It seems like a lifetime ago that I was in Zambia. It’s only been a year and a half but that’s far too long. I fell in love with Africa. The people, the wildlife, the landscape, and the sunsets are some that will forever be etched into the fabric of my mind. While in Zambia, I had the opportunity to visit the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to giraffe, zebra, buffalo, warthog, elephant, and the endangered white rhino.
Here are a few of my favorite photos from our safari!
I desperately wanted to see an elephant up close while in Zambia. I certainly got my wish. This is one moment in my life I’ll never forget. Next on my travel bucket list is to get up close to the beautiful wild cats found in other parts of this amazing continent. Seeing them in their natural home would be incredibly special.
When I started this, I knew it was going to be tough physically. That was part of my story. Taking a regular wife and mom and preparing her for this major challenge. Let’s face it, I’ve not hiked anymore than maybe 8 miles max. The trek to base camp is more like 38 miles but guess what?? You still have to turn around and come back down! 
There’s no way I can prepare for the altitude and that’s scary. My biggest fear, other than the dangerous airport in Lukla that I must fly in and out of, is that I make it half way through my trek and have to turn around due to altitude sickness. All the time, energy, and money spent would go down the drain. In my eyes it would. Instead, I must remain positive and focus on what I CAN control and that’s my fitness. I didn’t have that many cards in my favor at the beginning of this journey. I had to have shoulder surgery and spent 8 months in physical therapy. Even though I was released, they are now looking at other options to continue rehabbing me such as needling paired with massage therapy. Due to so much time off from the surgery, I added extra pounds to my weight that I already needed to lose to begin with. I’ve also always had issues with my heart off and on and need to work on making sure it’s strong. There’s a great deal to consider! 
Thankfully, I have amazing trainers at Ft Mill Fit Body Boot Camp who have been pushing me hard. I am a busy working mom and even on the days I’m unable to go to the gym-my trainers keep me accountable. There’s no excuse…right? Especially when I have a home gym with weights, a treadmill, a spin bike, and a rower. I’ve never been great working out on my own but what I’ve found is being consistent and having a plan helps keep me focused. My gym also recently started a jump rope challenge which turns out to be my perfect cardio. I’m not a big fan of running but have been doing great with the jump rope. In fact, recently, I had my personal best! 3,000 jumps in 55 minutes. I could barely walk the next day. Send in the paramedics!
