I thought I would never see my fishy friends again. Yet there I was, fins donned, mask in hand, preparing to jump into a lively, swirling mob of reef fish in the blue lagoon of Rangiroa. Something I thought I had lost forever was beautifully there, right in front of me, and I couldn’t wait to submerge. The giant stride off the side of the bobbing boat felt nothing short of miraculous and affirmed I was alive and well.
We all experience grief, loss, hardships and in my case, a chronic illness that for several years separated me from many things I loved. Dark times might sideline us for a season, but hope has a way of persisting and revealing light and possibility. When we emerge from seasons of struggle, we often find ourselves rearranging our priorities and elevating those that promote wonder, joy and connectedness. This includes the way we choose to travel.
It’s time to make your approach to Destination Awe(Some) — here are five ideas for ways to put your season of struggle behind you and start your life-affirming travel list:

Witness a Monarch butterfly migration (Mexico)

Each year, up to a billion brilliant, orange monarch butterflies take to the skies on an annual migration beginning in the U.S. and Canada, and landing thousands of miles away in their winter roosting stop in the central highlands of Mexico. When you venture into the wilderness of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site about 60 miles northwest of Mexico City, you will observe such a massive gathering of life that tree branches reportedly bend under the weight of the gently resting butterflies. Butterflies are symbolic of transformation and metamorphosis, so the successful journey across North America of these delicate insects can feel quite inspiring and personal. You will get the full effect as the butterflies suddenly take flight from their perches in the fir trees, and the sky overhead transforms into a fluttering cloud of beauty in motion, filling your ears with a sound like rain on leaves and your heart with pure wonder.

Dance (like no one’s watching) in the streets at Carnival (Brazil)

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is an icon of festivity and national identity, showcasing an annual samba parade that heavily informs our perception of Carnival. Did you know, though, that visitors can join in the fun, too? Don’t worry — to participate in Carnival, you don’t have to know how to samba and you don’t need a costume — you just need to find yourself a bloco (a free, casual and inclusive street party) and melt into the energetic fun that’s unfolding all around you. It doesn’t matter if you are the most uncoordinated, unfashionable traveler to ever hit the streets of Brazil — all are welcome to dance and celebrate. Joining a bloco transports you from sideline spectator to full-on participant, where you’ll find yourself in the company of hundreds or even thousands of other revelers, dancing among mobile musicians, each neighborhood having its own musical anthem. If you have the stamina, there are over 500 blocos to choose from, and some go on for days.

Sing along with 20 new friends at an Irish pub (Ireland)

It’s late afternoon, the festivities have begun and you are invited. Drop into one of many pubs throughout Ireland, grab a pint, and be welcomed to sing with the locals during open music sessions. You’ll raise your voices to traditional songs like “The Kesh Jig” or “The Silver Spear,” and you may even be invited to share a melody from your homeland. If your singing voice is something that makes dogs run for the hills, that’s OK … just lip-sync the tunes, sway along and enjoy the camaraderie and atmosphere. These venues are small and packed with laughter, joy and the communal glee that comes from belting out a tune together.

Behold the greatest sunset of your life at an African sundowner (Botswana)

You may be familiar with a “sundowner” as a drink that’s enjoyed at sunset. But in Botswana, a sundowner is a ritual that you enjoy at the end of your day on safari. It’s a complete experience that marries wildlife and wilderness: a sunset, fellow travelers, shared stories and, yes, a cocktail. Picture yourself seated on an elevated wooden platform of your safari camp in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. The sun has morphed from bright white to a deep orange glow resting just above the horizon. You sip your chilled sundowner beverage — an earthy, local sorghum beer — and focus on the African elephants in the distance, their large ears and skinny tails waving as silhouettes against the sun. You share stories of today’s game drive — sighting a leopard and her cub high in a tree, a days. There is always a way forward. Travel not to race time, but to enrich life.
Count the destinations and the multiply moments. Live not for the bucket. Live and travel for the wonder and to honor life. Now start or continue your “Living list”!
Beyond the Bucket List Life isn’t a bucket list. It’s not about racing the clock or posing for proof. Life isn’t meant to be measured in bucket lists or boxes checked. It’s meant to be lived fully, boldly, and in ways that speak to your soul. A chateau in France, a treehouse in Costa Rica. What matters isn’t the postcard, but the joy you feel when you’re there. Choose experiences and destinations that reflect your passions, not someone else’s expectations.
Travel is one of life’s greatest teachers. It reminds us how small our hometowns are and how vast the world can be. It breaks down prejudice, builds understanding, and shows us that while cultures may differ in language, food, or customs, we are all more alike than we think. Each journey is an invitation to humility, perspective and connection.
Don’t wait for the “right time” or the “perfect plan.” Start where you are. Set intentions that excite you, like visiting 50 states, seven continents or simply the next town over. Find creative ways: cook your meals, ride the bus, hunt for free museum glimpse of a cheetah as it disappears into the camouflage of tall yellow grasses and the sound of buffalo hooves as a herd tramps by. As these stories float between you and your travel mates, the setting
sun shimmers, casting the entire scene in front of you in crackled diamond light, and you feel more alive and present than you’ve ever felt.

Hear the most magnificent melodies at the Musikverein (Austria)

Does sound have a shape? Does it curve, float or bend? You might consider these questions as you sink into your plush seat at the Musikverein, a concert hall in Vienna, Austria, revered for its historic splendor and acoustic magic. Here, sound seems to have a shape. You notice that everything about this place is surprisingly tactile — the hands of the orchestra performers as they hold a violin’s bow or the tap the keys of a flute, the subtle electric charge in the air from the collective human energy and the vibrations coming through the wood floor that tingle the soles of your feet. When the music begins, it becomes clear that this place is acoustically special, and the layers of melody feel as though they are wrapping around you, intertwining you with your fellow listeners. This moment becomes a collective sensory experience. You may even find yourself closing your eyes, absorbing every single beautiful note, and wondering if this is what transcendence is like.
Sometimes life’s darker seasons come with unexpected gifts — like helping us see what really matters. Why not start your new season with some awe and joy? Reach out to our travel agency today and begin planning your own life-affirming journeys.