There are so many reasons that I love to be close to home... Some of my favorite things to do involve staying close to home, including snuggling on the couch with my girl to watch a great movie, reading a great book from the comfort of my favorite chair, helping miss O with all of her many art projects, watching the day go by from my front porch, and sleeping in my own comfortable bed. As much as I enjoy all of this... traveling to new places and seeing new things has always been a passion for me.
As a kid, I was lucky to see most of the United States as our family took road trips back and forth across the country to visit family, experience historic places, and explore national parks. I was introduced to travel at a young age, and that spirit of adventure was passed on to me by my father. Every summer he would plan a two or three week road trip to experience a new part of the country. He and mom would pack the camper, throw the three of us into the backseat of the car, and off we would go... We visited cities like St. Louis, and Washington D.C., and Orlando; experienced the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and the Smoky Mountains; we played in the ocean, and watched the sun set below the mountains.
The adventures of my childhood fueled my desire to see more of the world... and I took my first real trip alone when I spent the summer between my junior and senior year of college on an exchange trip to London. Europe! Suddenly it was so clear to me that the world was so much bigger than my own backyard, or even the United States. People and culture, places and food, history...it was all out there to experience. My summer in London opened my eyes to all the possibilities, and my list of "must see" places was born...
Travel is not the first priority in my life today, with a young daughter, a demanding job, and only so much money to spend, but I feel pretty fortunate that every year I have been able to check at least one or more places off my list. And I am so lucky to have a number of travel "buddies" who are willing to share the adventure with me...
With distance keeping us apart, my sister and I have used travel to meet at a number of great destinations, to catch up with each other as well as see and do new things. From San Francisco to Charleston and between, we have had a number of amazing trips. Then there are a number of friends who are always up for a little adventure... sunshine in Puerto Vallarta, gambling in Las Vegas, football and shopping in Phoenix, lobster in Kennebunkport. So many places to go! And this year will be no exception... New York City this summer and San Diego in the fall.
In just days, two of my best friends and my sister will meet up with me in New York City for a long weekend of exploring. This is a city that I have wanted to visit for so long... I have been so close to it a number of times and just never had the chance to actually be in the city and soak it all in. I have been attracted to the city for years and finally I will be there! Spending four nights with three of my most favorite people and wandering the streets of New York...nothing could be better. As I have said before, half the fun is planning the trip and I am busily reading my NYC books, surfing the internet, and putting together a list of places to go and things to see. Let the adventure begin...
