stopped at a waterfall in Helgafellssveit. Probably the smallest we have seen in this trip, but still beautiful and very accessible from the road.

We also stopped at Gestastofa Visitor center, where a very helpful clerk gave us a map and described the local sights.  We decided to give up going to the Snaefellness National Park, as it was another long drive and a long hike from the road.  Instead, we drove towards Stykkisholmur.  

Once there, there didn’t seem to be many choices of places to eat, so we decided to try the fish and chips truck.  $37.99 for 2 fish and fries order. I could have done without it. It was not to my taste.  The fish too greasy, and there was some weird seasoning that gave me a bad after taste.  I am not mentioning the name of the food truck, as I know I can be very picky when it comes to food. Michael ate all his food.

We walked around and contemplated taking a boat tour.  Well, Michael wanted to, but I knew it was going to take too long and we had a long drive ahead, so we just took in the sights from the lighthouse. It is really idyllic and it reminds me of the village from the show Doc Martin.

We got back on the road, now driving back south towards Reykjavik.  On the way we stopped at Borgarnes. Another beautiful town with a beautiful shoreline and the most charming coffee shop I have ever seen. It also had a killer view from the outdoor patio.

   It is called Blomasetrio – Kaffi Kyrro.  It is whimsical with various couches and very eclectic decoration.  Michael had soup with bread, and then quiche and salad.  I had only the Swiss mocha, and a couple of slices of toast that came with Michael’s soup. $46.35 for that order.

After eating and then walking along the shore, we got back in the car to drive to the Hotel Centrum in Reykjavik.  I was happy with the hotel.  It was a small room, but the location was great and the breakfast was delicious. We only had breakfast at the hotel 2 out of the 4 days as the other days we needed to get out early and the breakfast only started at 7am.

We joke now that the best food we had in Iceland was the bread at the hotel.  Please forgive us uneducated and spoiled tourists.

The hotel is both the red and beige buildings

Getting back to the day, we located the hotel, and realized that there was no parking.  It never dawned on us to ask beforehand if they had parking.  Luckily we found a spot not too far.   Parking on the street using the Parka app was a total of $37.76, mostly for Day 2 of our vacation, when we took a group tour and left the car parked.  Parking is charged from 9am to 6pm.

We checked in and went out looking for food.  Because it gets dark so late, we had no idea it was already 10:30pm.  We were turned away by most restaurants.  It turns out that on Thursdays nights they close the kitchen at 10 o’clock. Not sure about the other days.

Every restaurant we stopped at, pointed us to Tapas Barinn that have late hours.  The waitress there was happy to welcome us. To drink I had a passion fruit mojito – yes, even in Iceland I have to have passion fruit.  Michael had a beer.  We shared bread with hummus and other sauces, pan fried char with sweet potato puree, patatas bravas, broccoli and cauliflower with a pomegranate sauce.  It was okay.  I am a fan of tapas, but this didn’t really make me want to go back.  There was no tacos or empanadas.

This restaurant has great reviews, but I would have been happier with the regular fish taco and empanadas. Perhaps my palate is just too pedestrian. I realized I should try the local cuisine instead of looking for the same every day food, but Michal and I are not really adventurous when it comes to food.  The bill was $101.05.

We got to the hotel and passed out.

“For me, a landscape does not exist in its own right, since its appearance changes at every moment; but the surrounding atmosphere brings it to life – the light and the air which vary continually. For me, it is only the surrounding
atmosphere which gives subjects their true value.” ― Claude Monet

A tray in a sea of tables and other pursuits

15 Thursday Oct 2020

Posted by in Daily Life, Finding Me, Mosaic and other crafts, travels

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“Do not think of todays failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow.” ― Helen Keller

To prove I am not a mosaic one-trick-pony, here is a tray I just finished 🙂

I forgot to take pictures from the beginning.  I was too engrossed into already planning my next table (truth).

I am really getting into a good routine with mosaics.  I go to the studio every Saturday or Sunday for a couple of hours.  It feels great to pursue one of my passions, and not just do it once in a blue moon.  

“We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough.” ― Hellen Keller

Now I need to tackle learning French and skiing.

French – I start teaching myself every few months.  I guess what I really need is to make sure to stay the course.  Every time is like starting over when I really should be fluent by now.  

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going” ― Helen Keller

Skiing – This one requires more effort.  Not only it requires more money and planning it requires me to let go of the fear of speed.  The moment I pick up any speed I panic.  I need many more miles under my skis to hopefully get more comfortable.

Now with Covid everything became even more difficult.  Who knows when I will have a chance to go again.  I want to book a trip but all is so uncertain that I think I will wait awhile longer.

But I am not giving up.  I will be perfectly comfortable skiing blues one day.  Mark my words! 🙂

“Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them master you. Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight.”― Helen Keller

Comings and goings and staying put

30 Thursday May 2019

Posted by in Daily Life, Dating, travels

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Pepsico Gardens

Hi friends, it has been a little awhile.

I went to Brazil in April, stayed 10 days and then brought Mom to the NY for her semiannual visit.  With Mom here there wasn’t a moment to spare.  We did the usual trips to the casino and to various stores, while juggling work stuff.

I went back to Brazil in May to take mom home. I stayed one week. While in Brazil I normally take time to organize something around my parent’s house, always wanting to make things easier and more practical for them.  I also receive the visit of many friends that stop by to say hello. It does get tiring.

The day following my return to NY 2 cousins arrived for a short vacation.  They stayed at my apartment 3 days.  It was non-stop.  Since they don’t like shopping we mostly went to parks and restaurants.  We visited the Pepsico Gardens (The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens) – absolutely beautiful; and Glen Island Park – my local park right by the water.  We also went bowling, ate at a Colombian restaurant among others, and went to City Island in search of relative (more on that later).

“Get busy living or get busy dying.” ― Stephen King

With all that going on, still there is work to deal with.  The audit is not over yet, but so far the questions they have been asking has to do with the brokers and not with financials or any of the other areas I deal with.  We also hired 2 new employees and with that I have a little more on my plate to get them on-board.

There will also be changes coming up at work that should be better for me but I am still not sure how it will all work out.  I will be talking more about that in the upcoming months.

On the flight to Brazil in May when I got to my seat there was an envelope.  It was a handwritten note from the lead flight attendant.  In it she was thanking me on behalf of Delta for my loyalty.  I know it is just a note but I really felt special and put a smile on my face. You go Delta!!

D. and I managed to see each other for dinner on May 10th. We will see each other one evening this week. He slashed the price of his house by hundreds of thousands to try to sell it quick, but so far no takers.  As I may have mentioned previously, his divorce is not happening until this house is sold.

In the meantime I haven’t gone on any dates with anyone else.  I just didn’t have the time. I have time to go on a date, but not for all the work and research involved with online dating. I plan on diving back into dating now.  I fear waiting for D. and nothing ever happening; or even worst, him becoming free and I realizing that I am not really into him.

“It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?”  ― Henry David Thoreau

Park City Mountain here I come!

19 Friday Feb 2016

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Park City, Utah

Park City, Utah

“Travel brings power and love back into your life.” – Rumi

Park City it is! I am excited to be going skiing in Utah. I have never been there before and I do want to see every US state, so another one off the list. The hotel and the flights are booked and paid for so there is no changing my mind now.

Now I have to reserve the skis and schedule the lessons. I think I will take a couple of days of lessons and the other 3 days will be on my own. I am going alone, so I think I will play by ear and not plan every single moment.

I have been trying to learn how to ski for a few years now. Three years ago I had an awesome experience in Snowmass, CO. I took group lessons with this female instructor who was phenomenal. I wish I would remember her name. I gained so much confidence with her. I learned different skills; I even did a jump and a half-pipe.  For that moment in time I even lost my fear of speed.  I was on top of the world.

Then 2 years ago I went to Whistler and the mountain kicked my behind. I started on the blues and ended up on the bunny hill. It was very icy so I think that made me nervous and eroded my confidence. Not only that, but I also think that I was too over confident and a bit too conceited.

I have been to Whistler 3 times and even with this bad experience it remains one of my favorite places in the world, and I will definitely return at some point soon.

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

From the bad experience in Whistler I learned:
1) Overconfidence can backfire. I was in a group and the other people were slower and less experienced than I was, so I was having an attitude, not externally, but internally.  In my mind I was the best and they were slowing me down.  That until I panicked and froze on a blue run.  I need to keep my ego in check and be more patient with others and myself.
2) I have to realize that different days and different conditions will bring about different experiences. It was pure ice and freezing in Whistler, so it would certainly be a different experience than fluffy power and warmer temperatures in Colorado. I need to better manage my expectations.  The best is not to have any.
3) I don’t have to let setbacks define me and even stop me. I am going to continue. So I have to re-start, so what? No one is keeping score other than me. And even if I am a beginner forever, who cares? As long I enjoy every moment, being grateful for the opportunity every skiing day is a success. (or any day doing anything)
4) It showed me how much I really love skiing and what I am made of. Even at my worst, even when I felt terrified to leave the bunny slope I decided to continue on.  I decided not to let that one bad experience define me. I am not the failure to ski blues, I am the success of keep going on the greens.  I create my own definition of success.

Why do I so enjoy something that I struggle with so much? Perhaps because of the struggle. Perhaps because it is a challenge and I want to conquer it.

I like challenges.  Several years ago I wanted to learn how to scuba dive but was always terrified of water. I went every night to the YMCA and slowly talked myself into letting go of the borders of the swim pool. Slowly I grew more comfortable in the water. I became certified and and went on a few adventures. I am still not comfortable in the water, but I like that I went ahead and learned enough to be certified and do something I always wanted to try.

But the real answer is that I never feel more free than at the top of a mountain. At that moment there is no work, there is no family, there is no problems or dramas; there is nothing else except getting to the bottom.   Often difficult, sometimes scary and even paralyzing, but totally freeing. My definition of heaven!

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert