I really don't like heights. My knees shake, my heart races, and somewhere along the way — usually while I'm climbing higher and higher — I start asking myself, "Why am I doing this to myself?" And yet, I keep going. Up the old, creaking stairs. Higher and higher. Until finally, I reach the top.
Why I Keep Climbing
In Roatán, I found myself standing on a bridge high above the treetops, suspended over a gorge. In Salzburg, Austria, I made my way to the top of Fortress Hohensalzburg, looking out over one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. On board World America, I climbed onto a swing high above the ocean. And yes, I've done rope courses that made my heart stop and had me wondering exactly what I was thinking.
I did them not because I suddenly stopped being afraid of heights — I didn't. I did them because I wanted to experience something new, see the world from a different perspective, and be able to tell you about it. That's one of the things I love most about travel: it encourages us to try, to explore, to say, "I've never done that before... but maybe I will."
Your Adventure Doesn't Have to Be Hundreds of Feet in the Air
Maybe your adventure is standing beside the bats at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Maybe it's finally riding the Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure — a ride that launches you to 70 mph in 2.4 seconds, climbs 155 feet into the air, includes four inversions, and drops 140 feet at an 80-degree angle. (Yes, my knees are shaking just writing that.)
Or maybe your adventure looks nothing like a ride at all: a cooking class in Italy, a bike ride through the countryside, snorkeling for the first time, walking through a centuries-old castle, a solo trip, a food you've never tasted — or simply saying yes to something you'd normally say no to.
You Don't Have to Conquer Every Fear
You don't have to become an adrenaline junkie. But sometimes the things that make us a little nervous become the stories we tell for years. That's why I keep climbing — because I want to feel that little rush of "oh my goodness, what am I doing," and then look around and think, I'm so glad I did.
When I plan travel for you, I don't just want to help you see the world. I want to help you experience it. Maybe your next trip takes you somewhere you've always dreamed of going. Maybe it takes you just a little outside your comfort zone. Either way, I'm here to help you find it.
What's one thing you've always wanted to try while traveling, but haven't been brave enough to do yet?