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Top Travel Moments of 2013

We’re already a few days into 2014 and here I am wrapping my travel from the year past. Guess I’ve blown that “stop procrastinating” resolution already, eh? This year felt like it was full of travel but when I got down to details I hadn’t visited a single new country. All the same I had lots of great new experiences. Just proves that it’s not all about ticking off countries on a list. This year seemed to be about basking in nature and also facing some fears. So what were my top moments?

Dalgo Cat Cafe

Visiting a Cat Café in Gunsan, South Korea

I’m not sure when I first heard about Korean cat cafés but when I visited Asia in 2012 I knew I wanted to check one out. It didn’t happen on that trip but when I returned to South Korea for a longer stay in this past spring I was delighted to find out that one had opened in the small city of Gunsan where I was staying. So many cute kitties!

Noraebang in South Korea | SuitcaseandHeels.com

Attempting Noraebang and Not Dying

For those unfamiliar, South Korean noraebang is like Japanese karaoke. You rent a private room and sing along with your friends to hit song and golden oldies. You don’t need to know Korean since there’s a selection of English songs. When it comes to singing publicly, I have huge anxiety so the fact that I participated in noraebang not just once, but twice this year was huge. And I didn’t die of shame or embarrassment!

Banff Horseback Riding | SuitcaseandHeels.com

Horseback Riding in Banff, AB

Much like how I just had to go zip lining in Costa Rica I knew that if I could only do one thing in Alberta it was going to be horseback riding in the mountains. There was something so romantic about the idea. Just me, a horse named Pilsner, the mountains and river. Even though it was early October it was pretty cold during my morning trail ride. Puddles were still frozen oven even. Pilsner and I braved the temps and enjoyed some incredible scenery and learned it’s very hard to take photos with one mittened hand while atop a horse. So very worth it, sore butt, chilled hands and all.

Johnston Canyon, Alberta | SuitcaseandHeels.com

Hiking Johnston Canyon in Alberta

I’d never heard of Johnston Canyon until I saw Candice’s photos. What a stunner! Just 20min from Banff the canyon was really easy to reach from my hotel. Unlike Candice, I had practically had the place to myself and it was the perfect hike/trail walk for my limited time in the area. I’m used to trails that forge through the woods or skim along the ocean so Johnston Canyon was a different experience altogether. The whole time I kept wanting to rush on to the next turn because I couldn’t believe that the views just got better and better. I will definitely be back next time I’m in the area.

CN Tower EdgeWalk | SuitcaseandHeels.com

CN Tower Edgewalk in Toronto

The pièce de résistance. The one thing that had my friends and family telling me that I was nuts. Perhaps the one experience that gave me the greatest sense of accomplishment in 2013. I faced a slight fear of heights and conquered the CN Tower Edgewalk. I got strapped into a fancy red jumpsuit and circumnavigated the tower 1100+ feet off the ground. My stomach lurched when I stood with my toes over the edge looking way, way down at the Rogers Centre but I kept going. And not unlike Baby Sinclair from Dinosaurs, when it was time to go in my brain was shouting “Again!”

What will 2014 bring? Only time will tell. I want to continue to push my comfort zone and to appreciate cool moments, wherever they may happen.

What were your most memorable moments from 2013?

Comments

  1. Karen says:

    January 3rd, 2014 at 4:54 pm (#)

    Love your list!

    Mine:

    -seeing Niagara Falls for the first time (& walking across the bridge and having 1 foot in the USA and 1 in Canada, just like my mother told me she did when she was a young woman in the 1950’s).

    -walking across the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver

    -finally seeing Peggy’s Cove, NS

    -spending a weekend at Chateau Montebello, Quebec

    -seeing Washington DC for the 4th time

    -and because not all great travel moments happen outside of Newfoundland: a day trip to Twillingate, a place I visited every summer when I was growing up. I hadn’t been back there since I was a teenager so it was great seeing all the fmailiar places.

  2. Melissa Hogan says:

    January 7th, 2014 at 10:18 am (#)

    I never got to do the suspension bridge when I was in Vancouver a few years ago so I guess I’ll just have to go back. Was it scary or just cool?

  3. Renuka says:

    January 3rd, 2014 at 5:40 pm (#)

    Quite an awesome year you had! I like the last picture!

  4. Melissa Hogan says:

    January 7th, 2014 at 10:20 am (#)

    Thanks. I spent most of the time with a death grip on the black cable but I was more relaxed by the time this photo was taken. I highly recommend the EdgeWalk.

  5. Carmen says:

    January 7th, 2014 at 9:08 am (#)

    Wow! What a year! The highlight of my year was driving around North America for six months and visiting many of the National Parks – it was brilliant!

  6. Melissa Hogan says:

    January 7th, 2014 at 10:19 am (#)

    I’ve just started taking note of some American National Parks this year. Looks like some amazing hiking and scenery out west.

  7. Brenda says:

    January 30th, 2014 at 9:49 am (#)

    Great adventure, the picture of the canyon is stunning, thank you for sharing!

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