Today’s tidbit: “Words can not express the joy of new life.”— Hermann Hesse

From South Africa to the Western Caribbean there have been a lot of travel blog posts lately. Now that I am finished with those, I’m excited to share a photo shoot I did last Saturday. Do you remember the family shoot in November and maternity shoot in March with Stephanie, Mark and their twin girls, Charlotte & Reagan? I was thrilled to work with the family for a third time meeting Natalie, the newest member of the family. I’ve shown Stephanie & Mark a sneak peek image but they haven’t seen anything else, until now!

{shoot location} Like with the maternity shoot, this shoot was special because it captured the family in their beautiful home and Natalie in her first nursery before they move to California next week.

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Today’s tidbit: “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

In Belize and Costa Maya we were able to really experience the culture, history and ruins there. Continuing along our Western Caribbean cruise, the last stop was Cozumel. We spent the day in the sun and water at Chankanaab , taking advantage of everything the park had to offer… from a sea lion show and tequila factory to pristine beaches, snorkeling and swimming with dolphins.

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Today’s tidbit: “Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.” – Jawaharlal Nehru

Continuing along our Western Caribbean cruise, our third stop was Costa Maya. The port area is all man made. As I have mentioned, I prefer getting out of the tourist area and really seeing the island and interacting with the locals and all that place offers, which is exactly what we did. With acres of unspoiled coastal land, vast natural resources and rich historic and cultural influences, it would be a shame not to venture out. We booked the Mayan Experience, an all day tour. The adventure started with a guided tour of the Chacchoben Ruins and continues on to Chacchoben village where we ate an authentic lunch prepared by a family at their home.

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Today’s tidbit: “When you realize the value of all life, you dwell on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future.” – Dian Fossey

Last week I shared the beginning of our Western Caribbean cruise, starting with Tampa + Roatan, Honduras. Continuing along, our next stop was beautiful Belize. We booked a full day Lamanai Mayan Ruins excursion where we enjoyed a bus and river boat tour to the ruins. Lamanai is one of the largest Mayan sites in Belize, expanding over a huge expanse on the Belize New River, the Lamanai Mayan Center holds over 800 structures deep in the Tropical Forest. We experienced driving through vast land, zooming along the river, walking through the forest and taking in all the history at the ruins.

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Today’s tidbit: “The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” – Wyland

I returned from South Africa in October, right before my sisters wedding. I couldn’t stay put for too long, heading on a cruise the end of February with my mom and sister. Leaving from Tampa, Florida we spent a week cruising to Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya and Cozumel… all places we had never been to. Since high school, I have gone with family on a few cruises visiting some Caribbean islands including: Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Curacao, San Juan, St. John, St. Lucia, St. Martin and St. Thomas. Each is beautiful and unique. I prefer getting out of the tourist area and really seeing the island and interacting with the locals and all that place offers, which is exactly what we did on this Western Caribbean cruise. In April I finished SA posts and I’m excited to finally share another adventure, starting with Roatan, Honduras.

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Today’s tidbit: “Wherever you are, be there. If you can be fully present now, you’ll know what it means to live.” ― Steve Goodier

I have been focusing on a few big changes and although it is taking longer than I thought I’m still determined. There’s a reason for all this. You have to keep moving forward. There is beauty in this space if in between, too. In April I enjoyed reconnecting again with where I am, D.C. Although I crave a fresh start and new adventure I’m grateful to live in such a beautiful and thriving area. Spring in D.C. with the cherry blossoms is definitely a site to see and appreciate.

{Renew. Refresh. Enjoy today.}

“Every day is a new adventure so embrace it fully with with your whole heart and soul.” –  Crystal Tyler

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Today’s tidbit: “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find ways in which you yourself have altered.” – Nelson Mandela

Earlier this week I shared my last adventure in SA, Boulders Beach + Winery in Cape Town. As I mentioned in the very first SA post, The start: SA + flight + night 1, a lot of people were shocked when I said this is where I was going and that it isn’t a common vacation place. South Africa is a popular travel destination for many countries in Europe and all over the world. Hopefully now you can see why! It really is a rainbow nation with a little of everything.

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” ― Aldous Huxley

I was never looking at this like a vacation but rather an adventure. And that’s exactly what it was – an adventure in every way! Today will wrap up an unforgettable trip, sharing our last night and flight. I hope you’ve enjoyed following along our journey.

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Today’s tidbit: “People don’t take trips. Trips take people.” ― John Steinbeck

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Today’s tidbit: “It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves – in finding themselves.” ― Andrew Gide

It’s important to see and experience as much of South Africa as possible to get a full appreciation for the country, culture and people. I’m glad we were able to do that. Cape Town is what most people in the USA think of when they hear South Africa, that and a safari I think. It is without a doubt a gorgeous + diverse place and I can see why it’s such a popular travel destination! Last week I shared our experience at Imizamo Yethu Township. As I mentioned, this Cape Town township is situated in the picturesque seaside suburb of Hout Bay. It was definitely a humbling and memorable experience. Moving on, in the afternoon we continued to Hout Bay and Cape of Good Hope (Cape Point). Remember Table Mountain? The same applied here, you are just surrounded by spectacular panoramic views. Absolutely gorgeous.

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Today’s tidbit: “It makes no difference where you go, there you are. And it makes no difference what you have, there’s always more to want. Until you are happy with who you are, you will never be happy because of what you have.” ― Zig Ziglar

Only 3 more SA posts left! Mid March I left off with part 2 of our Cape Town tour, where we explored the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The following morning we had breakfast and said goodbye to our  friends from the 2-week. My mom and I had another day still, which we spent enjoying more of Cape Town on a private tour with hotspots2c. Although it was just for the day I can’t say enough good things about them. I will be breaking up this day into three parts, starting with our experience at Imizamo Yethu Township. Imizamo Yethu means “our combined effort” in Xhosa. This Cape Town township is situated in the picturesque seaside suburb of Hout Bay and is rich in South African culture. It was a humbling experience.

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