Adventures &
Experiences

1,048 old railway steps straight up the side of a crater — no switchbacks, no mercy. People were turning back all around me, saying it was impossible, too hard. Others in far better shape were already on their second trip up while I was still only halfway. I kept my head down and set smaller goals: just make it to the next electricity pole. Take a breath. Then the next one. My daughter kept encouraging me — 'We're almost there' — and I'd get up and go again, one pole at a time. I tried not to look up at the summit. Then all of a sudden, we were there. Best feeling in the world.

Driving up Haleakalā is truly not for the faint of heart — my daughter Gaby can attest to that. The winding roads are steep and narrow, demanding full attention the entire way up. The elevation gain can feel dizzying as you ascend through various climates and landscapes, from lush greenery to stark volcanic terrain. As you navigate sharp turns, you're rewarded with stunning vistas that seem to stretch into infinity. It's an exhilarating journey that tests your limits — making the breathtaking views at the summit all the more gratifying.

There's a particular kind of silence at altitude that you can't find anywhere else. Legs burning, lungs working, and then the summit — and a view that makes every step make sense.

Dropping below the surface into a world of color and silence. Reef sharks gliding past, sea turtles drifting overhead, and coral formations that took centuries to build. Nothing prepares you for the scale of it.

The ocean doesn't care how confident you feel on land. Paddling out into real surf is a humbling, exhilarating, salt-in-every-orifice experience that I keep going back to.

Drifting silently above the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia as the sun crept over the horizon, surrounded by dozens of other balloons rising into the pink sky. One of the most peaceful mornings of my life.

Paddling through sea caves, around hidden coves, and into water so clear you can see the bottom 30 feet down. The Greek coastline from sea level is a completely different world than from the cliffs above.