Kelly Hyman is an Attorney and a resident of Colorado. She grew up with a single mother, who is a native of Australia. Travel became a passion they both shared. As a child growing up, her mother would spontaneously book trips to Mexico or Los Angeles or go where ever the next adventure would take them. Kelly has continued her explorations with her husband. Together, they have journeyed to all seven continents of the world. They are able to learn and experience a variety of different cultures and environments. Many discoveries are in the future for this couple. They will be traveling throughout the U.S., South Africa, and then they will be cruising the Black Sea over the next year.
Tell us about a favorite trip you’ve taken.
Australia would be my favorite place out of all of the places we have traveled. It is my mother’s homeland. It was amazing to see where she was born and where she grew up. We experienced their culture. After visiting, I found that culture was a part of me all of my life.
What attracted you to Australia?
I am of Australian descent. I wanted to learn about my heritage. I wanted to learn what it was like where my mother grew up. Australia was naturally one of my first choices to explore.
When did you travel there and who did you go with?
My husband and I went to Australia in 2015-2016. We were there for the new year. The people are so warm and welcoming.
Please share your memories from the trip.
We initially started in my mother’s hometown of Armidale. We did the tour of a town. We didn’t have to go very far. It has 2 stop lights in the entire town. We wanted to take in everything during our three-week visit. We wanted to go snorkeling. We made our way to The Great Barrier Reef. The reef is absolutely magnificent. It is teaming with life. The coral lives in such a state of indescribable vibrant color and grandeur. We were swimming with the sharks. It was incredible. We also experienced the ruggedness of the outback. We took a camping trip to the outback. We laid on the ground looking up at the sky at the awe-inspiring stars majestically strewn across the night sky.
When we wanted to experience city life in Australia, we chose Sydney. We went to the Sydney Opera house. We did the evening bridge walk. That is where you climb to the top of the bridge which overlooks the entire city of Sydney in lights. It was a remarkable sight to behold.
What other places have you visited?
My husband and I actually spent the night on Antarctica. They call it digging your grave. They give you a shovel, a foam mat, and a sleeping bag. The boat leaves you there to fend for yourself. You start digging. When you are done digging, you put down a foam mat and a sleeping bag to spend the night. There are 22 hours of light in Antarctica. You have to cover your eyes to sleep. You may, however, get up in the middle of the night to discover a penguin staring at you. The penguin might be trying to discover who you are and what you’re doing there.
We also did the polar plunge in Antarctica. This is where they tie a rope to you, and you jump off the boat into the water. It was freezing cold, but amazing. We saw so many whales from the ship. We also went kayaking and saw all of the penguins and birds, it was breath-taking.
Iceland is a Nordic island. My husband and I traveled to Iceland last July. I’d recommend July as the right month to travel to that Island. The temperature is in the 50’s or 60’s. We rented a car and just drove across the island. Some of the towns we passed were so small. The inhabitants were excited to tell us that they had a restaurant in town. When we went into the restaurant, the entire town and neighboring towns were there.
I am of middle eastern descent. I am Lebanese. Jordan is breathtaking. We went to see Petra and went camping in Wadi Rum. We rode a camel and went snorkeling in the red sea. We saw the amazing city of Petra. It is a 2,000-year-old city carved out of sheer rock face, in the south of Jordan. It is huge and spectacular. Wadi Rum means Sand Valley. It is a desert region of Jordan. I understand why Matt Damon filmed his moon shots there. It looks so much like what we would imagine the moon to look like. It was wonderful sleeping under the stars. It has a beautiful, natural landscape of sand dunes, narrow canyons and carved rock arches.
We went to Columbia. The people there are so wonderful. They are very welcoming people. We rented a car and drove to a small town. We spent New Year’s in a tiny town. We celebrated the new year in their tradition. Everyone is clothed in white. They walk the streets to celebrate and bring in the new year together. We also went to Cartagena and hung out on the beach. The food is incredible. We loved the culture and the people.
We have also been to Belize, Europe, South America, Africa, Australia, Paris, Rome. Italy, where I love shopping. Our honeymoon was spent on a cruise to the Baltic Sea. We visited all of the Scandinavian countries and Helsinki.
What advice would you give to a first-time traveler?
I would tell any new or first-time traveler to do the research. Research the culture of the country that you will be traveling too. Find out what the best time of year would be best to travel to that particular destination. Research the weather conditions so that you’ll know what kind of clothes to bring. It is critically important to know what the exchange rate is between countries. You may need cash. You should know how to find the cash if you need it. You may be able to use your own credit cards easily enough. If you want to know the culture, Google the top 10 things to do in the country and book it in advance. We have learned the most about an area by taking free walking tours. The escorts know all the best places to eat and to visit in their city. They are amazing. The walks are free, and you just tip the escort at the end of the tour. The other thing that I do is to ask the hotel staff which restaurants to choose from. Depending on what you’re looking for, they can guide you in the right direction. The last thing I can suggest is to always, remember your sunscreen.
