Happy 2023! Let’s celebrate and relish in all our accomplishments, large and small, and congratulate ourselves in all that we are today. As a travel enthusiast, I find that traveling any time during the year gives us a similar opportunity to pause and “drink life in” as it happens. That is why this time of year I like to set travel goals. I like to experience the life-changing potential travel holds as we indulge in our passions, stretch ourselves in new ways, and live life to it’s fullest. I also like to encompass Wellness experiences that include opportunities of forced time to rest, reflect, and regroup before our bodies decide that for us.
Do you have a New Year travel bucket list? Perhaps you like to explore with expeditions, cuisine/ wine tours, birthday & anniversary celebrations, music, or ancestral heritage journeys. Here are just a few ideas throughout our beautiful world to get that bucket list rolling.
Antarctica
Since I was little, I always dreamed of going to Antarctica. Last year, I set my intentions of going and I made my dream come true. I crossed the Drakes Passage in November and took the polar plunge. It was a life changing trip, ethereal in its beauty. It’s home to species that have adapted to unbelievable conditions. It is a place of history and hardship and is to be shared with great care. This expedition is a marine safari, the edge of exploration. I am beyond grateful to have experienced this special part of the world.
Egypt
Step back in time to the land of the Pharos. With a guided tour, explore mighty pyramids, sand-covered tombs, ancient hieroglyphics, and a cruise down the Nile. Based on your interests and tastes, one can connect with Egyptologists and locals sharing their country’s stories. A trip to Egypt will unearth your inner explorer.
Japan
There is so much to see and take in the “land of the rising sun” that you may decide to go back again and again for its culture, cuisine and cherry blossoms . Start out in bustling Tokyo, take the bullet train to Kyoto, the “Golden Route”, visit temples and shrines, visit snow capped Mount Fuji, and seek some isolated islands.
Galapagos Islands
Sail the iconic archipelago of volcanic islands with the pioneers of modern expedition travel. Encounter blue footed boobies, giant tortoises, playful penguins, and charismatic sea lions. Enjoy daily adventures on land and undersea, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling.
Svalbard
The northernmost settlement on the planet, Svalbard is just 650 miles from the North Pole. Visit in the Spring for a true Arctic refuge, covered in snow, surrounded by sea ice. Or wait till the summer when temperatures hover around 40 degrees and enjoy the “midnight sun.” Hike the remote terrain and frozen tundra, take in a boat tour to spot the polar bears and whales, dog sled, do a polar plunge, and hopefully see the Northern Lights!
North America
Journeys with Intention. Treat yourselves at the wellness retreat at Miraval Resorts. There are three Miraval locations: Tucson, AZ, Austin, TX , and the Berkshires, MA.
“What’s your intention? This question is at the core of the Miraval philosophy and approach. We want your time with us to be inspiring, enriching and transformative- whatever that means to you. Journeys with Intention are your starting point.”
Happy New Year! Ready to live life to it’s fullest and add some zest to your New Year travel goals? Contact me here.
