As I sat atop the watchtower, I couldn’t believe I was actually there. It stretched out before me for miles, and as the golden rays of the setting sun shone down on us that fall day, it all felt so surreal. I was actually sitting on the Great Wall of China! Since I was a little kid, China and the Great Wall had been something I learned about in school, but somehow it felt like such a distant alien land, that a small town Texas girl like me would surely never see it in person. But there I was, traipsing along the wild unrestored wall, marveling in its grandeur and beauty.
This article is part of my “New 7 Wonders of the World” series. The New 7 Wonders were voted upon worldwide in 2007, and include The Great Wall of China, the Colosseum, Petra, the Christ Redeemer, Machu Picchu, and Chichen Itza. While it’s certainly not a complete list of places I want to visit, it is my goal to travel to each location!
Being a veterinarian, I can never pass up an opportunity to get up close and personal with animals during my travels. Whether it’s feeding street dogs in Peru or chasing wildebeest in Africa, I am game for pretty much anything wildlife related. So when I realized July was peak time for whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, it was only a matter of “how fast can I book this tour?”
This article is part of my “New 7 Wonders of the World” series. The New 7 Wonders were voted upon worldwide in 2007. They include The Great Wall of China, the Colosseum, Petra, the Christ Redeemer, Machu Picchu, and Chichen Itza. While it’s certainly not a complete list of places I want to visit, it is my goal to travel to each location!
Cancun is primarily a place that caters to young, drunk teenagers and college students on Spring Break. At least, that’s how I’ve always thought of the seaside Mexican city. With its beach front all-inclusive hotels and abundance of bars and clubs, it’s no wonder young adults flock there each year to have some fun. I have never been a party girl, so Cancun was never on my list of must-see destinations. However, after spending my second winter in Chicago and working non-stop, I was itching to just lie by the beach, drink a margarita, and read a book. Enter Cancun. Flights were fairly cheap and direct from Chicago, so it seemed like the perfect vacation. I was even more excited when I realized how close Chichen Itza was, so that sealed the deal.
Hello there! Welcome to The Traveling Vet Girl. It’s a little late in the year to be doing an overview of 2016, but what better way to kick off a new website than to reminisce over the past year. 2016 was full of amazing new experiences, places, and people that I could have never imagined. And as always when I travel, I feel I grew more as a person. Now more than ever, travel is a way to broaden horizons, be more open minded, and learn how to walk in someone else’s shoes. Which brings me to the purpose of this site. I want to inspire people to dream beyond their wildest imagination of destinations they long to explore. But most importantly, more than just dream, I want people to GO. To not let the ‘what if’s’ hold them back. To show people they CAN get around the insecurities and fears that hold so many people back. Fears of not enough money, enough time, safety, being alone… the list could go on and on. The world is a beautiful place and life is short. I want to inspire people to get out of their comfort zones, and GO EXPLORE!