I'm bravely trooping on with my challenge even though there really is no chance I'll finish it by the due date of November 16. What the hell, why not? I'm running anyway... I've put in some really good runs over the past few days and my body feels pretty darn good. I have two more days before departing for Panama and I hope to have two more good runs.
Here's where I stand at the moment:
I have compiled a list of things I want to do and see during my two weeks in Panama and I'd like to share them:
1. Get married. Yes, this is the purpose of the trip. My fiance and I are joining 29 of our friends and family at a beautiful beach resort in Panama where our wedding will occur.
2. Spend a day exploring and interacting in a small town away from the resort. I like all-inclusive resorts, yet I like to see the 'real' side of the countries I'm visiting.
3. See a sloth. My favourite of all jungle animals. Hopefully, I will see at least one. We will be spending our last few days at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort where we will supposedly see many different jungle animals in their natural habitat.
4. See a shark. This, I'm told, is not an easy thing to do near the resort, but I intend to find the majestic tiburon.
5. See a monkey. Come on, everyone wants to see a monkey. Don't they?
6. Collect all denominations of Panama coins. It's just a thing I do when I go to a different country. I like to collect coins. Yes - it's geeky.
7. See a local sports event live. I don't care if it's a local little league baseball game or soccer game.
8. Swim under a waterfall. Why? Why not?
9. Keep a daily journal. No-brainer.
10. Take a boat ride. Whether it's on the Pacific or on the Canal, I want to take a boat ride that is not necessarily a tourist cruise.
11. See a sunrise. Everyone can see a sunset, but most people, even if they see it, don't very often truly appreciate a sunrise.
12. See a sunset. Because I don't want the sunset to feel too inferior to the sunrise.
13. Stay up all night until dawn. Preferably on the beach. Why? Haven't done it in a long, long time and I just think it would be fun.
14. Learn something new. This is always on my list.
15. Teach something. Hopefully, I am of some use to someone in Panama.
16. Give something to someone less fortunate. This is something I've personally debated for awhile. Just because someone looks less fortunate, doesn't mean they are. Just because someone doesn't live in a big house and doesn't watch 8 hours of television each day on their $2000 big screen, doesn't make them poor.
17. Find Pitahaya growing wild. Dragon Fruit should be available nearby. I want to see the fruit I've fallen in love with in its natural habitat.
18. Play blackjack at a table at the resort's casino. I love to play blackjack online, but have never had the guts to play at a table.
19. Converse with a local in Spanish and have them understand what I'm saying. My spanish reading is top-notch but when it comes to conversing face to face, I just don't have the means to practise it.
20. Make someone else feel good about themselves. This is something I should be trying to do on a regular daily basis, but it's a habit I really want to start developing while on vacation.
21. Pictures, pictures, pictures. I always take pictures of the things I'm supposed to take pictures of but never the things that really interest me. Things like homes, back alleys, signs, insides of stores and restaurants - things that can't be found in 2 seconds by searching Google.
22. Spend quality time with each of our guests. I want to make every single person that has come down for our wedding to feel that they are truly an important part of our lives.
23. Visit a local farm. Obviously, a farm that doesn't specialize in livestock. I want to see how my tropical fruit is grown and even help out for a while if possible.
24. Run the beach everyday. More to the point - run every day. The beach in front of the resort is barricaded on one end by a rocky outcrop and the other by a river. The distance between the two, out and back is a perfect 5km, according to Google Earth. I also want to run the small dirt farm roads that weave throughout the countryside. The heat might be a factor but I'll just hyper-hydrate everyday.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment