Where to go? Get inspired by the travel bucket list of the week!

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

What’s Travel Bucket List Wednesday about? Click here to learn more!

Woot woot it is #TravelBL Wednesday peeps! Yaaaa, the travel bucket list! Week 8 ova here, inspiring each other to see more of the world and simply take in the beauty of this beautiful planet we were blessed to live in for a couple of decades 🙂 To join is simple: Post your travel bucket list on your blog, , comment below with the link, tweet that post with the #TravelBL tag and cc @latinAbroad (moi!) on it. Then voilá! I retweet + I feature on this post. If not? I just go around the Internet trying to find the best of the best for our travel bucket list and introduce it to you! Plus don’t forget about the Twitter #TravelBL chat every Wednesday at 12 & 6:15 pm (EST)! 😀

"Wanna race?" -Tourist2Townie

* Thrill junkie travel bucket list item…!

So I don’t even know what’s the name of this thing: Downhill sledding? Just sledding? Huh say what? But I do know it is the *perfect* addition to any thrill junkie’s travel bucket list! I found it inside one of Tourist 2 Townie’s Facebook pagealbums and you can do it in Park City at the Park City Mountain Resorts in Utah, USA. Who’s in!?

Bahariya Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt! Visited in 2009 🙂 (Photo: Marine Begault)

* 10 Most Beautiful Oases RTW – Nature lover’s travel bucket list

I have been obsessed with oases ever since I first took a glimpse at one when watching The Mummy Returns as a tween (yes, this movie basically changed my life lol). Then, I had the privilege of seeing the oasis that actually inspired the computerized version of the movie when I lived in Egypt (Western Desert). And then, I stumbled upon this travel bucket list of oases. The amazing photos and locales all over the world simply make you go Ahhhh. Can.Not.Wait!

the EPIC Silk Road - red for overland routes and blue for sea route. AH-MAZING!

* For the epic journeys travel bucket list – Essential backpacker Trails, LP

Mention any ridiculous, seemingly-impossible-by-Western-standards journey to me and it is a guarantee that I’ll add it to my travel bucket list. There is something about that word, that adjective, epic, that I simply can’t resist! I mean seriously: The Banana Pancake Trail? Count me IN!

Giant at Swarovski Crystal World, Austria (Photo: EuropeanTravelista.com)

* Bedazzling travel bucket list – The Bizarre World of Swarovski

Ok I must admit – I actually got MAD when I first read this article because I was in Innsbruck, Austria & all over Europe when I was 17 and somehow missed this!!! I actually visited a Sawvroski store but in a different European country. UGH! So now I have a great excuse to go back to the lovely European Alps not only to learn how to skii and snowboard, but also so I can cross the Swarovski Crystal World off my travel bucket list. I mean seriously – a WATERFALL in the form of a FACE with water flowing out of the mouth AND Swarovsky-bedazzled eyes!? WHO wouldn’t want to see THAT!?

Lord Howe Island, located between Australia and New Zealand on the Tasman Sea

* New on my travel bucket list: Lord Howe Island

Sure, it is Australia. Sure, Lord Howe may seem “just another island” to most. Oh my, but does it call my name. Any island with rugged terrain or oddly-shaped hills and mountains, bathed by lighter-than-the-sky waters, excites me…and arouses my little heart and makes me want to swim right to it. Or arrive on a seaplane. Yes yes…

For more items of my own travel bucket list, you may click here

What are you waiting for?! Write down that travel bucket list, publish it on your blog and then come back here to share it with us. Be part of the epic Travel Bucket List Wednesdays! Oh and I beg you, overuse the hashtag #TravelBL. Include it when you tweet about your travel dreams & cc @latinAbroad – I guarantee an RT!

“So live that your memories will be part of your happiness”
-Unknown

What’s on your travel bucket list?

Travel bucket list inspiration – it’s TravelBL time! Week of Nov 9th

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

What’s Travel Bucket List Wednesday about? Click here to learn more!

Happy Travel Bucket List Wednesday y’all! We are celebrating week 7 of this travel inspiration series, sharing travel bucket list items I have found around the web. Remember that yours can be featured here, too! Simply write down your travel bucket list, post the link on a comment below, along with your Twitter if you wish, and DONE! There is no limit: As long as you have new items on your travel bucket list weekly, I can feature it every Wednesday. So get writing, get inspired and inspire others as well! Plus join us on the Twitter #TravelBL chat every Wednesday at 12 & 6:15 pm (EST)! 😀

* Chérie’s travel bucket list, aka the “EpicQuest”

The moment I stumbled upon Miss Chérie’s Twitter account, I was instantly inspired: “I am a Deaf Travel blogger that simply adores Traveling.. My objective is to help other Deaf travelers. Let’s break that language barriers, shall we? :)” Who wouldn’t be?! That made me want to quit my job and go around the world to volunteer right then. Why? Because she reminded me, once again, that we put so many barriers in front of us, so many excuses on why we can’t do what’s right, what’s burning in our hearts at this very moment and keep…waiting…and waiting…or remain in a state of paralysis for years. This girl didn’t even allow one of the senses get in the way. She is out there. She is conquering. And she is one of the most up-beat persons you will ever chat with. I can’t wait to meet her face-to-face one day. Now becoming fluent in sign language is on my travel bucket list as well! Thank you Chérie — keep inspiring us 🙂

* Sleep in treehouses around the US – Tripadvisor’s travel bucket list

I am subscribed to Tripadvisor’s newsletter and while most days I only get traditional (aka over-hyped, common) destinations and “lists,” this week they pleasantly surprised me. They sent the top 10 treehouse rentals within the US. While the list only includes Uncle Sam’s territory (read: Great stops for that American road trip of your dreams), my brain automatically thought, hey, they got plenty of those around the world, too! Thus, I also thought to myself, whoa, that would be an awesome, quirky journey and mission: Travel around the world, only sleeping in treehouses. BAM! I’ll do it one day…*writes it down on her epic journeys travel bucket list*

me at the Blue Lagoon Geothermal Resort, Iceland

* The amazing pools travel bucket list – BootsnAll

Once again, a BootsnAll list makes it to travel bucket list Wednesday. This photo essay includes many amazing pools in properties I would probably never be able to afford on my backpacker budget. However…isn’t dreaming a big part of what travel bucket lists are about, though?! I did splurge once for the Blue Lagoon btw…armed robbery, but glad I did it once! 😀

* Nocturnal festivals travel bucket list – NatGeo

National Geographic has published a fantastic list of festivals around the world – all which should be in the travel bucket list for the party animal inside of us. And you know, the excuse that it was all done for “the sake of culture” is guaranteed to fly 😉

* New on my travel bucket list: Destinations for daredevils

While I’ve heard of many of the destinations listed, I certainly didn’t know of other life-threatening activities I could engage in. This list gave me many new ideas on how to involuntarily attempt suicide – awesome

For more items of my own travel bucket list, you may click here

What are you waiting for?! Go run to your site, type down that long travel bucket list of yours and then come back here to share it with us. Be part of the inspiring #TravelBL Wednesdays! And please, overuse the hashtag #TravelBL. Include it when you tweet about your items & cc @latinAbroad – that’ll guarantee an RT from me!

“The normal make a living, the deranged make history”
-Unknown

What’s on your travel bucket list?

Europe: Through the eyes of a 17 year old (photo essay, pt 2)

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

For Travel Tuesday this week I decided to resume the mini series of journal entries/photo essays I published back in 2005 on Kiwibox.com from my first Europe trip travel journal. Back when I was a newbie 17-year-old blogger with no real English training or travel experience. Back when I went outside Puerto Rico and the U.S. for the first time! Hope you find the photo essay cute and humorous =P Below, part two!

[for PART ONE of this photo essay, click here]

Please note, I have not edited the grammar nor writing style: That’s the whole point of the post! Yeah? 😉 🙂

Oh and don’t forget: Click on any image to enlarge! 🙂

Posted on 06/20/05, 4:38 PM on Kiwibox.com

After around 4 hours, we are out of the castle! We took lunch first, then we had to *walk* to the castle for like what, 45 mins.!? And YES, a super-huge hill all the way. But, all that heavy walk (or hiking) was REALLY worth it! The castle was just *gorgeous*, and the views all over simply *breath-taking*. Oi! And I finally got the name right! Schloss *Neuschwanstein* 😀 Schloss is castle in German, btw. And Neuschwanstein means New Swan Stone. The king was obsessed with swans or something; they were *all over* the castles furniture, paintings, etc. I also bought some lil souvenirs, like postcards and patches (1 of Germany and another 1 of Austria), which I’ll now start collecting of every country I visit. Btw, thats all I could basically buy during the entire trip! All of my money went mostly in food (which was DAMN expensive) and the most rest to excursions/museums :/ it sucked, I wanted to buy soo many things, and sp a better thingy for my bff Clody! 🙁 oh wells.

Laurie and me in front of our hotel back in Rothenburg, the morning we were off to the castle

Neuschwanstein Castle! Oh and, did u know this the the actual castle in which is inspired Disneys?

Neuschwanstein castle, different angle

entering Neuschwanstein! =D

Just an example of the spectacular views from the castles windows

more spectacular views from the castles windows

Some other yellow castle that could be seen from down there

closeup of yellow castle

Taking supper now @ Ausburg. Oh and @ this Italian ristorante, I *finally* found someone nice! Germans were starting to piss me off, sp when they looked Laura oddly (ya know cause of her dark skin). Anymoo! It was a super-cute Italian waiter, *so* freakin nice and sweet. We would talk in Spanish and he would reply in Italian, and we could understand each other really well! Btw, we saw a dangerously-HOT German (about 19-2O-ish) there: DAMN! The funny thing is that he was with his *fiancée* having a family dinner for her rents approval, or so it seemed. And still, we checked him out BADLY. We are bad girls [:p] It was sooo funny, her rents looked us *quite* hostile, haha! :p about the food, it was awesome and quite yummy; the ristorante persé was *really* purdy as well. For dessert, we got ice-cream around the corner. I got a latte-something flavor: that was outstanding! I FINALLY tasted *real*, yummy coffee like back home: very rich and sweet, an super charged of flavor, just like an actual coffee should be, not all watery and flavorless like American or German coffee (no offense!). Then, we finally hit our hotel. Btw, the only thing I liked was a chair and curtain @ the end of the hallways of every floor; my room was just *extremely* small (I had to put my luggage in the closet cause there was no space to walk! So u can imagine), and the had a lot of stupid rules and we couldnt even go walk outside. I disliked it VERY much. Rothenburgs was WAY better, and it wasnt in the city! So yeah, I like Germanys countryside much better, or at least for now. Its 1O:3OPM so Im going to sleep now; we are off to Munich tomorrow.

June.12th.2OO5

Just took breakfast, now we are on our way to Munich. Btw, I just met an American hottie named Mike (lol), from Indiana. Oi, he IS good looking. Hes on another different EF tour, but staying another night just like we are so Ill prolly see him again tonight (we were looking at each other non-stop during the *whole* breakfast, until my group left. I then stayed, walked up to him and said where are u from? he told me then I answered back and he loved the fact Im from Puerto Rico :p then we asked each others room #s and that was it :p).
Soooo then the bus was off to Munich. Omg, that was SUPER! I felt like if I was in London! The whole buildings and stuff, everything was gorge. Now my view of countryside Germany and the city are pretty similar :p we went to some palace (where I froze my booty off; that must have been the coldest time while in Europe!) before going to the BMW museum and Dachu Nazi concentration camp. Couldnt see much because the movie the showed us was so graphic and Laurie felt sick it affected her too much, so I wanted to be a good friend and accompanied her outside until the tour was over. We walked through the gas chambers and everything. very very emotional…
Later on, we went shopping and to the Hard rock café and HB, were most of my classmates (and even TEACHERS!) nearly get drunk drinking strong German beer [:p] about me well, I had a yummy German sausage for lunch! *nods* oh and, finally, I bought a li something for myself: a pink Heartbreaker top @ Hard Rock which also has a big 71 in burgundy in the back and also says Munich. Then, when we arrived to the hotel @ like 9PM, I met Mike again and we went to the Eia (?) Tutti Frutti café around the corner and ate some ice-cream together and talked some more, then same thing back @ the hotels lobby. Guess what!? Hes a CHRISTIAN! I mean he is even in a *Christian* METAL band called Bloody Sunday, and he is the vocalist.

Me in front of the palace

another view of the German palace

by the palace balcony and garden. Oi, that garden and palace are sooo big its GORGE

MUNICH! Who took the pic cut off the nice big clock tho! =(

around Muncih

what's that? I dont remember...(Munich)

Mike and me, that day. Turned out like crap *shrugs* hes much hotter in person, btw

bye bye, Germany! Next stop Austria and ITALY!!!!! =D

Europe adventure to be continued on a different Travel Tuesday! …

#Travel bucket list items, photos, video: #TravelBL week of Nov 2nd!

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

What’s Travel Bucket List Wednesdays? Click here to learn more

Wepete! This shall be the 6th weekly Travel Bucket list Wednesday! I’ve decided that the weeks I don’t get many submissions from you, I’ll complement the entry with interesting travel bucket lists I find around the web. Remember: If you wish to be featured next week don’t forget to submit your travel bucket list, links of your travel sites and Twitter handle on a comment below. There is no limit: As long as you post new items on your travel bucket list every week, I will feature you every time! So c’mon, get greedy here. And don’t forget to join us on the Twitter #TravelBL chat every Wednesday at 12 & 6:15 pm (EST)!

One of my favorite things about this travel bucket list is how you can see a bio (and thus later Google stalk) the explorer who gave the Ultimate idea!

* NatGeo’s Ultimate Adventure Bucket List 2012

Quite cocky if you ask me, for NatGeo to use the word ultimate on their 2012 travel bucket list…but they did it because it is. They interviewed 20 of some of the world’s best athletes and explorers and asked them: What travel bucket list items are in your wildest dreams!? Diving frozen waters of Antarctica, kayak circumnavigation of South America and kite skiing in Kamchatka peninsula (northeastern Russia) are some sample items you can find on this extreme travel bucket list. So umm, Ultimate? Absolutely!

me taking a nap as the felucca drifted down the Nile - Egypt, 2009

* Lonely Planet’s travel bucket list – 8 Voyages of a Lifetime

Featured on CNN Travel, these voyages take us through some of the world most legendary waters. I myself have drifted down the Nile and I can tell you that the mix of history and relaxation is an undisputed champion. What I love the most about this travel bucket list though is that they made sure they covered almost every continent – so you should definitely be able to cross one of these items off within the next year (or sooner)!

Vipassana meditation in one of India's most dangerous prisons (Photo from "Doing Time, Doing Vipassana" documentary, found at Roxie.com)

* World skills’ travel bucket list – BootsnAll

While the article is titled 11 Skills to Learn on Your RTW Trip, the first thing that came to mind when I first got a glimpse of it was “11 skills that should be on my travel bucket list.” As I scrolled down, I was happy to notice I got some of those skills already. However, the list did inspire me and aroused my creativity, making me write down places where I would love to sharpen the skills I’ve already acquired, while going into a boot camp abroad for those I haven’t learned. Indeed, a different kind of travel bucket list you should start today!

Plitvice Lakes National Park walking path, Croatia

* Hiking travel bucket list – 8 of the Most Unique Walking Paths RTW

I just kept stumbling upon awesome travel bucket list items on BootsnAll this week. I discovered so many places I had never heard about – or amazing attractions I somehow missed out in countries I had already visited. A perfect example is this list, which informed me of the existence of a surreal walking path in Negev, Israel – a country I visited twice, the last time on a 3-week hitchhiking and couchsurfing feast that (I thought) covered every corner of the Holy Land. There was even another awesome walking path in Iceland! Granted, both were pretty impulsive, plan-as-you-go trips. Still, I was heart broken I missed out! *sigh* these were welcomed reality checks though — and another brilliant excuse to go back to Israel, Iceland and visit the other places listed.

New travel bucket list item: Flying trapeze

Flying Caceres, Ringling Bros Circus (Photo: Tammy Biondi, former About.com Guide)

* New item on my own travel bucket list: Flying trapeze

I didn’t even know you could do this unless you were some elastic Asian (or Russian or Eastern European) that had been working for a traveling circus since age 5. But apparently, it is possible for us average Joes! (Note: This isn’t a no-fall guarantee, though). Thank you for the inspiration, Ms Tiffany! Oh, I still gotta ask you how I can cross off this new travel bucket list item of mine, since I only saw the awesome photos you posted on #TravelBL chat this week! 😉

For more items of my own travel bucket list, you may click here

What are you waiting for?! Go run to your blog, put together that awesome travel bucket list of yours and come back here to share it with us. Be part of the new, exciting #TravelBL Wednesdays! And of course, feel free to use hashtag #TravelBL any other time of the week when tweeting your items – you’ll get a guaranteed RT from me!

“LIFE, if well-lived, is long enough”
-Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

What’s on your travel bucket list?

#Travel bucket list items & photos of the week – it’s #TravelBL time!

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

What’s Travel Bucket List Wednesdays? Click here to learn more

Epa! This shall be the fifth weekly Travel Bucket list Wednesday! I’ve decided that the weeks I don’t get many submissions from you, I’ll complement the entry with interesting travel bucket list items I find around the web that week. Remember: If you wish to be featured next week don’t forget to submit your travel bucket list, links of your travel sites and Twitter handle on a comment below. There is no limit: As long as you post new items on your travel bucket list every week, I will feature you every time! So c’mon, get greedy here. And don’t forget to join us on the Twitter #TravelBL chat every Wednesday at 12 & 6:15 pm (EST)!

In Lola's travel bucket list: "New Year’s Eve in St. Barts with Beyonce and Jay Z" (Photo: Tripadvisor.com)

* Lola’s travel bucket list
You’ll be inspired by her list if you’re interested in: Celebrities, parties & sun

travel bucket list: Mount Huashan, China

On any thrill junkie's travel bucket list: "A trek with a difference: At one point one kilometer above the ground, you have to traverse a slim wooden plank stuck to the face of a vertical cliff" -by Ivy Zhang, Jane Leung & Tim Cheung, CNNGo.com

* Trill seeker’s travel bucket list – CNN Go
You’ll be inspired by this list if you like: Heights, magma & dangerous animals

In any European travel bucket list: Gaudi's Barcelona! (Photo: La Sagrada Familia church, Wiki Commons)

* Spain’s travel bucket list – Global Grasshopper
You’ll be inspired by this list if you’re interested in: Spain’s 10 most beautiful places

A must-add to any outdoors travel bucket list: Helicopter ride over volcanoes & lakes in Kamchatka peninsula, Russia! (Photo: Helen Flamme, sputnik_mania on Flikr)

* “Middle of nowhere” travel bucket list – Lonely Planet
You’ll be inspired by this list if you’re interested in: Beautiful desolation & nature

Thuringia, Germany: Added to my travel bucket list!

* New item on my own travel bucket list: Thuringia, Germany
Thank you once again, Lonely Planet! I just stumbled upon this destination & got so excited about it. I had never even heard that name before, ever. Officially “The Free State of Thuringia,” it is located in central Germany & is the sixth smallest by area. Also, it happens to be the home of Germany’s most infamous hiking trail: Rennsteig (Wiki). However, what sold me about Thuringia is the spectacular mosaics and architecture of 900-year-old Wartburg Castle. Thank you for the travel bucket list inspiration, Lonely Planet (and photographer Mr Matt Munro)!

travel bucket list: Schmalkalden, Germany

Thuringia town Schmalkalden, as photographed by Matt Munro

For more items of my own travel bucket list, you may click here

“LIFE, if well-lived, is long enough”
-Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

What’s on your travel bucket list?

Europe: Through the eyes of a 17 year old (photo essay)

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

Happy Travel Tuesday everyone! As I went through my travel memories vault today, I blew some dust off my 2005 travel journal: The first time I traveled outside of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Mom, knowing her daughter so well, gave me the gift of a lifetime: My very first trip to Europe! I was not savvy or knew much about how to travel the world on a budget back then, so I simply went on a 10-day graduation trip through EF Educational Tours, which was organized by my high school. We went though Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy–and I was an ecstatic 17 (soon-to-be-18) year old!

Not only was this trip challenging because I had never had an actual conversation in English with a native speaker in person, but also because I had never been outside of Puerto Rico for more than a week (even though I had already been to Disney as a child, NYC and Chicago through my local theatre company). Surprisingly though, I was not nervous or scared, but rather excited and could not wait to practice my conversational English skills! This innate, uninhibited drive I have always had reminds me each day that traveling and languages are such deep parts of me; that I must make a career out of them.

So! I’ve decided that for the next few weeks, I’ll be featuring some pages of this old travel journal on Travel Tuesday! It will be a mini series of journal entries/photo essays I published back in 2005 on Kiwibox.com. Back when I was a newbie 17-year-old blogger with no real English training or travel experience. Hope you find them cute and humorous! =P Below, part one! Please note, I have not edited the grammar nor writing style: That’s the whole point of the post! Yeah? 😉 =)

Oh and don’t forget: Click on any image to enlarge! =)

Posted on 06/20/05, 3:58 AM on Kiwibox.com

NOW! =D the TRIP! That’s all u are waiting for. So, the format might seem a bit weird, changing between present and past, but the thing is that Im typing all this directly from my EF *travel journal*, which means I was writing about everything *during* the trip, so I wouldnt miss a thing. I wont post everything @ once, since I warn ya its pretty lengthy, but Ill split it up in few days during this week, and the same with the pictures since I took a *LOT* (about 2OO aprox, without including the ones left taken with other cams when I ran out of memory). So, here are my European trip ramblings! Hope u find them descriptive enough, and enjoy the pictures below that! =D

Group picture before leaving to Europe from Puerto Rico airport (me on the far right, white polo)

June.9th.2OO5

So, on my connecting flight to Newark right now. I already laughed a lot by the silly doings of my classmates (yeah, the fun already started!). Right now I’ll see yet another mag, this time from the actual airline, which has some pics of Italy! *Quick note* – Continental Airlines meals + in-flight mags are much better and entertaining than American Airlines.

We are in Europe! Frankfurt from the air

June.10th.2OO5

Streets of Rothenburg!

In Frankfurt, we just saw the airport and highway. Note: I only got 7O-ish euros for 1OO American bucks; THAT *SUCKS*. From there to Rothenburg were *3 hours*. Me no likey the highways view for now; didnt feel in Germany, since all I saw were just TREES. And even more trees. Then, we went on tour through Rothenburg; yes, with all of our luggage still in the bus. So, this lil medieval town was very nice and cute, and some *cute* pics were taken. We went to a Kriminal Museum and then just around town looking and shopping. I bought most souvenirs (which were very few, since everything was DAMN expensive and so the food, so I had to save MADLY) and something called Snowflake balls in nut chocolate flavor, sprinkled with hazelnuts as well; that was YUMMY. After that we went to take supper @ a pasta restaurant; we had lasagna. It was different, but still good. Theeeen, around 9PM, we *finally* checked in @ our hotel (it was 3AM PRs time). By then, we had all been *31 hours* without a bath; dont worry, we still didnt stink, by miracle *lol*.

Cool building at a plaza in Rothenburg!

These kind of houses are the trademark of this medieval town I believe. Or at least one of them. (Note photo-bomber on the far left. Ha)

yummy snowflake balls, made of soft wafer strips, then covered with chocolate or other toppings. They were *everywhere*

I just found this big teddy bear too freakin cute! I think these kind of bears are another trademark of Rothenburg

Me (left) and Fefi (Stephanie) @ the entrance of the Kriminal Museum, in some cortacabezas. I look freaky. Really freaky.

Chastity belts. I found them interesting. They should be used nowadays. They are DESPERATELY needed for girls ages 12 and up. Todays world is just too tough.

Me in front and beside weird cages used in ol times. They are scary.

Me in front of our 1st hotel in Germany. It was around 9PM by then

Me trying to take a pic of myself in my room with my retarded camera, which always takes about 3 secs. to actually take a picture. Dont know why.

June.11th.2OO5

So, the guys in the back are now testing a German condom they bought @ one of the restrooms out of curiosity, which seems to be more thick in size than Americans. Oh! Yarielis just tested it with her nails and it still intact. Wow, those seem to be better than Durex, the girls over there just said. Anymoo, right now we are just arriving to the castle. As for what I see from here, its gorge! Right now Im trying to get a good pic of the Alps, which are pretty much seen from here.

Best pic I could take of the Alps alone, in the bus

For part two of this photo essay, click here

Travel bucket list photos & #TravelBL AIR chat recap – Oct. 19th

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

To learn more about #TravelBL Wednesdays, click here

Missed #TravelBL aka the Travel Bucket List chat yesterday? No worries! Here’s a recap of what happened on both sessions so you get a taste of the fun. Don’t forget to join us next week at noon and 6:15 pm (EST), using #TravelBL so you can share your travel bucket list items and get inspired by others!

This week’s theme was UP IN THE AIR. Grab a pen and add your favorites to that travel bucket list of yours! **Questions formulated by yours truly, @latinAbroad =)

micro flight over the Victoria Falls, Africa (Photo: ospkw.com)

Q1. Most exciting activities you’ve done “up in the air”?

“I did fly in a scary itty bitty plane above the Kenyan valley. Sounds simple, but was scary to me lol” –@CaroBotelho

“Bungee, sky dive etc and I hate heights!” –@timteece

“Helicopter rides over 12 Apostles in Oz and ovr Franz Josef glacier in NZ” –@ilivetotravel

“I’m doing hot air balloon in the Jordan desert next week!” –@gogogasti

“This #travelBL discussion is terrifying. I will stick to roller coasters…” –@sickontheroad

paragliding over the Norwegian fjords (Photo: Ben, Flikr)

Q2. What “up in the air” activities are in your travel bucket list?

“Definitely paragliding and hot air ballooning” –@goodtravellife

“Next on list is chopper (helicopter)! sweet! […] (also) would be interesting to bungee jump out of a hot air balloon” –@timteece

“All the hot air balloon answers, make me want to get in one now. 🙂 Would love to go over San Francisco & Napa Valley” –@elatlboy

“flight over Nazca Lines, Peru. That’s exciting and scary! Wanna do it again!” –@CaroBotelho

Emirates airlines' private suite, first class (Photo: Emirates.com)

Q3. Got any airline-related items in your travel bucket list? What would your ideal flight include?

“Definately those cool planes you see with beds- like singapore airlines always look awesome” –@MexicanAtHeartJ

“Would love to fly 1st class one day” –@sickontheroad

“Basically, I would clone Air Force One. lol” –@latinAbroad

“I’ve been fortunate to do Emirates, Lufthansa, Air Canada Bus.- lie flat with amazing” –@marktravel

flying over Bora Bora, French Polynesia (Photo: Eyelands.blogspot.com)

Q4. If you had the ability to fly, what would you do?

“Dodge passport and visa checks by flying from one country to another” –@deesomera

“Two words: water balloons. Or charge for rides… ” –@CancunGringa

” I would probably fly through a hole in a mountain like this guy:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t0xqNln5RU” –@sickontheroad

“Fly around the world in 80 days lol” –@CaroBotelho

Dave Salmoni: Added to my travel bucket list--among many other "to-do" lists (Davidsdialogue1.blogspot.com-photo)

Q5. If you were Batman, who would be your Robin? Which city would you protect? Why?

“Being Batman is so much pressure… But I’d pick Lady Gaga to be my Robin. She’d distract the evildoers for me” –@ilivetotravel

“Dave Salmoni- the Lion walker, he’s hot! Vancouver- it has mountains, ocean, wildlife, and fabulous food!” –@goodtravellife

“@MalloryOnTravel” –@roniweiss

“Hey big guy I don’t play Robin to anybody’s Batman, even yours :p good job Batman has many personas” –@MalloryOnTravel

Vancouver calling Batman--really (Neomagic.deviantart.com)

* Submit your travel bucket list, website, and topic suggestions HERE *

Fun, eh? Join the travel bucket list chats!

Wednesdays @ noon and 6:15 pm (EST), only on Twitter #TravelBL

#TravelBL chat round-up & travel bucket list photos – Oct. 12th

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

Missed #TravelBL aka Travel Bucket List chat yesterday? No worries! Here’s a round-up of what happened on both sessions so you get a taste of the fun. Don’t forget to join us next week at noon and 6:15 pm (EST), using #TravelBL so you can share your travel bucket list items and get inspired by others!

This week’s theme was TREKKING/HIKING. Grab a pen and add your favorites to that travel bucket list of yours! **Questions formulated by yours truly, @latinAbroad =)

Hiking Franz Josef Glacier

Q1. The best hikes/treks you’ve done?

“Cares Gorge in the Picos de Europas, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path….isn’t everywhere beautiful?” –@eurapart

“The trek to Franz Glacier in NZ” –@elatlboy

If Petra is considered a “trek” or good hike, then yes! –@latinAbroad

“This is an easy one, as you know. Kili in 2009 with a group of Vision Impaired climbers” –@Mackinnontweets

“Hiking in the Tatra Mountains in Poland. Fantastic views!” –@jettingaround

Sign at Uhuru Peak, Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa

Q2. Would you rather book through a company or organize the trek yourself?

“I’m DIY all the way!” –@VacationFun

“Depends on the trek and the difficulty. Unless its a day trek I feel more comfortable with a guide” –@LAbackpackrChik

“I’d rather go by myself – I see more and get lost all the time!” –@SpinAroundWorld

“Book it. Too many unknowns” –@goodtravellife

hiking Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy (Photo: Idéfix at nl.wikipedia)

Q3. “Ideal distance” of a trek or hike (to you)?

“A couple of hours would be good before lunch break!” –@LolaDiMarco

“Not sure about distance but a 3 day trek is a nice time average for me” –@LAbackpackrChik

“We’re more like day-trekkers. Like our 1-day hike through Cinque Terre” –@GQtrippin

” The next trek I want to do is 45 days.. Cho-Oyu in Nepal” –@Mackinnontweets

Q4. What makes a trek “top-notch”? What makes it “just average”?

“All I want is views, peace & quiet, no crowds” –@jettingaround

“Miserable if u are not wearing the right shoes…!!!” –@latinAbroad

“The weather can make all the difference. If you are trekking in wet boots, it is not nearly as much fun” –@SpinAroundWorld

“Doing something challenging(ish) in a spot you can’t see every day. Unique experience. Would make it great” –@LolaDiMarco

Great Ocean Road, Australia (by Jon Hurd, Creative Commons)

Q5. Treks/Hikes on your travel bucket list?

“Great Ocean Road, Tasmania, NZ, Uluru, and of course Machu Picchu” –@emeraldcitytooz

“Would love to do Torres del Paine in Chile. Been there but cldnt do the hike that time” –@ilivetotravel

“Mera Peak, Cho-Oyu, Island Peak, Machu Picchu, Kokoda Trail, The full length of the Great Wall…TBC” –@Mackinnontweets

“The Alps, Yellowstone, Patagonia (this one the sooner, the better =D )” –@jettingaround

Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile (Creative Commons)

* Submit your travel bucket list, website, and topic suggestions HERE *

Fun, eh? Join us next Wednesday at noon and 6:15 pm (EST) on Twitter, #TravelBL!

Travel bucket list items of the week – get inspired!

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Maria Alexandra

Alo! This shall be the fourth weekly post including YOUR travel bucket lists, submitted last week on this blog. If you wish to be featured next week don’t forget to submit your travel bucket lists, links of your travel sites and Twitter handles on a comment below. Remember that there is no limit: As long as you post new items on your travel bucket list every week, I will feature you every time! So c’mon, get greedy here. And don’t forget to join us on the Twitter #TravelBL chat every Wednesday at 12 & 6:15 pm (EST)! For this week’s #TravelBL chat round-up, click here

Lastly, an announcement: BRAND-NEW LOOK of LatinAbroad.com going LIVE this weekend! Yay!

Still confused on how Travel Bucket List Wednesdays work? Click here

Travel bucket list item # 10: “Travel to AND enjoy 100 countries” – Cole & Adela

* Cole and Adela’s travel bucket list
You’ll be inspired by their list if you like: Working abroad, seasonal travel, epic journeys

Travel bucket list item # 18: “Zorbing” -Rick & Sandi

* Rick and Sandi’s travel bucket list
You’ll be inspired by their list if you like: Extreme sports, epic journeys, celebrity sightings

Travel bucket list, overwater bungalow, Bora Bora

Alexandra’s travel bucket list item: “A night in a bungalow over the water in Bora Bora”

* Alexandra’s travel bucket list
You’ll be inspired by her list if you like: Romance, cultural encounters,

My & Alex’s bucket list item: “Survive” with Bear Grylls (Photo: Kalei Brooks)

* Spend some weeks “surviving” with Bear Grylls

I will give props to Alexandra over there (@Alexandraeh on twitter) for this travel bucket list inspiration last week. Spending some weeks with Bear Grylls “surviving” in the wilderness (and much, much else) would be an adventure of epic proportions (for many R-rated reasons I can’t mention, too). But on to the more PG reasons: Learning how to eat gross animals, build my own shelter, take care of bad wounds with natural sources found who-knows-where-I-was-left-off…all while having such eye candy who can actually take care of me if I mess up at this “being tough” thing…ummm yes, “cast me away” with Mr Grylls, please!

Tiffany training an otter – aww! Now on *my* travel bucket list! =)

* Tiffany’s travel bucket list
You’ll be inspired by her list if you like: Animals! Wild encounters! =)

For more items of my own travel bucket list, you may click here

“LIFE, if well-lived, is long enough”
-Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

LatinAbroad

Travel blog of a Puerto Rican translator

Tag Archives: cultural experiences

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