1. Skydive in Taupo New Zealand, the capital of skydiving in the world.
2. Bungy jump in the Swiss Alps. I was 15 the first time I went to Switzerland and I remember seeing young backpackers bungy jump near the Swiss Alps. It’s been on my list of things to do since that day!
3. Go on a safari in Africa. This one will be removed from my list by the end of the year!!
4. Visit the coffee zone in Colombia. I love coffee and heard nothing but good things about this region!
5. Rent a caravan and drive through Western Australia. Now that’s an adventure!
6. Visit the North Pole and ride on a dogsled. Although most people visit Antarctica, I’d like to head North to visit the part of my country that remains a mystery to me.
7. Volunteer in Africa. I’d like to take some time off (or maybe during retirement) to spend a few months in Africa and do some community work.
8. Ride the Trans-Siberia train across Asia. I’d like to begin in Moscow, ride it through Mongolia and then end the journey in China.
9. Spend a night with the Monks in any Buddhist country. I’d like to learn about what they do by experiencing it.
10. Go to Europe for a week-end. It came close once but it didn’t happen. With the many friends I have in Europe, I’d love to find a cheap flight and head to one of their cities to spend time with them for a week-end!

I guess we all have a list of things we’d like to do before we die. I am however happy of some of the things I did do so far. Below is a list of 10 things  I did so far:

1. Hang-gliding in Rio de Janeiro. A must-do when in Rio, I almost left the city without accomplishing this one because of the weather not wanting to cooperate. Although I spent a whole day waiting for this 15 mins adventure, it was well-worth it!!
2. Spend New Year’s Eve in Rio with 2 million other people. Now, this was amazing! I cannot even begin to describe the night. It’s definitely a must do!
3. Visit the Amazon and sleep in the jungle. The beauty of the Amazon is something everyone should experience at some point. The tranquility, the serenity, the sound of the animals and the vast territory you can walk or canoe on is  simply amazing!
4. Visit Patagonia: see and walk on glaciers. The beauty of this area of the world is indescribable. It’s so pure and so nice! I was in the region for almost a week and could have easily stayed a few extra weeks.
5. Live in a different country (Italy and Mexico). Adapting to other countries comes easily to me. Not sure why but I can practically live anywhere. But if the opportunity comes up, one should definitely take it. Whether the experience turns out to be good or bad, you’ll learn and grow from it. It’s the best way you can really experience the culture.
6. Learn a fourth language (Spanish). I barely knew Spanish when I arrived in Mexico and I must admit that I was very frustrated the first few months there because simple situations would turn into complicated ones. But.. it was the best way for me to learn the language in a short period of time. It paid off.
7. Travel solo (Brazil & Tanzania). I was a little nervous for my 3-week solo trip to Brazil but my trip went so so well that I’m really looking forward to traveling solo again, this time in Africa!
8. Party on the beach. Definitely a must-do! Ahh, good times. That’s all I have to say!
9. Ski in the Alps. I absolutely loved Chamonix (France). During my European experience, I made it a point to ski in the Alps. Being from Eastern Canada, I’m limited to big mountains so yes, I went skiing in the Alps a few times!
10. Party in random cities around the world. Who doesn’t like to party? My favorite party places are Buenos Aires, Rio, Barcelona, Lagos, Bangkok, Marrakech, Monterrey amongst many many others.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rInaF4NTeCM]

As a previous competitive swimmer, water was my best friend. I practically lived in it so I definitely had no fear of it . I foresaw no issue with going white water rafting in la Riviere Rouge, a river close to Montreal. The day started like any other fun day. We all arrived at the site, laughed and joked about signing our life away before putting on our life jackets and heading to the water.

Rafting on Rivière Rouge

As 9 of us got in the raft, I was sitting in the back near our guide. The water level were low that year due to a dry summer in the province so we were warned that it would be easier to get scrapes from the rocks at the bottom of the river.  I didn’t really think anything of it because of the “It’s not going to happen to me” syndrome. So as we went off in the water, we soon reached the Bear currents (Mama and Papa Bear) where the Papa Bear was rated as a 4. If you’re not familiar with the current levels, the currents go from 1 to 5, 1 being a mild current and 5 being a strong current.  So as we successfully went through the Mama Bear section, the Papa Bear was a different story! Since I was the last one to the right in the raft, I caught a wave and went flying into the water. I didn’t panic too much at first because I felt comfortable in the water. I felt comfortable until I realize that I was stuck under the raft! As I remembered to hold on to my paddle (as they explain before starting the adventure), I kept on swimming towards the light but unsuccessfully. In the meantime, I was in a current of a level 4 so I kept on tumbling until I went down this little hill under water and finally reached an area with minimal current. By then, I had swallowed a fair amount of water and I was indeed traumatized by the time I went back to the raft. My friends didn’t understand what I had just been through and having no option to go back to the site, I had to continue the adventure.

Feeling uneasy, we then caught another small wave which made me fly off my seat but into the raft this time. I managed to hit my mouth with the paddle which caused me to have a swollen lip for the rest of the week! So as we continued the adventure, we finally reached the Washing Machine section, an area of the river that is known to make rafts flip over. At this point, I had the option of come off the raft. Did I get off? No… I figured, I made it this far so I’m going all the way! What a bad, bad decision! Half the people on my raft got off, which made us a lightweight raft. That is not a good thing when you need to overcome another strong current of 4 or 5, I cannot recall. And so, with only a few of us in the raft, out we went in the current. Only a few seconds later, our entire raft flipped over completely. All of us fell in the water. Most of the group was fine because they managed to swim over where the guides were. Unfortunately, myself and another person were stuck underneath a raft- again! This time, I was also stuck near rocks, which caused me to have scraped legs for the rest of the month. At this point, I was ready to accept death. I was lucky the first time but didn’t consider myself lucky enough to make it out alive a second time. While all these thoughts were going through my head, one of the guides turned the raft which allowed me to finally breathe. That was unfortunately followed by swallowing more water but I finally made it back into the raft alive. While all of this was happening, I had no idea where I stood. Watching the video of the adventure made me realize the situation I was in.

As the tour we took included two runs, I decided to forfeit and accompany another girl to the hospital instead. This girl had a rock penetrate her leg so she needed stitches. I must admit that white water rafting will never be on my list of things to do again. While most adventures are positive ones, this one was definitely a negative one!

Colombia

Now everyone says, Colombia is one of the most dangerous countries to travel solo to, however this is where all the independent backpackers ventured off to in 2009. Within the last few years, Colombia has become under control and many backpackers seek into the deep culture and visit Bogotá and Medellin. Not only are the larger cities filled with hidden gems but also the smaller towns. Many backpackers travel to the heart of the coffee-growing region in the Andean Highlands and visit small fishing villages to join/meet friendly locals. Now not only is this country filled with lots of history and culture but it also extremely cheap.

Damascus, Syria

Want to take a step back in time; well many backpackers are doing just that. Syria’s capital city, Damascus is made up of many markets, Mosques, historic sites, and old cities streets. Now when I say old, I mean just that. This city is the oldest city in Syria and most of the city sights are hundreds of years old. When you walk around this city, everywhere you look it will feel like you are traveling back in time. Also not only is this city old, but traveling on a budget is perfect for us backpackers! Since it is incredibly affordable.

Senegal

I know many backpackers travel to Africa, but only to destinations such as Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa. Why not take a step deeper into Africa?! Well in 2009 many backpackers started that trend. Many travelers went over to Senegal to explore the capital city, Dakar. Now I know you might be thinking, that this city is dangerous well actually you are wrong. It is a safe city and is known for an amazing nightlife, and having a great music scene. Not only is the city amazing to sight see, but also the beaches. The beaches are where the backpackers tend to resort to. It is know that the scuba diving and fishing are the main things to do there.

Bangladesh

Many tourists resort to typical vacation destinations, so this stop to Bangladesh is not common. Dhaka, the capital city is know for it’s poverty and not the ideal backpacking location, yet 2009 many backpackers checked this country off their travel list. Dhaka is a city filled with chaotic crowds, but notoriously known to be friendly to the westerners. This city is cheap and filled with plenty of sights to explore.

So for 2010 will you be taking an adventure over to one of these countries?

Source: bootsnall.com

Lonely Plant

One of the most well named backpacking guidebooks, which is written from backpackers like us. It’s a classic, fat, and everything you need to know about your destination book. I find that since it comes out every year with an updated version it seems to have the widest range of travel tips for about everything that continues to grow from year to year. Lonely Plant is a great source for beginners who need those extra travel tips about food, attractions, and lodging. It is simple to read and follow, with source of how to extend your ability of creating a crazy adventure for yourself. Plus this book is not overly expensive, $25.

Frommers’s Guide

I find many backpackers who carry around Lonely Plant also have a second book on hand which is the Frommer’s Guide. This book is very similar to Lonely Plant, but with just a touch of “trendy” geared towards it. What I mean is that this book carries a flare of reference to inspire and motivate a backpacker to do exciting, but trendy things. The books uses a lot phrases such as awesome, totally, and amazing. These phrases are pointed towards pictures and diagrams for backpackers to reference. There aren’t as many maps in this guide compared to Lonely Plant, but instead the pictures are used as the main tool. Frommer’s is a little more pricy, $35-40.

Fodor’s Travel Guide

If you need something a little more organized and colorful, well this is the book to choose from. Fodor’s is geared towards backpackers who have a larger budget. It’s a guide that shows the best places to eat, lodge, and do crazy activities. There are little maps in this book, due to almost of the book printed in photos that inspire you to do bunging jumping and other extreme sports. So if you have the extra cash and what to backpack to the extreme, this a great guide for you.

There are many guidebooks, but I feel if you follow them to closely you won’t see crazy, dynamic, and amazing sites that are just sometimes not listed within these books. I find one of the best things to do while backpacking is walk around and get your self-lost within the city. Yet, do keep a map in your hand, but get lost with culture, traditions, and wander off to explore unexpected things. Mind you should be careful, and have an idea where you are but it can be fun and trust me you will see things that not even a guidebook can explain.

Being a backpacker is really wanting to be free and creating your own adventures. However, you need to have it in you in order to get the freedom you want because really most individuals are scared to travel solo or to travel to another country at all.

Beijing, 2007

You must be a free-spirit individual who can take any occasion and turn it into an eventful one. Since backpacking is really about creating stories and discovering new things. A backpacker is also someone who stays in hostels – the cheapest ones, budgets everything including food, and takes the cheapest transportation paths. Now all backpackers have different styles, but really this summons it up in who we are. We are missing one thing though; we have an obsession in stumbling over to country to country and never getting bored of adventures.

San Fran, 2006

My backpacking love, started when I traveled Europe for a year in 2005. I traveled with a good friend for a month, lived in Ireland for about three months, and traveled solo for the remaining. Now, most people and even backpackers thought I was crazy in traveling as a solo-women traveler. Yes, there were moments I was freaked out and had to make quick, smart decisions, but really they made my adventures more interesting. I explored new places, party when I wanted to, met lots of people in whom are great friends to this day. Out of that entire year I traveled 17 countries in Europe including a little hike over to Morocco, Africa. It was a year of amazing adventures especially for an 18 year old who just left high school. I was young, but eager to create my own experiences, and still has not stop. Every year I now take a backpacking trip to somewhere in the world.

Border of Chile & Argentina, 2009

So why become a backpacker, while when reality hits and the day to day job can be a little boring, why not spice it up a little? Grab your backpack, book a flight and find yourself in another country. Trust me once you start you will never want to stop. Plus life is to short, so make the most of it!

Even though I live in Canada I am not much of Canadian who loves the cold, snowy weather. I rather sit on a beach and sink my toes in the hot sand. Yet, I would love to travel to Nepal. As one of the hot spots for 2010, climbing the Annapurna Circuit and making a hike over to Mount Everest Base Camp is the new backpacker adventure. I would say wouldn’t it be great to check off the Himalayans off your list.

While I was traveling China in 2007, I met tones of backpackers who did the Siberian train, from Beijing to Moscow, Russia. I would love to do this route. This year traveling by train to Mongolia is a new hot spot. For the last few years Mongolia has become more accessible for backpackers to wander off to. This country is fast with little amount of people living there, which is why the landscape is incredible. This country goes from desert for miles to mountains in the north.  An adventure on the path of Ghenghis Khan would be an amazing experience, since very little individuals have climbed over to this country for centuries.

A friend of mine took an adventure over to Madagascar last year and mention… “ Nara this is a must 2010 trip for you.”  Only a handful of backpackers take this path and actually explore this place. So this year I say take a hike over here… I might see you there!!! Madagascar is so fast with landscape it is seems unreal. From trekking over mountains, adventuring exotic rainforests, laying in deep sand in the desert, to getting lost in one of the most beautiful jungles in the world. It will be a place you will want to cross off your travel list for 2010.

Out of all my backpacking adventures I heard of little stories and adventures of individuals who travel to Iceland. Now, I can’t say I have this country on the top of my travel list, but I think it’s climbing there. Iceland is a magical place for those who enjoy hiking and outdoor activities. Glaciers, volcanoes, and snow-capped peaks are just a few of Iceland’s natural beauties. Plus this country is filled with a unique culture and traditions that no backpacker wouldn’t want to miss out on. Oh and did I mention that due to the economy, this country is inexpensive, so make the most of the cheap and active nightlife Iceland brings.

My father grew up in Kenya for a part of his childhood. So when I was little I would hear stories of lions wandering into tourist’s bedrooms due to the little knowledge that tourists had about the wildlife in Kenya. Yet after all these years and hearing stories like this I still haven’t backpacked Kenya. So I decided this is a year Kenya needs to be discovered in my books. A Safari tour is must, exploring Nairobi, and a hike over to Zanzibar (island) in Tanzania is must. Very little backpackers have even heard of Zanzibar. I would go check it out!!!

These are just a few places I think are the hot new paths to seek within your other adventures you might have 2010!

I always make a new years resolution, in promising that I will explore some crazy place in this world. However, since this is now a typically occurrence for me, I just decide to choose a few different resolutions that are usually still related to a travel or some what.

Below are a few ideas I had in mind for this year.

First option, which is on top of my list every year, is a backpacking adventure. It doesn’t matter how small it may be, just make sure you take the time to grab your bag and run off to some country! If it’s only a week, that’s fine too, just make sure to create an outrageous adventure out of it.

Take a hike over to the best brand travel gear stores and treat yourself to sometime you would never except to purchase in when getting ready for a trip. But make sure it will replace one of your oldest items that you haul around everywhere on your adventures and can’t seem to get rid of. Remember you sometimes do need to enhance that backpacking look with something truly unique.

If you are a backpacker who takes tours, such as Gap Adventures, well take a u-turn and switch it up a bit. Do a trip as a SOLO backpacker and create your own tour. It can be a little scary in the beginning but over all you will create friends from many different occasions, seek paths that are less traveled, party like you are really living, and take risks that will boost a story or two in your journal.

Life can be hectic and stressful, which is one reason why we get away to travel. Now try to make that life completely filled with freedom by trying some different, such a skydiving, bungee jumping, sailing in the middle of nowhere for weeks, jumping off some high 100 feet cliff into sparkling blue water, climb a mountain/volcano, or just lay on a beach for an entire night. Well I believe you get my point, but just do something extraordinary amazing.

Backpacking is backpacking, but what about learning a new skill or language in a different city/country. Take a few Spanish classes in Argentina or travel over to China and learn some martial art fighting in an ancient village. Now, this might sound a little chilling but how often do you hear your friends take a leap in doing an adventure like this?

Some of these thoughts have been spinning around in my head for a few years, so this year I am going to make a mission in trying to take a step in learning a new language and diving out of a plane solo.  So what is your new years resolution going to be for 2010!??

It was a seven day whirlwind of sightseeing, beach bumming and intense partying! I couldn’t have asked for a more well-rounded holiday.  I started off in Athens and decided to take a tour which included: Hadrians Library, both the Roman and Greek Agora, the Acropolis, Hadrians Arch and the National Gardens of Athens. Personally I felt the tour was not very informative and quite useless other than for the sake of meeting people. All the main sites in Athens are in close proximity to each other and can be seen in a full day. The sites themselves really put me in a mesmerising state. The ruins were incredible works of art.

That night I went with a buddy and some newly met friends to the Rock of Areopagos and drank red wine while looking over the city. That was a night I will never forget. There was something about looking across Athens, where the Acropolis was lit up beside us, with a group of people singing Christian songs behind us, at the same spot where Saint Paul had preached 1950 years earlier. It was just numbing…and I am not even religious!

The next day we headed to Olympia; the birth place of the ancient Olympics. Just a side note but Olympia is an eight hour train journey from Athens so even though it doesn’t seem that far away (about 200 km) there are no direct train routes from Athens. The Olympic ruins were well…a little more ruined than I expected. However, I still got an incredible feeling walking through the ancient site knowing that it was the place where it all started.  The remains of the buildings took some serious imagination to picture what they once looked like. It still baffles me how the ancient Olympics went on for almost 1200 years.  Our modern Olympics has only existed for just over 100 years and even in this short time-frame so much has changed.

The next day we started our island hopping trip. First we stopped off in Mykonos; not much more than a party island. So my buddy and I ripped it up and took off to Ios the next morning. We arrived just after 10 am and I couldn’t figure out where everyone was until our hostel receptionist told us that most people just went to sleep. When we heard that we knew that we had arrived at the party island.

We spent the afternoon on a kayak safari, which consisted of kayaking out to a peninsula, snorkelling for a bit, a little cliff diving action and an open barbeque on a private beach. Now this is what I call living it up! Nothing like freshly barbequed Greek souvlaki while catching some rays on the beach. I could not get enough of that stuff- I ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Anyways, I am digressing a little bit.

The next two nights I experienced the most exhilarating partying that I have ever taken part in. What I came to realize is that the town of Ios (on Ios Island) is comprised primarily of bars and clubs. The whole town was literally dependent on night life establishments. Simply impressive!

So after getting about 30 minutes of sleep on a bench outside the ferry dock we headed off to Santorini. I didn’t have a whole lot of expectations other than I heard it was a beautiful island and famous for its sunsets. When we arrived I was absolutely in awe. It was a whole other world; a place that I thought only existed in movies. There were cliffs that would have dwarfed skyscrapers and white villages scouring the top just gripping the edges. I sobered up instantly and my instincts took control. I knew I was in for a serious adventure. We decided to rent a car because we were only there for two days. It’s amazing what your body is capable of when your mind is going a mile a minute. I had so much energy I felt like I had just woken up from a 15 hour sleep. The first thing we noticed when we actually were at the top of the cliffs was the tremendous mountain that consumed the entire centre of the island. So we decided to conquer the mountain and enjoy its magnificent, endless view. It was straight out of a painting. Later, we drove around the island visiting its natural red and black volcanic beaches and finally settled down for dramatic sunset finish. It was a great way to conclude an overwhelming and sensational journey.