Inside: Have you traveled to a destination that was beyond your wildest dreams? A place that lingered in your mind for years until you decided to go for it? Did it live up to the hype? Well, this bucket list destination is one that’ll blow your mind! I promise!
In the middle of nowhere…
Out in the western Pacific Ocean lies a country so remote that you need to zoom in closely to see it. In fact, the bucket list destination is just a tiny speck on the map! The Rock Islands line the turquoise waters and creates a picturesque landscape that overtakes the senses. It is Palau! The seventh underwater wonder of the world, the underwater Serengeti, a place where dreams come true!
This location popped into my mind on a whim way back in 2005. As luck would have it, I discovered this place by chance. I have Survivor Season 10: Palau to thank! I mentioned this to my husband one evening after seeing it on a Reward Challenge. He mumbled something about reality TV and only took a mild interest.
That was a little shocking, as he is usually the eager “let’s leave now” type of person. However, I persisted and suggested that we should go there someday. My enthusiasm was at an all-time high. However, I knew this would take more persistence to make this a reality.
He sat there silently for a bit while looking at his phone. He clearly wasn’t interested and was moving on. Maybe I should as well!?!
I knew I was not going to travel that far by myself, but I really wanted to go. Do you ever get that feeling? Like you are OK to travel solo to nearby places, but not to ones with a 17+ hour flight time.
“I found a good deal,” he said. He even said something about stopping in Japan and even Australia on the way. I didn’t need to hear anything else, so when do we leave?
Palau is a bucket list destination that’ll blow your mind!
My #1 reason for visiting was because I wanted to snorkel with jellyfish. Yes, jellyfish!
If you are anything like my friends, you are probably thinking I am nuts. That’s OK because it’s partially true! I do love a thrill and experiencing the unknown. In fact, a few of them ask me to pack them in my suitcase!
If only!
As we pulled up to the beach, I hopped off the boat with equal parts excitement and hesitation. I could hear myself saying “Previously on…Survivor” in my best Jeff Probst voice, wondering if I just said that out loud (I think I did because I heard a light chuckle from our tour guide)! My brain kept swirling with thoughts as we made the trek to the platform of the lake.
We had finally arrived at Jellyfish Lake. I had been waiting eight years for this moment! These are not the jellyfish you’re thinking. I know, I know…what other types could there be? Aren’t all jellyfish the same?
Well, no, not here.
Eil Malk Island is home to Jellyfish Lake and is the habitat for golden jellyfish. These jellyfish became trapped in the basin at the end of the last Ice Age. They figured out how to survive in their new habitat and have an ample supply of algae to eat. Every day they pulsate around the lake and follow the path of the sun. The fluorescent green water reveals clusters of brown patches depending on the time of day. Our guide states that’s where we’re going. Oh my!
Now, what if I told you that you could snorkel with them without getting stung. Would you believe me? Would you jump in the lake?
It was now or never, and I could not change my mind. Everyone began putting on the masks and snorkels. The moment was here, and it was time to jump.
We followed our guide and trusted him. After all, he has to know what he’s doing and has been doing this for years!
I had to figuratively pinch myself as nothing comes close to this type of environment. It feels like you just parachuted out of a plane and just happened to fall into a lava lamp lake. The mangrove trees surround you, closing in on the nearby Rock Islands that now seem like a distant memory.
Surreal doesn’t even begin to describe this bucket list destination.
However, there are no words to encapsulate the feeling of being surrounded by hundreds of jellyfish and feeling them brush across your skin. Soon, the tense feeling disappears, and a sense of relief and relaxation takes over. The velvety-soft orbs invite themselves into your hands. Some are cheeky enough and photobomb your underwater camera!
I kept underwater squealing (is that a thing?) every time an itty-bitty jellyfish floated nearby. I would try to cup my hands fast enough to “catch it” before it drifted elsewhere. Another tense moment happened when a basketball-sized jellyfish approached me head-on. I couldn’t swim frantically, as protecting the nearby jellyfish was my top priority. My body turned as stiff as a board (like that would prevent me from getting stung)!
Then before I knew it, I felt this gelatinous blob land on my arm. Nothing! That was it. Just a tickle. Relief! It’s funny how your mind plays tricks on you even after something becomes comfortable. Stingless jellyfish are a thing! Would you change your answer from earlier?
The hour went by so quickly and left me yearning for more! I had become mesmerized by the experience and felt a pit of sadness in my stomach when it was time to go.
Sometimes an experience tugs on your heartstrings or it impacts you. Other times, it just brushes up against you and leaves you speechless.
Bucket list destination-check!
Helpful Resources:
✹ If you’d like to have ideas ready to go to share with your students, download these FREEBIES to get started. ✩Click either image to download a copy today!
Here’s a sneak peek of the cheat sheets:
✹ If you’re stuck and trying to find something to excite your readers, use these passages BELOW to help! You’ll find that students perk up and begin enjoying reading time! Plus, you can easily extend these passages into writing and research activities! I’ve even provided you with a “How to Use” guide to get you started! It’s a no-brainer!
✩ Special note to 3rd-grade teachers:
Depending on the level of your students, you might want to check out the Nonfiction Reading Practice Units that are geared for 3rd-5th.
Wishing you lots of bucket list happiness!
Explore. Travel. Read. Repeat.
