Hello blog. It’s been ages since I wrote anything. I have all of the best intentions of writing, but I never seem to get it together. But I swear, I’m going to get better. I honestly want to get back to posting regularly. Anyway, I do actually have a topic I want to discuss. This subject comes up often in my writings, though generally only peripherally. But I was spurred on today by something a friend said to me, something that I’ve heard many times before, “You travel more than anyone I know”. So I want to talk about travel and my many journeys, both past and (hopefully) future. I have to say, I know that this subject has the possibilities of making me sound like a complete braggart. Let me assure you, I am not attempting to impress or condescend to anyone with this. To many people it sounds like somewhat extensive travel experience, but to others it’s just a drop in the bucket. I should say that I unabashedly love to travel. I dig everything about it, the different experiences, the potential to learn something new, the comfort of finding someplace wonderful exactly how you last left it, encountering people you would otherwise have never known, and all of the things, good and bad, that come with stepping outside of your normal life. I love researching and planning trips and I’m completely interested in experiencing fresh places, even if it’s by poring over other people’s vacation photos.
I can list all of the foreign lands that I’ve been to fairly easily – Italy (Rome, Tuscany, Florence & Venice), Spain (Madrid, Seville, Granada & Barcelona), Croatia (Zagreb, Rab & Dubrovnik), France (Aix-en-Provence, Marseilles, Cassis, St. Tropez, Vence & Nice), Portugal (Lisbon), The Bahamas (Nassau / Paradise Island), Jamaica (Negril, Ocho Rios & Montego Bay), Canada (Vancouver), and Mexico (Cancun, Saltillo, Tulum, & Laredo). Of the 50 states, I’ve only missed 7, including Alaska and Hawaii. And though that sounds like a lot of travel to some, all I can think about is all the places I haven’t been and all of the amazing things I’ve yet to see. I could make an extensive list of all of the foreign lands I want to get to and at least 10 of those feel necessary to me. Like I have a need to see them. I keep my passport on me, in case the urge (and ability) to travel hits me out of the blue. I spend more time on travel sites than anyone I know, looking up far-flung resorts and eateries as if I might go there tomorrow. I subscribe to 4 separate travel magazines and twice as many e-newsletters. I carry a photo book in my purse to remind me of trips I’ve taken and locations I’ve been to. And my favorite way to release workday tension is to plan a trip, which I may take only in my mind.
I say all of that to say that I am fascinated (and lightweight obsessed) with traveling. Something about the act of being away from my day-to-day life soothes my soul. I know that there are some people who prefer to stay at home and not stray far from their comfort zones. But, as much as I love the home I’ve made for myself, I don’t understand that mindset. Then again, I suppose they don’t understand me either. I find it difficult to verbalize the depth of my feelings on this subject. But I know where this love comes from. I am grateful everyday for my parents who drove me all over the country as a child and my grandparents who had the sense of adventure to live all over the globe and instilled that bit of daring in their children. And I’m most glad that they have always supported (emotionally and financially) my quest to see the world. I want very much to pass this joy on. I encourage folks to get out there and see what they can see. Not just to dream of far-off lands, but to save up their money and actually go there. And to be open to the experiences that they find there. I think that’s the best thing, being open to experiences, not just while traveling, but at home too. And I want my life to be filled with the best things possible, therefore I travel.
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