Before my memory of 2023 fades, here are nine of my favorite experiences for the year (in no particular order):
1. Revisiting New York City
New York City is one of my most memorable cities for a lot of reasons. This year I was fortunate enough to return and visit places I have never been to. I hope to find time to share this memorable trip on this blog soon.
2. Fleet Week in San Francisco
I have never heard of Fleet Week before until I saw it on the news while I was coincidentally in the Bay Area. Suddenly, I had the opportunity of seeing jets flying in formation in person! No regrets in standing under the heat of the sun to hear their engines roar and see them fly literally overhead!
Nature Trip in Baler, Aurora
This was one of my most epic adventures for 2023 as not only did we got to see the surf and beaches of Baler, we also saw some waterfalls, crystal-clear rivers, climbed up a lighthouse, and roamed around in a scooter. This was next on my itinerary of blogs to post until my business trips got in the way. I hope to finish the story and share it soon.
The beaches of Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater was one of the first destination beaches in Florida that I got to experience. The islander in me can’t help but compare, but in the end, I saw how much untapped potential we have with our beaches in the Philippines, and how much we can do more for both the people and the environment.
The beaches of San Juan, La Union
Our most spontaneous (least planned) of the year was in San Juan, La Union. That was a testament on how easy it was to get there! It was also relatively easy to move around as public transport was easily available. I did not expect that it would be a foodie haven, too! Read more about our adventures, here.
Wildlife encounter at St. Marks, Florida
For the longest time I have been living in the tropics, I have never seen a wild alligator or crocodile, so I definitely did not expect to encounter one outside the country! It was in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Wakulla County, Florida when this unexpected event occurred, and we did encounter other fauna as well. And the sights of nature is just amazing, see the video below.
Crossing Golden Gate Bridge on foot
Another thing scratched off from my bucket list as a runner was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on foot. While I wasn’t running as I imagined the moment originally years ago, walking gave me the time to appreciate the sights longer. Maybe one day I’ll get to run it back and forth!
Touring Thomasville, Georgia
Thomasville what? This was a surprise location in this list and it was primarily because of the beautiful park around Cherokee Lake. And there’s also that railroad crossing the lake that made it a little distinct for me. This town kind of reminded me of the series Smallville because of the name and that water tank dominating the skyline. It was a quick but memorable visit.
The beaches of Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida was easily one of the most expensive areas I’ve visited in 2023, but it was also one of my favorite destinations as there were quite a lot to see and experience, aside from the world-famous beaches. I’ll definitely share this experience here for posterity reasons, time-permitting.
2023 was the year a lot of things returned back to normalcy for me and even started a path for me for the years to come. Hopefully, the momentum gained in 2023 will continue this year. And may 2024 be a great year for everyone.
runningpinoy 