12 countries – 15 flights – 28,211 total miles traveled – 5 hotel night stays – 1 confiscated tripod – 7 wonders – 13 days.
I fell 50-feet climbing in Yosemite, got hit by a car and then diagnosed with skin cancer, all in one month. Two weeks later, I decided to see the 7 New Wonders of the World in just 13 days with a new outlook on life: to live more now.
Day 1: Chichen Itza
It all started in Yosemite Valley where I had been training for three years to climb the Nose route on El Capitan. I was 2,000 feet up when I took a terrifying 50-foot fall. After a fall like that, I started to question everything… from why am I putting myself into these scary situations to what is driving me to seek out these ambitious climbs?.. What am I trying to prove to myself, or better yet, to the world?
Day 2: Machu Picchu
Like something out of a movie… A week later I was hit by a car while riding my Vespa and then diagnosed with skin cancer during a routine check-up. In three weeks time I was handed the trifecta of bad luck.
Day 4: Cristo Redentor
My friends and family only half jokingly recommended me to purchase a giant human bubble to live in. But after realizing how expensive and very inconvenient to my dating life that would be, I had this great moment of clarity: I survived.
Day 6: Colosseum
In my lifetime, the greatest learning moments have come at a time of tragedy and loss. From loss comes radical change, for it opens up a space that is yearning for something new.
Day 8: Petra
After the worst month of my life, I started to rethink how I was living my life. I came to this amazing realization… that the only thing stopping me from having everything that I ever wanted in life was simple: me.
Day 11: Taj Mahal
I would always say, “there isn’t enough time or money” but those were just excuses. What I was really afraid of was failure. I needed to stop thinking that my goals were impossible and start thinking that I have the power to decide how I am going to live my life everyday.
Day 12: Great Wall of China
The only regrets that I have in my life are from the missed opportunities that I never took a chance on. This year I took a chance and I will continue taking chancing to experience the greatest adventure of all: my life.
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