I am going on an adventure the week of Feb 25-29 to sunny Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  There will not be any new posts while I’m gone.  However, there are many new, exciting things I have planned for the site in the coming months so please stay tuned!

Adventure is the spice of life! 

We energize ourselves when we explore new places.  I love broadening my horizons by traveling to places with new cultures.  I think it is a key aspect of living a super-charged life.  I will be going to Puerto Vallarta next week.  I have never been there before and I look forward to seeing a new place and to having all kinds of new adventures.  It is exciting and stimulating.

Puerto Vallarta is a seaside paradise.

Puerto Vallarta is located on the west coast of Mexico in the northwest corner of the state of Jalisco.  It has both mountains and beaches.  It faces Banderas Bay which is the largest natural bay in Mexico.  I just checked the forecast and the daily highs will be in the mid 80s.  This a nice contrast to the weather here in Oklahoma City where its usually in the mid 30s and 40s in February.  I am looking forward to wearing shorts and sandals for long, lazy days of basking in the sun!

Opportunities for adventure abound.

There are tons of things to do in Puerto Vallarta.  My wife and I are planning to go on a  whale watching tour and an outdoor adventure tour.  Humpback whales come to Banderas Bay every year from December to March.  It is supposed to be one of the best places in the world for seeing these amazing creatures.  The bay is also home to Bottlenose dolphins and giant Manta Ray.  I am fascinated with the underwater world.  It is just so bizarre to a guy that has always lived in a land-locked state.  We have gone to Cozumel the past couple of years which offers incredible snorkeling and I have enjoyed it immensely.

Our outdoor adventure tour consists of a speed boat ride to a secluded beach at the edge of the jungle and a 4×4 ride in a Unimog to 2000 feet above sea level in the Sierra Madre Mountains.  From the base camp, we will take a mule ride higher into the mountains and subtropical forest.  We will then take a series of zip lines, rappel down a waterfall, cross mountain bridges, and splash through streams to get back to the bottom.  What an adrenaline rush!  I can’t wait.  This is ecotourism at its best!

Fun is on the menu.

Puerto Vallarta has over a thousand restaurants!  I doubt I’ll get to visit them all, but I’m going to try.  I love experiencing the cuisine in other cultures.  The seafood is supposed to be amazing.  I love fresh seafood which is hard to find in Oklahoma. 

We are also looking forward to some fun nightlife.  The Malecon or boardwalk is home to Mariachi bands and street vendors in the evenings.  There are also numerous dance clubs featuring hot Latin beat music.  Puerto Vallarta boasts more than a hundred places offering all sorts of live music – romantic, jazz, blues, Peruvian, and Cuban.  It is going to be a blast exploring it all.  I hear it all in my head right now so don’t wait up for me!

Rest and relaxation is right around the corner.

I’ll be thinking about you while I’m lounging on the beach, dining in great restaurants, listening to awesome music, and going on thrilling adventures.  Okay, maybe not. 

It is great to get away.  Rest and relaxation in a setting that totally gets your mind off your real life is in my opinion is an essential element of a fulfilling life.  I hope by describing my plans that I have inspired you to pursue an adventure of your own.  I can assure you that you won’t regret it.  Don’t forget, if you don’t already have a passport, then apply for one early.  They are required now and it takes several weeks to get one.  Happy traveling!

Photos by waywuwei.

Technorati Tags: Puerto Vallarta,adventure,Mexico,ecotourism

You might ask, “What do you mean by life changing?”  Well, I’m referring to something that changes your thinking and therefore makes you behave differently after the experience.  Have you ever experienced such an event?  Having children is typically life changing in most people’s lives.  Once you have kids, your priorities change.  You have someone that is totally dependent on you for all their necessities.  This new level of responsibility usually results in different behavior for the parents.  It effects how you spend your time and money.  Another type of an event that can alter your outlook on life is something that reminds you that you are not immortal.  Survivors of cancer, plane crashes, and near-death experiences often recover as whole new people in terms of how they spend their lives.

I am convinced that there are certain types of adventures you can go on that may not have quite the same effect as a near-death experience, but they can certainly alter your thinking and behavior for the better.   

Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
~Henry David Thoreau

If you feel that your life lacks significance, that you are stuck in a rut, and doomed to perpetual burnout, then it might be time for something radical.  A trip like this can readjust your perspective and priorities.  It can clear your head and help you to see more clearly how you want to invest your life.  Here are a few possibilities you might want to consider.

1. World Travel Sabbatical.  Many employers today offer employees the opportunity to take sabbaticals.  One way to spend your time during a prolonged break from work is to travel the world.  Visit other countries.  See how people in exotic locations live.  Get off the beaten path and discover something new and exciting.  When you get out and see places that are totally different than what you are used to, it can change your life.  Timothy Ferriss, the author of The 4-Hour Workweek, offers a free Round-the-World Trip Planner on his website.  Another resource that might help inspire you is David Elliot Cohen’s book One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children.
2. Ecotourism.  The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”  So, whether you go to Botswana to see elephants and hippos in the wild or Australia to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, you will no doubt be inspired by the awesome beauty of nature in all its glory.  Those of you that enjoy the great outdoors will find a ton of incredible itineraries at EcoQuest Travel.
3. Volunteer Projects.  Donate your time while on vacation to a worthy cause.  Visit Global Volunteers International to find an opportunity to really make a difference and you will likely find a whole new world of significance for yourself.  This organization arranges for people to go abroad to build and serve in schools, hospitals, and other valuable community projects.  You get the chance to really experience the culture of another country while doing work that matters.
4. Mission Trips.  Many local churches offer mission trips to less fortunate countries.  These trips usually combine the opportunity to assist those in need through a work project along with sharing the tenets of one’s faith.  I have never been on a mission trip, but I hope to go one day.  Everyone I have ever talked with after going on such a trip cannot stop saying how great it was even though they usually had to stay in accomodations that weren’t anywhere near what they were accustomed to.

So, do you see now why someone would want to take such a vacation?  It would certainly be an adventure that you would never forget.  By doing so, you have the chance of making a positive difference in yourself and the world.  We all want to feel that our lives have meaning.  Do you feel that what you do and how you spend your time is significant?  If not, then one of these types of trips might be just for you.  Take a chance.  Do something that matters and see if it will change your life!

Have you ever been on such a life changing adventure?  If so, leave a comment and let everyone know what you did and the impact it had on your life.