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countrygrlswrld · 6 years ago

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New Zealand: REBOOTED

One of my favorite views in New Zealand: Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown.

The other day as I was doctoring my americano at my favorite, local, hippie-dippy coffee shop along the American River, an older guy piped up and said to me, “Don’t we live in the most beautiful place in the world?”

I thought, Yeah, it’s nice, but you’ve obviously never been to New Zealand.

Sure, I haven’t been everywhere, much like this man, but I have been to 40 countries and I stand by my vote that New Zealand is the most beautiful place in the world.

Spanky and I first visited NZ a decade ago (!!) Our first trip to New Zealand 10 years ago also marks our nomadiversary, when we quit our jobs, sold our house and 80 acres in northeast Washington and traveled the world for seven months then became nomads, more or less. Can you believe we’ve been traveling the world for 10 years now?! Of course, we’ve worked, gone through a few homes and RVs during that time, but Spank and I figure we’ve spent at least half of that time on the road really traveling (this also means we’ve pretty much spent five years of our marriage together 24-7! And, we still like each other! Love, even!)

Two greenhorn nomads visiting New Zealand for the first time back in 2009.

As for NZ, we haven’t been back to the country that still holds the title of favorite for us since 2013. Let’s just say, it’s about darn time. As Spank would say, It’s time to go back to Never Never Land and remember what it’s like to fly (Let me just add that every once in a while my husband shock me with a truly genius metaphor; this is one of them. On that same day, he also said we were “outsourcing creativity” as a culture. He was on a roll!)

It’s true, NZ has become “our place.” Our place where we can reset and remember. It has nothing to do with hobbits or the people of Middle Earth that bring out this wanderlust and renewal in us, though it’s no surprise that the country was the backdrop for all of these mythical, whimsical movies. The scenery is breathtaking and has literally everything to offer, from waterfalls and turquoise lakes to glaciers and ferns the size of your torso. But it’s even more than that. It’s quiet. It’s rest. In NZ you can live life at a slower pace and remember what living is for.

This is the photo that gets the butterflies flapping: Camping on Lake Wanaka.

I just started reading Shauna Niequist’s book “Present Over Perfect” and I can relate to her description of her lakehouse in Michigan—it’s what NZ is for both Spank and me.

“It’s at the lake that my priorities reshuffle, aligning more closely with my true nature…Part of the magic of the lake is that it isn’t home—it’s away, and away allows us to see the rhythms and dimensions of our lives more clearly.

…I do want the way of living that I’ve tasted here to inform and ground how I live everywhere, all year long. The lake gives me something to aspire to—a reminder, a rhythm, a pattern. Simple, connected to God and his world and people, uncomplicated by lots of stuff.”

Now, we don’t have lots of stuff—anymore. We live in an RV. But, even though it’s hard to jam stuff into our small living space, that doesn’t mean we don’t continually find ourselves in that mode of thinking that more is more. It’s what we’re taught from a young age. It’s what we are conditioned to strive after. More. Busier. It’s not even that I’ve been that busy. Honestly, last year I was pretty lazy. We started the year with a new house and a new life, really, but it wasn’t us. There was too much stuff. Too much time and money spent on that stuff and that space we were occupying, and we didn’t want it occupying us. So, we sold again—our fourth house in 10 years—and went back to the RV life (our fourth RV in 10 years). But, it was hard to adjust again. I was excited about my new jobs at the house and gung ho to make them mine. When those were zapped into extinction in just six months, it left me a little shell-shocked wondering what to do—again.

I was also shocked to see how easily the green-eyed monster was released from inside of me. As soon as we got a house we thought we were going to live in for the foreseeable future it was all online shopping and spend, spend, spend. Spank was ready to put in a vineyard and solar for crying out loud. How did two footloose, practicing and preachy gypsies dive out of what they believed in and back into the “American Dream” with the signing of a few (OK, like 50) papers? Well, first of all they call it the “dream,” so we’re suppoed to think it is. And we were excited at first. We were excited to have a place to host our friends and family, and that was the best part about owning (renting from the government, let’s be real) a house, but that had no longevity once the newness wore off.

Ready to do more hiking: Abel Tasman Great Walk 2013.

Needless to say, 2018 was a whirlwind of that, and it was busy, but only because we made it that way. So, we head to New Zealand, and just in the nick of time, I think. It’s a great place to kick off a new year with new goals and just wipe the slate clean. Reboot. Rewire, or unwire, some of those gunked up cultural connections that have been energized in our brains in the last few years. It’s time to pull the plug and start anew.

42 days and counting...

#new zealand #new year #wanderlust #nomadlife #live simply

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topfygad · 5 years ago

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A Trip to Antarctica! – I am Aileen

Again within the 60s, solely a handful of vacationers had the need to go on a visit to Antarctica. After the success of that ship’s voyage, it impressed extra vacationer explorations and cruises to the white continent; in truth, these days, there are about 35,000 to 40,000 individuals who go to Antarctica yearly! Certainly, what was as soon as an elusive place deemed as just for explorers and scientists has now change into a dream vacation spot for vacationers who need to go off the crushed observe.

Newsflash: I’m truly a kind of individuals who have lengthy dreamt of occurring a visit to Antarctica. In any case, I don’t assume there’s every other place on Earth that’s equally pristine, distant and distinctive. So naturally, if somebody advised me years in the past that I will probably be making that dream come true this yr, I might NOT have believed them.

That’s why I’m so stoked to announce that along with Hurtigruten, I’m going on their 20-day expedition known as as the Final Antarctica Expertise!

This collaboration has truly been determined since 2016… and naturally, I’ve been dying to announce it since day one; however I made a decision to maintain all of it beneath wraps as a result of I didn’t wish to jinx it till all the things was ultimate. Fortunately, all the opposite preparations are completed with months in the past and once I lastly acquired my Argentina visa at present, I’m now going ALL OUT with the bulletins.

Aaaah… anyone please pinch me although as a result of I nonetheless can’t imagine that in just some weeks from now, I’ll be crusing off to such an incredible place that was only a fragment of my goals!

P.S. Do you wish to get a FREE postcard from me from Antarctica? Click on right here to leap to the part beneath and learn the way!

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» The Triple ‘A’ Dream

Picture by Karsten Bidstrup / Hurtigruten In the event you’ve been a reader of this weblog for some time now, you’d understand how I’ve my grand ‘Triple A’ dream locations: Africa, Arctic Circle, and Antarctica.

I wrote this publish again in 2015 and… I might have NEVER guessed that I might be checking off Antarctica FIRST earlier than the opposite two. Reality be advised, by the point I’ll step foot in Antarctica, it will likely be my sixth continent and that blows my thoughts a bit as a result of I all the time thought that I might be declaring it because the final continent that I’ll have to beat — however I suppose not!

Now, a few of you is likely to be pondering, “Why Antarctica?” Nicely… merely put: as a result of it’s THE Antarctica!

Aside from the explanations that I’ve already talked about beforehand at first of this text, it additionally helps to say that I’ve dreamt of doing a visit to Antarctica ever since I used to be a baby and it’s partly as a result of how I’m an enormous science buff. That being stated, I’m wanting ahead to the sort of discussions and experiences that we’ll be doing in the course of the crusing expedition with Hurtigruten. In fact this contains as properly my curiosity for Antarctica’s wildlife known as as “extremophiles” or species who can thrive in excessive circumstances and so they’re not restricted to the south pole’s (cute!) penguins, whale seals, albatrosses, and whales amongst many others!

The pristine nature in Antarctica is of course a given too, and I merely can’t wait to hike, kayak, polar plunge(!) and camp (if doable) as I get to witness dramatic icebergs, glaciers, lagoons, and many others.

Do you know? Antarctica’s HUGE dimension doesn’t solely make it distinct from every other place on Earth as a result of it is usually the best, driest, coldest, windiest, and brightest continent on our planet! In the event you’re curious why, learn this 5 fascinating information!

» Why I’m Going with Hurtigruten for a Journey to Antarctica

Picture by Karsten Bidstrup / Hurtigruten As a journey blogger, it’s a undeniable fact that I don’t simply accomplice up with any model. Apart from, I all the time make it some extent to collaborate with an organization that I can belief and align with.

I’ve truly had invites from just a few manufacturers earlier than, however I made a decision to succeed in out to Hurtigruten as a substitute for the journey to Antarctica. Under are a few of the explanation why I needed to spend my once-in-a-lifetime expertise with them — and why you need to start thinking about them too in your future Antarctica expedition!

Established skilled cruise supplier. Hurtigruten is a Norwegian journey journey and native transportation supplier that has since operated in 1893 on Norway’s shoreline. At present, they’ve developed right into a world-leading firm in sustainable nature expedition travels with a powerful expedition fleet that explores a number of areas across the globe: aside from a visit to Antarctica, additionally they go to the coasts of South America, the Amazon rainforests, Greenland, Iceland, Spitsbergen, and Arctica Canada. .

Largest Antarctica operator worldwide. Hurtigruten at the moment has 2 expeditionary ships that supply distinctive experiences in Antarctica, specifically MS Fram and MS Midnatsol. In 2018, the corporate will even launch the first of two hybrid-powered expedition ships and it will likely be known as as MS Roald Amundsen. That is stated to be a serious step in the direction of emissions-free journey and Hurtigruten will even additional stabilize its place as the most important Antarctica explorer operator globally — while additionally imposing its constructive stance on sustainable journey. .

Promotes sustainable journey. It’s stated that anybody who involves Antarctica ought to have “not more than a minor or transitory affect” on the setting. For Hurtigruten, they make this as a core a part of their each choice: to ascertain sustainability and local weather insurance policies with the intention to scientifically scale back their environmental footprint (not solely on the quick time period however for the long run as properly) — and it certainly exhibits in the best way that they function their ships and expeditions. It helps to say that Hurtigruten can be a full member of IAATO and so they all the time make it some extent to conform to the rules of the group. To additional make the visitors as “Antarctic advocates”, Hurtigruten gladly delivers instructional program on board to tell everybody on challenges of tourism, international local weather change, wildlife biology. .

Regularly evolving with the intention to provide genuine and distinctive experiences. Hurtigruten by no means settles for something much less and they’re all the time striving to increase their operations to new and distinctive locations. By way of distinctive custom, dedication to sustainability, and journey know-how, you’ll definitely be assured that Hurtigruten will all the time provide extremely enticing premium merchandise that supply genuine one-of-a-kind experiences at pristine locations. What this implies for you is that any journey to Antarctica will certainly be a journey that’s memorable and price (much more than) the cash that you just spent.

Designed to go well with all explorer ranges, Hurtigruten has over 200 excursions and/or actions so far..

“Offers again”. I like an organization that thinks of social accountability. That’s why I cherished how Hurtigruten has established a basis to not solely increase consciousness of the alternatives and challenges within the areas that they sail to, however to additionally financially help locally-initiated initiatives and to encourage volunteering in worthwhile causes. As examples, Hurtigruten already helps a number of native initiatives corresponding to ‘Clear up Svalbard’, Affiliation of Greenlandic Kids, and conservation initiatives of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica. Clearly, your journey with Hurtigruten will go a good distance! .

There’s extra to like about Hurtigruten — however I’ll save the remaining for an additional publish particularly after I get to truly expertise the service of their crew, the ship’s services, the meals, the rooms and MORE!

Wanna go to Antarctica? Electronic mail [email protected] w/ code IAMAILEEN to get a reduced quote!

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The 20-Day Itinerary: Final Antarctica Expertise

Most ships and vessels that make a visit to Antarctica depart from ports in locations like Argentina, Chile, Falkland Islands, New Zealand, and South Africa. For this specific Hurtigruten expedition, it’ll depart from Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the event you’re curious how my 20 days will go, beneath is our tough itinerary as we discover each the Antarctic Islands and Antarctica itself.

NOTE: Since it is a distant vacation spot, the climate, wind and ice circumstances will decide our schedule. So throughout our voyage, the captain may have the ultimate say on any adjustments or added actions that may be completed. Both means, this simply exhibits that each expedition with Hurtigruten is exclusive!

To see the entire particulars of this 20-day expedition (about prices, the ship, yr schedules, and many others.), go right here. Worth begins at round $17,000~ per individual however there are shorter Hurtigruten Antarctica expeditions that begin from about $5,000~

Day 1: November 26 ~ On the Birthplace of Tango Location: Buenos Aires

Picture by Trixi Lange-Hitzbleck / Hurtigruten The entire expedition begins on the birthplace of Tango, Buenos Aires, which can be dubbed because the “Paris of South America”.

For today, we’re free to discover town on our personal. I will probably be flying from the Philippines with Emirates and arriving on the 25th so I suppose by this time I’ll have sufficient vitality to go round. Now, it will truly be the primary time that I’ll step foot in South America, in order my ‘first’, please let me know when you’ve got any ideas or ‘things-to-do’ that I mustn’t miss out on when in Buenos Aires by leaving a remark beneath. Thanks! s

Day 2: November 27 ~ All Aboard on the “Finish of the World” Location: Ushuaia

Picture by Rita Melville / Hurtigruten On today, we’ll board a flight to Ushuaia from Buenos Aires within the morning. We’ll embark on the MS Fram ship of Hurtigruten someday later within the day to start out our journey to Antarctica — so, we may have just a few hours to discover components of Ushuaia (a spot that’s to not miss is alleged to be the Tierra del Fuego Nationwide Park).

TRIVIA: Ushuaia is the southernmost city on this planet. Due to this, it has been known as “El Fin Del Mundo” or the Finish of the World. Fairly an ominous identify, proper? However it’s only a identify after all and I can’t wait to witness the wonder that this place holds! .

Day 3: November 28 ~ Crossing the Drake Passage Location: The Drake passage

Picture by Karsten Bidstrup / Hurtigruten That is the beginning of our crusing expedition and we’ll set course for the Falkland Islands that’s situated 480 km (300 miles) east of the southern tip of Argentina, and roughly 1,000 km (600 mi) north of the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica. Throughout this time we’ll take pleasure in life on board while retaining a lookout for wildlife. We are able to even be a part of their Expedition Workforce as they begin their fascinating lecture sequence to assist us perceive the area extra.

If say so myself, one other side of today that I’m enthusiastic about (aside from the truth that it’s the beginning of our time at sea) is that, apparently, crossing the Drake Passage might be fairly an expertise what with it being generally known as the world’s roughest seas!

They are saying that it’ll depend upon the climate if we may have a tough time or not — after all, I hope for the latter however I’ll put together myself in case the previous occurs. I’m no stranger to tough seas although on condition that I’m born in an island, however I’ll by no means know. .

Day four to 13: November 29 to December 8 ~ Throughout Open Seas and Sub-Antarctic Islands Areas: Southern Oceans, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Orkney

Picture by Dominic Barrington / Hurtigruten This Final Antarctica Expertise is thought to be an ‘final’ factor in any case, so together with this expedition, we’ll get to discover the Atlantic Islands too!

Whereas we enterprise via the Southern Seas, we’ll first make a cease to the distant Falkland Islands which consist of two giant islands and round 700 smaller ones (with a inhabitants of over 3,000 folks solely). In right here, we’ll see immense colonies of albatross, rockhopper, king and macaroni penguins, caracas, and upland geese. Falkland Islands additionally has a historic capital known as as Stanley, in addition to beautiful white sand seashores.

What follows after this location will probably be our first Antarctic island: South Georgia. This place has magnificent mountain surroundings with glaciers and seashores teeming with wildlife — from elephant seals, fur seal pups, albatross and King penguins. We additionally plan to go to Fortuna Bay and a few of South Georgia’s deserted whaling stations.

Final stops earlier than the good journey to Antarctica Peninsula would be the abandoned South Orkney Islands that are a photographer’s dream as a result of its majestic snow-capped mountains, blue icebergs and limitless wilderness. We’ll spend sooner or later exploring these islands earlier than crusing the Washington Strait to Coronation Island and Elephant Island. .

Day 14 to 17: December 9 to 12 ~ Pristine Antarctica Location: Antarctica

Picture by Esther Kokmeijer / Hurtigruten Lastly, we will probably be arriving in Antarctica — a spot devoted to peace and science, and a spot that has developed via the millennia with out human interference. As I’ve already talked about, actions will depend upon the climate however as alternatives come up we’ll all the time attempt to purpose to launch our kayaks, pitch tents ashore, and go on unforgettable hikes to discover essentially the most lovely, untouched locations within the space.

All through our keep, we will probably be exploring the West of Antarctica or generally known as because the Antarctica Peninsula. However on our means, we can even make stops to a number of close by islands corresponding to Deception Island, Half Moon Island, and Brown Bluff whereby we will witness varied distinctive sceneries that aren’t restricted to flat-topped bergs, seashore sprinkled with lava “bombs”, rust-colored bluff, and a lot extra!

With all that stated, there are additionally another issues that I’m excited for and which I hope we can do: doing a polar plunge and stopping by Port Lockroy (to ship postcards from!) for example.

Anyhow, we’ll certainly have days whereby we will probably be feasting our eyes on the assorted wildlife discovered within the peninsula and on the huge icebergs which are in hanging blue colours. .

Day 18 to 20: December 13 to 15 ~ Again to Drake Passage after which Disembarkation Areas: Drake Passage, Ushuaia, Buenos Aires

After some magnificent days exploring Antarctica, MS Fram will begin to head north as we make our means again to the South American continent. This would be the good time to fondly reminisce on our expedition and to attend periods for recapping our Antarctica expertise — in any case, it’ll take us about 40 hours to succeed in Ushuaia in good climate.

Come the 15th of December, it will likely be the top of the journey. We’ll make landfall again in Tierra del Fuego after which proceed with a flight again to energetic Buenos Aires. .

» Desire a Postcard from Antarctica?

Once I introduced this journey to Antarctica every week in the past in Fb, a LOT of you’ve began to ask me for a postcard. I definitely didn’t thoughts doing it at first as a result of I’ve despatched postcards earlier than once I was touring in locations like Europe and America. Nevertheless… when the requests got here in a whole bunch, I used to be stumped!

In order a lot as I might LOVE to ship a postcard to each single one in every of you, regrettably, I don’t assume it’s doable. HOWEVER, what I can do is that I can ship FREE postcards to 10 fortunate readers!

I did the analysis and aside from the truth that Hurtigruten can ship my postcards, I can even ship it from Antarctica’s Port Lockroy’s well-known store, publish workplace and museum known as because the Penguin Publish Workplace! I purpose to do it on this world’s most southerly publish workplace in order that I can even attempt doing a (LIVE) video protection whereas I’m sending the playing cards — subsequently, let’s hope the climate is nice and the MS Fram will dock to this place.

Anyhow, backside line is: the 10 postcards WILL be despatched from Antarctica and it’s not on a regular basis that you’ll obtain one thing like this for positive!

To choose the 10 fortunate readers, I purpose to do it in by way of a easy raffle. To enter and acquire entries, you’ll simply need to do the next:

Log-in to the shape beneath (both via your Fb account or your e mail).

Do the 2 required steps that will probably be displayed beneath with the intention to be counted within the giveaway. Every motion provides you with one entry level. *When you end doing these 2 required steps, it’ll unlock Eight further non-required or optionally available steps that provides you with MORE entry factors for growing your possibilities of successful! In actual fact, a few of them might be completed on a regular basis!

a Rafflecopter giveaway » Phrases & Circumstances:

This raffle is open worldwide.

This raffle will begin on October 18 and it’ll finish on November 20 (12AM, GMT +8). Winners will probably be picked randomly and will probably be introduced in November 11 on the ‘I’m Aileen’ Fb web page.

This raffle is hosted solely by me and never by Hurtigruten. .

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I’m excited to quickly begin this superb voyage to the Earth’s so-called “Final Frontier” — moreover, I’m sure that I’ll be in good palms on condition that Hurtigruten will probably be my expedition supplier.

With all that stated and completed, keep tuned for the beginning of my journey by following the hashtag #AileenInAntarctica on social media. I used to be advised that I might be capable to get an web connection at most components in the course of the journey so if doable, I’ll additionally make it level to try to do LIVE movies on Fb — if not, you’ll be able to all the time take a look at my Instagram Tales on @i_am_aileen.

What do you consider my journey to Antarctica?

Would you wish to check out Hurtigruten’s crusing expeditions too? Why or why not?

Or have you ever been to Antarctica earlier than? How was it?

Did you want this text? Observe me on Fb, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my latest posts and updates!

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