Recently I experienced a small ship cruise through the Croatian Islands with my husband. We made amazing friends from all over the world, experienced incredible history, and met the beautiful people that call this part of the world home. The ship only had 40 passengers, so we all became friends quickly. I loved the swim stops and city tours every day that were included on the itinerary. Thoroughly recommend. 

I got to experience Jordan and Petra from a unique perspective when I travelled with Marathon Tours NZ to participate in the Petra Desert Marathon. We were taken into Petra in the dark before dawn to the race start and then we made our way through the streets of Petra and out into hinterland beyond as the sun rose, finishing with a stunning mountain climb and decent into the city. The scenery was breath-taking, and the people so friendly. We had a few days at the Dead Sea staying at a stunning resort hotel to experience the unique weightlessness of swimming in the Dead Sea. We also had a night staying at a Bedouin Camp in the Wadi Rum Desert, riding camels to watch the sunset was a highlight.