One month ago, my dad started an epic bicycle ride across the country. Just last week, he sent me this awesome picture of himself and his bike, with the Grand Canyon in the background. And that’s where my wanderlust wants me to be today, somewhere wild and free and scenic like the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately, the only time I’ve had the pleasure of visiting, I was … Continue reading Wanderlust Wednesday: Grand Canyon National Park
Welcome to a new feature I’m starting called Wanderlusty Wednesday. Today I’m going to be stepping back in time to my second trip out of the country to Spain, focusing on Barcelona! (P.S. Most of my posts for this feature won’t be this long, but every now and then I might do a full-on, throwback city guide.) Continue reading “Wanderlust Wednesday: Barcelona”
Well, it’s been a little while since I’ve blogged, partly due to traveling and also due to a cold that knocked out my energy for almost two weeks. But I’m back, and I’ve got lots of posts coming up! I decided to post this today because I’m catching up on writing projects at one of my favorite places — a library. I don’t know if most … Continue reading 4 Problems for Book-Loving Travelers
Already recognized as a world fashion capital, Milan is well on its way to becoming a major destination. And with airfare into its international airport — Malpensa — routinely coming in hundreds of dollars cheaper than surrounding airports, I think it may soon become a popular hub for European travelers.
More than just a place to fly into, however, Milan possesses history and charm all its own. Continue reading “The Glamor & History of Milan”
I love the concept of passports.
A clear proof of citizenship, a gateway to the world, a reminder of all the places you’ve been and have yet to go to, and a repository of amazing memories abroad and less pleasant ones of going through customs — that little passport is essential to a traveler.
I got my first passport at the age of 15, a few months before I took my first trip out of the country to Ecuador. It was a very exciting time for me, as not only would it be my first time out of the country, it would be my first time traveling alone, and I was thrilled with the idea of so much independence. Continue reading “P is for Passport, And My First Trip Out of the Country”
Some of my earliest memories take place near water, and my favorite adventures usually involve some kind of interaction with it. My family owned a boat when I was growing up, and I learned to love all things aquatic at a young age. I’ve manned or been a passenger on many types of watercraft, but I think one of my favorites is one of the most simple, and it’s the kayak. In fact, I think kayaks are one of my favorite ways to travel.
As I mentioned yesterday in my reflection on the joy of being home, we just returned from vacation a few days ago. As we spent ten days in Italy, and the ‘I’ day fell just a few days after our return, it seemed fitting that I post something about the trip today. There will be more detailed posts coming, but for now, here are three of my favorite things from the trip. (Read all my subsequent posts on Italy.)
Continue reading “I is for Italy: 3 Favorite Things from our Italian Vacation”
Go.
Such a simple word with somtimes complex execution.
Go work. Go play. Go explore. Go write. Go travel. Go do. Go be.
If you go, will you do it? Will you be what you want to be? Not always. In a world of constant distraction, going doesn’t always mean doing.
But to do, you have to at least start. You must begin. You must go. Continue reading “G is for Go”
Lately, I’ve been thinking about what I want this blog to be, what theme I want it to encompass.
As I’ve come to be a more consistent blogger over the past year, I’ve realized that I most enjoy blogging about two topics: writing and traveling.
The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized that writing and traveling are very connected. Both allow you to explore new worlds and adventures. Both entail a combined process of research and spontaneity in their exploration. Both like to surprise you.
Even though it was years ago, I still remember where I was when I turned the last page of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I had read it in one sitting in my dorm room, staying up all night and skipping class to finish it. I remember closing the book, and then laying down on my bed. A dual sense of satisfaction and loss came over me. The story felt so real, and I was captivated by the magic of Hogwarts in a way that I had never been and have yet to be with a book. The satisfaction was because I knew I had just read one of the great stories of my lifetime, and I knew that I would read it over and over in years to come. The sense of loss came from the emotional ending, but it also came from the understanding that Harry Potter wasn’t real, and I would never get my Hogwarts letter.
Not long after the series came to a close, Universal Studios announced the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Along with every other potterhead out there, I was ecstatic. More than four years after the grand opening of Hogsmeade in Orlando, I finally made it.
Continue reading “Theme Park Guide: Wizarding World of Harry Potter”
It’s been a cold, snowy, icy week here in North Carolina, so it seemed time to share one of my favorite trips of 2014 to the warm, sunny climate of Hawaii.
Neither my husband nor I would ever classify ourselves as “beach people.” Yet, I don’t think it’s possible to do anything but adore Hawaii. Somehow, this island paradise is a U.S. state, even if I feel like I’m in another country every time I visit. One reason we keep returning to Hawaii is that it’s so much more than beaches. It’s full of adventure and culture. It’s wild and untamed, and breathtakingly beautiful. There’s always something to do, something to explore. And that allure will keep us coming back.
Okay, I know I’m super behind on my travel blogs for 2014. I don’t know how many people follow the travel part of this blog (let me know in the comments if you like these!), but I promise I’m going to be more on time with these in 2015. There are just two of these left to finish out our adventures from last year, and up next is Hawaii and Harry Potter World.
In September 2014, we had another wedding to attend — this time in Denver, Colorado. While I’ve flown in to Denver several times to ski at Keystone, Vail, and other nearby resorts, I hadn’t spent much time exploring the Mile High City itself before this trip. Turns out Denver has a lot to offer beyond its ski resorts!
Spokane, Washington, is the home of my husband’s alma mater, Whitworth University, and while we were dating, I visited him there several times. But all my past visits ushered in multiple feet of snow, so seeing Spokane in the summer was like visiting a different city. This time, we were in town for another wedding, the occasion for many of our trips in 2014.
If you remove the oppressive humidity from the memory of this trip, it might be one of my favorites of the summer. Alas, you cannot have southern beaches in the summer without humidity and sky-high temperatures, so we spent a good deal of time ducking from one air-conditioned building to the next, but it was still a good time.
My husband had not yet been to Savannah or Charleston and as many of my childhood beach memories revolve around those two places, it was time to visit. The two cities are so iconically southern, and I was excited to spend some time in areas with such rich culture.
As I hadn’t been to Texas since I was too small to remember it, I was excited to spend a few days in Dallas for a work conference. Considering the many Texan stereotypes, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would everything truly be bigger? (You know what they say…) Would everyone wear cowboy hats? Would it be far more southern than where I’m from in southern Georgia? While I did see several gentlemen in cowboy hats on the airplane and the city is enormous (my cousin quipped that there are multiple skylines in Dallas), Dallas surprised me with its charm and modern feel. Of course, I had the pleasure of touring the city with my cousins, who were perfect hosts, so that certainly made the experience memorable.
Booked & Ready 