Oh, travel.

Traveling.

One of my absolute favorite things in life.

I love the adventure. Being in a new environment. People-watching. Enjoying a culture different than my own. Trying new foods. Seeing beaches, mountains, deserts, wineries, castles, architecture, ruins, history, cute shops, bakeries. I love the buzz of new cities, and the peacefulness of quaint towns or the great outdoors. Learning, I love learning. And photographing. There are so many photography opportunities with travel. I love the challenge of not knowing where I am going, or what the plan is for the day, or who we will meet. I like not having a schedule. I love nice locals. I love the produce.

Mind you, I don't like everything about traveling. I dislike having to get to the airport early only to wait for a flight delay (you just discovered a bad habit of mine...impatience). Or arriving on time only to discover the airline oversold your flight and you now have to anxiously pace at the gate (and bite all your fingernails off) hoping someone doesn't show so you can have their seat. I don't like the smell of big cities. I don't like the smell of lots of people in congested area. I don't like the glares you often get from locals who know you are a tourist despite the fact you are using local currency, attempting the language, and being respectful, all the while supporting their tourism economy. The expense is an obvious dislike. It's expensive. I also don't like the smog of some cities.

I also dislike the day I have to leave my fantasy land and go home. Now, I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I know I am so blessed and privileged to be able to travel like I do, but returning to the everyday grind of shower, bedtime, morning alarm, brush teeth, work, home, shower, repeat, can be wearing. There are people all over the world who struggle to provide basic needs of food and shelter for their families, much less "go on vacation" with them. I am aware of this, and therefore, I am so grateful for my blessings.

Some tips for traveling. When you travel, don't act like the country you travel to "owes you something." You are a guest. You are not entitled to anything special. Respect the people and the places you visit. Don't complain about the food, the temperature, or the scenery, because you CHOSE them and the situation (and not every trip is perfect). Don't be rude because your waiter doesn't speak English. Consider bringing an English-to-XX translation travel book. I have a small English-to-Italian one that I carried all over Italy when I lived there. Many people do speak some English, so don't be too nervous that you won't be able to communicate at all. Be polite and ask questions. Chances are, if you are truly interested and kind, the locals will love you and treat you well. Likely, they will go out of their way to show you their country's treasures. Lastly, be safe and be aware. There are people who will take advantage of you because you are an obvious tourist. Watch you pockets, wallets, purses, and bags. Don't set anything down and leave it. Don't carry your wallet in your back pocket, rather keep it in your breast pocket. Travel with a small backpack you can carry on your chest rather than your back, so it's in  your sight at all times. Read signage. In nearly every popular tourist destination, signs are prevalent. They will help you, so keep calm and carry on.

Most of all...HAVE FUN and take advantage of every opportunity to discover something new! I so often come home appreciating every single little thing in my life that makes it easier. We are so incredibly fortunate to live in America, and if you have never left the U.S. to discover this yourself, I suggest you do. Our freedoms are truly something to be thankful.

Taken in the Dominican Republic.

We are heading to Belize soon (see photo below taken by my sister). It's a place neither of us has traveled to. Lucky for us, we know our hosts and will be staying with them (my sister and her boyfriend). To get there, we drive to the Minneapolis airport. Take a flight to Miami. Then take a flight to Belize City. From there we can either take a short flight to their island or take a land taxi to the water taxi area, which gets us on a small boat. We love adventures.

If you have travel questions (or recommendations!), let me know. I've been to the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Macedonia, and Germany. I've also traveled to Hawaii, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, California, Wyoming, Montana, and a number of other states (excluding largely the East Coast, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Nevada, and Alaska). Please feel free to make comments on my posts, or contact me. I'd love to hear from you.

Bon voyage!
Erin