Connecting Routes: I Can't Wait!
PORTUGAL - ECUADOR - NIGERIA
Here’s to “Connecting Routes” ~ a space to spotlight a common theme in my travels that offers snapshots from one place to another, like the tantalizing tease of a tasting menu or a shortlist of your next dream vacation!
Top Three Places Where I Can’t Wait!
A new year is upon us! As we untie the bow off this present, I wondered about what lies ahead. Perhaps there’s crystal clear clarity on what’s incoming, scattered visibility or, you’re leaning on premonitions over plans. While most of us seem allergic to uncertainty, the nebulousness of what a new year brings can grant gifts we didn’t even know we wanted. Around this time, I like how we try to rewind and recap what’s past while trying to reset and refresh for what we’ve got our eyes and hearts on. That almost everyone tries to carpe diem communally, the power of a joint intention might even shift us more swiftly from states of entropy to renewed energy. After all, it’s the first week of January … the possibilities are pregnant!
The rinse and repeat of routine can be re-imagined. Those ‘personal projects’ can be unpaused. The things we want to be or do ‘when I grow up’ or ‘when I have more money, mojo, meaning, _____’ can be moved from wish list to let’s do this. How long will we wait for particular pieces of life to perfectly align before taking the reigns, even if only to tweak our trajectories? The preciousness of this present is only available for those of us that have witnessed and welcomed this new year, but for how much longer, no one really knows. Yes of course, there are things that need to bloom on their inherent timelines and I deeply respect those divine rules. What I want to know is how can I make magic happen this year, this week, today.
I wonder about what excites us, what things we know bring us joy and what we can do to be in a state of flow. Tis the season to take stock of the life we’ve dreamed of and how this looks in comparison to our architectural plans that are in play. I hope you’re well on track and are reaping the rewards of your life’s design. For there are too many testimonies that tell of truncated hopes, examples of accidents, unexpected loss and curve balls, all leaving those left behind in a lurch. Let that not be us.
Me, among other aspirations, I just couldn’t wait to hit up some spots on our pretty planet. So here’s a sneak peak into what’s in store for DocAtTheBeach - what I was able to make happen, safely and with a satiation that’s been so sweet - so, stay tuned. Like children of unequal weight on a seesaw, fear and excitement may both be drivers that need to be kept in check as we steer into the new year. Whether or not this is the (imperfectly perfect) point to move from photocopy to uncertainty, I hope you’ll also have loads to look forward to.
Portugal: Hot chocolate, hoodies and having time with loved ones is a hallmark seal of the holiday season. From a dip into the Azores archipelago to hiking at Sintra, there’s a lot of gorgeous landscapes to explore. A fave too was having some heart-to-hearts with peeps over coffee while we washed down the flaky and gooey pastel de nata in Lisboa, a leading international crossroads city.
Ecuador: If you’re into walking up close with nature, this is your place. The diversity from bustling cities in Guayaquil and Quito to the UNESCO historic centre of Cuenca, topography can swiftly go from urban, beach, cloud forest and colonial to untouched islands that showcase animals you’d find on the cover of National Geographic. Arms length from newborn sea lions, hammerhead sharks, massive rays and turtles, I also saw a hawk finishing off a prey and albatrosses doing mating dances in the Galapagos Islands. Not to mention, there’s been many hilarious conversation starters when I say, ‘I saw a lots of boobies’ - after all, most people aren’t as interested if it was a Nazca, Red-footed or Blue-footed one, are you? ;)
Nigeria: Big time on my bucket list, the country and its people did not disappoint. All the Nigerian physicians I’ve worked with have been topnotch, which made me want to check this out, particularly in the African context. It warmed me when I met savvy lawyers, CEOs, dentists, artists and the like - there seemed to be some serious talent here. The importance placed on being well educated was clearly a value that was imbibed and upheld. As was music! Anything and everything turns into a dance party, and for me, the music can’t get better than their Afrobeats. The Nigerians I met were extremely educated, respectful, generous and gleeful. They made time to ensure I had a good time with their infectious laughter, twerking tails and gregarious spirit. I was reassured to see that there are places where the balance between achievement and being joyful in the present can be a dance that’s fun to do, and watch!
May precious presents shower us in ways that make us feel alive, bodacious, connected, grateful and looking forward to even more plays in the days ahead, Happy New Year!