Although I live in the northern hemisphere, and am not a stranger to the harsh white against blue, with an icy wind, much of my real joy comes from diving into open bodies of warm waters, as is evidenced from the travel choices I made in 2019: vacationing with a warm breeze blowing the high clouds along their way and diving in.

Have you been to Palm Springs? Better yet, Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs? Well, this East Coaster spend magnificent time luxuriating in every hot spring offered there, loving every second of the renowned mineral water. Floating from morning into the night, with a few jaunts into the desert or yoga studio, made for relaxation that was absolute. Doing all of this fabulous nothing with my daughter, yeah, priceless.

Costa Rico. If you have yet to travel there, OMG what a treasure. From Sarapiqui to Arenal to the Pacific was an investigation into every possible water haven. We zip-lined over a wide river, paddled across an enormous lake, rafted through rapids, snorkeled along the reef and waded into waterfall pools. Oh, and swam in man-made pools too. For water lovers this is indeed the country where dreams do come true. So many dreams…

Taking a ferry from Los Angeles to Catalina Island we arrived in yet another paradise. We watched the waves, from fast boats to kayaks to shoreline vantages, and dove in several times a day. Another get-away with just enough time to sink into Island life, and slow down together, was well appreciated.

Mohonk Mountain House was another vacation spot for us this past year– edged on perhaps the most perfect lake ever. Created by the glaciers eons ago, Mohonk Lake is as pristine and refreshing as my oldest childhood memory. We were lucky enough to catch a glorious summer weekend, with all the sunshine needed to turn the water to shimmering diamonds; the open lake swim and an illegal morning one, adventures in delight.

For my wife, Maine is the rocky craggy coastline with smells of salt and sea like nowhere else, and is exactly where she draws her most heart-felt inner-happiness. We mostly walked along the shoreline, occasionally in ankle-deep icy water, but like a tourist I did dive into those blue waves, for a few breathless strokes. Starfish. Sky. Solitude. Yes, Maine is a tough sell for many but for us its starkness brings a respite like no other.

Of course no year is complete without a family reunion in Santa Monica. A simple craftsman cottage, only minutes from the beach, makes for easy lazy days with our feet in the sand, riding the pacific waves, and filling the long table at dusk with all the news each of us brings. New jobs, new loves, challenges too. We face them here, in this sweet sometimes home, with love enough to pull everyone along into whatever comes our way.

I’m ready to ring in the new year. Hopefully to venture on more adventures and to find a few new places to dive in! Happy New Year 2020 my dear Nine Cent Girl readers. May all your dreams find a way into your everyday’s.