Wednesday, September 29, 2010

From the Beginning

Traveling is in my blood. I know, I know...a lot of people say the same thing but honestly, I can feel it burning inside me. It is like a vice that grabbed a hold of me at an early age and has yet to let go. Lucky for me, this "vice" is one I plan to keep a hold of for a very long time.

Now, in no way am I saying that I have traveled to all seven continents, stood at the base of Mt. Kiliminjaro, walked along Abbey Road, or even stood at the train tracks leading to Auschwitz. Each of these things, I hope to do one day; however, as I grow older, I reflect on the places I have seen and the things I have done and it brings a smile to my face.

Among some of the adventures my young heart has experienced is climbing Dunes River Falls in Jamaica, swimming with stingrays in Grand Cayman, seeing and listening to the Pope speak at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, doing the hula at a Hawaiian luau, and walking along Omaha Beach in Normandy. Each of these adventures opened my eyes and allowed me to experience things I never thought imaginable.

I have traveled to various portions of the United States but hope to see more. I have been fortunate enough to cruise through the western and eastern Caribbean with my family and experience the wonderous beaches of St. Thomas, Antigua, Grand Cayman, and even Belize. However, my most recent trip is one that I will always hold close to my heart. For two weeks, my sister and I traveled to France and Italy, stopping in Paris, Nice, Venice, and Rome. To say it was a trip of a lifetime is a cruel understatement. Instead, I like to think it was a trip that reawakened a passion inside of me; something that I knew I enjoyed but had succumbed to the realization that it was too costly. It reawakened my passion for traveling and the want and need inside of me to see the world. In turn, it inspired me to begin writing again.

So this blog is for all of you who dream of seeing parts of the world, whether it be just a state away or an entire continent away from where you are. I hope my travels and stories will ignite a passion inside of you; one that you too can share with the world.