Top Travel Moments: Top 5
Ready to find out which travel experiences made the cut for top10 travel moments? Check out below what I rank as my top 5 travel moments.
But before you do, make sure you check out travel moment 10-6 in this post: My Top Travel Moments: 10-6
Starting with number five…
5.Campanile Bell Tower, Florence
During my time abroad in Florence, one afternoon was spent going to the top of the Duomo between classes. With the ticket, you can also visit the Campanile, which is the adjacent bell tower. My plan was to visit that bell tower that evening after class when the sun set. I raced up there just in time to see the sky darken and the city illuminate glowing and in the distance, fade into the Tuscan hills. It was one of those moments where reality sank in how fortunate I was to be studying and living in this beautiful city and to not take any moments for granted. During the descent, right underneath the bell, the bells rang. It was a bone-chilling moment and the vibrations of the bells swinging shook you to your core. It seemed like a message to me to soak in all the experiences and cherish these moments because soon the time will be gone.
4. ATVing, Foothills of Atlas Mountains
In February 2015, I had the opportunity to visit Marrakech Morocco for a long weekend. We traveled with a tour group which reduced the stress of planning this trip. One of the activities we could do was do was ATVing at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. This is one activity that I wouldn’t typically do, but my friends insisted it was better than the Hammam bath option. I am glad I did. Once we got the hang of the ATVs, my group and I drove on the 1-hour trail to our destination point. Along the way, we passed by herders, sheep, (there was a time I had to stop for sheep crossing), small homes, and farms. After 20 minutes of zipping through this landscape, I started to get lost in this meditative state. We were gazing at the rugged terrain with peaks of the mountains in the distance. It was nice to remove myself from the busy city center of Marrakesh and experience the area in another way that is closer to nature. On the way back, we stopped for delicious bread, tea, and honey. Standing on top of this hill with my roommates was an amazing experience. It was an unspoken moment where we shared our gratitude and humbleness for being able to go on this trip and experience this together
3. Day in the Atlas Mountains
Another eventful experience in Morocco was hiking in the Atlas Mountains to see one of the waterfalls. To our understanding, the hike would on a set hiking trail. We were wrong. There were creeks to jump over, makeshift rickety bridges to cross, and ladders to climb when in got too steep. The higher up we got, the more breathtaking it was. Definitely not the midwest, and definitely one of my top moments.
2. Hiking in Santorini
For my spring break, while I was abroad, my roommate and I planned a trip to Greece. After visiting Athens, we stayed in Santorini for a few days. We arrived the weekend before the island officially opened up for the season, so a lot of things were closed. One memorable activity was hiking the trail from Fira to Oia. The trail was approximately 12km and took 3 hours to hike. On the path, we cut through towns, old churches, and locals. The path wasn’t very defined and we were able to interact with locals and a few other hikers we encountered to make sure we were on the right path. The trail curved along the edge of the island and had breathtaking views.It was such a unique experience and way to explore the island. Once in Oia, we explored briefly and then ate lunch, just in time for the forecasted rain to hold off until we had shelter.
1. Great Wall of China, Beijing
I would have to say that this still is my most memorable travel moment. During my summer program abroad in China, we visited a section of The Great Wall. Several of us took the more dynamic and challenging route. There were portions of the way where the steps were so steep, you had to climb up. Along the way, there were some of the most breathtaking views and expansive landscape. It was such a humbling experience. I felt so fortunate and grateful to have the opportunity to experience that moment. During that time, I just lived in the now. I didn’t think about the past, didn’t worry about the future, I was just present. Soaking it all in to try to ingrain it in my memory forever. I knew it was a once in a lifetime experience. I knew I couldn’t stop there. I knew I needed to incorporate travel into my life. I needed to feel more feelings like this.
What are some of your most memorable moments traveling? Who were you with? How did you feel? Let me know in the comments below!
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