As a traveler, I truly believe travel is such a great cure for ignorance. I have learned so much about other countries and cultures throughout my journeys – some good and some bad. No matter where my travel destination may take me, there will be light and darkness that I know I must face in order to achieve a better understanding of how the world actually is. When I see how dark reality is in some places and for some people, it makes me put my life, my troubles, my surroundings all in a new perspective. When I see the light and beauty the world has to offer, it makes me want to be a better human and help our planet in any way possible.
I remember being a kid and my dad and my grandpa always having a nature show on the television – The Nature of Things with David Suzuki, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, History Channel, Land & Sea – and I remember loving it. I am so thankful I was exposed to such beauty and wonder from these thoughtful, educational programs rather than growing up on sports and soap operas. These programs helped start that fire deep inside me at such a young age that would eventually grow into the biggest passion I ever felt for anything – to travel the world. Although I haven’t been to as many places as I would like to have been, I have had some pretty amazing experiences and continue on that life-long journey.
The first time I traveled to the far west of Canada, a friend took me to his hometown in the Rocky Mountains – I have never seen the mountains at this point other than on the television – and I remember having my head down reading or looking at something and when I looked up there they were – the most beautiful, majestic site I had ever seen in my entire life known as the Rocky Mountains. I couldn’t help but cry a little and I don’t think I even realized I was doing it until my friend asked me why I as crying and if I was ok. I laughed and told him I was in such awe of this magnificent site before me and couldn’t help but be so emotional affected. At that moment I knew I wanted to travel and hike whatever mountain I could get to!
Since that day I have helped fly a small plane over the Rocky Mountains, hiked throughout Alberta, British Columbia, my own province of Newfoundland, the Japanese Alps, Thailand, US, and the Andes Mountains in South America. I’ve also snorkeled with some of the most beautiful sea life in the Pacific Ocean, kayaked with icebergs, humpbacks, and seals in the Atlantic Ocean, took a plane to see all the ancient Nazca lines in Peru, took a train through forests in Japan, hiked the ancient Inca trail to Machu Picchu, witnessed one the most amazing Northern Light (Arora Borealis) shows in Northern Ontario, walked through trails in the Amazon Rain Forest, seen some of the most beautiful, amazing wildlife and met some of the most amazing people I will ever meet. I still get emotional thinking back on all these wonderful experiences and memories I will have for the rest of my life that no one can ever take from me.
Out of all the places I’ve been and all the experiences I’ve had, there is still one place on earth that I have to see before my time here is up – Africa! When I was a little girl my dad had a program on the television that was dedicated to Dian Fossey – the world’s most dedicated primatologist and advocates for the Mountain Gorilla. I became so enthralled with her work, her love for wildlife, her bravery and her dedication. Her book “Gorilla’s in the Mist” will be one of the greatest gifts my mother ever gave me and one of the most heart felt reads I ever had. I knew there would be a day that I would get to Africa and hopefully be lucky enough to visit her foundation and grave site. It was because of this wonderful woman that my love and fascination with Africa stems so deep. I’m sure most of you heard of Jane Goodall – a friend of Dian Fossey – but for those of you who never heard the name Dian Fossey I strongly encourage all of you to read her book or read an article on her. She was the most inspiring woman I ever read about and her murder was nothing less than tragic, cruel, heartless and so unfair to the world. I’m hoping within the next year to start planning my trip to Africa where I will take the 9 day journey up the Lemosho trail to the summit of Kilimanjaro where I will paraglide off the top over the Serengeti, hike the bush in Rwanda for Mountain Gorilla trekking, safari in Kenya, and hopefully explore some very old places like Zanzibar. I also have a volunteer program I’m hoping to be a part of on Madagascar Island to help with habitat and wildlife conservation.
I would love to hear from all of you on your most amazing travel adventures, future travel plans, travel photos, tips and tricks for areas you’ve been to and what inspires you to travel to these places. I also want to encourage travelers to avoid taking part in any animal exploitation while on your journeys. These animals are tortured, drugged, abused, ripped from their habitats and forced to entertain humans at the most horrible costs to them. Travelers are a huge part of this problem and it needs to stop so please be that person that helps these beautiful creatures live the lives they deserve to live with their families and friends in their natural habitats and please visit my Crucial Causes blog page. I will be sure to add a gallery below with some of my travel photos and update the gallery with photos from my future adventures!
