Dolphins are charmingly naughty.
My mom always mused over the fact that dolphins have the natural predisposition to look like they are smiling and happy all the time (sometimes I wish I had the same talent!). I am so thankful to have met one in person in the paradise-perfect turquoise waters of Roatan. So let me tell you this...
Do not be fooled. As it turns out, they can be quite naughty (or as their trainers would lovingly say, playful). They tend to chase each other in between very (very) tight spaces (ahem, people) and are rather choosy as to when they listen to their trainers (ahem, when there is food reward involved). And with their impressively large bodies of 6-9 feet long, incredible intelligence and impeccable maneuverability in water, one is left in complete awe and with a pinch of fear for their lives.
On the other hand, touching a dolphin is a remarkable sensation that I cannot compare to any other. As humans, we shed our skin in its entirety over the period of about 7 years... dolphins go through this process in a mere 2 hours! Which leaves them with the softest and most velvety skin one could imagine.
And above you can see me crossing off one more thing from my bucket list.. Only 235,632,599 left!!
A few months back, a co-worker of mine convinced me to join my company's Spartan Race team. He didn't talk it up much: he mentioned it's a long-ish run with a few fun obstacles. You know, no big deal. Something someone who runs as much as me should complete more than easily (read, you don't really need to train for it). Ha ha ha.