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Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Let's Make a Bucket List!

I always have a bucket list. It drives my husband crazy. I've been many places around the world, from Iceland, to most of mainland Europe, to Russia, with Canada; many provinces, Mexico, and most of the United States. New York City is one of my favorite hangouts and hiking is one of my passions. So, whether it's Switzerland's Alps, Berlin's Wall, or the cheap pharmacies of Los Algodones, Mexico; I enjoy an adventure.
So, what I would like my readers to do is to contact me with your bucket list items. I have mine, and I will regularly discuss them here. But, I would like to look into some of your bucket list items, so don't be shy. Where would you like to go?

Lately, I've been hearing a lot about South America. Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor took it upon themselves to make a third installment of the Long Way series and ride electric motorcycles from Ushuaia, Argentina to Los Angeles, California. They call it Long Way Up, and it's airing on Apple TV. Every time I see something amazing on TV, it tends to go right on my bucket list. This time, Ushuaia was already there. So, let's discuss the end of the world. That's where Ushuaia is.

The bottom of Argentina is home to many interesting places. Patagonia for instance. Some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. Some of the clearest waters. The only expanding glaciers. Amazing wildlife. People come to Patagonia to get away from it all. And there's plenty of wide open spaces for that. There are lots of eco friendly establishments that are in the middle of absolutely nowhere and are completely self reliant. That's very attractive these days. It's great for city dwellers. I mean, if you live in a city of millions of people, you probably want to get away. Just saying.

The end of the world is a unique place. There are many day trips to take. You can go around the Beagle Channel and look at the wildlife. If you get lucky, you can even play with penguins. You can do all kinds of activities in Patagonia from hiking, to camping, canoeing and so on. But, one different thing you can do is ride the train. It's the Southern Fuegian Railway, or The Train to the End of the World. Not many trains can lay that claim. So, If you like a relaxing train ride, this one comes with comfortable seats and some of the most amazing scenery you'll ever see on a train. Enjoy that one.
Now, it's true that summer is winter and winter is summer when it comes to the southernmost city in the world. But, all you really have to do it pick your season wisely. And, pick your activities wisely. There are so many places you can go to with Ushuaia as your hopping off point. There are excursions to the widely disputed Falkland or Malvinas Islands where you can see some truly unique settlements. You can arrange a trip to or from Antarctica at key points during the year. Once again, choose your seasons wisely. But, there is one unforgettable excursion that makes this location land right on my bucket list. I always wanted to see the end of the world.

Cape Horn is by and large referred to as The End of the World. People from all around this globe call it that. Cape Horn is actually, by definition, not even a true cape. It is an island. Isla Hornos. It's part of Chile, which shares southern South America with Argentina. It sits on the Strait of Magellan, and some of the roughest waters in the world. Antarctica is only accessible during a few weeks of the year for tourists, and it's not accessible all year to anyone. There are many hazards in the southern waters, and that makes traveling there a true adventure.
Taking the trip to Cape Horn is fraught with potential issues. One of the biggest, other than angry seas that routinely try to kill people, is that those waters may stop you from being able to land on the Cape Horn island. That's right, the cruises that take you there do not promise that you will be able to walk on the island. It is weather permitting. So, not only could it be extremely dangerous, it could be a waste of money. But, I would gladly give it a try. I mean, the scenery has got to be pretty good, even if you don't get to make landfall.

I love a good adventure. The southernmost city in the world sounds like a real adventure. A scenic train where there shouldn't be people? Sounds awesome. Glaciers that still grow? Cool. Beautiful landscapes? Wouldn't miss it. An inaccessible island at the end of the world? Just another challenge in a life full of them. I'm all in. I would love to spend some time at the end of the world in Ushuaia, Argentina and the area.
Now, why don't you tell me somewhere that you would like to go, and I'll try and find out a bit about it. Just remember, if your bucket list isn't ready, then when Covid-19 is finally over and we can travel; you won't have a clue where to go. Get ready for that just like you would for anything else. Enjoy.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g312855-Ushuaia_Province_of_Tierra_del_Fuego_Patagonia-Vacations.html
https://www.britannica.com/place/Ushuaia-Argentina
https://www.tripsavvy.com/ushuaia-argentina-end-of-the-world-4062008
https://www.patagonia-argentina.com/en/ushuaia/
https://www.swoop-patagonia.com/travel/cruises/cape-horn-cruises
https://www.inkitt.com/ninakindred
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ninakindred
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06Y1C2MS7
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred
https://www.pinterest.com/ninakindred/_saved/
https://twitter.com/NinaKindred
https://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
 https://www.zazzle.com/store/imagings
https://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://ninakindred.picfair.com/
https://ninakindred.wixsite.com/ninakindredgroup
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts 

 

Another Year had Passed

As I come to another birthday, I have a lot to think about. All of the things that I have accomplished, the things I have not accomplished, and the effect that Covid-19 has had on the last year of my life.
I have family all over. That makes the virus difficult, because I can't visit them. My son is away at college and I worry about him during this. I'm older and my birthday reminds me just how old I really am, especially where this virus is concerned. My mother is quite elderly and living through this virus alone. There are a lot of things to be fearful of the in the world that we are dealing with today.
It's during this time that I realize how much family and friends mean, and how little everything else means. I've taken leave of telling my stories that don't seem to thrill anyone and am writing the life story of a dear friend. It gets me through. These are difficult times, and we need to do whatever we can to get through. We also still need to be aware of the problem; follow the rules, such as wash your hands, don't overexpose in public, wear a freaking mask. This too shall pass at some point. Don't be selfish. Think of the greater good.
Take some time off from gathering. Be introspective. Go outside and enjoy nature. It's good for you. I've done this. I've reprioritized. I've seen the light.
Above is a link to a story in its roughest form that I am writing for a friend. She is fascinating, and she has lived many lives. I only hope that I am doing her story justice. You can check it out at the link over on Fictionpress. I would love to hear your thoughts.

I will leave you with some of the amazing sights that I have seen this fall. Enjoy!







 

Monday, June 29, 2020

You Can Go On a Covid-19 Vacation




This year has been a whopper.  First, there wasn't enough snow in my area to make a snowball, then we had a pandemic.  My son was supposed to start college on April 1st.  All of my family's special occasions are between Easter and Mother's Day.  It's been a long year.  My husband and I are essential workers with unbelievable schedules due to the virus.  I'm a traveler.  I need to get out.  I had to come up with something to do, because my job insists that I isolate as much as is humanly possible.  It was tricky, but it can be done.



I did my research and found that most states have requirements for travel, but read the fine print.  I found that in most states, as long as you isolate for two weeks OR for your entire visit; they're okay with that.  So, my husband and I decided that it was worth it to isolate for our entire vacation.  The view from our north woods cabin in Maine was worth it.


We brought our food, our clothes and our activities with us.  We hauled kayaks, hiking gear, electronic devices, cameras, games, and even booze to our location.  We had a contactless check in and check out.  We kept in touch from our messenger services, because we had no phone service.  We cooked our own meals and did our own dishes.  We went to gas stations with our card.  We were completely isolated the entire time.  We didn't even stop and buy food on the drive.


What did we do?  Well, we stayed in an isolated cabin that was very nice in a town in the north of Maine with very few residents.  We had ample locations to go kayaking, which is one of my favorite activities.  We even had a public access to the lake our cabin was on.  Convenient.



We enjoyed the wildlife.  Moose peeping is one of my favorite activities in the north of Maine.  They claim that they have more moose than people, and I think they're right.  I enjoyed spotting 8 moose on this trip, and I don't use a service.  I know where to find them.



We did a lot of driving on extremely back roads.  They were mostly dirt roads that are shared by the lumber company.  But, photography being one of my loves, did well for me in northern Maine.  The skies are beautiful.  The water is beautiful.  The Mountains are beautiful.  I had a great time taking walks and drives and taking pictures all along the way.



Our cabin was more of a two bedroom house with a Jacuzzi tub, satellite TV, and a fully equipped kitchen.  Not bad for the middle of nowhere.  We were able to chef it up right and enjoy our environment. 



Kayaking is a very relaxing activity and gives you a view that you don't get any other way.  I am a kayaker and therefore, brought my own kayak.  When vacationing during a pandemic, you probably won't want to rent one, so bring it with you; just like the food and entertainment.



Now, when visiting northern Maine, there are some tourist attractions that you can visit without seeing people.  On Elephant Mountain, in 1963, a B-52 Bomber crashed.  The remains are still there today.  It's a sobering site, but interesting and it's in the middle of nowhere.  It's a one of a kind spot that will live in your memories forever.  I recommend taking a look at it.



So we had it all.  Activities, adventure, wildlife, entertainment, food, drink, and gorgeous views.  All in the backroads of northern Maine.  Thank you Maine for being there, and we hope that we will see you soon again.  Enjoy!