How To Maximize Your Adventures

In 2012!  

By: Guest Contributor, Michael Restivo

 

 

“This post is dedicated to the dreamers of the world. The ones who are ready to put aside what makes them comfortable and travel to a new land, discover a new culture, make a new friend, and eat something extraordinary.

 

When I started this site, I wanted to inspire people my age to explore the natural and cultural world around them, I wanted people to explore and fall in love with their own backyards, and I aimed to throw away all cultural biases and discover what the world truly is: A unique, diverse, and ultimately beautiful place.

 

The new year has arrived and while I rarely believe in setting resolutions, I do believe in goals. I believe in places to experience, mountains to climb, new foods to try, and cultures to explore. In the past year I’ve seen people craving adventure and escape into something strange and new. In this day and age, travel is not expensive and impossible anymore. It’s about wise management, open minds, and bringing zero expectations about the adventure ahead. My goal in 2012, is to get more people traveling and exploring, collect stories, and ultimately prove that there are no closed borders in our world. In this post I’ve come up with a list of suggestions and advice about how make 2012 your best travel year ever.”

 

1. Rediscover Your Own Backyard!

In 2011, I set out to discover the best of South Florida in adventures that took me from a bicycle ride among wild gators to a rehabilitation center for stranded whales. There is a time where a city that might seem so exotic and exciting to outsiders becomes mundane to those that live there year round. However, being so close to our own unique landscapes provides an escape that rediscovers clarity and balance in our everyday lives. This year the U.S. National Park Service will be offering select days of free entrance  to our national

Arches National Park – Moab, Utah

parks including National Park Week from April 21-29. It’s one of the most perfect opportunities to perfect outdoor skills and introduce a new generation to our diverse outdoor landscape. Discovery is also open to those who are not as outdoor inclined. I urge many this year to add an international flair to your weekends. Find the most uncommon international cuisine in your city, support local artists and musicians who strive for their talents to be seen and heard. In South Florida, we are fortunate to have two major cultural events each month, the Gables Gallery Night and the Wynwood Art Walk where local artists display the latest and most exciting flair in the international art scene. For the food lovers, check out Food Trucks, located now in almost every major city, for a unique and gourmet spin on fast food. By taking the ordinary out of your weekend, wether sweating it out on the trails, or being dazzled by neon colors and intricate designs, re-falling in love with your own city will guarantee a more fulfilled year.

2. Hostels Are the Way To Go

One of the biggest obstacles facing the young modern traveller is affordable accommodation. Traveling through pricey European cities can be a daunting task when considering a limited budget. This is where hostels come like a godsend. Hostels are small privately run hotels and lodges that provide little more than a

Jam Session at the Lazy Lizard

bed, a campground, or simply a roof over your head. The hostels are usually dorm style, where eight or more people could crowd into bunks in a single room but are comfortable social hotspots which are great places to meet like minded people willing to join your adventures. In May I took a week long trip to Moab, Utah, a haven for climbers, hikers, people going cross country, and young adventurers. At $9.00 a night (thats not a typo, thats nine dollars a night) I stayed at the Lazy Lizard Hostel providing a bunk with clean sheets, a shower, a communal kitchen, and a host of new friends all there for the same reason. For the international traveller, looking up sites such as Hostel International will provide you with a list of international rooms, some even with campgrounds, that will assure you affordable accommodation nearly anywhere in the world. Of course the drawback to the hostels is in some cases you will have to sacrifice certain hygienic qualities for price but if you’re one that doesn’t mind being perfectly squeaky clean all the time, then hostel travel is definitely the way to go.

3. Be Adventurous With Your Eats

Food binds the world together. It is a part of travel that everyone uniquely understands. The modern tourist in Europe will be hounded by restaurants, usually located near the most tourist heavy landmarks, that think they know what the traveller wants, and usually deliver in mass portions yet low quality. Be adventurous this year.

Spicy Momo Dumpling Soup, the hottest dish I’ve ever eaten – Kathmandu, Nepal

 Instead of flocking to where the guidebook takes you, slip into the empty streets and the alleyways until you find what your nose and your eyes tell you. One doesn’t need to speak the language to try something in a place where you’re going to find locals staring you down and snickering, yet where the food is fresh, homemade, and uniquely cooked each time.

When in Italy or France, explore the local markets, usually in the midweek or weekend, where you find local cheeses, meats, and produce. In India or East Asia, explore the nearly daily spice markets where the air explodes in scents of curry, cumin, and coriander seed. Go to the markets in the morning, buy as much as you’d allow yourself, and make your own lunches or dinners in your hotel, knowing that the family in the farmhouse down the road is possibly doing the same.

4. Do You Really Need All That Stuff?

One backpack for a week in Moab

 There are two types of travelers, the backpackers, and the flashpackers. The backpackers are those that are able to withstand at least two pairs of clothes over a multiple span of days. The flashpacker must include a multitude of options and the electronics to go with it. In the new year, make the effort to go light, you’ll find the advantage in spending less to worry or maintain it, and more space in your pack for the important things, like food and souvenirs. In the past year I found most airlines were extremely lenient when it came to well packed backpacks (of the large camping variety), and I’ve been able to fly multiple times without having to check what was immediately on me. Invest in a great quality pack that locks around your waist, and transportation, mobility, and weight become a thing of the past. Take the essentials with you, most European cities already offer a multitude of internet options, and if you were ever in need of something as important as a hairdryer, chances are somebody at the hostel already brought it.

5. Give Back

One of the best ways to see the lesser known parts of the world is to volunteer. Through organizations such as International Volunteer Headquarters, programs up to six months are offered throughout the developing world. You choose where you want to go, the type of work you want to do, and the amount of time you’d live to give with flexible program schedules. Jobs include working with children and supporting women’s rights, to AIDS education and wildlife conservation. It’s an opportunity to truly immerse yourself in another country and culture by living, eating, and experiencing everyday life through their eyes.

Stupa or Tibetan prayer tower – Tengboche, Nepal

6. Leave Your Comfort Zone and Get Off The Map!

This year, there is no excuse not to explore, travel, or find adventure. I urge anybody to truly have a one of kind experience this year. There are many ways to see the world cheaply and efficiency. In 2012, discover what your body is truly capable of. Take in a place not as a tourist but as a resident. Discover for yourself what makes the world truly extraordinary. Travel requires a dream, an ambition, and careful planning. It is not impossible or inaccessible to anybody. Over the next year I will continue to share my experiences, suggestions, and stories as well as passing along my passion for travel and adventure to inspire a new generation to see the world for themselves.

Happy Travels,

Michael

Farther past Shark Valley is the heart of the swamplands. The Everglades.

 Although explored in the comfort of an airboat, car, or organized trails, those looking for a wild experience can explore the many backcountry sites far removed from civilization. The canoe trails in the everglades are dotted with chickee hut platforms,

ground sites and beach sites, many accessible only by the constricted waterways. Many of these sites lack campground amenities such as showers or running water and a basic understanding of camp construction is a must.

However these sites offer a true wilderness experience as they are isolated from the organized campgrounds and it is possible to only see a couple or less tents at a time. Backcountry camping requires obtaining a permit the day before or the day of the start of the trip and basic navigational skills are a must, however it provides an authentic experience in the midst of the swamps.

The range of adventure in South Florida is vast, and the small sample of outdoor experiences isn’t even a mere tip of what the land has to offer.

 What makes South Florida so unique is it’s accessibility. Trails, paths, and waterways are clearly marked, and pristine waters offer a glimpse of a diverse ecosystem that is uniquely ours. Of course it requires the same level of protection and anybody enjoying our lands should treat it with dignity and respect.

A true adventure requires a leap into the daring and unknown, but it also requires a sense of preservation and thoughtfulness. Keep our lands clean, and explore on!

Michael

Link back to the first blog post on Hike, Bike, Kayak Wild Miami     ….   For all your Miami Real Estate Needs …  Local Real Estate Experts Vicki and Alexandra Restivo would love to make your next move a great move … 305 793-1365 or contact us at restivo.v@ewm.com

By guest contributor, Michael Restivo …     MiamiRealEstateCafe.com blogsite:  MIAMI & MIAMI REAL ESTATE

A mere thirty minute drive from the Florida International University campus is the lush paved trail known as Shark Valley. Shark Valley is a 15 mile loop along the tip of the Everglades where alligators roam free along the waterways and nature is as up close and personal as ever.

The loop is accessible in three ways. By bicycle, by tram, or by foot. Any bicycle is welcomed and bike rentals run at $8.00 an hour.  Halfway up the loop is a watchtower that when climbed provides an awe inspiring vista across the vast swamps. At the edge of the watchtower are several hiking trails that go to the border of the wild everglades.

Animals are in abundance here. The seven mile ride to the watchtower runs parallel to a natural canal where gators are ever-present. The alligators are generally docile and there have been no reported attacks in the valley, yet, they are continuously crossing the road, and the bikes are generally whisking by a mere three feet or less from a ten foot animal.

Other than the gator, great blue herons, egrets, falcons, and storks line and nest in the trees.

One of the pleasures of Shark Valley is riding out in the early morning before the large crowds arrive and having an empty road while watching the daily movement of life in a part of South Florida that is so close and yet so removed from anything else.

If you missed the previous post Hike, Bike, Kayak Wild Miami by Mike Off the Map for our real estate blog MiamiRealEstateCafe.com,  you can link to it here.

Happy Travels,

Michael

Located in the heart of Biscayne Bay, Oleta River State Park offers miles of fine and challenging mountain biking and kayak trails that run alongside the pristine shoreline through thick mangroves. Herons, Pelicans, and Egrets nest in the thick vines while manatees and the occasional dolphin swim through the roots. My kayaking trip took me

through the mangrove trails, and into the open waters of Biscayne Bay where the oncoming winds prove a formidable challenge as we slid across the sandbar and onto the beaches of one of the small mangrove islands.

The islands are small forests in themselves and offer small trails inland that can make someone forget they are still in fact in the heart of the city.

Beyond the waters, Oleta offers miles of challenging mountain bike routes that go deep into the forests while others can opt for paved novice routes that run parallel to the waters.

For those who have little or no experience in the outdoor skills, Oleta offers safe protected log cabins and campsites, some accessible by canoe that offer a safe place for a first experience before launching a larger expedition down south.

If you missed the earlier blog  by Michael Restivo on MiamiRealEstateCafe.com you can link to it here    … hike, bike, kayak wild Miami.

 We invite you to stay tuned for more …  and … Enjoy your travels,

 Michael

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The property was listed back in April by Alain Pinel Realtors, and so far this year, this is the highest priced closed sale  in Atherton, California.  Link here to view the property photos.

The Tudor-style estate sold - 11% below list price -  within just a few months of going on the market.    According to the Wall Street Journal the previous sellers owned the estate for nearly a century…  using it primarily as their summer retreat.

Some day perhaps,  Miami too will have century-old-homes with pricetags that rival that.  In the meantime,  wherever it is that you are looking to buy,  sell  or relocate to,  Alexandra and Vicki Restivo of EWM Realtors International will be pleased to  assist you,  and refer you to other top realtors in most parts of the world … as part of  the relocation services The Restivo Team offers.   Call us at 305 793-1365 or contact us through our real estate website and blog MiamiRealEstateCafe.com  by sending us a note here.

The Restivo Team  restivo.v@ewm.com

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

At the windows were  a dozen (or so) faces of dogs … all different kinds… all  happy, panting pups …  with waggy tails .  

The dogs were on their way home from a day a doggie day camp…     

The  bus pulled over and stopped at  the side of the road by Pinecrest Gardens, which was ‘pick-up point’ …   The driver  handed out treats to each of  her  ’passengers’  and waited for the owners to drive up …    She chatted  with the pets and then the owners …  It was fun to watch.

We’re often asked for recommendations as to pet sitters, kennels, dog parks, veterinarians … So, here’s one more Miami secret to share …  “Doggie Day Care” ! 

www.TotallyDog.com    Doggie Day Care …  A yellow doggie bus  for dogs only …    Miami pets get the royal treatment!

If you or someone you know are moving to Miami with pets,  we would love to help you relocate here.  We specialize in Miami …  and we specialize in real estate here.  The Restivo Team at EWM Realtors.  Our direct line is 305 793-1365   …  and  you can always contact us here  and/or via email at restivo.v@ewm.com . 

Many of our clients look at property online, and occasionally they’ll ask us for more information on something that they find (that we haven’t already emailed them a link for).  

There is one in Coconut Grove  listed now that is  amusing:  Listed in the MLS  as a 2 bedroom 2 bath … it turns out that it might be something different…  In speaking with the listing agent, she asks me  how many people it’s for.  “Two”  -  (… the answer … she likes).   She then asks to clarify a bit:  because even though it’s advertised  in the MLS as a 2 bedroom it  is really what she prefers to call “a convertable two bedroom”… now that we’re talking on the phone.   

Okay… so what’s a convertable 2 bedroom?  Perhaps it’s den that could be used as a second bedroom?    

No … She’s  marketing the condo as a two bedroom and then clarifying to buyers and agents:  “What makes it a convertable two bedroom is that there’s a sofa bed in the living room.”   So … it’s really a one bedroom with a living room … and … a sofa bed.  

No reason not to fly with this …  You just have to laugh.

Our buyers response … “Wow … that changes how we might need to advertise the home we’re selling in Maine to relocate to Miami… We  have always considered ours to be a five bedroom.  Who would have known …  after all these years…  that we too have an extra bedroom!”

Looking to buy, sell, or relocate?  Call the Restivo Team at EWM Realtors 305-793-1365  or contact us here  …   or by email at restivo.v@ewm.com .  We look forward to working with you!