Seventy-one percent of Earth’s surface is covered by water, and hidden beneath the waves lies a boundless seascape so drastically different than any land-based habitat. Spectacular coral reefs, shipwrecks, and colorful sea creatures of all shapes and sizes come together in a fascinating, alien-like world. In my eleven years as a certified scuba diver, I’ve had the good fortune of experiencing some of the most incredible dive locations on the planet. Each site offers a unique, vast environment to explore.

With gorilla trekking, you are on foot, often forging your own path to find the gorillas. There are no fences, no regular patterns, no plan. I trekked for two days in a row in the two days could not have been more different. The weather, the time of year, the mood of the gorillas…all factor into where and how you find the gorillas. It's like the gorillas make you work for that encounter! It’s exhilarating and so engaging. 

US National Parks can be overlooked or forgotten as a destination as we focus on more exotic locations to explore; I am personally guilty of doing exactly this. When I was eleven years old, my parents took us on a road trip around the US for three weeks to explore our amazing National Parks. I was young enough to be awed and inspired, and old enough to remember all the unique experiences.

Trekking the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda had been a dream of mine for many years, so when the opportunity arose for me and my friend Holly to do it, it was truly a dream come true. The anticipation and excitement ran rampant in my mind the night before our first trek. I was up before the sunrise, wondering how the day might actually materialize.

Like many of my travelers, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I arrived in Iceland. This remote island, which is relatively new to the list of popular destinations, has limited 5-star hotels and no bellmen standing by to assist. What makes it special, however, are its comfortable, yet simplistic, accommodations and its jaw-dropping scenery. The landscape is full of contrast and diversity that felt other-worldly at times. Waterfalls abound at every turn. Geysers and thermal pools are scattered throughout the country. Iceland boasts one of the best landscapes I’ve ever experienced.

My travel experiences generally fall into two categories; places I’m interested in exploring for cultural or geographic reasons, and places I want to explore while suited up in my SCUBA gear. This year, my dive group settled on the Komodo National Park in Indonesia. My inner adventurer was so excited when I learned that our starting and ending points would be Bali! This allowed me to combine a dive trip with an extension to explore an island that has always intrigued me.