Category Archives: Backpacking

TETON Sports Outfitter XXL Cot

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My helpful mother, my little sister, and my not-so-little, but younger, brother will be staying with us in southern California from March 10th – April 1st for the arrival of our first child, Athena. The anticipation builds daily as I think about spending quality time with my family. This will be their first visit to California and I’d like to show them why it is my Paradise. The beaches, the sun, the sand, the adventures… the list is endless. At 38 weeks pregnant (when they arrive), though, it’s going to be difficult to show them around or to truly enjoy the surrounding, and forget about where they are all going to sleep in our two-bedroom condo! I’m trying to be realistic about what we can do together to enjoy the outdoors yet keep my ever-growing belly comfortable and secure. I’ve decided that beach camping is the perfect fit! It’s close to the hospital, requires very little effort on my part, and is fun for everyone. To make my camping experience a little more comfortable, I’ll be using the TETON Sports Outfitter XXL Cot. It’s a huge cot that fits well in our tent and will easily double as a bed for my brother, among other guests, during his 3 week stay. The large size makes it great for “pregnant”  camping and since its easily stored in the closet, it’s a wonderful fit for single guests like my brother. I couldn’t be more impressed with the TETON Sports Outfitter XXL Cot.  Continue reading →

2012 Bucket List – Adventure Awaits!

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In 2011, I went to 7 countries, got married, went sky-diving, bungee jumping, paragliding, base jumping, rock climbing, sailing, whitewater rafting, cruising, canoeing, canopy touring (zip-lining), jet skiing, windsurfing, dog sledding, helicopter touring, rappelling, trapeze swinging, caving, kayaking, and swimming with beluga whales and dolphins all with a bucket list in mind and an open heart. Continue reading →

Mountain Mama – Expecting Adventure!

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Up until now, I refused to buy maternity clothes that I would wear for two months and never get use of again! That all ended when I found Mountain Mama. I no longer have to wear over-sized sweaters and my husband’s jackets; Mountain Mama designs garments that are guaranteed to fit before, during, and after pregnancy.  All Mountain Mama apparel is built to perform through every stage of pregnancy and beyond. Their high-performance outdoor clothing adapts to women’s changing bodies, from the first trimester, the growing baby-bump, and back again. Innovative designs and advanced technical fabrics mean the garments will be keeping you comfortable and looking great, no matter what the conditions. Continue reading →

Yearly Bucket List; I Need Your Ideas!

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I’ve had a Bucket List for years, but I’ve never created something with definite times. In the last year, I’ve been to 7 countries, got married, got pregnant, went sky-diving, bungee jumping, paragliding, base jumping, rock climbing, sailing, cruising, canoeing, canopy touring (zipping), jet skiing, windsurfing, dog sledding, helicopter touring, rappelling, trapeze swinging, caving, kayaking, and swimming with beluga whales and dolphins all with a bucket list in mind and an open heart.

My husband and I consciously thought about where we’d like to live in the world, chose southern California, quit our permanent positions, sold everything we owned, packed the car with what was left, and moved across the continent to our dream location. We want to live a life of fairy-tales with attention to every spectacular moment along the way.


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Roll out the Red Carpet Please…

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I thought about what we could do for our last day in Ireland after three weeks of non stop drinking, traveling, sleeping in tents and cars, and about 3 hours of rest a night. The best I could come up with was the movies. We hadn’t done anything with a hint of normalcy during the entire trip. A day at the movies was just want we needed, but we ended up getting a lot more than we paid for.

I was going to change from the clothes that I wore the day before, but I no longer saw the point. Everything that I had with me was equally dirty, worn, and nasty. We were very familiar with being in dirty clothes. As we walked down the street, I noticed several other people that looked like they were wearing bar clothes. I assumed that they were doing the walk of shame that occurs after hooking-up at the bar the night before. Their presence made me feel better about myself. Continue reading →

I AMSTERDAM – A Little Something Extra!

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If you walk down the main street of any city, you will see rows of shops and lots of people window shopping. It is exactly the same in Amsterdam, but the shop signs are preceded by the word “coffee” and the people are window shopping for prostitutes. Amsterdam is a magical place. It can be anything you want it to be depending on what drugs you are willing to take.

We arrived in Amsterdam like we arrived in most other countries. We had no place to stay and no prospects. We walked across the street from the train station and saw at least ten hotels on one block. There were lots of choices and we slowly made our decision.  Continue reading →

When you Think of Escaping your Everyday Life, How Do you Picture it?

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Escaping to Jasper, Alberta was like stepping into a holiday Christmas card. Although it’s a small town, it holds big dreams, big mountains, and big animals. Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies with 10,878 square kilometres of mountain wilderness. Continue reading →

Oh Shakespeare! How do I Love Thee…

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I always dreamt of becoming an actress. I think that is what led me into teaching.
Everyday, I get to step out onto a different kind of stage and my audience is always young and lively. I act out scenarios in several different genres and I get to create my own script. Teaching and acting are explicitly linked. Every school day is another live performance. I hoped that witnessing a Shakespearean play at The Globe Theatre would provide entertainment and education, and I was not disillusioned.

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Fe Fi Fo Fum – Giant’s Causeway, Ireland

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The scenery along the ride to the Giant’s Causeway was inspiring and breathtaking. It is no
wonder why many of the most famous writers in the world descend from Ireland. The roadway combs the majestic cliffs and the sheer beauty made me question whether I was awake or dreaming. The fresh air was invigorating and I kept the window down the entire drive. The ride was like a journey through the ages. Forsaken castles stood next to modern homes and ancient cliffs were littered with new walkways. There was spectacular beauty around every twist and turn in the road, and that was all before we reached the Causeway. I felt lost in a moment in time. Continue reading →

Geneva Forecast: Rain, Rain and More Rain

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Our plan was to go from Nice to Lyon by our reserved train tickets and then continue on to Geneva, Switzerland without a reservation. We watched as the mountains unfolded in front of us and we awaited the adventures to come. What is it about Switzerland that allured me? Chocolate, cheese, watches, knives, banks, the Alps, what didn’t allure me? Switzerland seemed to have it all, but once again my dream world came pouring down around me. Continue reading →