Adventurous – Ullan Adventures

Stepping into North Korea

Kirsten / July 20, 2019

I remembering hearing about the DMZ growing up and learning a long time ago that Americans were allowed to visit and even step into North Korea. For years, I knew if I ever made it to Korea, this would be at the top of my list. So when I planned our trip to Japan, I made sure to include South Korea as part of the itinerary so I could include a trip to the DMZ too.

And then I started to stress. I liked the idea, but man did it freak me out to go there. Chuck and Mara weren’t phased, but Beckett was adamant that he wouldn’t go. Cue lots of reading, researching, thinking about it, and more reading. Ultimately, we decided that it would be safe as people had been doing this for years and years and years without a single incident.

That didn’t stop Beckett from refusing to go though. Unfortunately, he couldn’t stay home by himself, so reluctantly he went along. Chuck and Mara were excited. I was still freaked.

We took a tour – you have to – that handled everything for us. We boarded a motor coach around 8am and drove about 90 minutes to the border. Our first stop was lunch.

Our first view of North Korea across the water

After lunch, it was off to the Dora Observatory, where we got a look at the border and into North Korea. It was fascinating to look into North Korea and see people going about their lives.

South Korea in the foreground and North Korea across the river

After that, we went to the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel. This was one of the tunnels the South Koreans discovered that led from North Korea into South Korea. You first watch a video, then get into a little mining train and descend in a very narrow tunnel a good 5 minutes deep into the earth. Beckett was pretty freaked out by this, so once we got to the bottom, Chuck and Mara got out to explore the tunnel, while I rode back up with Beckett.

There didn’t seem to be much down there, just a long walk to a door that was at the border between North and South Korea.

Then we had a few minutes to take some pictures before we went to the main event.

Then we headed to Camp Bonifas which is the UN Command military post located just south of the border. We joined with other tours and went into an auditorium for a security briefing. We also had to sign some paperwork basically acknowledging the danger we were about to take.

As we boarded the buses to go to the border, Beckett started to freak out and refused to go. I felt so bad for him, but at this point, there was no way to stay behind. One of the American soldiers came up to talk to him, and told him that they would stay by his side the entire time to make sure he was safe. And he did. The guy was so nice and really made sure Beckett was ok.

After a short drive, it was showtime as we arrived at the Joint Security Area (JSA).

We then got to stand at a place I’ve seen in pictures so many times. It was surreal. You can see that Beckett is less than thrilled to be here.

After another briefing, it was our turn to enter the building. The soldier went into North Korea and talked for a bit, before he told us we were allowed to enter the North Korean side.

We’re in South Korea, and he is in North Korea. The microphones on the table mark the border.

This next part happened so fast. We walked into North Korea, took some selfies, and before I knew it, they were telling us we had to leave. I think we only got 2 minutes on the North Korean side so I didn’t get the pictures or videos that I would’ve liked. It didn’t help that there were so many of us in the room, that its not that we had much of a chance anyway.

Still, WE STOOD IN NORTH KOREA!!!

Walking across the border into North Korea

In North Korea with the background as South Korea

And then it was over and we were back outside.

Despite Beckett’s initial resistance, he was over the moon once we entered the building and stood in North Korea!

From there, we walked down to the Blue Bridge where Moon Jae In and Kim Jong Un had a historic, private conversation in April 2018.

We also got some time to take pictures of the Freedom House before boarding the buses and heading back to Camp Bonifas.

Once back at Camp Bonifas, we boarded our first motor coach to continue our tour.

The soldier that was keeping an eye on Beckett, gave him 2 military patches before we left.

Our final stop was at the Dorasan Station. This is a train station which used to connect North Korea and South Korea. The hope is that one day, this station will be used to connect them together again.

We bought tickets to Pyeongyang, North Korea

Waiting for a train that wasn’t coming yet

The train network linking Korea to Europe

And sadly, this was our last stop, so we headed back to Seoul.

Overall, it was such a neat experience. It wasn’t as scary as I expected, but that’s also probably because they removed all the soldiers with guns from both sides 6 months before our visit. Still, I never felt unsafe or had an concerns once we got the border.

And as soon as Beckett got to cross into North Korea, he was so happy and relaxed. He ended up being so glad that he went, and so proud of himself for pushing through his apprehension.

I think for all of us, this was one of the top experiences of our entire trip and definitely our top experience in Korea.

Africa Victoria Falls Area

That Time I (Stupidly) Jumped Off a Bridge

Kirsten / July 6, 2017

Many years ago, Chuck shared a video of his friend bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge. It honestly looked terrifying. In subsequent years I kept hearing about bungee jumping off the bridge. The bridge sounded like one of THE best places in the world to bungee jump and I figured if I was ever going to do that, it’d be there.

Then I discovered that at the Bridge you can bungee or do the Swing which is like bungee jumping except you don’t end up upside down and you swing like a pendulum at the bottom instead of bouncing back up. Yes, please!

Before our trip, all of us were interested in doing the Swing jump. However, the kids were too young to jump off the bridge, but they could do the Gorge Swing at a gorge near the falls.

Due to timing, Beckett and Mara were up first.

A little bit after their jump, it was time for me to do it. I kind of didn’t want to. We were at the end of our trip and I’d done so many cool, incredible things and was happy with how the whole trip had gone. Why tempt fate? Why add one more thing at the end?

Well, because I’m me and I knew I’d regret not doing it for the rest of my life. If I was ever going to do it, it was here and it was now. So I paid my money, and tried not to panic.

The jump area was empty and we didn’t see anyone jumping our entire time in Victoria Falls. And the guys running the place were so laid back and were chatting away while they got me suited up. I was not feeling confident.

Then it was go time. I got to the edge, counted down from 3, and stood there. I just couldn’t make myself jump. I looked over the edge and my mind was a jumble of “WTF am I doing?” and “OK, I can do this”. The guys running it started giving me a hard time, but I told them to just give me a minute. I took a deep breath, counted down from 3, and… jumped.

I fell completely weightless for a few seconds. I can’t even explain how that feels. It’s surreal and your mind is trying to figure out what is happening and everything slows down making it seem longer than it really is. It’s actually a pretty disconcerting feeling, but a neat sensation to experience as well.

After falling for a few seconds, I felt the tug of the rope and I started to swing out into the gorge. My first thought as I started to swing? “I didn’t die!” At this point, I relaxed and enjoyed the swinging. After swinging the first arc, I looked up and waved to Chuck and the kids on the Bridge. I may have yelled out a loud “Woot” as well.

See the tiny speck that is me down there?

I swung back and forth a few times, swinging under the bridge then back into the gorge. That part was really cool and gave me a chance to look around and really experience where I was and what I was doing.

Then it was time to hoist me back up. Beckett hated this part of his jump, but I didn’t mind it at all…

…until I got to the catwalk under the bridge. The guy there hoisted my legs over the railing, but had me dangling backwards and tilted precariously towards the gorge. And then he unhooked one of my cables. I grabbed onto the rope and to him for dear life as I thought I was going to fall backwards back into the gorge. This moment was pure terror and no amount of convincing could make me let go. Eventually, I trusted him that he had me and I let go at which point they got me up and over the railing and onto safe ground. Phew!

From there, I had to clip in and out of the catwalk as I walked under the bridge to the side. It probably should’ve been scary, but it wasn’t at all. Eventually I got to the edge of the bridge where Chuck and the kids were waiting for me, and after a hug from Beckett, I declared :

It honestly took me a while to sort the whole experience out and come off the adrenaline high. I was so glad I did it, but amazed and freaked out that I did it at the same time.

Later that night as I tried to fall asleep, I kept experiencing the free fall sensation and it would jolt me awake. Not fun.

Now that I’ve had time to reflect on it, I still think it was one of the scariest and stupidest things I’ve ever done. That said, I’m so glad I did it and experienced it, but I’m not sure I ever need to do it again. It was definitely a cool, adventurous experience though, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone adventurous.

Watch the entire jump here:

Africa Victoria Falls Area

When Beckett Jumped into a Gorge

Kirsten / July 6, 2017

Before our trip to Africa, both kids were interested in doing the Gorge Swing near Victoria Falls. They’d seen contestants bungee jump in Victoria Falls on the Amazing Race and both thought it looked fun.

The swing is like bungee jumping except you don’t end up upside down and you swing like a pendulum at the bottom instead of bouncing up and down.

The gorge with the swing platform in the distance

Chuck and I had a lot of reservations letting the kids do it, but they both kept asking to do it. In fact, Beckett had been begging to bungee jump since Thailand, 4 years prior. So we said OK, then crossed our fingers that we wouldn’t regret the decision.

Normally I would’ve liked to do my jump first, but the way the timing worked, they went first.

They decided to do it tandem so they’d be together.

Once they were suited up, they went to the platform to get hooked up to the bungee cords. They were all set to go when all of a sudden they both burst into tears and starting saying they didn’t want to do it.

The guide unhooked them and they quickly came back to us all upset. Mara said she didn’t want to do it any longer, but Beckett kept saying to give him a minute. After a few minutes, Beckett decided he still wanted to do it, so they got him suited back up.

The guide hooked him up and next thing we know, Beckett is walking off the platform and falling into the gorge.

My heart stopped until I saw him swinging at the bottom of the gorge and I knew he was OK.

Once he swung back and forth a few times, they hauled him up to the platform. He hated this part and said it was the scariest part of the entire thing.

He was so happy to be back on solid ground!

Afterwards, he was definitely happy he did it, but said he was shaken up. And he said he’s not sure he ever wants to do it again as well.

Watch the video of his jump here:

Africa Cape Town South Africa

Cage Diving with Great Whites in Simon’s Town, South Africa

Kirsten / June 26, 2017

I remember watching a nature show years ago and seeing Great Whites leaping out of the air at a place called Seal Island near Cape Town, South Africa. It instantly got put on my bucket list, although it was one of the few experiences on my list that made me really nervous.

It turns out, the great whites only leap out of the air at this one spot and only for a few months out of the year. As luck would have it, that time frame coincided with when we’d be there!

I asked the kids if they wanted to go along, and they were both huge yeses. In fact, I was the only nervous one out of the 4 of us.

So on our 2nd day in Cape Town, we got up at 4:30am and drove an hour south of Cape Town to Simon’s Town. Around 7am we headed out in the freezing cold with our fingers crossed we’d see some sharks. It was so cold out that the 3 of us bought hats at a different dive shop to try to keep warm, yet we still needed their cover ups and blankets to not be miserable.

After 30 minutes, we arrived at Seal Island and started the look out for the sharks.

The sharks are hunting baby seals that are going out feed with the adults for the first time. So first you find a group of seals returning to Seal Island then watch them to see if they get attacked. I LOVED seeing the seals swimming in – and seeing the babies – and quickly found myself rooting for the seals to have a safe passage even though I really wanted to see a shark.

After about 30 minutes, the dive company, African Shark Eco Charters, towed a decoy behind the boat for about 30 minutes hoping a shark would go for the decoy. Unfortunately we didn’t see any sharks and the other boats didn’t seem to be having any better luck. In fact, it was really quiet out there and nobody seemed to be seeing anything.

We tried towing the decoy some more, then took a spin around Seal Island before anchoring up and chumming the water. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. …And nothing.

Luckily the ocean was pretty calm and flat, but Mara still got sick and threw up a few times. Beckett and I did OK though. Once it warmed up, he was enjoying himself.

We stayed out there an extra hour hoping to get lucky, but finally gave up around 11:30am, took one last spin around Seal Island, and went back to shore.

Our dive company offers a voucher to go back out for free if you don’t see any sharks, so we were hopeful we could go out the next day. But then we found out they were completely booked for the next day which was our last day in Cape Town. It was looking like we got shut out of seeing the sharks and spent a ton of $$ on a boat ride. 🙁

We checked in with the dive company a couple more times in the hope that someone canceled, but they were still full.

Once we got back to our AirBnb, we called again and this time found out they had 2 spots available. Mara didn’t want to go out again, but Beckett did so we had to figure out who got to go. We decided that Chuck and I would go and the kids would stay home and sleep in which Beckett said he as fine with.

So at 4:30 the next morning, Chuck and I headed back down to Simon’s Town hoping to get lucky.

As soon as we got out to Seal Island, there was a shark attack nearby. I missed the initial strike, but was able to see the shark strike a couple more times.

Then there was another attack!

Once things died down, they towed the decoy to see if we’d get any bites. And we did!

They then dropped anchor, chummed the water, and set out the dive cage. Four people jumped at going first so they got all suited up in thick wetsuits – the water is COLD – and waited. Once the crew saw a shark, they hopped into the cage and got an underwater view of a shark swimming by. I think they saw 2-3 sharks before their time was up.

Chuck and I were in the next group and hopped into the cage. Despite the 7mm wetsuit, hood, and boots, the bitterly cold water still makes its way in. And our hands were exposed which didn’t help.

I personally hated being in the cage. I didn’t have a good place to anchor my feet without them sticking out, I was trying to hold on to the top of the cage so my head didn’t slam into it as the water bobbed us around and slammed us into the boat, and I was shaking because I was so cold. I kept thinking about getting out, but knew I’d regret it if I missed seeing a shark.

Eventually the crew yelled that shark was approaching and told us to go underwater and look near the buoy. We had scuba hoses so we could breathe underwater – that’s why I picked this particular company – so we could watch without having to come up for breaths.

I saw a huge shark lazily swim maybe 10′ in front of us before he turned and headed out in the distance. I couldn’t believe it! The water is so murky, yet I still got a good look at him.

We hung out for a while longer in the cage, but didn’t get anymore sightings. Once out of the cage, I realized that I was the only one in our group of 4 to see the shark! I have no idea how they missed him, but felt even more fortunate that I saw him!

Sadly that was the last shark sighting of the day and after waiting around a bit longer, we headed back to shore.

I’m so grateful that Chuck and I got to go back out a 2nd time and that we got to see some sharks. I was sad the kids never got to see one, but seeing as Beckett was throwing up when we got back to our rental, it ended up working out for the best.

Georgia USA

Driving Tanks and Crushing Cars!

Kirsten / August 21, 2016

On Sunday of my Amazing Race Birthday weekend, I received my last clue:

WHAT?!? I had to read it twice before I busted out laughing. I had no idea that one could do such a thing and was equally shocked, excited and amused. Chuck really surprised me with this one.

It took us 1:30 to drive to Tank Town and we arrived right before 2pm. We met with the owner who had us fill out the required waivers and then we were ready to go.

I headed into the driver’s seat while Chuck took the seat up top. After a very brief explanation of how to drive the tank, off we went. The instructor stayed near my ear to tell me where to go and took me all around the course. It takes a little getting used to driving and how fast to go, but is pretty easy and a whole lot of fun.

After about 15 minutes of driving, we switched up and Chuck got to drive. I must say I really enjoyed being in the passenger seat up top. I’m also happy it had a seat belt as I surely would’ve been thrown off the top without it!

After we each got a turn driving the tank around the course, we got to choose our car to destroy, then spray-paint it. Of course, we had to take that opportunity to write Mara and Beckett’s names on there.

Then it was time to CRUSH IT! I took the first couple passes over the car, first head-on, then across the rear. Chuck then drove over the midsection a couple of times before driving up the front and parking on top of the car!

Oh, was this parking spot already taken? My bad!

Finally, we got to take a sledgehammer and take a few whacks at the car. I think this was Chuck’s favorite part and he was quite determined to hammer the mirror off the side.

It was a really fantastic, visceral experience! Definitely worth doing if you don’t mind shelling out the money.

Logistics: We did this at Tank Town USA near Blue Ridge, GA about 1:30 north of Atlanta.

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North America Oregon USA

Hang Gliding Lessons

Kirsten / July 11, 2016

After giving skydiving and paragliding a try, I thought we should give hang gliding a go, too. Unlike those, where we were passengers with a guide, we would actually do the flying of the gliders ourselves.

It didn’t take any convincing for the kids to say “I’m in!”.

We were originally scheduled for one day but the weather was bad so we rescheduled and ended up with a perfect day.

The class consisted of the 4 of us and an instructor. We spent the first hour or so learning about the history of the sport and basic flying information. Then it was time to practice getting into the glider and our stance on a stationary frame.

After we each had a couple of turns, we went to the dunes and helped build the glider. We all pitched in to help build it and I have to say the thing was HUGE!

After carrying it up to the top of the dune, it was time to fly! Each of us took a turn getting into position, running partly down the hill and getting a feel for the glider. The first run we stopped before we got to lift off, but on the next turn we each started to fly! And every turn after that we got better and better and flew further and further.

The feeling of lift off is amazing. You feel the glider start to float and pick up speed and then you get the whole sensation of flying! As soon as we all got in the air, we were hooked!

We each got about 7 runs before our time was over. I was exhausted from carrying the glider back up the hill, but I think the kids could’ve kept going all day.

This was definitely a highlight and fun to do as a family. It was also neat to get a sense for doing the flying instead of just going along for the ride. As a bonus, learning on the dunes beside the ocean was an incredible experience and a great way to spend a day!

Here are the videos of each of us hang gliding:

Beckett:

Chuck:

Kir:

Mara:

Logistics: We used Oregon Hang Gliding School at the Pacific City, Oregon dunes.

North America Oregon USA

Riding Sand Rails (Dune Buggy) at Oregon Dunes

Kirsten / July 9, 2016

I’ve wanted to see massive sand dunes and go dune buggy riding for a while, so I was really excited when I found out Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area was close to where we were staying on the Oregon coast. We debated whether we should rent some and drive ourselves or go on a tour and leave the driving to an expert. We opted for the second option because we knew they’d really give us the dune buggy adventure we were looking for.

There were a total of 6 of us plus a driver in our sandrail (buggy). The kids sat up front with the driver, Chuck and I were in the middle seats and another couple was in back. We started off slowly driving through some forest and then we got to the dunes. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was nothing but sand dunes stretching out in front of us! It was incredible!

The driver then took off and we went flying over the dunes. He knew exactly how to come over the ridge and barrel down the other side before flying up another dune. And he would go onto the side of the dune and bank the buggy so you felt like you might flip before he’d barrel down again. It was a complete thrill! The only downside is that the sand flying into your face and mouth HURTS when you’re going that fast! Luckily I was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and closed myself up so I looked like the sand people in Star Wars but Chuck and the kids had to stick it out.

Our 1/2 hour was up way too fast and we were all a bit sad as we headed out of the dunes. I have to say this experience exceeded my expectations. I’m so glad we went with the expert driver as he gave us such a thrilling ride!

Video of the tour:

Logistics: We booked with Sandland Adventures and did the 1/2 hour Sandrail tour. Definitely wear long pants, sneakers and a hooded sweatshirt to protect yourself from the sand!

North America USA

Indoor Skydiving at iFly

Kirsten / April 17, 2016

The kids received a gift certificate for indoor skydiving for Christmas. However, they had to wait for the place to open a few months later. We finally took them in April and they LOVED it.

They each said it was the coolest thing they’ve ever done and are already begging us to go back.

After a 15-20 min of classroom training, they each did 2 1-minute sessions. It doesn’t sound like a lot of time but it lasts longer than you’d expect. They had an option to add an additional 1-minute flight at the end. Both kids were begging to do it again and of course we said yes. By the third flight they were getting pretty good at it!

Beckett’s Videos:

Mara’s Videos:

Their instructor’s sick moves:

Update: We all went as a family in April 2017. Here are Chuck and my flights.

Chuck’s flight:

Kir’s flight:

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Galapagos South America

Diving with Hammerheads at Gordon Rocks

Kirsten / January 21, 2016

One of the things we were most looking forward to on our trip was diving with hammerhead sharks. We had 2 chances – one at Kicker Rock off of San Cristobal and the other was at Gordon Rocks off of Santa Cruz.

Gordon Rocks is known as “THE” place to dive with schools of hammerheads in the Galapagos without doing a live-aboard. It is also considered an intermediate to advanced dive due to currents (it’s nickname is the “washing machine”). Most of the good dive shops won’t take anyone with less than 30 dives (I’m at 40+, Chuck is at 30-ish) and they make sure you’ve been diving recently too.

I’ll admit, I was actually nervous about this dive. I think I read too many stories online about the dive being difficult and even a case where a diver got swept a few miles away by the current (they found her a while later). Someone online was also telling a beginner that wanted to dive there to “Google ‘Gordon Rocks’ + death” as apparently people have died there. So yeah. Crazy current, being known as a “washing machine”, people dying, advanced dive credentials required. Oh and schools of sharks. Yep, I was a bit nervous.

At least my nerves were calmed when we went to the dive shop the previous day to get outfitted for our equipment. Once they heard we dove Kicker Rock a few days prior and had plenty of dives under our belt, they said we’d be fine and it’s only horrible a few days a year.

Ok, deep breath.

The morning of, we took a pickup truck taxi to the ferry landing at the north end of the island then headed out on the boat.

After about 45 min, we stopped to do a check dive. Then we took a 5-10 min trip over to Gordon Rocks. After about 5 minutes of the crew checking the current, it was time to go.

The dive entrance was different than normal because of the current. Our group got ready, sat on the side of the boat and waited. When our dive guide said “Go”, we immediately back rolled into the water, met at the back of the boat and descended quickly so the current didn’t sweep us away.

As soon as we got down to about 40′, I saw 2 hammerheads swim by on the sea floor (they were about 60′). And, that was the only hammerhead shark sighting we saw the entire dive. Sigh. 🙁

We swam around for about an hour but really didn’t see much: a sea turtle, others saw a golden ray, some fish. Very disappointing. The current wasn’t too bad though so that was good.

We were bummed coming back to the boat and got more bummed when we found out the other group saw a huge school of hammerheads. Guess we just weren’t in the right place at the right time.

After an hour surface interval (that was quite wavy and making me nauseous), it was time for dive #2. We knew the hammerheads were out there so our fingers were crossed.

Not long after we descended, we started seeing the sharks. Hammerheads, Whitetip reef sharks, Blacktip reef sharks, Galapagos sharks. Some were together maybe 20′ away, some were alone maybe 10′ away. Plus we saw a pair of spotted eagle rays. THIS was the dive we were hoping for. I was so calm yet excited when I saw the hammerheads. I kept saying to myself “I can’t believe I’m seeing this. I’m so lucky.”

DCIM100MICRO — Not me, but another girl in our group. Look how close!

There was definitely more current on this dive but nothing too bad. The only interesting thing was the up/down current that would make you ascend or descend a bit. It was subtle for me but Chuck got caught in it a bit more. Nothing too scary or a big deal, but I can totally see why this is an advanced dive.

Soon it was time to get back on the boat and head back to Santa Cruz. We were treated by a whale sighting on the trip back. At first they said it was a baby humpback whale, but I’ve seen enough of them to know it was something else. When I saw the head, I thought it was a pilot whale. But watching the video back, I’m starting to think it was a beaked whale, maybe a Cuvier’s beaked whale. Not sure, but still a cool sighting.

After lunch back at the harbor, we took the trucks back to the main town and that was that.

Logistics: We went diving with Academy Bay Diving out of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. They did a pretty good job so I’d definitely recommend them. We met at the dive shop at 6:30am, left the shop at 7am and returned around 2:30pm.

Galapagos South America

Diving Kicker Rock, Galapagos

Chuck Ullan / January 16, 2016

Kicker Rock is one of the better-known dive sites in the Galapagos, and we were so eager to get to diving that we scheduled this dive for the first day of the trip. It’s one of the prime spots for hammerheads, and you occasionally get good sightings of big fish as well.

We checked in for equipment fitting the night before, then met the boat at 7:30 am for a ride out that was about 45 minutes. We had a brief skills test in a shallow area on the way, then it was go time!

As it turns out, we were a little disappointed with what we saw on the dives. We caught a couple glimpses of hammerheads, one good Galapagos shark, but that was it for the big stuff. Some days there are lots of sharks, and they even had a sunfish show up recently, but it just wasn’t our lucky day. That said, we got to swim into a giant “bait ball” with thousands of fish, a very unique experience.

This video has the best highlights, including reef shark, Galapagos shark, sea turtle, spotted eagle ray, and the bait ball.

Skirting the outside of the giant bait ball

After the diving we went to a little bay and had lunch on the boat, then got to explore on the beach for a bit. Tracked down an iguana and saw lots of cool wildlife, with a guide there to explain some of what we were seeing.

20160116_134256 — Tracking down an iguana.

The other notable part of our diving here was running into new friends from Australia, Laith and Katie, whom we ran into about 10 other times throughout the week. We envied their trip, as after the Galapagos, they were headed to Peru to hike the Inca trail to Machu Picchu!

We booked directly with Wreck Bay diving for $160 pp. The boat was reasonably nice and shady and we got a pretty solid meal after the dives. Definitely worth considering them if you go.

Maryland North America USA

Scuba Diving in the Baltimore Aquarium

Kirsten / September 5, 2015

For my 45th birthday, Chuck surprised me with a reservation to scuba dive in the main tank at the Baltimore Aquarium. If you’ve ever been to the Baltimore Aquarium, this is the monster tank that you walk down and around at the end. I used to visit this aquarium as a kid and loved visiting this tank at the end of our visit, so I was really excited to be able to get in the tank and swim around!

You arrive a couple of hours before your dive for an educational class about the aquarium and the work they’re doing there. They also go over the dive plan and tell us where certain animals like to hang out, certain areas not to disturb and other information. After the education, we were taken on a tour of the aquarium and learn about some of the other creatures. And after that, it was time to suit up.

We then headed up to the top of the tank, got our dive equipment on and in we went!

We had about 50 minutes in the tank to swim around and interact with the fish. My favorite things to do were picking up the gravel from the bottom and letting it slowly slip out of my fingers. The fish LOVE this and would come swarming around the gravel.

My other favorite thing to do was to interact with the kids that were watching. The kids there were so intrigued and amused watching us divers in the tank and would High Five the glass to us.

Overall, it was pretty cool thing to do. It wasn’t the most exciting dive I’ve done, but since I grew up loving the Baltimore Aquarium and especially that huge tank, it was a thrill to get inside of it for an afternoon.

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California San Diego USA

Kirsten and Chuck Ride the Jetovator and Jetpack

Chuck Ullan / September 6, 2014

Kirsten saw a blog post this summer where someone had done a jetpack experience in the ocean, so she said “get me some of that!”

Unfortunately she didn’t get quite that, as I booked her onto something called the Jetovator, which is ridden kind of like a jet ski, but still turned out to be quite fun. She took the plunge at Glorietta Bay in Coronado.

The Jetovator is attached via a hose to a jet ski trailing her in the water. The guide controls the thrust power, while Kirsten managed all the controls.

She found it to be fun, but tiring and her legs were pretty shot after about a half hour of doing this.

For my birthday, Kirsten booked me into a jetpack experience at Mission Bay. The setup was similar in that I got some on-land training, then headed into the water, with my pack being powered by a water hose attached to a jet ski.

I had a great time doing the jetpack. One thing not shown in the pictures was when I got to “submarine”. I just tilted the jetpack forward and dove under the water like a dolphin, leaning back up 2-3 seconds later.

Between the two, it seems as though the jetpack was easier and it’s what we’d recommend if you’re looking for a water adventure!

California San Diego Sporting Events USA

Beckett and Chuck’s Trapeze Lesson

Chuck Ullan / August 16, 2014

For Beckett’s 8th birthday, he wanted a little adventure. Kirsten found a Trapeze deal on Groupon that cost about $70 for 2 people to have an introductory lesson. Mara doesn’t dig heights, so Beckett and I gave it a shot.

They start with a 10 minute safety and commands briefing, then do a brief on-ground lesson on how to leave the platform, then off we go to the real thing!

Beckett’s Lesson

He was quite fearless in climbing the little ladder that took him up to the platform (about 20 feet high), and didn’t show any reservations when it was time to take off, either.

First off, we just learned to swing properly and dismount. Beckett did great!

The next time around, he hooked his legs up over the bar and swung upside down.

Chuck’s Lesson

My experience started the same as Beckett, with the on-ground lesson, basic swinging, and learning to swing by my legs.

After mastering that, I got the chance to swing and be caught by someone on the other trapeze. I’d have never guessed when we showed up that I could do that within the hour, but it worked the first time!

This was really a thrill to do. It looked really difficult and I was proud to be able to do something like this quickly. All the other adults did it, as well, so I had no special talent. But it looks hard, and I was really stoked to complete the catch. I felt sore in odd spots for a couple days, but otherwise had no ill effects. So if you get the chance, give it a shot!

Europe Favorite Moments Turkey

Paragliding in Ölüdeniz, Turkey

Chuck Ullan / May 22, 2014

We can now add paragliding to the list of activities we didn’t know we wanted to do until presented with the opportunity. Turns out that where we’re staying in Turkey (Fethiye/Calis Beach) is about a half hour away from Ölüdeniz, which is famous for both its turquoise blue waters and fantastic paragliding.

We weren’t 100% sure if we’d do it, but once we got to Ölüdeniz and saw everyone coming down, we knew we had to do it. Since we couldn’t leave the kids on their own, only Kirsten went on the first day.

She had a great time, which made me want to go, and then Beckett REALLY started begging us to go. He’s been relentless for the past two weeks, and we finally gave in and said yes. So a couple days ago, we all went over there again so Beckett and I could get our turn.

All the companies have offices down by the beach and you just show up and sign up with whomever you want. Most of them have flights 4 or 5 times a day. Then all the people doing it will hop into a van with their pilots and take a 30 minute drive up Babadağ mountain, the top of which is about 6,500 feet.

They have 3 launch areas at the top, and the winds dictate which one you use. It’s basically a big slope filled with paver stones. You’re not actually jumping off a cliff, but instead just catch air and get lifted off the slope.

We continue to be surprised how fearless Beckett is in certain situations, such as with the zipline, and now the paragliding. It’s kind of odd, because he gets freaked out by other things, such as strange dogs, even when they’re not hassling him. The drive up made him a little nervous due to the steep hillside, but once we got to the top it was all systems go!

If the weather is good, you’re out of the van and into the air in about 3 minutes.

Unfortunately, Kirsten’s flight got delayed by clouds, so she was up there for 3 hours! Right before sunset the clouds broke just long enough for her to take off.

And here was Kirsten’s reward for the long delay – a beautiful sunset from the sky!

Finally, just one shot from my flight. I didn’t pay for pictures, so just did a selfie while hoping not to drop my camera.

OK, all the photos of us aside, the views up there were amazing. The ride is so smooth and gentle that you just enjoy the feeling of soaring like a bird.

089 — Ölüdeniz is the little town in the foreground.

112 — This is the mountain we launch from.

Even if you don’t go paragliding, the views of everyone landing are really cool, too.

037 — At times, you can see a couple dozen paragliders in the air.

All good things must come to an end, but landings are part of the fun. There’s a little strip of grass along the beach where all the gliders come in. Our company had the flights go between two buildings to land close to their shop.

Finally, an action video of Beckett’s launch, Kirsten and Beckett’s flights, and Beckett’s landing.

We’d recommend this to almost anyone. It’s easy to be a bit nervous about doing it, but once in the air, all worries are forgotten. The views are incredible and all three of us agree that it’s one of the coolest things we’ve ever done.

TIPS

The cost here runs from 150 to 220 TL (about $70 to $105 US), which includes transportation, admission to the mountain, and your ride. Prices are probably higher in peak season. Kirsten used ReAction and Beckett and I used Gravity, which was a bit cheaper.

Photos and videos are extra, and they generally will end up costing you $30 to $50. Yes, it’s a lot, but the photos are an incredible souvenir.

We didn’t make any reservations, and that was ok for May. In Summer, you’d probably want to, especially if you have a large group.

Africa Countries Favorite Moments Morocco

ATV/Quad Tour in Morocco

Chuck Ullan / March 9, 2014

While we enjoy some sightseeing while we travel, we enjoy activities and adventures even more. So once we booked our tickets to Morocco, I started looking for fun things to do while there. I came across some highly-recommended ATV tours, and since riding ATVs was on Kirsten’s bucket list, we decided to go for it.

The company picked us up near our hotel and drove us about 40 minutes out to their center in the desert. We started off by driving a bit over an hour, winding through palm groves and the occasional little village.

178 — Taking a break about halfway through our tour

Apparently being a shepherd is still an actual occupation. We passed several shepherds tending their flock and moving them around for grazing.

On our way back, we took a break at a little Berber settlement where we had tea and pastries.

219 — I got to / had to pour the tea for our table. You start the pour low, then lift the pot higher as you get the aim settled correctly.

Beckett and Mara also got a chance to drive the ATVs with our guide helping them.

A boy passed by with his donkey, and our guide got him to let Beckett take a little ride.

Hey, camels! Gotta take a picture with the camels, right?

We got back to the base and saw the camel tour finishing up. Looks fun, but uncomfortable.

Overall, we had a blast on the tour. Just riding the ATVs was fun, but it was also really cool to see the countryside and how people live out there. It’s a view we’d have never gotten in the Medina.

We used a company called Dunes & Desert and the cost was 55 Euros per driver, 15 E for each kid. The total tour lasted 2 1/2 hours or so.

Be sure to see our other 4 posts about Marrakech

Asia Chiang Mai Favorite Moments Thailand

Ziplining – Flight of the Gibbon

Chuck Ullan / October 16, 2013

We originally wanted to zipline in Hawaii, but put that off once we knew we were heading to Thailand.

Flight of the Gibbon is about a 45 minute drive up into the mountains East of Chiang Mai. The scenery was great, but the last 15-20 min are twisty-turny and our driver was a bit aggressive. Luckily none of us got sick, but if we’d had another 5 minutes, it could’ve been ugly.

After you’re geared up, they drive you about 5 minutes to the start of the course where you get a safety briefing.

You start out with a couple of small ziplines then hike about 15 minutes uphill to get to the longest line on the course, over a half mile. From there, you mostly zig zag across a valley, with some shorter lines, bridges, and stairs mixed in.

pic 1258-001 — It’s waaaay up high, but Beckett didn’t mind.

They have a couple tandem zips, which is where these next two pictures were taken.

I love this next picture. Beckett was fearless and had the time of his life, just kicking and making all sorts of joyous noise!

pic 1198-001 — WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The rest of us had a really good time too!

pic 1148-001 — Grandma Jane flies across

There were a few “Indiana Jones” bridges we crossed. They sway and rock quite a bit. We were tethered, but it’s still kinda freaky.

pic 1158-001 — Kirsten going across a bridge

pic 1183-001 — Looking down through one of the “Indiana Jones” bridges we crossed.

At the end, you’re still way up high, so you abseil twice down about 75 feet. In English, that means they just hitch you to a rope and lower you straight down.

pic 1271-001 — Kirsten abseiling down from the final platform.

And yes, there were Gibbons. They live up by the start of zipline #3, so you get to check them out while resting from the hike up the mountain.

Sadly after 3 hours and 33 different stations with dozens of ziplines, it was over. But what an experience!

pic 1193-001 — Who’s got two thumbs and loves ziplining? THIS GUY!

We lived to tell about it. — We survived.

I was a little skeptical about doing ziplining, especially given the cost. However, it was quite the thrilling experience. It’s a really neat way to experience the jungle and you get enough adrenaline from the heights and obstacles that it’s not just a lame nature tour.

To do this, just book with Flight of the Gibbon directly and they pick you up in town. There’s very little room for cars up there, so driving yourself is discouraged. Cost was 3,300 Baht (about $11o US) with no discount for Beckett.

Flight of the Gibbon

Animals Favorite Moments Thailand World Travels

Scuba Diving Koh Tao

Kirsten / June 26, 2013

While we were vacationing on Koh Samui, I was able to go scuba diving twice while Chuck watched the kids. The first time I went to Chumphon Pinnacle and Twin Rocks off the coast of Koh Tao with CSI: Samui. I was REALLY hoping to see a whale shark on either dive, however, it was not to be.

The water was murkier than I was used to from Hawaii but I was blown away by the large schools of fish and the sheer number of other fish. And it was interesting to see the same type of fish we had in Hawaii with different markings or different shadings – like the parrotfish weren’t nearly as vibrant and multi-colored as the ones from Hawaii, and the triggerfish were bigger and more muted as well (and supposedly much meaner).

After snorkeling and diving in Hawaii so much, it was so cool to see different creatures and different corals as well.

One of the highlights, that unfortunately we didn’t get on film, was seeing a Blue Spotted Eagle Ray. And in a first, the cleaner wrasse apparently thought I needed cleaning and started biting my lips – I had to shoo them away then cover my lips until we were clear.

Chuck went scuba diving the next day with the same company, however they went to Sail Rock, which is another one of the main scuba diving sites in the region.

And finally, I went diving one more time with a different company because I wanted to scuba dive Sail Rock as well.

I definitely enjoyed all 4 dives however the quest for diving with a whale shark continues…

School of fish — School of fusilier fish

Christmas Tree worms - if you wave your hand near them, the immediately duck into their hole — Christmas Tree worms – if you wave your hand near them, they immediately duck into their hole

Animals Favorite Moments Hawaii North America USA

Swimming with (Wild) Dolphins

Kirsten / May 26, 2012

On Thursday, Chuck and I took the kayak down to Kealakekua Bay which is about 30 min south of Kona. There are usually dolphins swimming in the bay but it’s also known for having great snorkeling on the north side of the bay near the Captain Cook memorial.

So we paddled out and when some dolphins came near, Chuck jumped in the water with them. After a while, I jumped in the water and waited patiently. Sure enough, dolphins started swimming under me and near me. I had at least 4 different encounters with the dolphins being close to me. At one point, there were about 30 dolphins swimming under and beside me. And at another point, some dolphins were near the surface and one got maybe 10′ from me before he turned and headed off in another direction.

Aside from seeing them, we could hear them “talk” to each other. And other times we’d see them jump and spin out of the water too.

After swimming with them for a while, we kayaked over to the north side and snorkeled for a bit.

It was one of the cooler things I’ve ever experienced and I can’t wait to take the kayak back down there with the kids next time.

Update: Chuck and I were lucky enough to experience this again also at Kealakekua Bay. This time, one of the dolphins (above), circled around me a couple of times close enough for me to touch (I didn’t). He (she?) looked me in the eye then swam off to join their friends. It was an unbelievable experience to be so close and feel a connection to a beautiful, wild animal.

Hawaii North America USA

Flying an Ultralight

Kirsten / September 3, 2011

For Chuck’s birthday, he went to the airport to ride in an ultralight (“trike”) which is basically a powered hang glider. After some brief instruction he was flying 500-1000′ over Kona and even steering the trike.