My 2013 adventures wish list.
PHOTO AMANDA PURCELLAs 2013 is just beginning, I can feel a distinct sense of possibility. In a mere three days I will be boarding a flight to Beijing. In a month, I will be in San Francisco, and in three months I plan to be cruising around Mexico. I cannot believe that I am about to embark upon so many wonderful traveling adventures. Traveling, however, has always been two-fold for me: it is as much exhilarating as it can be intimidating because I never know what to expect. In the book Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, traveling is viewed as transformative; “Travel holds the magical possibility of reinvention: that you might find a place you love, to begin a new life and never go home.” These are the top places I want to go in 2013 to also feel the magic and attainability of “reinvention.”
1. Eat ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery in San Francisco
This is an incredibly famous ice cream shop in San Francisco known for its gourmet flavors, especially the salted caramel. Bi-Rite Creamery is located on Dolores Street, and I have heard that it always has a long line of customers looking for the best bang for their buck.
2. Soak up the sun in Cabo San Lucas
The beautiful beaches of Mexico are the perfect vacation spots away from stress. Cabo San Lucas is located off of the Gulf of California with clear blue water, excellent snorkeling, and a famous arch of rocks right off of the water.
3. Walk along part of the Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the most fantastic wonders on Earth! Despite the hundreds of thousands of tourists which flock to this site every year, there is something utterly magical about a structure that stretches five thousand five hundred miles long. I think that by walking along the wall, I may be able to connect to a history and tradition very unlike any Western culture.
PHOTO AMANDA PURCELL4. Hike in Torrey Pines, San Diego:
Although I am a native San Diegan, San Diego is huge! I love hiking, but I have yet to try out one of the most beautiful hiking spots in San Diego: Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. The reserve is along the Southern California coast, and trails can lead right to the ocean. There is no better way to end a long hike than to cool off with a swim at the beach afterwards.
5. Find the courage to live abroad
As part of my travel adventures list for 2013, I think it is important to continue a long travel journey. Going abroad would be a great way for me to experience a different culture, history, lifestyle, music, and people. However, it can be scary to leave my family and friends at home while I go abroad. I hope that the spirit of traveling will let me leave any inhibitions behind.
