Goals Not Resolutions

With the start of a new year many people have been making and sharing their new year resolutions, usually having to do with health, wealth, or both. I don't necessarily believe in making resolutions, but I do believe in setting goals for yourself throughout the year. Being the planner and constant thinker that I am, I'm always looking forward to or planning something. Most of my planning has to do with travel of some sort, hence the name of this blog. And since I believe that words have power I felt it would behoove me to put my travel goals for the year out into the universe as a positive affirmation (if you say it it will happen), and a way for me to hold myself accountable throughout the year.

So, in no particular order here are my travel goals for the year:

1. Amsterdam, Netherlands

After reading a blog post from The Abu Dhabi Experience about their day trip to Amsterdam, I knew I had to visit. Museums, 165 canals that you can take boat rides in, cycling, and good food? Put me down for one of each! And since it's the only place on my list likely to see snow, I think it would be perfect for a fall/winter trip.




2. Casablanca and Marrakech, Morocco

Having visited two African countries in 2015 it only fueled my thirst to see more. I'm also a very big fan of visiting places of historical significance and Morocco definitely fits the bill. 

Casablanca

Marrakech

3. Lagos, Portugal

If there's one thing I love it's beaches and Portugal has plenty to choose from. My friend Lisa visited over Christmas break and her pictures were breathtaking. That's enough to put Portugal on my list.

4. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

For a while there, planes having to do with Malaysia were either falling or being shot out of the sky and that really did not encourage my desire to go there. But since there haven't been any major issues with flights there in the past year or so, and I know a few people who have visited recently without any trouble, I think it might be safe to go for a visit. I've had a few Malaysian students who make some pretty persuasive arguments for visiting (food, culture, beaches, oh my!), and their dads are both pilots who say it is a must see. I won't be flying Malaysia Airlines though!

5. The Dead Sea, Jordan

It's got major religious implications, is the lowest point in the world, and according to the Smithsonian it's shrinking and may disappear by 2050. In addition to that, the minerals in the dead sea are said to be great for your skin, which totally piques my beauty junkie interest.

So that's it for now. It's a working list so things may change over the next...361 days, but at least I've got an idea of where to focus my planning. My first trip this year will be to a place not on the list, Greece. All my travel last year earned me enough frequent flier miles for a free flight for spring break, go me! Only 82 more days to go :)

Happy New Year!!!

Without a doubt, 2015 was one of my best years ever! I got to visit 6 countries, built stronger friendships (lost some too but c'est la vie), saved some money and met some really special people. My YOLO year turned out to be really great, and with God's grace 2016 will be even better, insha'allah.

Anywho, I wrapped up my year of travel with a trip to Zanzibar that was so enchanting I can't wait to go back. My hotel was right on the beach and ooh honey, I got bronzed! This trip was definitely what the doctor ordered.

look at that sunrise!

I arrived at 5am and was exhausted, but on the hour long drive to the hotel the sun started to rise and I knew that this was going to be a good trip. My hotel was a small group of bungalows owned and run by a local man named Eddie who was both hospitable and hilarious. My little bungalow had only the basics, a bed with mosquito net and a small bathroom, but it was perfect for what I had planned, which was utter relaxation. My door was literally steps from the beach and the hotel restaurant where I ate every day. 

Everyone knows how much I love animals, no trip is complete without some sort of animal interaction for me. So I researched and found this awesome animal sanctuary called Cheetahs Rock that allows you to actually pet and interact with the animals there. They only allow 15 people per day, and the owner personally walks you through and tells you about the animals and each of their own histories and at the end you're able to have a champagne toast with her cheetah, Tyson. I was all in!

feeding Maurice the bush baby some spaghetti

Mango the lemur eating sticky fruits

training Chaka

Manfred

All the animals had pretty sad stories, but it was clear that Jenny, the owner, really cared for them and the well-being of all animals. Maurice the bush baby had fallen out of a tree as a baby and was not able to be rescued by his mother, Chaka the zebra had been born in a zoo in Germany where the keepers were going to put him down simply because he was getting older and they didn't have room for him (a surprisingly common occurrence in zoos across the world), and Manfred was rescued from a local who used him to earn money by taking pictures with tourists. He was afraid to come over and eat from me because my brown skin apparently reminded him of the person/people who had abused him prior to arriving at Cheetahs Rock. Jenny made it a point to give me the container holding his fruit so that he would have to come closer to me to get his food and therefore learn to get over his fears. He eventually did come over to me and ate all the fruit in the bowl, but he would go back and forth and never stay close enough for me to touch him. Jenny said that this type of monkey was normally very vocal, but Manfred made not a peep while we were there and hadn't made any sounds at all in the 9 months that he had been there, a testament to his fragile mental/emotional state. Heartbreaking. These kind of monkeys are also very social animals, so lets all pray that Manfred gets a friend to live with very soon. 

feeding Aslan the white lion

he was really a big baby

Gizmo the Striped Hyena

All of the animals were really cute and affectionate, and I learned to look at them not as scary predators but as misunderstood animals. Aslan the lion was huge and looked like he could kill me with one swipe of his paw, but he was really a big baby. He sat and pouted near the fence while we went into the enclosures for the bush babies and lemurs like a puppy waiting to be played with, and like most babies, he was more than happy to have his daily milk. We didn't get to go into his enclosure, for our own safety, but I can't help but think he might've rolled over and let us rub his tummy like Gizmo the Striped Hyena (above) did if we could have.

And last but definitely not least, the evening ended with...

Tyson! I never would have imagined that I would be sipping champagne in a wild cheetah's home, and yes it was every bit as awesome as it looked. We all got a chance to sit and pet him and have our photos taken while Jenny answered any questions that we still had. It was a once in a lifetime experience and if you're ever in Zanzibar I highly recommend you pay Jenny a visit.

I. Am. In. Love!

The rest of my time in Zanzibar was spent relaxing and exploring other parts of the island. I started out with a trip to Blue Lagoon Beach, which was every bit as enchanting and magical as the name sounds, and then went to the iconic Rock restaurant in Michamvi and watched the sun set by the mangroves.

The Rock restaurant (it's low tide)

The next day we went to Paje Beach and watched the kite surfers, had coffee and samosas at a trendy little coffee shop called Mr. Kahawa, and I learned to how to play Bao.

Masai man selling jewelry and souvenirs

not to brag but it was my first time playing and I won :)

On the days that I stayed at the hotel I napped a lot, was able to read 3 books, walked the beach looking for shells, and hung out in one of the many hammocks on the property. It was, in a word, perfect.

fishermen, I think

octopus is one of the main foods eaten in Zanzibar

low tide, you can walk out as far as you can see (a good time to look for clams and octopus)

On Christmas Eve we took the hour long journey into Stonetown to do some shopping. It was considerably more hot in Stonetown because we didn't have the benefit of any breezes from the ocean, so all day I felt like I was melting. But I got to see the Freddie Mercury House, go to the market and wander countless winding alleyways looking for art and clothes, and have lunch at Forodhani park.

Freddie Mercury House

I was not at a loss for any Christmas decorations

here kitty kitty

making new friends like a boss

While we're here, I must say that Stonetown had some beautiful doors. Don't ask me why I paid attention to that, I'm weird. But look...

On Christmas day I fulfilled my lifelong dream of chilling in a hammock listening to the ocean waves wearing a red bikini. I also highly recommend that as well. In the evening, the hotel had a bbq buffet for all the guests and one of the french men that was also staying there brought out his didgeridoo and started playing it and his granddaughter started playing the flute. All the members of his family, I'd say there were at least 20 of them, got up and started dancing like it was the most lit party they had ever been to. It was highly confusing to my non-intoxicated brain. I guess it was their YOLO year too maybe.

        

Sandy the Snowman

Christmas full moon

And that was my time in Zanzibar folks! I will definitely be going there again this year :)