Three birds with one seashell

I have had a very productive week in the 101 in 1001 Life List department! Maggie says that just the act of writing down your list is transformative, and she is right. Many of the goals on my list have been banging around the back of my mind for years. But having a list that I carry around with me and that I have told people about makes a difference. I look for ways to complete goals and check things off. I keep my eyes out for things to add. When I see something that others are doing that I want to try, I do.

So, with about three weeks of planning I hopped a plane to Belize all by myself! Just prior to leaving I scrambled around to get my open water certification so that I could knock number eight off the list. I randomly selected Belize after googling yoga retreats (and I never made it to a yoga class while I was there! Sorry number thirty-one!)

In the days leading up to the trip I was excited. The thought of a break from everything and some peace and quiet sounded awesome. No laundry, no cleaning, no conference calls. No one else to worry about and flying by the seat of my pants.

Just before I left, some things happened that made me have to rearrange and scramble some more. On the bad side, I never really finished making plans or doing research. On the good side, I got to spend some time with old friends. So by the time I left, I hadn't been thinking about my trip much at all.

I had a great time. I read a book, lounged in a hammock, by the pool and on the beach. I sailed, snorkeled, dove, and climbed some Mayan ruins. I ate, drank and took some naps. There were a few times I was a little lonely and wished that the Rockstar was there, and a couple times when I saw groups of girls laughing together that I missed my friends. But I enjoyed traveling alone. It's a different experience and it didn't allow me to fall into the same patterns that I would normally fall into when I travel. I took the time to watch and to talk to people. By the time I left, I knew a few of the locals by name and they knew me too.

Lots of people thought I was crazy, but I am very glad that I took the plunge out of my comfort zone.

So, I am marking complete:

Scuba Dive (8)

Go to the beach (16)

Take a trip by myself (17)

And partially complete:

travel to three countries I have never been to before (5)

leave my country once a year (7)

trying foods I have never tried before (61)