Singing Alongside Me

In the past, in my mind, "travel" has been synonymous with "actively living".

As I traveled around the world, I intentionally sought out activities and places that made me feel alive (zip-lining across the rain forest in Honduras, riding horses on the estancia in Argentina, experiencing life on an island in the Mediterranean...). I've done much of this travel on my own as I didn't want to pass by these amazing opportunities simply because I'd be experiencing them alone.

While my travel adventures this past year may seem meager compared to previous years, they've not lacked in enjoyment or fulfillment. I've found a traveling companion who shares my love of life and who can keep up with me in my many adventures. Sharing these moments with my favorite person has made an immeasurable difference in how I've experiencing and enjoying them.

I will always be an inquisitive traveler, and my heart will forever sing while visiting foreign places. Perhaps now, in my future travels, I'll have someone to sing alongside me...

Image credit: Pinterest

The Bakery Down the Street

There's a cafe down the street
A quick, two-block jaunt by feet
A cozy, quaint spot
(I go there a lot)
Where you enjoy a sweet treat.

This little place that j'adore
With it's black and white tiled floor
Takes me to Paris,
On a beautiful terrace,
Every time I walk through its door.

This quick departure from here
Keeps travel memories near
In my heart and head
They'll never be dead
They're like a lifelong souvenir.

Image credit: Pinterest

Inspiring Poetry

Travel inspiration comes in all sorts of different ways -- seeing captivating pictures, listening to stories told by friends, and reading books or articles about places far, far away.

My heart warms when I read a passage that speaks to me and inspires me to either try new things, go new places, or think about things differently. As a Spanish major in my undergraduate studies, I read a lot of Latin authors; some resonated with me more than others, and Pablo Neruda was one author I truly enjoyed reading. His poems in Spanish are beautiful, and they're lovely even when translated into English. I like the excerpt below because it reminds me that, even though we might not know what we're doing or why we're doing it, we owe it to ourselves to try new things and stretch beyond our comfort zones.

"something started in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering
that fire
and wrote the first faint line,
faint without substance, pure
nonsense,
pure wisdom,
of someone who knows nothing,
and suddenly I saw
the heavens
unfastened
and open.”

Pablo Neruda, from "Poetry", Memorial de isla negra (1964)
Trans. Alastair Reid 

Image credit: Pinterest

Simple Pleasure: A Good Travel Book

In an ideal world, I'd spend my time traveling the world with those I love.

Since I'm not independently wealthy, and need to work to support my travel habit (and love of Lululemon workout clothes), I try to get the same sort of inspiration that traveling provides me through other means.

One such way it to read about travel. Pete bought me a great book about places to visit that are off the beaten path. This book, "Off The Tourist Trail: 1,000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives", is so great because it compares a popular place, like Venice, to its less-touristy counterpart, Chioggia. So, when you're considering a trip to Hawaii, for example, you can look through this book and see what other options are available to you that are less crowded, potentially less pricey, and just as lovely.

For now, I'm doing what you might call "travel research". I'm investigating the places that fascinate me, reading about what makes these places worth visiting, and deciding which places are going to make my 2012-2013 travel list. Stay tuned.

Image credit: Amazon.com

New Year, New Travel Plans

It's a new year! This jet setter has been doing a lot of traveling over the course of the past month. I went to Wisconsin with Pete to visit his family for Christmas, and then we went to Las Vegas together to be with my family for the New Year holiday. Baby Audrey keeps getting cuter and cuter each time I see her!

As much as I love traveling, it feels good to be back at home. It's time to recharge the batteries, settle into a routine, and reconnect with friends post-holiday. I've been doing a lot of reading lately, and a lot of the books that I read are set in places around the world that I'd like to go visit. There are a couple of travel ideas floating around in my brain, and I'm excited for these ideas to take shape in 2012.

Image credit: Jet Set With Mary

Dream a Little Bigger

When I take pause for a moment and think back on the things that have happened this past year (which I tend to do this time of year), my mind wanders to an email that my mom sent to me about a month ago. She wrote:

"Just thought it would be nice to take a trip back in time and visit your blog entry from exactly one year ago on November 5, 2011!  A lot sure has happened since one year ago..."

Like always, my mom is right; this year has been a big one for me, both personally and professionally. Since this time last year, I have become an auntie, met a great guy who shares my zest for life, returned to the States and my family/friends, and lived in and explored Europe, fulfilling a dream I'd envisioned for many years. There is a lot to be thankful for and many reasons to feel blessed.

All this leads me to my next question: "What's next?"

I'm a firm believer that your thoughts shape your future, and I want a future filled with love, adventure, and laughter. Perhaps I'll dream a little bigger this time around and see what happens.

Image credit: Pinterest

West Point, New York

During our trip to New York City, Pete and I decided to get out of the hustle and bustle for a day and took a road trip up to West Point. As soon as he and I got out of Manhattan, we were able to fully enjoy and appreciate the beautiful fall colors, as the drive up Palisades Parkway is quite scenic.

Once we got to West Point, we parked the car and started touring around. Since he's a West Point graduate, he was keen to show me this part of his life, and I was curious about what it was like to be a cadet there. We walked around a bit, and saw some noteworthy sights, including the Million Dollar view, the Battle Monument, Beat Navy Tunnel, and the Army football field (can you tell he loves Army football?).

While all of these things were great, my favorite place on campus was atop the library, in a small room overlooking the campus that contained a baby grand piano. As soon as we found this room I sat down to play a tune or two for Pete, and before you knew it we were playing a happy duet together! It was one of those perfect moments that could not have been planned or reproduced. It was fun, spontaneous, and authentic. Simply lovely.  



Image credits: Jet Set With Mary