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Sorry it has been a while since I posted, but the plan is start posting monthly. Life got crazy there for a while. Holding true to my motto of “Just a Girl finding all the inspiration the world has to offer”, I have been on many adventures even though life was pretty crazy. Through my adventures I was able to find myself that I had lost, but more on that later. In my last post from two years ago, I let everybody know that my adventure sidekick, Coco, had gone to Rainbow Bridge. Almost a year after Coco passed, she sent me a new adventure buddy, named Roxy, who is just full of life and energy. Inspiration comes in all forms and this time inspiration came in the form of a dog. Roxy was very nervous and curious about the world around her. I’m a true believer that the dog finds the person verse the person finding the dog. This was 100% true with Roxy. Sometimes inspiration in the world is not found through travel but just life. Life will throw things your way when you least expect it and when you most need it. I needed Roxy at the time she came into my life and a lot of things had to line up for me to get her. I had gone to a mega adoption event to look at a few rescues and a few dogs I had in mind. Roxy was on my radar but she was not at the event because she was so shy around new people. Before the mega event I had gone to look at another dog at two other events, and each time the dog was adopted. When I got to the first event as I was introducing myself and giving the list of dogs I wanted to see they told me this one dog that I was most interested in had just been processed for another family, so I looked at the other dogs on my list and they just were not the right fit. The second weekend I went back to the event because I heard the adoption of the dog that I wanted didn’t go through and she was still with the rescue. I got there 10 minutes after the event started and found out another family got there before me and decided to adopt her. It was a perfect fit for her because they had kids and she would light up when she saw kids. However, this meant I was still looking for my best friend. I went to the mega event and the dog that I wanted with Labs and Friends got adopted and Roxy was not at the event but I did get to pet a lot of dogs. After the event I had set up appointments to look at two other dogs and also Roxy. Roxy’s appointment was the last one scheduled and was tentative based on the other two appointments. The other two appointments fell through because the volunteers had to cancel due to a work appointment and the other a medical emergency for a dog that had just come in.  So, two weeks after the mega adoption event, I went to meet Roxy even though the volunteer told me that she was very shy and might run away from me. Remember I am a believer in the dog picks the person. Well I get there and I step out of my car and Roxy runs right to me and starts licking me. She stole my heart in that moment. I couldn’t take her home with me right away because some other life things had to happen before she could come to live with me. In the mean time I decided to start volunteering with Labs and Friends Rescue. A few months after meeting Roxy I was able to officially adopt her and have her come live with me. Through her and also all the dogs waiting for their forever home I have seen all the love and joy these dogs have for the world. Roxy was pretty scared of the world and to watch her open up and really explore her surroundings has been amazing. It has inspired me to find the same wonder in the world she has. She has learned to trust and also to explore and not run away afraid. It took a long time to bring her confidence out and one of the reasons it has taken a while to write. She is slowly being able to go on more and more adventures with me. Just watching her explore and how excited she gets when she goes on car rides, hikes, and gets to play in the water is just amazing and really where the real joy in life is. Part of inspiration is joy, because without having joy in what you are doing there is no inspiration to look for. Below are some of Roxy’s adventures over the last year. Remember to keep exploring and looking for inspiration and joy.

Hello All,

Sorry I have not been active and have not posted my recent adventures, however life got in the way in the last few months. Although I have had some travel and local adventures (posts coming your way), life kind of took over. My main sidekick for my local adventures, Coco, passed away followed by my grandfather a month later. Leading up to Coco’s passing I tried to spend as much time with my pup as possible. We went on many adventures throughout San Diego. Luckily I had some warning of her time before crossing the Rainbow Bridge, so we were able to seize as much time and memories as we could . After I got back from my trip to the French Polynesian Islands we found out Coco had cancer that had moved to her lungs. She was given a few weeks to a few months and I knew I had to give her all the memories I could. So, all my free time was spent with her.

San Diego is luckily a very dog friendly place, so we went to the beach as often as we could since Coco loved playing in the waves and laying in the sand. We took short walks around the neighborhood, which we had to limit after her diagnosis with the lesions in her lungs. Coco’s favorite part of her last few months was going out to eat. So many restaurants and drive-thrus love dogs. Wendy’s and In-N-Out offer burgers for your dogs and what dog does not love French fries. The Habit also makes burgers for dogs and Coco loved sitting out on the porch and getting her own bowls to eat and drink from. Coco also loved Chipotle’s Chips so we went to Chipotle after almost every vet visit.

I learned a lot over the almost three months I had with Coco after her diagnosis. I learned that life is short so be sure to go on the adventures no matter how small. Also, spend as much time with your loved ones, especially your pets, because they are always there and you will cherish those memories more then anything in the end. Be as happy and as positive as you can. We spent a lot of time on the beach, the sun in your face and the salt air really is calming.  Remember to always do what you love and makes you happy. I had Coco for a little over three years and rescuing a dog is the best decision I have ever made. So remember adopt don’t shop and pets are for life.

I had many plans for stories, so more should be coming soon. However, life has a way of throwing adventures in that you must take the opportunity to seize, spend the time, make the memories, and remember to take a step back to see what is most important. The inspiration the world offered through my pup was sometimes the simple things are what is needed in life. So, sit on the front porch watching the lighting bugs with your family and pets or go to the beach and watch the waves. Take the moments you are given and find the inspiration they have to offer.

Coco’s Adventures

I have decided that 2017 is the year to say YES to adventure. In Mid January I got the chance to say Yes to join some friends for a close friend’s wedding in French Polynesia. So with 2 weeks until the date we would leave I booked the trip with another friend to join our friends on February 1st. It was one of the greatest decisions of my life and with this decision I added invaluable memories. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and I got to experience a Tahitian Wedding. On this trip we flew in and out of Tahiti, so when we were leaving the country we got to have dinner in downtown Papeeta.  My friend and I on the advice of the Hotel Director in Bora Bora decided to go to the local food trucks. We took a taxi from the airport to Les Roulottes where there were so many food trucks serving seafood, crepes, and lots of Chinese Food. The taxi can range anywhere from $20-$25 one way, but definitely worth it. There was a little market of artisans next to the food trucks so we were able to pick up last minute gifts/souvenirs. The two islands we were mainly on were Moorea and Bora Bora. I saw recently that Moorea is the Most Beautiful Island in the World and I must admit this might be true as it was simply gorgeous. Flying from Tahiti into Moorea was an awe-inspiring moment. It was almost magical when you get off the plane and see the amazing Mountain peaks looking at you and crystal clear blue, turquoise waters.

In Moorea I was able to go on two dives and an ATV tour. We stayed at the Intercontinental Moorea Resort and Spa which was absolutely a beautiful resort with TopDive located on site and paddleboarding and kayaking. Also on site they have a dolphin experience and a Sea Turtle Conservation Project. We were able to snorkel right off the beach and see some tropical fish and lots of sea cucumbers. The diving was absolutely amazing here. I saw a Sea Turtle (which is one of my favorite ocean animals), black tip reef sharks, a lemon shark, and plenty of colorful tropical fish. The diving was clear visibility. We had some of the best seafood of our lives here; so fresh. One of the best restaurants we went to was Tiahura, where we got a Coconut Crab to share. This is one of the only places in the world you can get one from what I understand, so it was a unique experience. The following night we went to Sunset for dinner which had an amazing view on the ocean and that night we got to watch the lighting off shore. On the ATV tour we had some of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen in my life. We toured through a pineapple farm and went to the top of Magic Mountain. The first part of the trip through the pineapple farm you are actually in the middle of a giant Volcano Crater, the largest crater in French Polynesia. The peaks were just so staggering to see them rise into the sky and you are in the middle of this crater with peaks all around you. When we got to the top of Magic Mountain you got to see so much of the island and the ocean and truly take in this great island. It was an inspirational moment where you really see and take in the beauty of what this world formed in these islands. To think that these islands rose out of the middle of the ocean through now dormant volcanoes is kind of amazing and inspiring. The islands are just beautiful and Moorea did not disappoint. The landscape was one of the most beautiful I have seen in the world, the people were so kind, and the culture is inspiring to find what is near and dear to you. Flying out of Moorea was so much fun as there are roosters in the airport that hang out with you. The airport is quaint and reminds you that sometimes life is better simple.

The second island and resort we stayed at was Bora Bora at the InterContinental Le Moana Bora Bora Resort. Flying into the island was stunning and a bit of a surprise as you land on an outlining island and then have to take a boat to get to any of the hotels or to the main island itself. The airport was small, but the views looking out onto the main island will forever be in my memory. The resort is exactly what I pictured a hotel in Bora Bora to be like. They had beautiful over the water bungalows and beach bungalows with private beaches. The snorkeling right off the resort led to rays and tropical fish. The first full day there it rained, but we made the best of it and headed into town, which is just a small area with lots of shops. One of the items the French Polynesia Islands are famous for is the Black Pearl, so we went to all the shops to find the best in our price range. We also walked through the local market which had many vendors to choose from and bargain with. On the way back to the hotel we took the local bus, which is just a converted school bus with three long benches in it that plays popular songs set to island beats. The bus ride was fun and the cheapest way to get back at only $5 a person. The next day was the wedding which was absolutely gorgeous and very colorful. I would be lying if I wasn’t a bit jealous of the beautiful flower crowns and leis. After the wedding, my diving buddy and me went on our one and only dive in Bora Bora, which was truly magical. The boat ride to the dive site took you along the shore through the lagoon and you really got a feel for this huge, beautiful island coming right out of the ocean. The dive site was at first nothing to be impressed with, but all of a sudden you sank into this canyon of coral walls teaming with brightly colored tropical fish. I saw an eel at one point and just enormous coral structures. It was a pathway that led to a valley. Once we made it to the valley within the coral structures and played with some sea creatures I turned around to what was just a sand floor with poor visibility. All of a sudden out of the fogginess of the ocean came 15-20 Spotted Eagle Rays that just floated right past us without a care in the world. It might have been one of the most amazing moments on the trip. On the last day before we took the boat back to the airport we were able to kayak right off the resort about 10 minutes and came to the Coral Reef Garden which was teaming with ocean wild life and beautiful coral reef sculptures. On this kayak trip we got to see a manta ray.

All in all I am so excited I said YES to adventure and cant wait to see what the rest of 2017 has in store for me, but I don’t know if it will top this trip. I saw some stunning places and sights. I would definitely recommend the French Polynesian Islands to anybody and will definitely be going back. Until my next adventure I hope you find and continue to look for the beauty in the world. To see what I am finding you can always check out my Instagram or Facebook pages.

Sunset from our resort in Moorea

In the middle of the crater on Moorea

On the right side is the Famous Robinson’s Cove

From the top of Magic Mountain

On the boat from the airport in Bora Bora

The peaks on Bora Bora: Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu

Bora Bora

My name is Amanda and I love travelling, adventures, scenery, and history. I am new to this whole blog thing, so bear with me as I figure out through my posts how this works. In the coming weeks, I will post about past trips and adventures. I will sprinkle in some of my new/current exploring and travels. My goal in life is to travel to as many places and find all this world has to offer. I am slowly on my way at the age of 33, but I am working on speeding up my travels. I have been to 8 countries and 28 states with hopefully 3 more countries being added in 2017. My most amazing out of country trip was to Peru. This trip was a mega bucket list check off. Since I was little and reading about the Incas, I have always wanted to visit Machu Picchu, and in 2014, I did just that. In 2015, I got to explore Zion National Park, which was another bucket list item. With a friend’s help, I made it to the top of Angel’s Landing. I love trying new things, seeing beautiful places, learning about the culture, and visiting historical places.