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I’ve been blessed to travel (A LOT) thanks to study abroad programs, fellowships, a travel career, and a dogged determination to see as much of the world as I can on a backpacker’s budget. The love of travel comes from my mom. She’s always been an adventurer, piling us in the car for a summer road trip to the coast or a camp out at the lake.

She even made simple events, like a day at the local fair, into an adventure, bringing all the enthusiasm of a toddler’s first taste of ice cream to each experience. She shared with me a love of animals, interesting food, and the excitement of trying new things. Nothing was dull or mundane in our house.

Despite her passion for new experiences, my mom had never traveled much overseas. Her one experience was a reluctant trip to Germany, following my dad who had decided, without consulting her, to move there and learn the language. This wasn’t my mom’s kind of travel as they pretty much stayed in Berlin, tried to stay employed, and worked diligently to avoid being evicted during a time when Americans were not exactly appreciated by locals who resented the US occupation. Sans a quick weekend trip to Paris, she spent 5 years in Europe and never saw much more than her own neighborhood.

So, it was with great pleasure that I was blessed by a recent Wheel of Fortune win to be able to take my mom on an overseas adventure that I knew she would appreciate. I decided to take her and my two oldest kids to one of the most magical places I had ever visited, on a trip to the Galapagos Islands.

They weren’t disappointed….

”This is the best place ever” my 5 year old son, Matthew, enthused on the first full day there as he sat at the edge of the ship pool, stuffing popcorn in by the fistfuls to replace energy lost during our active morning hike. In less than 24 hours in the islands, we had already seen blue footed boobies, frigate birds, Sally Lightfoot crabs, iguanas, finches, lizards, and more sea lions than on the caves of the Oregon coast!

My 7 year old daughter, Hailey, a budding photographer, had used up a full memory card clicking wildlife photos and videos of playful sea lions hamming it up for the visitors. Even my son got in on the photography act, taking at least 100 photos of his new Power Ranger posed in various scenic locales across Ecuador and the Galapagos.

As if watching the wildlife were not impressive enough, we were further thrilled to strap on snorkeling gear and glimpse the incredible underwater world of the Galapagos. We saw dozens of colorful fish, eels and corals, and then were awed by a group of 30 golden rays lazily meandering only inches away.

While I snorkeled, the kids splashed endlessly in the surf and collected hundreds of intricate, colorful shells. Hailey recorded her finds in a series of beautiful photos and then left the shells in a mosaic on the sand for the next visitors to appreciate.

In our short stay, we had been thrilled by the wildlife time and time again. We watched with fascination as the albatross performed a complex courtship ritual and laughed at the male frigate birds who ballooned out their red chests to attract females. We marveled at the group of Galapagos sharks that surrounded our ship one moonlit night and were given a farewell wave by a pod of dolphins that visited us on our way to the last island.

On our final day there, we visited one of the few towns in the Galapagos on the island of San Cristobal. In most places of the world, it seems that humans are pushing wildlife out of their habitats, encroaching on their lands and changing the way that native creatures have lived for thousands of years. In San Cristobal, we had an entertaining glimpse of the reverse. Sea lions seemed to have taken over the town, lounging on park benches and sprawling across sidewalks. In an ironic twist, they had even taken over the playground, sleeping in the slides just under the “Caution, Only Children” signs. Ah, only in the Galapagos!

As we said goodbye to these magical islands, my daughter’s words summed up this once in a lifetime three -generational experience “Mom, this is better than heaven probably”.

Perhaps so… either way, I’m excited to have two new adventurers in the family!

~Mary Curry, Adventure Life

Adventure Life provides authentic adventure travel to our world’s legendary locations. Combining award-winning operating standards with exceptional itineraries, our trips are carefully designed to experience the best of the region, while allowing flexibility for the unexpected and unpredictable that make each trip unique. For more info visit adventure-life.com and facebook.com/adventurelife.

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We awoke on Day 5 on a local farmer’s property on the edge of the town of Cuper Alto, the sheep in the pasture next to us we still sleeping. With frost on our tents and a warm cup of instant coffee with a healthy dose of powder coco, backcountry mocha, our guide Juan briefed us on today’s hike.

We will hike 6 miles up the Queñua Sundur Valley over a 14,400 ft pass, then drop into the Sacred Valley to camp at Huchuy Qosqo. My husband Fred and I decided on a multisport trip in Peru because you get the best of both worlds, the once in a lifetime chance to see remains Inca Empire and some outdoor adventure. We were going to experience both in the next 24 hours.

After a hearty breakfast, we headed out through town passing children on their way to school. They practiced their English and giggled, while we tried out Spanish and they giggled. Fred and I pushed ahead of the group, to enjoy the cold quiet of the morning. Around the bend we saw some dust clouds and a couple sheep, then a lamb, and another, then a whole herd of sheep poured out of their enclosure followed by a couple and their small son. Stuck in Queñua Sundur Valley’s morning rush hour, we exchanged pleasantries with the family; Juan gave the little boy a toy that lit his eyes up, followed by a bashful turn to hide in his mother’s skirt. When the trail widened, we passed safely on the left to continue on the trail to take up, up and over into the Sacred Valley.

A couple of miles later we find ourselves in a high elevation valley, similar to those hiked in our Montana home, except for one fascinating difference, terracing. There are crop terraces throughout the valley, although not as consistent as the lower and more lush valleys, it’s a patchwork on the mountain-side at breathtaking (literally) elevation and steep grade.

Slow and steady, I could see the trail hook up and over, disappearing over the pass. There is that gut tingle when just coming over a pass or summiting a peak when you just want to sprint so you can see what is on the other side, but your body and lungs hold you in the moment, to just wait for it. What satisfaction indeed, to be surrounded by the snowy Andes and plunging green valleys. All of the sweat, strain, huffing, and puffing is forgotten when you get that first view, it feels like no one has ever seen it before.

After countless photographs, water and a little chocolate re-charge it was time to head down the valley to Camp Huchuy Qosqo. We descended quickly into a narrow valley where bromeliads clung to the rock walls and the trail followed a creek through swaths of Lupine flowers. Fred kept seeing hummingbirds, and we spotted a hawk perched across the creek. From a cliff side vantage point we could see our home for the night, Huchuy Qosqo, similarly perched on the mountainside above the Sacred Valley.

We set up camp and rested staring out in awe over the ruins and the immense Sacred Valley below. We were the only people there apart from the handful of archeologists excavating this somewhat inaccessible Inca site. There are no roads, just the trail we came over the pass on and the one we go down the next day, so not many travelers venture to this little known Inca stronghold. It was ours for the evening.

~Laura Cahill, Adventure Life

Adventure Life provides authentic adventure travel to our world’s legendary locations. Combining award-winning operating standards with exceptional itineraries, our trips are carefully designed to experience the best of the region, while allowing flexibility for the unexpected and unpredictable that make each trip unique. For more info visit adventure-life.com and facebook.com/adventurelife.

Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.

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Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.

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Well I will say it has not been a fluid nor consistent journey, but 2 years later I have a different commitment and understanding of Yoga. My Yoga practice has now become a core element to my life. Those many years of running keeps my hand from the ground in triangle pose, but I know the difference to know that doesn’t matter.

The benefits of my journey have sparked a lot of changes in my life. I have learned to be with myself, to find solace in my breath, to tap into my inner courage, both on and off the mat. I learned that it my journey and I can feel comfortable in my experience, but at the same time be open to the experience of what my practice will bring me that day, that moment.

Recently I went on a 3 week trip to Vietnam with a dear friend of mine that I have known for nearly 30 years. In our second day in Saigon I felt the need to be grounded and started doing a simple set of yoga poses in the gym at the hotel. My friend asked me about my yoga, after talking I said well I could verbally talk through my practice and you can join along if you want. She was keen, I felt a little strange since I am nowhere near the level of a teacher, but I wanted her to try it out a few times so she would continue when she got back home. We ended up doing about 8 sessions over the course of our trip. At one point we signed up for a class in Siem Reap, Cambodia but the teacher canceled at the last minute. Having the opportunity to have the space, I asked if we could use the room, they charged us a buck a piece and we had our longest session amongst the mosquitoes and sticky air. I enjoyed the process and even had fun with making light of where I am at with my practice “aim your hands for the floor and if you haven’t been running for 25 years, you’ll probably make it, or listen to what I am saying not what my body is doing.” I loved it.

Then our last day of our trip we were back in Saigon and I went online and found a Yoga studio (Yoga and Meditation Center) – it was a bit of an adventure finding it, a true gem amongst the craziness of the city. As I waited for the teacher to start the class I noticed the lack of fear in my body and my mind. Here I was just 2 years later in a foreign country confident enough in myself and my practice to try a class in a different language and outside of my comfort zone. It was an amazing class, that pushed a lot of boundaries for me and for that I am so very grateful.

I wonder where I will be in 2 years from now…

~Nicole Bassett, Director of Sustainability

Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.

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Climbing in the Alaskan Range is the real deal. This real deal experience can be divided into three parts. #1 Planning , #2 Climbing, and #3 Gloating, with #2 requiring the least amount of time of the three. ~ Mark Smiley

The Smiley’s will be adding slideshow dates for Banff, Jackson, Boulder, Denver and Yosemite so stay tuned and visit them at smileysproject.com.

Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.

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Captain Marce holds the paddleboard flat in the water and tells me to “hop right on” while I look at her sideways, skeptically. We are anchored far away from the shore of Whidbey Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington. It’s April, the water is choppy and I’m wearing only yoga pants, a light jacket and a personal flotation device. Shouldn’t I have a wetsuit on at the very least?

I have no idea how to stand-up paddleboard, but I know it’s the newest recreational activity to hit the rivers of Montana, so I’m determined to learn while on “flat” water. The added bonus of having a crew trained in life-saving and first aid technique nearby does not escape me. I crouch down on the boat’s dive platform and place my knees on the shaky board. There is no way I am going to go from kneeling to standing without falling into the water, but Captain Marce pushes me away from the Wilderness Discoverer anyway.

I watch with a sinking feeling as the boat goes from 10 feet to 50 feet away.

Eventually, I realize that I have a paddle in my hands and I start using it while kneeling, getting used to the feel of the waves and the board while moving through the water of Puget Sound. After a few minutes I think I might even be ready to stand up. I crouch with my feet hip-width apart in the middle of the board and slowly start unfolding upward. I’m standing up, barely. At least I’m not in the water yet. I’m shaking enough that I can see the board moving below my feet. Balance is not coming as quickly or easily as I would have hoped. I just keep the paddle in the water.

About the time I start feeling comfortable paddleboarding, I look up and realize that I’m pretty far away from the boat and I haven’t figured out how to steer. What would have been a quick five-minute trip back to the dive platform takes me more than thirty minutes. As I come into the dive platform, Captain Marce grabs a hold of the board to stabilize it and I jump off. I can’t believe I’m still dry!

In Montana, where I’m from, I spend a lot of time with adrenaline sports such as skiing and kayaking. I might be outdoors, but the whole point is sometimes going as hard and fast as possible. Paddleboarding is completely different. There is a quiet, controlled aspect of it that I had not expected. The second day of our cruise in the San Juans, I pushed off at sunrise on the board. I was the only person out this morning and the bay was as smooth as glass. I could see Mt. Baker in the water as I dipped my paddle in its reflection. Every movement I made was slow and contemplative. It reminded me more of yoga than of surfing or kayaking. A few silent hours with only the sound of the paddle moving the water is a meditation.

The Wilderness Discoverer is now in Alaska and Captain Marce is teaching more neophytes how to paddleboard in waters far colder than those in Puget Sound. I wonder if anyone is out at dawn on their own first paddleboarding excursion, only to find an orca or humpback whale cresting nearby in the glassy waters of Windham Bay. I hope so.

~Kassi Miller, Adventure Life

Adventure Life provides authentic adventure travel to our world’s legendary locations. Combining award-winning operating standards with exceptional itineraries, our trips are carefully designed to experience the best of the region, while allowing flexibility for the unexpected and unpredictable that make each trip unique. For more info visit adventure-life.com and facebook.com/adventurelife.