Swimming with sharks in Shark Ray Alley

Yes, you read right. I went swimming with sharks. I have been doing some wild stuff this year. Needed to break out of my comfort zone and grow as a person. You can’t live inside your mental box forever.

Looking at the Nurse sharks from the boat photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

After going around the Barrier Reef, we went to shark ray alley. This part of Hol Chan had been made a tourist attraction due to all the sharks and sting rays. Tourists would swim with these dangerous and majestic creatures.

Underwater look of the sharks photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

I was the third to jump in. We had some courageous people on our tour. They knew all about sharks and the Marine Wildlife. It was a young professional couple who were marine biologists. They were traveling the world together after finishing their master’s degrees.

More underwater photo of the shark photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Getting in the water with these sharks was nerve wrecking. I kept my distances like a kid not wanting to eat broccoli. Still I was in awe with the sharks. You see them in movies and in the zoo. However, seeing them in person with no glass separating you was once in a life time experience.

A closer look of the nurse shark photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Started to swim closer to where the action was. The sharks looked like gentle animals that just wanted food. I kept getting a harmless vibe from these sharks. I saw the couple practically in the middle of where the sharks were eating. The sharks were feasting on the droppings the tour guides were leaving. Knowing what they were, the marine biologists even touched them. When I saw this at the time, I seriously thought these people were crazy.

Another closer look of the nurse shark photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

So these sharks are actually nurse sharks. They are like the couch potatoes of the shark family. Usually found in shallow waters and they are bottom feeders. Nurse sharks do not attack humans, unless they feel antagonisted. There have only been 5 recorded attacks from these somewhat gentle beasts. Even though their mouths are filled with sharp teeth, it’s not big enought to rip a limb off. It’s almost getting like bitten by a dog.

What I call “underwater grass” photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Keeping my distances, I was still in awe with the nurse sharks. They reminded me of dogs. The way the sharks moved had me thinking of my pets at home. Sometimes you forget how smart wildlife can be. As I was thinking about this, a nurse shark swam under me. One of the most scariest moments on this trip and probably the year. At the time, I did not know much about sharks. So of course, I thought I skipped death.

A sting ray photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

While still being in the water, I saw a sting ray. It was about 40 feet away from me. Heard the stories about these creatures. I was definitely not wanting to pet this animal. It was fine just looking from afar. Being in this underwater world has really changed my views. This experience made me wonder. Who’s more deadlier, humans or sharks? Life is so amazing. Truly glad to have witnessed this Marine ecosystem.

Thank you for reading. Much love and safe travels!

About three of you had a sneek peak of this post. Accidentally, pressed the publish buttom trying to preview. Anyways, thank you for being patience.

To start your own adventures, check out the link below.

Check out our eBook “How to Travel for Dirt Cheap” by Hugo Morel for ways to make your dreams of traveling come true without breaking the bank. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M848M47?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420&fbclid=IwAR0_mRF-eE9tODIshljVr7CQ8h6vKT6hHn_8gZfJ94DySY1ylPO2Itu2Qe

August 3, 2019 39

My last day in the land of reggae

My time in Jamaica was coming to an end. My friends left to go back home and I was there alone. In the land of beautiful smiles and joyful people.

I decided to walk around and I found the emancipation park. This park was made in memory to the end of slavery in Jamaica. The history and the importance of the park is shown in the local culture. This park is usually the center of many events.

The park had a nice and relax feeling to it. It was just super hot that day. I can’t tell you how much I was sweating. It wasn’t the best choice for me to wear pants. Learn from my mistakes people, wear shorts in Jamaica!

Just between you all and me, I really was fighting myself from not jumping into that pool of water. I knew that could spark an intentional incident.

My final advice when visiting Kingston, make sure to check out Devon’s house. There is a lot of historical importance tied to that house. It was once the home of Jamaica’s first black billionaire. Also, I’m sure you seen in it a few music videos or movies. On top of everything, there is a shop there that sells rum ice cream!!

Oh my days in Jamaica have came to an end. I really miss waking up to this view.

(All photos were taken by Hugo Morel)

Thanks for reading our post! Enjoy the rest of your day or night!

July 28, 2018 17

Just wanted to say thank you

Hello everyone! Just wanted to say thank you for your support! We reached over 1340 followers!! Another awesome milestone accomplished! We have so much more content for you all that we can’t wait to share!! Places like Europe, Asia and Africa! Have a great weekend and stay safe!

July 20, 2018 6

This Jamaican hostel is “interesting”

*warning: the photos you will encounter on this post, will not be children friendly.

After getting settled in Kingston, my friend and I went around looking for a good place to eat jerk chicken. Ironically, it was not that easy. I noticed that there was a lot of curry chicken and curry products. I learned from a local that Jamaica has a strong community of East Indians, due to the English bring them for cheap labor.

Eventually, we found a place. The chicken taste like it was out of this world! Much better than the stuff you find in NYC. I never felt so fat before because within five minutes, I was fighting myself to not order three more plates.

The cool thing about the restaurant, it had a collection of old silver and gold coins. It made me truly feel like I was in the Caribbean.

We eventually went to the Bob Marley museum in Kingston, Jamaica. It was an interesting place. It made you see how the superstar lived. It was pretty cool but, they played a movie at the end and no lie, we all fell asleep during it. No disrespect to Mr Marley.

Before we end this, I just had to show you this hostel. This hostel had some Rasta statue of this horny old dude. Here you go!

Yes, it’s what you think it is.

This was the most memorable surprised ever, unfortunately.

Thank you for reading! Next time we will explore more of Kingston.

July 14, 2018 12

Welcome to Jamrock!

How can it be Caribbean week without a post about Jamaica?

(Photo taken by Hugo morel)

It all started with my friend telling me that he was going to celebrate his birthday in Jamaica. Of course, how can anybody say no to being invited to Jamaica?

(Photo taken by Hugo morel)

The flight to Jamaica was so boring. It’s hard to let time pass when you are so excited. It was a four to five hour flight from NYC; however, it felt like 24 hours. I was sitting in my seat like a kid waiting to ask, “Are we there yet?”

(Photo taken by Hugo morel)

Once I arrived in Jamaica, I was surprised by all the smiles on the locals’ faces. Be careful when finding a taxi driver. Luckily, the taxis driver I got was honest. He told me the tips and inside information on the taxi system in Kingston. If you see a red license plate, that car has been registered by the government to be a taxi driver. Knowing this will help you from getting into unnecessary trouble.

(Photos taken by Hugo Morel)

I was truly blown away from the white sands and crystal blue waters. Jamaica was extremely hot. Taking a quick dip in the ocean was really the only way to refresh. There were no complaints here though.

Next time, we will visit the Bob Marley museum!

July 8, 2018 2

Meeting up with an old friend

While in the Los Angeles area, I received a text from someone I grew up with. This text was very important to me. There was not much to the message; however, it was a reminder that a good friend is near.

After an hour drive from my hotel, I was in Orange County. The excitement of seeing my old friend made me very jumpy. Every time the car would stop becuase of traffic (which is very common in L.A.), I would bounce up and down on my seat while having my hands on the wheel. Once I saw Orange County, the excitement turn into nervousness. I was finally meeting my friend after two years of not seeing him.

Of course, we ended up meeting at a mexican restaurant. It is only natural, if you are in Los Angeles. Mexican food is everywhere.

About an hour later, we finshed all our food. All we could do is talk about our lives. I am so proud of my friend. He is currently getting his PhD. My good friend took me back to his home. It was heartwarming to see how much he has accomplished. We went talking about old memories and all the idiotic actions we did as kids. The laughters and the pains, it is amazing knowing you have a friend with this much history.

It felt really good to see old pictures of us as kids on his wall. The simple and mischievous times, the good memories. Great to see, the kid I grew up with in San Francisco made something out of himself. Ended up sleeping over like when we were younger. Similar to the many times, we used to play videogames until the middle of the night.

Thanks for taking your time to read this post. Next week we will still be in LA’s Harlem. Have a great week and stay healthy!!

July 1, 2016 5

The Beauty of Southern California

After arriving to Los Angeles and stopping by In and Out, it was time for me to lay on a bed. I met up with a friend from the area. He offered to drive me to my hotel. Man, this guy smoked! I appreciate the ride but wow. The air in his car was thick from cigarettes. Great guy, if you can get over the smell of something burning. He left me at my hotel, after learning more about the changes of this city. These changes were interesting.

After talking to an old friend, I went to my hotel room. The room left me speechless. The layout of the room was fit for a king, not a traveler. I had this room all to myself. Truely, a five stars experience.

The view from my window was amazing. At night, it reminded me of my time in Las Vegas with my parents as a child. The sound of the Californian freeway in the background was smoothing. I finally felt at home.

One of the many great things about Southern California, the Spanish history is still visible. Coming from Northern California, our big cities are San Jose, Sacramento and of course San Francisco. Even though the cities still have Spanish roots, it’s not as visible as in Southern California. Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, makes you feel like you are in Spain.

After taking in the view, I reunited with my travel friends. We went to a Peruvian restaurant. The food was out of this world. The rice had a strong taste of garlic. I even tried a Peruvian ice cream. When it came to meat, I only ate what I knew. I had guinea pig once, as a pet.

Thank you for taking your time to read this post. Next week, we will be exploring more of Los Angeles. Have a great week and stay healthy!

June 24, 2016 11

My crazy friend’s Maple syrup farm

It was my third day being in Canada, we just got invited to go to a farm that a friend of my teacher makes maple syrup. My teacher and I were excited to see how maple syrup is made. Little did I know, he would be an interesting character.

20160128_065856 — Outside the farm, Hugo Morel

After driving to the edge of town, we reached his house. All I could think of, was the fact that this guy’s house looks like the opening of a lot horror movies. It gave me the creeps. It didn’t really helped, when we knocked on his door and he poked his face out of the window. While he was poking his head out to see who it was, all I could think about was that I was going to die and this guy is a serial killer. Luckily, that was not the case or I would not be sitting here writing this post.

It turns out, the guy was not a blood thirsty serial killer. He was actually a good guy with dogs. Although, he was little weird. The kind of weird that believes all important people are reptiles wearing human skin.

the chickens barn, Hugo Morel

storage of the trees that would be used to make syrup, Hugo Morel

He gave us a quick tour around his farm. We got to see the trees that would be used for maple syrup and the chickens he gets fresh eggs from. The man lives a very simple life.

I was informed by a follower that in Canada, Maple syrup “factories” are called sugar shacks. My thanks to Mind Traveler, check out her blog. She was the one who corrected me, so I would not sound like an American.

Hey guys, we just reached 500 followers and over 2000 views last month!! My thanks for finding my life interesting!! I’m so humbled to be able share my stories with you all. I hope my travels can inspire you to enjoy life more and make you realize that money is not everything. You can not bring money with you to the grave but you can bring your experiences. Much love to you all!! Next week, we bring a little of Brazil to a small city. Stay safe and healthy!!!

April 1, 2016 29

I’m going to Canada, hopefully

New year, new me as the saying goes. For me, new year means new adventures. It was the end of January 2016. New York City just survived a record breaking snowstorm. I was invited to go to Canada for a Capoeira event. The event will have masters of the art to teach us. The thought of it filled me with joy. Little did I know, it would be a journey just to get there.

One word of advice, never call your mother during a storm and your flight is the next day, after the whole city closed down. Yeah, the city that doesn’t sleep had to shut down at 2:45 pm; yet, any mother makes a situation seem more awful than it actually is. Okay yes, the blizzard was bad enough to close the city that never sleeps down but I was still alive. After a few “Are you alive?” calls, my mother convinced me to go three hours early to the airport. I’m still trying to figure out how she did this. Once the taxi dropped me at the airport, I knew I was in for a long night.

As I got into the airport, the place looked like a dead zone. Everything was unusually closed down. The airport is open 24 hours on a normal schedule but a storm just passed. The airport looked like a homeless shelter. The food court was filled with people who were stuck in New York City. Their flights were canceled and the local hotels were closed. The only choice they had was the food court. This was a sight from a horror movie and a traveler’s worst nightmare.

people sleeping at the food court, Hugo Morel

the storm’s aftermath, Hugo Morel

After three hours of waiting, it was take off time. To save money, I bought a connecting flight, New York City to Denver international. The flight was full, due to the storm. They kept asking for handbags and luggage to be put on another flight. The kind person would be rewarded for a thousand dollars worth of flyer points. They asked four times and waited until someone actually volunteered before taking off!!

Denver International airport, Hugo Morel

At Denver International, I was surprised how big the mile high city’s airport was. It felt bigger than JFK. There was a mile long walkway (pun intended) and even a mall. I expected to see the cast of South Park here. This was mind-blowing!!

After all the trials, I was finally in Canada. The country that is the home of Justin Bieber, Drake and maple syrup. Of course, instead of seeing Santa Claus and the north pole, I get a not so jolly welcome. Long story short, the immigration center kept me for about 20 mins trying to understand my story. It’s hard to explain to people, what Capoeira is. Lesson learned, never say you are going to stay at someone’s house that you met on Facebook and learn from a master that you never met in person.

Thank you for taking your time to read this post. Drop a like and a follow. Much love!!! Next week, we go to the city of Brandon. Stay safe and healthy!!

March 18, 2016 32

Boston and Graduation at Tufts

It was the summer of 2014, one of my childhood friends was graduating from a private university. This was a major accomplishment for him. I was and am still proud of him. After the graduation, we explored Boston together.

The bus ride to Boston was crazy. Four hours of just sitting, can do damage to any healthy person. It was 2014, and we still have not created a teleportation machine. The epic struggle!! Anyways, when going to Boston you have a few choices. You can go by plane, train or bus. If you are on the east coast, a bus will be best. In certain areas, it is only 50 dollars round trip. From New York City, I paid only 40 dollars for a round trip. I used Lucky Star bus, they are great and a money-saver.

IMG_20140517_122355 — another shot of Boston from Tufts, Hugo Morel

Once in Boston, I met my childhood friend. We knew each other since elementary school but, didn’t become actual friends until the end of middle school. We took Boston’s subway to get to Tufts University. I got to see where he lived and what his projects were. I’m so proud of him. When I used to visit his home, he would live off MacDonald’s. At that time, he was living in a single parent home with his little sister. Money was very tight for them. For him to be at this university is an amazing achievement. He is the first person in his family to go to college. When I saw him receive his bachelors, it took a lot of willpower to hold back tears.

Boston’s freedom trail, Hugo Morel

A Different view of Boston’s freedom trail, Hugo Morel

After the emotional graduation, we went to explore Boston. We did what tourists do in Boston, walked the freedom trail and go to the infamous Fenway park. Sadly, we did not care who would win and none of us were Red Soxs. After the game, we went bar hoping in Boston. So apparently, Boston’s bars close at 2 am. Living in New York City for awhile, really changed my views of late nights mean.

Baseball game at Fenway Park, Hugo Morel

Wanted to dedicate this post to one of my closest friend that helped me out so much growing up. I was going down a wrong path in my life and he encourage to get back into reading. Which eventually lead to this blog and me starting my company! He encouraged me to do what I love. As you guys can tell, I love traveling and being able to write. The friend I’m talking about is the one that graduated in this post. He is now a few years away from getting his PhD. I’m so proud of him. May he continue to inspire others and change more lives.

Guys, we just reached 500 likes!! Thank you so much!! I love you guys so much and I’m so humbled you guys see my life as interesting. Once again, thank you. I hope, I can inspire you all to travel!! Much Love!!! Drop a like and a follow. Next week, we will start a Canadian adventure. Stay healthy!!

March 11, 2016 24