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I remember the first time I was self conscious about my body... I was 7. And contrary to what we hear all the time, it wasn't because of fashion magazines or unreasonable expectations set forth from the media. It was just normal insecurities. It was second grade and we were learning how to measure things. We were split into groups and given tape measures. We measured the circumference of our heads and how tall (or short) we were. Then we measure our waists. When it was my turn, I sucked my stomach in and was immediately called out on it. Being 7, I thought I was super clever and I tried to convince them that, I hadn't in fact sucked my stomach in, and this is just how I look normally. Needless to say, a career in espionage was not in my future. As mature as I'd like to think I am now, my 7 year old insecurities never went away. In fact they probably got more elaborate. I was saying just the other day that the only part of my body that I don't see any room for improvement in, is my ankles. I think I can safely say that I have nice ankles. But that's crazy! I realized just how crazy I was when we were in Key West. And I think it's safe to say that I'm not the only one suffering from this brand of crazy. I know a lot of women who won't be seen in a swimsuit or subject themselves to wearing cover-ups the whole time and not swimming for fear of someone seeing a less than taught stomach. And that's just not how things are in Key West. There's something different about it there. I saw women who had to be at least 75 wearing booty shorts and halter tops. I saw women of all shapes, sizes, and ages rocking string bikinis and crop tops. It's just so laid back there and hot, that you just start to not care so much about all of the stupid stuff. And if you're looking too uptight about anything, you're probably going to stand out like a sore thumb, and this goes for men too. Pat was sassed by a barista for having his shirt too buttoned up. That attitude is infectious and you just start to have fun without worrying as much about whether anyone notices your muffin top or that your thighs don't look like Gisele's. Having that attitude definitely made for a more fun trip. I'm glad to say that I 100% embraced it. That was until I got back and the warm glow of Key West started to fade and I was sorting through our pictures and I saw this one. Now, let me start by saying that this is not a compliment fishing expedition. Do I think I look like a grotesque ogre? No. But I am sad to say that my first reaction was not a nice one. All I saw were the same problem areas that I've been self conscious about since I was 7. But then I remembered that this picture was taken just a short time after I was snorkeling fearlessly with sharks. Yes, this little friend of mine, the Black Tipped Caribbean Reef Shark. Ok, before when I said "fearlessly" I will amend that to a healthy amount of (heart pounding) fear and respect for sharks.
But, my point in all this is that sure, our bodies may not be perfect, and we all have insecurities about how we look, but we shouldn't let that stop us, ever! If you've been putting off taking a beach vacation until you're in bikini shape, don't put it off any longer. You'll never be younger than you are today. And if you're still feeling unsure, book a trip to Key West. I've never been anywhere where people where so comfortable just being themselves. Book that ticket, buy that swimsuit, and stock up on SPF. You're going to have a great time even if you have a muffin top. Never let your insecurities stop you from having fun and don't forget to travel happy! Skeeter
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Kia ora Happy Travelers! For you non Kiwi's, "kia ora" means hello and is suitable for starting our guest post today which is all about a Kaikoura, New Zealand. This post is coming to you today from Luke Marlin of Backstreet Nomad's Anti Travel Guides. Luke works a regular 9-5 job, and his salary he calls his travel fund. He and his wife spend most of their time in negative annual leave due to this expensive yet incredibly rewarding hobby. Luke travels for 3 reasons: becoming immersed in a different culture, finding the less obvious attractions, and for hectic bragging rights back home. He is the author of Backstreet Nomad’s Anti Travel Guides, available on Amazon and on his blog www.antitravelguides.com. You can also follow Luke on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. It's the perfect example that you don't have to quite your job and abandon your family to see the world. Not only that, but he's got a love for New Zealand. Anyone who's cool with New Zealand is cool with me! I'm especially excited about this post because, although Pat and I covered a ton of ground while we were in New Zealand, Kaikoura is actually one spot we didn't make it to. From Luke's pictures it seems we definitely missed out. So, enough of my blabbing on, let's here from Luke! New Zealand is a place that is very popular with, among others, Australians and (evidently) the Chinese. Not to generalise, but the Australians travel in campervans and the Chinese travel in tour buses. Being Australian I opted for the former and spent 3 weeks driving the coast of the New Zealand South Island. Not just some of the coast, but pretty much all of it. In the North-east coast is a small town called Kaikoura, a small seaside town of about 2000 that is well known for its fishing and whale sightings. Kaikoura is a very cute little town but the beauty lies in the mountains that dominate the landscape at a very close distance. The name Kaikoura is actually derived from the Maori words for food (Kai) and crayfish (koura). They were pretty adept those Maori because there are a lot of crayfish in the ocean by Kaikoura. In fact there are a lot of marine creatures in the sea because Kaikoura is very uniquely located in our world. Because these mountains are so close to the water they essentially continue descending just off the coast at a similar grade. In only a couple of hundred metres out to the sea the sea floor can drop to over 2000 metres (6500 feet). The currents that this causes attracts many small fish which then attracts bigger fish and whales. The whales dive for food and come to the surface to breathe and it is these whales that have brought Kaikoura into existence. Initially whaling was the big industry, now the whales attract tourism. I was of course a part of this because I booked a scenic flight to view a whale as he comes up to breathe. There are also boat tours available but I figured the scenic flight would be quicker (the whales don’t actually stick around for very long) and we’d also be treated to seeing the town, peninsula and mountains from the air. I tell you, we almost didn’t see a whale, and while that would have been disappointing, it would not have been a deal breaker because seeing the mountains from the air was just magnificent. Interestingly enough, coming into land was actually somewhat of a highlight as this brought us back closer to the mountains which made them seem even more immense and the landing field (yes, field, not a strip) was right by the water. So we had water to the left and mountains to the right. An unforgettable experience. Kaikoura is also home to 2 seal colonies out on Kaikoura Peninsula. These can easily be seen from the cliffs above on a 2 hour nature walk, or you can actually get quite close to them by taking the low road and walking out near the rocks they are laying on. Don’t expect too much movement though, the seals spend most of their time out at sea fishing and come to land to rest and recover. Still, occasionally one seal will piss off another and you’ll hear them barking, which causes some excitement. At the colony that I visited there must have been at least 30 seals resting. Be careful not to get too close though, over jagged rocks they are much, much quicker than you! Kaikoura is a beautiful town and I would say it warrants at least a full day and night. If you arrive in the evening you can be up early enough the next morning to either go on a whale watching cruise or scenic flight. Both are great options depending on your preference, budget and time restriction. Have some fish and chips for lunch - there are plenty of vendors to choose from - Kaikoura is known for its blue cod so keep an eye out for that, it won't be hard. After lunch drive out to Kaikoura Peninsula. There are a couple of walks along the clifftop that will offer some great views of the ocean and the seals above. If you park at the northern car park the steps will lead you up to the path and loop back in about 2 hours. Or if you’d prefer to have an up-close encounter with the seals (but not too close, remember) ignore the steps altogether and just follow the water around the point and you will see the seal colony after walking for about 15 minutes. Kaikoura was one of my favourite places I visited in New Zealand because of its incredible beauty and the natural wildlife that was so accessible. If you are heading to the South Island make sure to stop by.
_________ Wow! Pat and I were talking the other day that New Zealand might be creeping up on our list of places we need to go back to soon and I'm pretty sure we're going to have to add Kaikoura on our list of places to see the next time around. Thanks to Luke with Backstreet Nomad's Anti Travel Guides for sharing his beautiful pictures and tips for a visit there. If you want to see more of what he's up to (and I know you do), be sure to check him out on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. As always, thanks for stopping by, have a great rest of your week, and don't forget to travel happy! Skeeter Hey Hey Happy Travelers! I hope you are having a great week. I hope all of you had a fun and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. I know we did! On Memorial day, my father-in-law ran in the Bolder Boulder 10K race in Boulder, Colorado. He's done many marathons, 10Ks, and other road races before, including previously running the Bolder Boulder. He really loved that race, and I'm so glad he had the chance to do it again. Road races can be a really fun way to see the world. And as luck would have it, I have a really exciting guest post from another very passionate road runner, Andrea. She's here to share with you some of the amazing places that she's had a chance to run and might just give you some inspiration to combine your love for running with your love for travel. So, let me tell you a little bit about Andrea: Andrea Herrmann is the author of "Serial Racing: Planning and Affording a Lifetime of Endurance Events." She participates in 40 to 75 road races a year. She serves as president of the 100 Half Marathons Club, and volunteers as a director for Medals4Mettle, a nonprofit that presents donated marathon finisher's medals to children and adults fighting serious illnesses. For more information, visit www.serialracing.com. So, without further a do, let's hear from Andrea! __________ In 2015 I’ve run down Times Square, through Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland, past Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II in Massachusetts, and by historic landmarks in Fredericksburg, Virginia. How have I done this? I participate in road races all over the United States. Runners and race walkers are traveling the country, doing events from 5Ks to marathons. We get guided and supported scenic tours of some of the most beautiful locations in the country. These races show us the best sites and views a city has to offer, and often give us access to roads and bridges that are closed to the general public. The courses are monitored by police and course marshals, telling us which way to go and ensuring our safety. We often get the added benefit of discounted accommodations from race partner hotels, which helps us save money on our trips. Road races have brought me to many amazing locations around the country, offering the opportunity to both sightsee and visit great historic destinations. Races combine healthy exercise with tourism, and can take you to places you might not have seen otherwise. There are road races that will take you through wineries, into national parks, on famous historic roads, and past beautiful beach and ocean views. Many athletes have the goal of completing a race in all 50 states, and match this goal with their “places to see” bucket list. Hawaii and Alaska are often the last states to be completed, and are combined with a long getaway or a cruise. There are many courses that can show how beautiful our country is. The Mad Half Marathon in Vermont offered panoramic views of the Green Mountains and the chance to run through covered bridges, and helped cover the calories from my post-race visit to Ben & Jerry’s headquarters, Cabot Cheese, and Champlain Chocolates. The Mount Desert Island Marathon and Half Marathon shows the beauty of scenic Bar Harbor, Maine. The Sedona Half Marathon and Marathon in Arizona has a challenging and hilly course, but rewards you with its breathtaking views of the red rock canyons. In the New York City Marathon, I got to run across Verrazano Bridge, through the streets of Brooklyn, down First Avenue and Fifth Avenue, and into Central Park. In Seattle, the Amica Half Marathon started at the Experience Music Project with a view of the Space Needle, then took me past the Seahawks and Mariners stadiums. The Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Half Marathon took me through the French Market, then past Jackson Square, Cafe Du Monde, and the Museum of Art. The Anthem Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia Beach took us through Fort Story, a joint military base. We saw the Cape Henry Light House, one of the oldest in the country, before making the way to the beachfront finish on the boardwalk. For history buffs, there are plenty of opportunities to combine a race with landmarks and historical sites. I ran by the Mississippi River and visited a Civil War battle area in Kentucky. The Shoreline Half Marathon in Hamlin, NY took me past the site of a World War II German prisoner of war camp. The Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Half Marathon gives you views of national monuments like the Washington Monument, the White House and the U.S. Capitol Building. There are also unique races that combine local history with scenic and fun courses. The Hatfield-McCoy Marathon goes through West Virginia and Kentucky, and takes you past many of the famous feud sites. The Hershey Park Half Marathon takes you through the amusement park, past the Hershey factory, and down Chocolate Avenue, where you can see the famous kiss-shaped street lights. Do you love Disney? There are seven different RunDisney race weekends each year that offer a unique park experience and character photo opportunities. I’ve run in the four parks of Walt Disney World and in Disneyland and California Adventure, running down Main Street USA in each location, and going past all the great rides and attractions. Are you a sports fan? Several races involve the opportunity to run through or finish in sports stadiums. There are over a dozen races that give you the chance to run around or on the field of college or professional football stadiums such as Foxboro Stadium, Soldier Field, and Lambeau Field. At the Arena Attack Indoor Half Marathon in Connecticut, I ran loops around the concession stand of the XL Center, home of the Hartford Wolfpack. Baseball stadiums also offer races. In November, Yankees Stadium serves as the course of the Runyon 5K Run/Walk. Road races are not just for “fast” runners. Many races offer walker-friendly time limits and encourage participants of all paces. While you definitely need to train and get the right shoes and clothing for races, this great hobby can give you both fitness and great travel memories.
________ Wow, I'm going to need to get some new running and shoes and start training! It just goes to show you that there is a trip out there for everyone. Whether you want to spend it busting a sweat while you tour a new city, or lounging pool side, there's something out there for you. And what a great motivator to get into shape before a trip! Thank you to Andrea for her story! Have you traveled somewhere for an event like this? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear about it! Right now is the perfect time to start planning those summer trips. Where are you going this year? Wherever you go, don't forget to travel happy! Skeeter |
Skeeter
Hi there! I'm Skeeter. I grew up moving a lot and that makes me a bit restless for travel and exploration. I started this blog with my husband Pat when we decided to backpack New Zealand for a year. We are always looking for the next adventure and are loving life. We're just your average couple with two sassy dogs and a love for travel. We're sharing our travels and the tips we pick up along the way. LIZHello! I'm Liz. Blogging is very new to me, but I'm so excited to finally write as much as I talk! Archives
December 2016
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