From the vast, timeless sands of Wadi Rum, Jordan to 12,000 feet above Nadi, Fiji, where the sky and water blur the lines of reality, these five epic bucket list journeys should be on everyone’s list. I’ve visited each of the five and recommend them as some of the best bucket list destinations in the world. Which ones have you experienced? Continue reading
I’m an adrenaline junkie. My idea of the perfect day would be skydiving before breakfast, rappelling down a waterfall to get to whitewater rafting, lunch on the river, flyboarding and scuba diving, dinner at the beach, and a sunset, aerobatics biplane flight over the ocean. I don’t know if all of that is possible during one day, but now that I’m thinking about it, maybe I’ll add it to next year’s list. So why was southern Africa so high on this year’s list? Do you see it as an adrenaline rush? While jumping out of a plane or rafting down a river is extreme and it gets my blood pumping during the adventure, it would take all of those activities combined in one day to equate to the adrenaline felt during a Namibian safari. If you want a real adrenaline rush, watch Africa animal attacks on tv or YouTube before going to Namibia. Your hair will be standing up the entire trip. It’s the wild, after all, and anything can happen. I went on a self-driven safari in Etosha National Park, Namibia. From the time I entered the park until the time I was well into deep sleep that night, my adrenaline was pumping. It’s the ultimate, adrenaline adventure. Continue reading
While offering comfortable accommodation, mouth-watering meals, high levels of service, and knowledgeable, trained guides to accompany guests on various activities, it’s the view at Grootberg Lodge that is heavenly. Continue reading
My trip to Namibia was a press trip, planned and organized by Tourism Namibia and their PR firm in the US. I’d worked with tourism boards in the past but never a tour company on the ground until Namibia. ATI Holidays arranged almost all of our transportation, accommodations, activities, and meals. They had planned everything from our airport transfers to our daily excursions and as if that wasn’t enough, the owner, David, joined us on our life-changing Namibia adventure. He became as much a part of the reason for enjoying the trip as the experiences. Normally, I write solely about my adventures but often it’s the people I meet along the way that make it the most memorable. Continue reading
For years, an ancient, semi-nomadic tribe of herders known as the Himba has drawn photographers to Namibia’s northwest. The community living among the majestic Makalani palms at Palmfontein invite visitors to learn more about their proud and ancient lifestyle and culture. While still a traditional tribe, they are becoming familiar with looking at themselves through a camera screen. When I arrived with a GoPro, though, their reaction was priceless. I showed a few children, both young toddlers and older teens, how to hold the GoPro and my Canon T2i and what things looked like through the viewing screen. They took a few photos and videos for themselves and results are beautiful! Continue reading
Doro Nawas Camp, situated on a rugged, rocky hill on the edge of the dry Aba Huab River, rolled out the green carpet for us! From the accommodations to the dining to the daily activities, Doro Nawas Camp left me starstruck. Continue reading
I pack light. It’s rare that something finds its way into my carry-on suitcase that I don’t use during a trip, but there are some things that I couldn’t live without especially in a country like Namibia where buying options are few and far between. A quality camera with a zoom lens, proper footwear, versatility clothing, memory cards, and the right adapter were all necessities during my Namibia adventure. These are the five essential items that I packed for Namibia. Continue reading
The last day of my Etosha National Park safari was about to begin and while everyone else was hoping to see lion cubs, I was secretly wishing for more giraffes. They are my favorite animal. Awkward yet graceful, shy yet funny, beautiful in their own way, I feel I can relate to them the most. When I’m introduced to someone or something new, I’m embarrassed, nervous, anxious. It’s only when I’ve been around them for awhile that I’m comfortable and myself. I wish I could say I was more like a proud, strong, stoic lion, but I’m the giraffe hiding behind the tree. Continue reading
I didn’t think it could get any better. It’s hard to believe that people go their entire life without seeing such beauty. Then, day two came and I realized that my Namibian safari had only just begun. 
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I use to imagine wild adventures and exotic trips to far off lands like they were fantastical, only possible in a dreamland. But why do things need to be so out of reach? An African safari is the number one item listed on bucket lists around the world yet it remains there like something unattainable. Only if…. Well, I understand. It kept showing up on my list too but this year, this week, today, I was able to make it happen. I’m in Namibia on an African safari thanks to Namibia Tourism and ATI Holidays. For the last three days, I explored Etosha National Park on a self-drive safari. After years of dreaming, imagining, and envisioning an African safari, I still wasn’t prepared for what was to come. Endless herds of wild animals crossed the dirt road as if I was part of the group. Animals that I’ve never seen outside of cages roamed free and showed their true colors in their natural habitat. Around every turn and behind every bush, something was alive. I was alive, and awake, and actually part of it. Every emotion bubbled to the surface like a boiling pot. This was Africa! This was real, but this was my dream! Continue reading
Bucket List Publications 