What Do You Like Best About Travel?
Coming from a very small country, one of the aspects I enjoy most about travel is seeing! Yes, seeing.
For a Bermudian traveller looking for exposure to the wider world, there is so much to discover. We have no rivers, streams, or waterfalls. So, a holiday beside the water almost guarantees that I will encounter these natural wonders, even though they are not part of our everyday landscape. Before heading out on a trip, I research the waterways in my destination to see which ones I can enjoy.
Just as we have no waterways, we have no mountains. That is why I have always wanted to hike up mountainsides and volcanoes. What an experience that was! You will notice that I say was. With time, my legs and knees refused to carry me uphill any longer, so it became necessary to replace that activity with something else.
With trekking off the cards, I had to double down on wildlife. I have been on 14 safaris in 12 countries, mainly in Africa. What an experience! I have seen almost every wild animal in Africa up close. Happily, I have only two scary stories to tell. I keep those to myself because, if I were to share them, I might find my free pass to travel somewhat curtailed!
You can probably tell from my stories that I am not much of a city person. When planning my trips, I always include some time in cities, but not too much. I want to see the highlights, preferably with a guide who really knows their stuff.
Some of my most moving experiences have included visiting the Galápagos Islands, trekking to see mountain gorillas in Uganda, standing before Mount Everest in Nepal, and skydiving in Colombia and Ecuador. Wow! I almost lose my breath just thinking about these adventures.
I laugh whenever I remember my stay at a camp in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. For three nights in a row, the waiter presented us with a written menu. Everyone studied it carefully and placed their orders, only to discover that their chosen meals were unavailable. Yet, for three nights running, one item was always available: crocodile!
Yummy!
I have had a very slow travel year in 2026, but I am keen to make 2027 a much better one. And by the following year, it will be time to take my grandchildren on some real adventures!
I can hardly wait.