DUBROVNIK
Dubrovnik was our first stop in Croatia.  The old city is still there enclosed by the ancient walls and complete with a moat, canons and a drawbridge but don’t be fooled it is not a museum but a thriving quaint little city where people actually still work, live and play.  Sara and I took a tour around this amazing city with a local guide, Luka.  After learning the history of the city and seeing it from the inside, we decided to get another view of it from the water so we took a boat ride in the Adriatic to get a better view and ended up on Banje Beach where we met a group of Croatian guys playing picigin a local beach game with a small ball.  The object of the game was to keep the ball out of the water.  Sara and I were not very good at it.  Later that night we had drinks at Buza Bar.  It was kind of hard to find and when we first found the entrance it looked a little scary and uninviting.  Boy were we wrong!!!  The bar is nestled on small terraces just outside the city walls overlooking the Adriatic Sea.  We got there just in time for sunset and it was sooo beautiful I literally cried.

Just a 10 minute boat ride from Dubrovnik is the Island of Lokrum.  Lokrum is said to be haunted and I love anything haunted or spooky so I knew we had to check it out.  It is a very small island and no one lives on it.  It is home to an ancient monastery and when the monks were forced to leave many years ago they cursed the island so that bad luck or even death would come down upon anyone who tried to own the island for pleasure.  While there we got a tour and heard all of the ghost stories, we went swimming in a really cool looking swimming hole they call a “dead sea” and then went cliff diving!!  Well…I should say cliff jumping!  It was amazing.  We walked to the other side of the island and saw a few local guys literally jumping off what looked like the end of the earth into the vastness of the Adriatic. We started off with a small jump of around 10 feet and before long we were conquering the higher jumps with no problem.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a little scary at first but soooo much fun!!!

BRAC
A trip to Croatia wouldn’t be complete without going to the island of Brac.  Brac is home to Golden Horn Beach.  It is a beach point that jets way out into the water and literally changes the direction it is pointing due to the winds.  And once you are out there you can tell why!  Between the hours of 2-7pm the winds really pick up speed making this beach a destination for sailboats and kite surfers.  Watching the kite surfers is incredible some of them can propel in the air up to 30 feet and they get going at great speeds.  Since kite surfing requires a lot of practice and know how, it was out of the question for Sara and I to try that so we opted for a sailing lesson.  Out there we were able to get up close to the kite surfers and when Sara tried to High 5 one of them she nearly got her arm taken off!!!

When I’m visiting a new place I find that one of the best ways to understand the geography and really get a feel for the place is to see it from above so I decided to take a flight lesson with Marin.  This was a little scary because for part of the trip I was actually piloting the plane and at one point my instructor was talking on his cell phone and text messaging!!!  I thought you weren’t allowed to do that!!  I thought it messed up the instruments in the plane!!!  Let’s just say I was so relieved to be back on the ground again!

NIN
Sara and I were told that there is a special mud in Nin known for curing ailments.  I didn’t really have an ailment in mind that I wanted to cure but I was interested in this mystery mud and its healing benefits.  So we went and had a mud bath with a physical therapist Igor. At first things seemed a little strange…we drove out to the middle of nowhere, went for a really long walk and it didn’t seem like he knew exactly where the mud was…but then alas, we found the mud and covered ourselves in it.  We sat around to bake in the sun and let it dry but truth be told, our luck it was actually a very chilly day and Sara and I were freezing trying to let the mud dry and finally gave up and ran into the water to scrub it off.

Later that night we had dinner at local place that is actually someone’s house yet a place you can go to have dinner.  We were interested in trying authentic Croatian food and that is exactly what we did!!  Sara and I had figs (I didn’t love them), and we tried maraschino a cherry liqueur famous throughout Croatia.  The traditional drinks seemed to keep coming but luckily so did the food!  A tray full of delicious meats and cheeses and breads arrived.  And we learned the Croatian word for “Cheers” is “ziveli”.

PALMIZANA ISLAND
Our last stop on our Croatian excursion was a private island called Palmizana.  When we first arrived by boat there was a small group of local men (one was actually the owner of the island and the others worked in the harbor) and they were singing beautiful operatic songs we stopped and listened and were invited to sit and have homemade wine with them.  Later, one of the ladies gave us a tour of the island and showed us to our little bungalow hidden among the foliage.   That night Sara and I decided to go on a hike, while out we happened upon the most beautiful little cove with pristine clear water.  It was so private and so beautiful and although we didn’t have our swimsuits that didn’t stop us.  We decided to go skinny-dipping and got caught by a group of boys from Sweden walking by…woops.  While frolicking in the water I accidentally stepped on a sea urchin.  I finished the scene and then warned the crew that I made need a little help out of the water.  When they saw what I had done they told me how painful/bloody pulling the prong out of my foot could be.  But, lucky for me I pulled it out without incident.  Shew!  That was a close one!
The next morning we took a fishing trip with a fisherman who didn’t seem to speak much.  We caught some really weird things including some sort of squid thing and a mini, little shark!!  After setting a few things free I decided that was enough fishing for me and we headed back to the mainland.

My Croatia trip was amazing and it definitely ranks in my top beaches so far.  It was an educational, relaxing, beautiful and unique place to go.  I highly recommend it as a must do beach destination.

Sunshine Coast
I went to the Sunshine Coast first.  Noosa Beach is a cute, quaint little beach community with lots of shops, restaurants and bars. I started my day by getting acquainted with the coastline with a Harley ride…a very “American” thing to do I thought but since it was my first Harley ride it was exciting.  The weather was not quite cooperating with us and although the actual temperature was warm it was raining and at some points coming down hard making a Harley ride not very ideal.
Once we arrived at the beach the weather had cleared up and the beach was filled with people enjoying their day.   I walked in the sand along the water line watching the sexy people tan their already bronzed bodies, the kids play and the tourist try to protect themselves with loads of zinc.  I then made my way up to the main street and checked out the local shopping…tons of swim and surf stores selling mostly Cazies, the local word for bikinis, and tourist regalia.
The next day I went on a Camel Safari ride down 40mile beach with some backpackers from France and Canada.  I was shocked at two things that day.  First, I had no idea that Australia had more camels then anywhere else and they actually export their camels to Arabian countries. Second, I was struck how amazingly beautiful the beach was and yet it felt so undiscovered.  It was hands down one of the nicest beaches I have seen with the least amount of people!
I had never been on a camel before but oddly it was one of the things on my bucket list…I guess I can check that off!  Who knew I would check camel ride off my list in Australia!!!  The camel ride was a very slow and soft a very smooth ride much smoother than riding a horse.  The scariest part of the ride is when the camel stands or sits…I boarded and deboarded the camel while it was in a seated position so while it is in the process of standing or sitting you need to hold on tight!!!

Gold Coast
Doing aerobatics in an open cockpit WWII style plane was something I had always wanted to do.  Yes…another thing checked off my bucket list!!!  Although I think of myself as a daredevil, I got a little nervous the first time the engine cut out and we began to do flips and turns.  It was an adrenaline rush to say the least!!!!  It was so much fun and although we were 5000 feet in the air the crew on the ground could hear my screams from the ground below.  After the craziness was over the plane gave me a more serene ride to see the beautiful Australian coastline specifically Surfers Paradise.
Ever heard of the famous Gold Coast Meter Maids?  They are hot girls that walk around clad in gold bikinis and add tokens to the meters of cars that are about to expire.  They “rescue” people from parking tickets.  I got the honor of being a Meter Maid for the day and not only did I have a lot of fun but I also made a lot of new friends!  Possible career opportunity?
The next day, a few of my new Meter Maid friends took me to Moreton Island were we went ATV’ing down the beach and down a really steep hill, then four wheeling out to the dessert to go sand tobogganing down a 70 foot sand dune and then to cool down with a snorkel around 16 shipwrecks.  While in the water we saw a sea cow or better known as a Dugong.
I loved Surfers Paradise.  It is 100% beach culture!  People say it is like the Australian version of Miami but since I have never been to Miami I will have to take their word for it.  There was so much to do in this area that I knew right then that I must come back to Australia!
Before leaving the Gold Coast there was one more thing I had to do…find a koala and a kangaroo.  Since you have to be in more rural areas to see either one of these creatures I opted for the wildlife sanctuary.  Here I got to hold a koala bear, feed the kangaroo, chase the emus’ and see the world’s largest known crocodile!!!

Sydney
Aww…Sydney, the city life.  The landmark opera house, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, the marina, the shopping, restaurants and nightlife, Sydney really has it all.  City life is great but of course I’m all about the beach.  The first beach I went to was Burleigh beach and native Aboriginals greeted me.  They performed their welcoming dance and taught me some of their culture including the meaning of their body paint markings, dance moves and how to throw a boomerang.  It was a true Australian cultural experience.
I met up with a local celebrity, Luke Van Dyke.  He took me to Bondi Beach where I learned another famous Australian beach sport…Frisbee.  Let’s just say I’m not very good at it but it was fun trying.  Then we had a picnic on the beach with some of the local favorite snacks…meat pies, Vegemite, Shapes and Tim Tams.  There is a very special thing that can be done in Sydney that I haven’t seen anywhere else, you can actually climb all the way to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge.  Being the thrill seeker that I am, I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by!!!  So Luke and I climbed it!  It takes a little while to get to the top but the birds eye view from the summit (465 feet) is well worth it!  I enjoyed it so much I thought; “I wouldn’t mind being a bridge climb tour guide one day!”
Next was Manly Beach.  There just happened to be a huge Lifesaving Carnival going on that day and Luke took me to check it out.  They have all sorts of competitions that trained lifeguards compete in for medals and bragging rights.  Surfboat competitions, paddling, kayaking, running in the sand, rescue missions and the coveted Iron Man contest, which encompasses several of the disciplines into one race.  It was a cool event on a very hot day!  Record temperatures were around 41 degrees Celsius or 105.8 f.  So to cool off Luke gave me a surf lesson.  I’m no Kelly Slater but I had a great time trying!!!  It is something I would like to do a lot more of.  It was extra thrilling for me because of my fear of sharks and knowing that Australian waters are known for their shark life.
Let’s not forget about the nightlife!!  Sydney is teaming with bars and clubs and I made sure to hit a few while I was in town.  The Ivy club is a multilevel nightclub with different venues on each floor including the top, which is at the pool.  Famous DJ’s spin their tunes, bikini clad cocktail waitresses, sexy people in and out of the pool and the place was packed!!!  Let’s just say, it was a late night.

Vocabulary
Cazy= bikini
Swimmer= bathing suit
Un Co= uncoordinated
Lemonade= Sprite
Tomato Sauce= Ketchup
Barbi= Barbeque
Prawns= Shrimp

I stayed at Nikki Beach Hotel, which is known to be a party hotel.  Also staying there were members of the Olympic volleyball team including the Gold Medalist Phil Daulhauser.  I walked over to watch them play volleyball on the beach and before long they wanted me to come and join them.  I’m terrible at Volleyball so I was a little embarrassed and didn’t really want to join in but how often do will I get a chance to play like this ever again?!?!  So, I decided…what the heck and jumped in.  After a few pointers, I surprised myself at how well I actually did!!!

I went to The Conch Shack, which is a famous local hang out.  And was surprised to see all my Volleyball friends were there as well.  There is a ritual they do there where everyone has to try a conch “pistol”.  It is a long clear tube that is actually the penis of a conch.  They pull out the tube and some one of the opposite sex has to feed it to you.  It is supposed to be an aphrodisiac but I’m not so sure about that.  If you are lucky, it slides down your throat in one swallow and you don’t actual chew it or taste it.  If you are like me…it gets caught half way down and your gag reflexes start to engage…but I was rescued by a shot of rum punch.  Before long we were all playing limbo.

Horseback riding on the beach in Turks and Caicos was absolutely amazing!!!!  It was like a scene from a movie and was one of the top things on my bucket list.  My horse named “Cowboy” loved wading through the water…and so did I.  I think the picture says it all.

We had a rainy day and we decided to visit the cultural center.  It was an educational and fun experience.  I learned how to play the Rickshaw and blow into a conch shell.  I visited a local medicine man and tried some really gross concoctions.  Then the local dancers came out and demonstrated their countries dance and song.  They dressed me up in the national outfit, taught me the dance and song, which is all about the conch shell.

Snuba=kinda like a mix between scuba and snorkel.  This is the perfect alternative for me because although I’m scuba certified, I’m still a little uncomfortable about it.  This allowed me to go down 20 feet and see tropical fish but even more excitingly…I saw a SEA TURTLE!!!!!

The last thing I did before I left Turks and Caicos was a photo shoot…I couldn’t resist taking advantage of that amazing scenery.

I think TCI had it all…beauty, adventure, culture and partying.

The next morning we took a tuk tuk (local taxi) to a beach to watch a snake charmer.  This guy was crazy!!!  These were giant cobra snakes and various other varietals of snakes that were very poisonous!!  We watched him taunt them, dance with them, hold them, etc.  He is a very brave guy and needless to say he has been bitten many times and needed urgent medical care.  It was an exciting feat to watch but not nearly as exciting as what I was about to do…parasailing.  I wasn’t nervous to go parasailing.  I had been before.  I went once in Mexico years ago and once in Monte Carlo with Holly and Kendra on Girls Next Door.  And although I have a fear of heights I’m trying to get over overall I have had very positive parasailing experiences but little did I know, my luck was about to change.  I call it a misunderstanding perhaps due to the language barrier but something went horribly wrong.  I was supposed to start in the water and land in the water but for some reason I didn’t.  When I asked my producer what was going on she wasn’t really sure.  Then before I knew it the boat started going and I was running and then flying through the air.  At first it was fun and although I felt incredibly nervous I liked the adrenaline and the view truly is unbeatable.  Suddenly, I was being flagged down by one of the instructors on the beach to pull down on the ropes of the sail.  Like I said, I have been parasailing before and never have I had to control the sail myself before.  Before I knew it I was plummeting towards the beach with tourists and sunbathers fleeing for their lives at my rapid descend.  The only thing I knew to do was a bit of advice I took from the one time I went sky diving.  He told me that nearly all injuries happen during landing so to protect yourself start running the second you hit the ground.  As I was falling to the earth this was the only words of wisdom I could think of so before I even hit the ground I started running in air which, luckily for me, absorbed most of the impact.  I ran until the force of the boat pulled me down and dragged me until it came to a stop.  I popped up, and minus a few scratches and bruises, I was fine.  It didn’t hit me until later how serious this could have been.

I wanted to get a real taste of Thai culture while I was there so here are some of the other things I did while I was in Thailand..I got a Thai massage that was out of this world, incredible.  So relaxing yet invigorating.  It is a combination of relaxation and stretching and they have used this method of massage for years on their family and friends.  I took a Thai cooking lesson and learned to make Pad Thai, chicken Satay and my favorite, garlic beef.  And of course, I took a Thai boxing lesson, which was a lot of fun and great exercise, but I don’t think I will be in a boxing ring anytime soon.

After my attempt at parasailing I was a little gun shy about heights…but we were staying the night at a beautiful resort on Raleigh Beach, which offers a unique experience of rock climbing.  I started with a small climb to test my skills and once I realized how much fun it was (and relatively safe) I was excited to scale a bigger wall.  It was so fun and very liberating.  It is amazing how accomplishing something like that can make you feel so good about yourself.  It is always such a rewarding experience when I go beyond my comfort zone and challenge myself.

And last but certainly not least, the very coolest think I got to do while in Thailand was to ride the elephants.  They are magnificent creatures and to be able to spend the afternoon with them, observe their behaviors and individual personalities as well as be able to touch them and be transported by them really gave me the ultimate perspective of how powerful and intelligent these spectacular creatures are.  What a day and what a trip!!!

The next stop was Cadaques home to Salvador Dali and the cutest, quaintest most sweetly romantic little town: Gorgeous sunsets over a beautiful bay, tiny little cobblestone streets and boutique shops and crepe stands on the corner.  The tour of Dali’s house is quite interesting and amazing everywhere you look is a piece of art.  Nothing is common or ordinary and you really get where a lot of his inspiration came from.  From there I took a boat ride into caves and ultimately to a Cliffside restaurant that actually had to hike up to.  It was a unique restaurant and I let the locals tell me what to get for lunch…let’s just say I’m sooo glad the production crew had another lunch set aside for me, one that wasn’t looking at me.
From Cadaques we drove back to Barcelona and from there we flew to Mallorca, which is Spain’s biggest Island.  It is gorgeous.  I took an amazing helicopter ride of the entire Island.  There are tons of resorts and the one I stayed at is called the Hotel Formentor.  It is very upscale and exclusive and the grounds are simply gorgeous.  And the staff is very, very friendly…lol.  One of the things I learned about Mallorca that I thought was very romantic is that you can rent a boat for the day (with a captain) and they will sail you along the rocky coastline and you can literally find your own private beach for the day.  They said they get some people who do this to propose!!!  How romantic!!!!
Ibiza…the name alone conjures up all kinds of thoughts of crazy partying, dancing all night and sexy people and it did not disappoint.  Ibiza has many bars and clubs and the party never ends.  A typical day in Ibiza would be to get up and go to the beach after spending most of the day basking in the sun you go back to your hotel for an evening siesta.  Then get ready for a late dinner…probably around 10pm.  After dinner, around midnight you would go to the bars and start “pre-partying” then, finally, around 2 or 3am you would head to the actual club.  Once there you would party until 8 or 9am.  When you leave the club the beaches are in full swing and you start the day all over again!!!  Sound like a lot?  Ibiza is for people looking for a crazy and wild party.  Partying isn’t the only thing to do though, I did jet ski, wake board and try some of the local popular cuisine such as paella and The Croissant Show; which is a famous morning breakfast stop after a heavy night of clubbing.
All in all my Spain trip was very diverse and encompassed a lot of things: culture, romance, history and of course partying!

Malibu
Let’s begin with Malibu and work our way down the coast.  Malibu is beautiful and known for its real estate, celebrities, scenic beauty and rocky coastline.  It is a place where people want to be seen.  And since Holly has the perfect car, a red 1960 convertible Corvette, for cruising the coastline I had her give me a ride.
So, since I’m in the market for a new home…why not enlist the help of a Sotheby’s real estate agent and look at some homes.  The house or shall I say estate he took me to was immense with an amazing view of the beach.  However, the style of the house didn’t exactly suit my tastes and at $15 million it didn’t really fit my budget either.  It was still fun looking.
Then Holly and I went to the infamous Geoffrey’s for lunch.  This restaurant has been around for ages and it used to be the stomping ground for many famous celebrities such as Carey Grant.  Today it was Holly and I!  The food was delicious and the view was amazing.
Speaking of views!!!!  After lunch I went paragliding!!!  The paragliding contraption was nothing like I thought it was going to be.  We actually started on the beach as opposed to a cliff or mountain top and my guide had a huge fan and motor attached to his back after I was clipped to the front of him, he instructed me to start running.  As I did, we got lift off and were soon flying over 500 feet in the air with spectacular views of the ocean, coastline and Malibu Mountains.

Santa Monica
The Santa Monica Pier is filled with all kinds of fun carnival style adventure rides, games and junk food.  What I didn’t know about is the new trapeze rig!  I love doing trapeze and for those of you who know me, you know that I have incorporated trapeze into my normal workout as much as possible.  So, when I heard that there was a new flying trapeze rig on the Santa Monica pier, I knew I had to try it out!  It was so exciting flying through the air with the ocean breeze whipping through my hair and swinging straight out towards the ocean.  It was truly a unique way to enjoy an activity that a truly love.  Not to mention I had several friends come to visit…my trapeze trainers Ray and Tania from Hollywood Aerial Arts and my good friends from the Playboy Mansion Stacy and Roy.

Venice
Continuing on down the beach Stacy and Roy joined me for a bit of roller skating and tandem biking on the bike path that links Santa Monica and Venice beaches.  Not only is this a great form of exercise but it is a great way to see the seaside as well.  Stacy and I went shopping amongst all the street vendors and performers and tried on funky sunglasses and ate ice cream.  Another thing I would love to do there is learn to graffiti.  There is a wall in Venice that artists can actually apply for a permit to tag the wall.  Although I’m not an artist, I would love to leave my mark on Southern California like that!

Laguna
In Laguna, I met up with and artist that shared with me the importance of the art culture and lifestyle in Laguna.  He walked me down the main street showing me where many of the local artists get their inspiration.  He then took me down to the beach and gave me a painting lesson.  As mentioned earlier, I’m far from being an artist…but I didn’t think I did to bad!
Next, it was off to the St. Regis Hotel.  One word…BEAUTIFUL!!!  They showed me the Presidential Suite where I got to reside for the rest of the day.  The bathtub was so large I could practically swim in it, the balcony overlooks the pool, golf course and the ocean and the chef made me huge chocolate sculptures that I couldn’t keep my hands off of!!!   The St. Regis is also pet friendly!  So, I got to bring Wednesday and boy was she spoiled!!  They had a dog bed, treats and fancy bowls awaiting her arrival.  I got a partial massage out on the balcony it was feeling amazing but it had to be cut short due to our filming schedule…bummer.  After my abbreviated massage I headed out for a golf lesson.  I was a little unsure about playing golf.  Golf was always a sport that I had never been interested in and the few times I did try and hit a golf ball, I usually missed.  I felt I was best suited for miniature golf.  However, after a short lesson with my instructor I was hitting the ball and holding my own.  Surprisingly, I’ve decided that I like golf and it is something I would like to try again.

Del Mar
In Del Mar there is an annual event that makes people get dog gone crazy.  It’s a Dog Surf competition!!!  I don’t claim to be an expert surfer but these dogs surf way better than I do!  They also have a doggie bikini and board short competition as well vendors representing everything you could need for your pet and more!  It was a fun day and I brought Wednesday with me to help judge the contest!

San Diego
When I went exploring San Diego I knew I needed to bring along my good friend Kendra Wilkinson.  She grew up there and new she would know of all the sexiest places to go!  Kendra picked me up from the Ivy Hotel, where I was staying, in a convertible Mustang and we headed to her favorite beach, Wind and Surf Beach.  We stayed there for a little while working on our suntans and getting caught up.
A little later, we went to La Jolla and went kayaking with sharks.  Yes…SHARKS!!  I looked down and saw tons of them swimming all around and under our kayaks!!!  Luckily, they are leopard sharks and they can’t hurt you.  I was happy to her that but at the same time I was praying that we didn’t tip our kayak!!
That night we went back to the Ivy hotel and partied it up at the rooftop bar.  Hot people, good music, beautiful view and awesome drinks what more can you ask for?

Ocho Rios
Golden eye resort is a beautiful exclusive resort.  Any description I try to give will never do this resort justice.  It was incredible.  When I first walked into the resort/house I thought I was in the lobby and I remember thinking…why is my room directly attached to the lobby?  Immediately we were greeted with frozen concoctions that were cool, refreshing, delicious and potent!!  Then it was explained to me that this was Ian Flemings home and this “lobby” was not a lobby at all it was actually my living room for the next few nights.  Ian Fleming was a spy turned writer and wrote 13 books while living in this home.  You may have heard of a few of his works Dr. No,  Octopussy, licensed to Kill or perhaps his fictional lead character…Bond, James Bond.
The house was amazing with huge shutters that line the entire front wall and open up the whole house to a dramatic view of the ocean.  A private pool and beach complete with a cave.  They prepare all of the food for you fresh daily and it was delicious, including the seafood, which I’m always a little leery about.   And the landscaping around the resort was lush, tropical and dense.  Everything was just gorgeous.  I had an outdoor shower and bathtub, it felt like I was bathing in a tropical rainforest and incredibly romantic.  Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records and the man who discovered the talented Bob Marley and is credited for bringing the sounds of reggae music to the rest of the world and also the owner of Golden Eye resort, was very sweet and hospitable and made us feel right at home.  Although you can’t always expect to find him there we were lucky enough to be at the resort at the right time.
Bobsledding is a pride in Jamaica.  The Jamaican bobsledding team is heroic and revered here.  It was so fun and exhilarating to get a little taste of that type of adventure. Speeding 40miles an hour down a track through the dense foliage of the mountainside was a fun rush and I couldn’t get enough. I was a little nervous at first, but it was so much fun I did it over and over again.  And, insisted that the rest of our crew do it as well.
Swimming with dolphins is something that I had always wanted to do.  I had heard of people doing it and even seen it being done but never had the opportunity to do it myself.  Dolphins have such unique personalities and are very special creatures.  It was an amazing opportunity to be able to spend an afternoon watching them, learning about them and ultimately getting in the water and interacting with them.  They sing, dance and do crazy flips in the air.  This was an unforgettable experience.

Once our time was over for playing with the dolphins…the trainers pointed out something else we might like…snorkeling with sharks!!!  There are three things that I fear…heights, sharks and diving underwater.  So, to snorkel with sharks was a bit intimidating.  They were Nurse sharks and they actually put one on our lap as they told up about the shark.  We fed the shark’s small baitfish and to feel the power of their body to lunge their jaws at the fish was incredible.  We felt their skin and it was rough and gritty like sand paper.  We then watched the sharks swim around as we put on our snorkel gear and got in with them.  The sharks were docile and eventually just rested on the bottom of the lagoon.  I felt better about sharks after my first controlled shark encounter.

I’m a picky eater but Jerk chicken…can I say yummmmm.  I could have eaten at the jerk chicken shacks everyday.  The food was soooo good.  Spicy and unique

Climbing Dunns River Falls is incredible.  It is clearly the most famous waterfall in Jamaica and for good reason.  Eight rivers converge to make and powerful surge down the mountainside into the ocean.  It is magnificent show and if you are adventurous like I am you can actually start at the beach and climb the 650 feet up to the top of the falls.

Another thing that must be done while in Jamaica, is paying homage to the King of reggae music Bob Marley.  To get to his legendary home in 9 mile, it is a hair-raising bus ride up a very narrow, curvy and cliff-defying mountainside but it is worth the trip.   Do what I did and take a reggae bus to get your mind off the treacherous road.  Then enjoy the historical tour given by one of the knowledgeable guides that live the Rastafarian lifestyle.

Negril

Negril is on the other side of the island and has many amazing resorts.  One of which is called the Rock House these are seaside resorts built right on the cliffs.  Each room is on its own private terrace built into the cliff with its very own diving platform.  What an amazing experience to be able to wake up in the morning see the sea, open up the French doors and jump right into the ocean.  Just a little further down from the Rock House is a place called Rick’s Café where lots of people go to jump/dive off the cliffs and if you are lucky some of the locals will be there showing off their amazing diving skills.

Another amazing resort on the Negril side of the island is called The Caves.  Built into the cliff as well…this resort offers something amazing that I have never seen anywhere else.  They actually have a bar set down in a cave with the ocean pounding into the rocks all around it.   They even have private caves that you can reserve for the night and have a romantic dinner prepared for you and brought to you in the caves.  It was a super cool place to see.

Alfred’s is a great place to go to get a lot of local flavor.  It is right on the beach with jerk chicken and a live reggae band.  It is definitely a place to go for a great dinner and night of dancing.

One thing I had always wanted to try was hula dancing!!  Aureana just happens to be a professional hula dancer and she gave me a crash course on the beach.  It was a lot of fun and I think I caught on pretty well.  With a few more lessons, I might actually be able to perform with her…or maybe not LOL.  Hula dancing really is a lot of work.  When done properly for at least 20-30 minutes, it can be an excellent work out!!  I love finding unique ways to stay in shape or to sneak my workout in for the day!!
A really cool thing that Aureana suggested for me to do (but wasn’t able to join me for) was BOB’s Hawaii Adventure.  I had little idea what I was getting into when I walked in and saw underwater scooters!!!!  I was a little nervous at first and I had a lot of questions: What happens if this tips over?  How far down are we going to go?  And, most importantly, how is it possible that my hair isn’t going to get wet?
BOB’s Hawaii adventure – BOB means Breathing Observation Bubble.  It is literally a scooter that you ride underwater.  Just like in a bond film!  And your hair doesn’t get wet!  The air pressure in the bubble keeps the water out and allows you to breathe normally while 20 feet underwater.  You can feed the fish and watch the sea turtles swim around.  It was a very cool experience and really did make me feel like I was ready for a Bond film.
When I first saw the shark encounter as one of the possible options as an activity in Hawaii I was very nervous.  I’m terrified of sharks!!!!  One of the first questions I ask in nearly every location is, “Are there sharks here?”  So, to actually willingly put myself in a shark cage surrounded by sharks made me very uncomfortable!!!  Oddly, once I actually go out there and in the cage I was very comfortable.  We went 3 miles off the coast of Oahu.  The water was 500 feet deep and there were about 20-30 Galapagos sharks swimming all around.  Some of them were up to 15 feet long!!!  They were very curious and up close absolutely amazing and fascinating to look at.  This is one activity I’m so glad I did!!  I love conquering fears!!
Another cool experience was flying in a powered Hang Glider with Denise from Paradise Air.  It was a little scary at first but once you relax you can really enjoy the amazing view.  We saw a lot of great marine life from up above…a seal crawling onto the beach, a giant sea turtle and a family of humpback whales!!!!!  I was really excited because that was the first time I had ever actually seen whales in their natural habitat!

From the air is truly the best way to put into perspective where you are and just how beautiful and amazing it really is.  So, the helicopter tour was no disappointment.  This particular helicopter actually takes you to things you would never be able to see on the ground such as enormous waterfalls hidden in deep valleys and over the top of an active volcano.  Bob Pettee was our guide and he really knew his way around the island.
Swimming with Manta Rays at night at Kailua Kona on the Big Island is truly spectacular.  The best part about it is you don’t have to be an experienced diver or even avid snorkeler to do it…it is easy enough for anyone to try!  The Manta rays are enormous and the swim and do their acrobatics within centimeters of your body.  You get to see these animals up close and personal and it is very incredible.  The guide told us that this is the only place in the world that you can actually do this!
From a volcano to waterfalls, to hula dancing and Luau’s: Hawaii is every bit as beautiful as I thought it was going to be and filled with cool and unique things to do.  After all the adventures with my shark encounter, night dive with the manta rays and underwater scooters…I really do feel as if I’m a Bond girl in training!

Playa Hermosa is a black sand beach.  It has black sand because of the volcanic activity on the island.  It makes the water look darker and therefore giving you the illusion that it is also colder…but don’t be fooled!!  The water in Costa Rica is nice and warm, actually the perfect temperature!  Warm enough to be inviting and cool enough to be refreshing.  While at Playa Hermosa Amber and I took a sea kayak lesson from two instructors Leonardo and William.  This was crazy, rough stuff!!!!  We really took a beating.  We would literally get air and fly out of the kayak!  My paddle even broke in half!!!  There is a definite system and talent to doing it properly and I think Amber and I could use a lot more practice!!  It was fun to try but I’m really glad we were wearing the proper safety gear!

We stayed at an amazing resort with gorgeous rental condos called Los Suenos.  Los Suenos is on a marina and from there you can catch a yacht to different islands.  We took an AMAZING sport fishing yacht to Isla Tortuga. The boat was named “Let it Ride.”  This yacht was gorgeous with all of the amenities.  It went really fast and we arrived at Isla Tortuga pretty quickly.  When we arrived we found that this Island was a lot different then the Playa Jaco and Hermosa on the mainland.  The beaches were white sand and the Island had lots of coconut trees.  From the yacht I could heard drumming and it made me think about a scene from King Kong and I felt like at any moment he was going to come bursting out of the jungle looking for a human sacrifice.  As soon as we got there we walked around, found the band responsible for the drumming and danced along with the band on the beach and had lunch.  They made us this amazing drink called a Blackberry and it is made from the Blackberries that grow wild on the island.  They were delicious!  We had a traditional Costa Rican meal that consisted of chicken, rice and plantains.  After lunch we walked around some more and explored the islands wildlife: a wild boar that wasn’t so wild, a parrot, unique looking, super cute crabs, chickens and even wild turkeys.  When we were done exploring we decided to go on a pedal boat and we got so far back that we decided we couldn’t make it back to shore so we summoned for help and got towed back to our yacht!!! LOL

The next day we went to Montezuma also known as “Montefuma” to the locals and hippies in the area.  We walked around the little town that is cute, colorful and underdeveloped in a charming way that made it feel like a perfect little Costa Rican beach town.  We went horseback riding and rode to the Dunes of Teresa on the beach. It’s a really beautiful beach with huge boulders and crashing waves.  Perfect for wading and watching but not for swimming.

When we got back we went to a famous restaurant/bar called the Backyard Bar.  We tried several drinks including a shot of Guaro (this is similar to a moonshine and it is made out of sugar cane) and Coconut Milk.  They’re called “Miguelitos” they tasted kind of like Bailey’s.  Then we tried flaming cucarachas. They are made with Tequila, Kahlua and Vodka and then set on fire.  I tried to drink it several times but my straw melted every time!!!  Later, we continued the party out by a giant bonfire on the beach.  It was a great way to get to know some of the locals and unwind after a fun filled day.

The beaches of Costa Rica were great but you can’t go there without doing the rainforest!!  So that was our next destination!

ARENAL

From Playa Jaco we drove to the La Fortuna area and the base of the Arenal Volcano. Little did we know, our adventure was really just beginning!!! Staying that close to an active volcano was a little intimidating to me at first you can actually see it smoking and lava to still spills out of it on occasion.  But, the beauty of this area is unsurpassed.  The gorgeous volcano, the thick, tropical, lush, green rainforest and the beautiful hot spring waterfalls make this truly a destination of its own.  We stayed at the Tabacon resort and spa and it is probably one of the most amazing placed I have ever been.

One of the first things we did was go whitewater rafting on the river called the Rio Toro with a guide named Daniel from Desafio Adventure Tours. This rafting was the real deal!!  There were times that were real intense and we really had to put our newly acquired paddling skills to the test and other times the river was smooth and calm.  The river was really low and at one point we even got sot stuck on a rock.  It was a fun and exciting ride and an awesome way to see the jungle and overall beauty of the Costa Rican jungle.

The weirdest thing happened while I was floating down the river.  When we came to a spot that was calm our guide pulled out a bottle of French’s yellow mustard!!!   Now for those of you that don’t know, I’m very picky about mustard.  I like classic yellow mustard and on an episode of The Girls Next Door we were in New York and I tried to get a hot dog with plain yellow mustard.  Apparently, this is very hard to come by in NY because none of the hot dog stands had it!!!  It’s the only way I eat my hot dog so I was on a mission to find it.  I went to probably eight hot dog stands before I finally found one that had it!  Alas, yellow mustard!!!  So now, months later, I’m in Costa Rica floating on a river in the middle of the jungle and our guide pulls out a giant bottle of French’s!!   Apparently, he watched The Girls Next Door!!!

The next adventure we went on was zip lining.  Zip lining through the rainforest in Costa Rica above the Arenal River was exciting!!!  Some of the zip lines are 1,000 feet long and 250 feet high above the ground. At one point I even got to go upside down!!!  So FUN!!!  On our bumpy bus ride out of the jungle we even saw howler monkeys hanging out in the tall trees.  It was so cool to see these monkeys in their natural habitat just hanging out!!!

Like I mentioned before, the Tabacon is a spa resort and is officially called the Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort.  It is a five-star resort located at the foot of the Arenal Volcano.  I couldn’t wait to begin my spa extravaganza.  The General director, Uwe Wagner started us out with a tour of the spa.  The spa is incredible! The spa treatments are literally given right in between the hot springs with sound of rushing water, bird and saccades all around you.  We started out with a mud massage.  It’s a volcanic mud massage in a private treatment area in the middle of the rain forest. I thought the mud might be smelly since there is a lot of sulfur in the volcano but it didn’t smell at all and it feels great and exfoliates skin.  Once we were massaged with the mud we took a naked dip in a private hot spring to wash all the mud off.

After lunch, we went exploring the hot springs.  Words cannot describe how amazing this resort is.  There are bridges, waterfalls and rainforest all around.  We went wading in different temperature pools with waterfalls.  Some were very hot, like 90 degrees and one was even cold!

A very unique thing we did at this spa resort was an underwater massage.  This unique treatment is called Watsu it is a very soothing type of massage that takes place in waist deep water. Its name comes from a combination of the words “water” and “shiatsu.” and looks more like a stretching technique then a traditional massage.  It is supposed to feel like being in the mothers’ room and then being “reborn”.  It was very soothing and relaxing.

At the end of the day we took a ride on the water slide that was a lot more powerful then it looked and had a drink at the swim-up bar.  The perfect end to a perfect day and a perfect trip!