2017 is going to be a hard year to top for me. Not to say it didn’t have its challenges, but the challenges didn’t even come close to the milestones. I was able to go to Thailand and Cambodia which was a trip I had been wanting to take for years and also crossed the sixth continent off the list for me! That was just the beginning though, so here are my favorite activities of 2017!
1. Blanco Boat Party to Maya Bay
This trip to Maya Bay was one of those surreal things for me. I had been dreaming about going for so long and it was so beautiful. Not just Maya Bay, but the whole cruise to get there felt larger than life. It was more beautiful than I could have thought, I was with a great friend, and it was one of those days you just never wanted to end.
2. Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chiang Mai
My day spent with the elephants was another thing I had really been looking forward to and surpassed my expectations. I’ve always been crazy about animals and this just fed the obsession! The way the elephants are treated over there is so sad, and I felt good being somewhere where the elephants were rescued and taken care of now. I really recommend Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. The elephants have room to roam, are never chained or ridden, and we just fed them, pet them, and bathed them. It was an incredible experience for me. Here you can read my three day itinerary for Chiang Mai if you're planning a trip there yourself!
3. Exploring Angkor Wat
Another thing I had been dreaming of when fantasizing about a trip to SE Asia. The temples were gigantic and beautiful and the details in the walls were so intricate I couldn’t imagine trying to build all of that. They even had a carving of a dinosaur in the walls which was so cool for me. I’ve always been fascinated by dinosaurs!
4. Snorkeling at Peanut Island in West Palm Beach, FL
I have done this multiple times before, but Peanut Island is still one of my favorite places in Florida. I went this year with my friends during The Summer of Fun and I think we went twice this summer. The island is beautiful and you can see tropical fish swimming in all the colors of the rainbow. It makes for a perfect day in the sun in South Florida.
5. Bamboo Rafting through Caves in Pai, Thailand
I took a day tour that brought me and my friends to all the major attractions in Pai, one of them being bamboo rafting through caves. It was awesome because you got to climb up in the caves and explore and feed the gigantic koi fish swirling around you as you glide through the narrow waters of the cave! The climbing was steep and tiring, but totally worth it.
6. Snorkeling Florida’s Barrier Reef in Key West
The Florida reef is the third largest barrier reef system in the world, and just so happens to be a quick road trip away in Key West. I went there for my birthday and took a catamaran tour with Fury to snorkel the Florida Reef and it was the highlight of my weekend. The water was clear and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw how huge the reef really was!
7. Solo Road trip through the Southern US
This year I took my first solo, multi-day road trip! Leaving from Florida, I drove to Nashville for a few days, and from there moved on to Missouri to visit my family, where I visited a few different cities.On the way home, I stopped in Helen, Georgia and Unicoi State Park. I Didn’t post mch about this trip because I was taking it solely to visit my friends and family in these places. Family is so important and I’m happy I made it a priority to go visit them. I even got my first solo, multi-day road trip under my belt! I had a total Jack Kerouac “On the Road” moment.
I did so much more in 2017 but these had to be my most memorable experiences. I’m looking forward to 2018 and seeing what my new milestones will be this year! What were your favorite experiences of 2017? Let me know here or leave me a comment on Instagram, I can’t wait to hear your stories!