Every Port, No Regrets

If I am going around the world, I am not doing it halfway.

Semester at Sea is not just a study abroad program, it is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience paces I have only seen on a screen. And I refuse to come home feeling like I missed something because I did not plan ahead.

So I made a list, almost like a bucket list. Every port gets 3 things I will be doing no matter what and then 2 things that I will do if I have time and if I feel like there’s more I can do in the time I have I have more things added.

This is not about cramming my schedule or doing the most, it is about being intentional with my time, saying yes to the right things, and making moments I will actually remember.

Before I even embark on Semester at Sea I am traveling to Switzerland, Paris, and obviously Amsterdam.

Here is my list for all of the countries I will be visiting so far:

Switzerland

• Go paragliding in Interlaken
• Visit the village of Lauterbrunnen
• MANY hikes to see Swiss alps and the lakes
• See many of waterfalls

Paris

• See the Eiffel Tower at night
• visit many museums
• visit The Louvre

Amsterdam

• Visit the Anne Frank house
• A boat ride through the canals
• Van Gogh museum

Portugal

• Visit Douro valley
• See sea caves
• The #28 tram in Lisbon
• Walk the walls of the Moorish Castle
• Go to Quinta da Regaleira

Morocco

• Go to the blue city of Chefchaouen
• Go to Fez
• Shop at markets in Marakesh
• Sunset at Cap Spartel where the Caribbean meets the Atlantic

Brazil

• beach day
• shop at mercado model
• Explore Salvador’s upper and lower city

St Helena

• swim with whale sharks
• whale and dolphin watching
• snorkeling
• hiking

South Africa

• take cable car up table mountain
• see penguins at Boulders beach
• snorkel with seals
• take day trip to cape point
• kirstenbosch botanical garden
• go on a safari

Maritius

• explore barrier reef
• dive to see ship wrecks
• hiking to see waterfalls

Sri Lanka

• Visit the red and white mosque
• visit yala national park
• take the Ella to Kandy scenic train
• see elephants

Vietnam

• explore the Cu Chi tunnels
• tour the Mekong delta
• visit the markets
• explore district one where a lot of the shopping and places I want to see are

Hong Kong

• visit a temple
• Visit Tai O to see a different way of life and pink dolphins
• See the Symphony of lights
• get out of the city and high-rises and take a hike

Thailand

This is where I get off the boat and go home. I won’t be doing much except getting to a hotel and waking up early to fly home.

My rules for this experience:

• Say yes to new experiences
• Be present in the moment
• Capture the moments
• Leave room for the unexpected

This list is not just about checking off places. It is about an experience I will never forget and the things I can learn along the way. It is about pushing myself and seeing the world from perspectives I have never experienced and collecting moments that change me. I don’t expect these moments to go perfectly, but I do expect it to be worth it.

When I get home I want to know I did not hold back and have no regrets on things I missed out on.