9/29/19 Ammoudi

After the sun had set, we headed into Oia for dinner. We made our way through town and down the steps to the port of Ammoudi. We had read before hand that it was 1000 steps, though the real number is closer to half that. The way down was fairly easy, and we had an amazing fish dinner right on the water. We got to choose our fish and have it cooked to perfection on the grill.

After dinner we walked around Ammoudi and then made our way back up the stairs to Oia. Though the trip back up was significantly more difficult, we took our time and enjoyed the ever changing views of Oia on the way. Once we were back up at the top we got to explore the main shopping streets of Oia with hardly any people around. The local dogs and cats were out in force cleaning up after the tourists and guarding their shops. As the stores closed up, it was off to bed to prepare for another full day.

9/29/19 Finikia

We stayed at a wild Airbnb in Finikia, just down the road from Oia. I got up early the first day to wander around town and watch the sun rise. The day was spent visiting a vineyard for a welcome lunch and wine tasting, and we returned to the Airbnb for the sunset. Though the view was not as good as it had been from the restaurant the previous night, it was still very nice.

9/28/19 Oia, Santorini

This fall marked an occasion we have been waiting for for a long time – my cousin’s wedding in Santorini Greece. We had a chance to see them get married, but also to see a new country and experience new things.

The new experiences started right away with our arrival in Santorini. We rented a car and drove around the island to Oia. We headed right for the Sunsets Restaurant for dinner with my family. As you might expect given the name the views were great, but so was the food.

5/25/19 Acadia

Every year for Memorial Day weekend we travel up to Acadia and spend some time camping. We take kayaks, bikes, and whatever else we can fit in the car and take in everything Acadia has to offer. This year’s trip was a bit shorter than usual, but we still had a great time.

5/20/19 Carolina Raptor Sanctuary

Due to an unexpected flight delay, we found ourselves wandering about Charlotte for the day, looking for something to keep us busy. We ended up at the Carolina Raptor Sanctuary. This small facility takes in injured birds of prey and rehabilitates them. They have a number of such animals on display as well, offering a unique chance to see many magnificent birds. After wandering the grounds we also explored some of the neighboring conservation land. Unfortunately, it was too hot to really enjoy much of the outdoors, so in the end we got ice cream and headed for the airport.

5/18/19 US National Whitewater Center

For my birthday this year my wife decided to take me down to the US National Whitewater Center. I knew immediately it would be a great time. I have been paddling for years, so the chance to try this kind of course was very exciting. I rented a boat and paddled it for a couple of hours each day. It really took a lot out of me, but I had a great time. Beyond the whitewater, the center also has many other fun activities. We had a great time trying out deep water soloing, zip lining, and the high ropes course. We didn’t even have a chance to try the mountain biking, so we will definitely be back another time.

2/10/19 Hotel Xcaret Mexico

We spent a day relaxing at the Hotel Xcaret Mexico where were staying. It was a very nice stay, and we were shocked at how empty the place was. It was like spending out time in an advertisement for a hotel where there are no people. On top of that, the food was great, including lots of local options. The layout is also very interesting. There are not many maps that indicate where to go or what you can do. It is really intended to be explored, and we had fun doing so. We would highly recommend staying here.

2/9/19 Chichen Itza

For the second day of our stay in Mexico we went on an excursion out to the Chichen Itza. I really enjoyed seeing the ancient architecture and looking at (and photographing) the many little details there were to see. On the return trip, we also stopped at the Ik Kill Cenote and had a chance to swim in the water.

2/8/19 Xcaret

We started our trip to Mexico’s Riviera Maya at the Hotel Xcaret Mexico. Our stay included access to the Xcaret eco theme park. We rode bikes over to the entrance from the hotel and spend at least half the day exploring what it had to offer. It was certainly not your typical park. There was water everywhere. One highlight for us was the underground river that you can swim through. It was a great way to tour the park.

1/26/19 Shingle Creek Kayaking

I had some free time on a trip down to Orlando for work and wanted to get out to see some nature with some coworkers. We ended up driving down to Shingle Creek and renting some kayaks for the afternoon. It was not a very long paddle, but took us through a cypress forest. We saw a nice variety of wildlife along the way. Certainly a change of pace from Universal Studios!

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