Livin' Strong in 08055

There is power in friendship & bonds that carry strong ties throughout the course of life. With a new chapter in my life it has been wonderful having so many that have been with me through thick, thin and all the in between. It's pretty awesome having really good, epic girl friends.

As my teacher friends begin to trickle in to town it's always fun to catch up on the happenings of the past two months, but it also is a clear tell sign that the day's of summer are rapidly coming to an end. But without doubt, it has been an awesome summer that I am still clinging to the fact that we technically have a little over a week left.

Last weekend the four of us headed over to Pa to participate in the Livestrong Challenge. Jordan, Taylor & I ran in the 5k event. There were a few thousand participants all there to run, have fun and support a very worthwhile cause. One hundred percent of the proceeds are designated for cancer research. Looking around the sea of people around us each one had, in some way, been effected by this disease. At one point in the run seeing so many names written on tee shirts and on signs in memory of a loved one, it brought tears to my eyes. So many impacted, but also so many determined to bring forth something positive in the battle being waged against cancer.

We're already talking about pulling a team together from the area for next year. How cool would it be to represent with a solid 20+ people? Good stuff for a good purpose. Keep on rockin'.

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hut to coronado ...not so tough

The last leg of the Honeymoon found us cruising the PCH south towards Laguna & San Diego. There is just something special about the long stretch of highway that merges coast with land leaving you at a loss for words. Our car hugged against the guard rail leading towards cascading cliffs overlooking a sea with swirling hues of indigo and sapphire. It all was just stunning and this part of the country never gets old. I'd trade the Hollywood sign, the Chinese Theater and Rodeo Drive any day for a few hours basking in the serene beauty of the Golden State.
We spent our last two days on Coronado Island just relaxing, catching a little swell (that's pretty literal) and perusing the hallways of the Hotel Del Coronado. Although the Pacific was a little weak in the wave arena, it was pretty awesome bobbing on my board with fighter jets streaming across the sky only a few hundred feet above me. Walking along the shoreline as the sun began to sink to the horizon I couldn't help but think what an amazing, wonderful and unique honeymoon this was. As we return to Jersey there's nothing I would change or do differently, it was all truly perfect.

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The last six days here have been surreal & have brought with it a dimension of beauty, peace and stillness that is refreshing. We fly to Papeeta, the capital of Tahiti, later this afternoon. We had a few hour lay over there on the way in & I managed a little walk about just as the sun was beginning to cast light upon the Tahitian landscape. It is a beautiful country that reminds me a great deal of Fiji, but is a land all it's own.
I did a little paddle boarding this morning around one of the main lagoons. The water is such a rich, stunning shade of blue & I caught myself on a few occasions just staring across the horizon & in full awe of my surroundings. Every angle you look is a post card & paddling along the shoreline I did my best to freeze frame all of this in my mind. Pictures capture it well, but being here just puts a different spin on it. Bam! Epic beauty and overall wow factor.... wa to the hoooo!!!!

The end of another perfect day draws to a close. We had an early start & were off into the great Pacific a little after eight for a little scuba action. My last dive was nearly six years ago so I opted to have the esposo be my official wingman. The visibility was unprecedented & the water a pristine blue. It was great being in the water again. There were heaps of sharks and fish swimming an arms length away making for some great photo ops. We had a few sightings of tiger fish, which have long needle like strands extending from their bodies. They are abundant in this region, although poisonous.
I took a spin on the paddle board for a little exploring. There are some beautiful areas that aren't frequented by guests and a little off the beaten track. The sand is a stark white while palm trees lie heavy laden with coconuts; it really is paradise. There was even a scheduled slot at the spa courtesy of the ever so epic hubby. Cool robe, breath taking view & pretty zen like spa experience. Maybe we'll be back for our 25th anniversary : )

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Sitting on the deck of our hut watching the sun bring life and color to a land that seems more like a virtual postcard than reality. The shades of blues and greens are a buffet for the eyes & bring such solace to the soul. As I sit listening to the gentle pulse of water lapping all around us I can't help to laugh at the experiences I've had over the past 32 years of my life. The last time I was in this part of the world I was island hopping in Fiji sleeping on islands void of electric or running water. Those residing on the island were responsible for contributing to the well-being of each and every inhabitant of the island whether that be in catching food, gathering fruits and/or assisting in preparing meals. The 2nd time here is a whole different experience; there are no vacant couches in Bora Bora.
This place is spectacular & I am adjusting well to not having to scale trees or dodge sharks in pursuit of a meal. I attempted to borrow a spear gun from one of the locals here, but apparently it's illegal to spearfish on the resort. Bummer. I opted to fully break any laws during my stay on the island & rolled with paddle boarding along the lagoons. Wow. The views here leave you speechless & it takes a lot to leave me at a loss for words. Stunning.
Keith & I hopped a boat to town & managed to find our way out of the tourist center. We caught a ride with Ode, a local, around the island to do a little shopping for pearls, pineapples and little local vibe. I had a blast filling our bags with fun foods at the grocery store & trekking them back on the island. You can take the girl out of the couch, but can never fully remove the couch from the girl : )

we picked up two Swiss backpackers outside of Big Sur & they spent most of the day trekking along the coast with us. It was nice to sort of 'pay it forward' a little after my many years of backpacking, couch surfing & trekking around the globe.

there is just something about California...the essence of earth, wind & chill.

Grant & Gina ....Italian reunion!

We worked together in Tuscany & have still remained in touch. Gina & I took this same pose for the first time in Monticello Amiato ten years ago.

Scaling cliffs on the honeymoon was on my list of 'things to do.'