traveling

the title of this post says it all.  My love.  My passion.  My blood.  My cravings.  My family.  Adventure.  Endeavors.  Exploration.  Knowledge.  Culture. 

Traveling is always on my brain.  There are SO MANY PLACES to see and experience.  Yet I will say, I always love coming back home.  To the mountains.  Home is my happy place too.  I came across this today and it resonated with me:

I have been asked before how I can afford to travel.  Surely, it must cost a fortune.  Or not.... it is what you make of it.  You can definitely be a traveler on a shoestring.  For example, when Chris and I were in Venice, we took the "traghetto" across the canal.  It cost 50 CENTS.  OR, you can take a gondola ride.  Cost = at least 100 euros, plus tip.  On our traghetto ride, an Italian man in his striped shirt paddled us across the canal and he even sang a song.  Italian culture at it's best.  Don't get me wrong - the traghetto ride is merely just to get you across the canal, so it lasts about 3 minutes as opposed to an hour long gondola ride.  Yet when we sat on the canal eating pizza, we noticed a lot of gondola "drivers" using their cell phones.  It all depends on what you like.... personally, I like the simple pleasures. 

Yes I admit, my parents help out with my travels from time to time as well, but it is because they know what it means to me and to us as a family.  One of my brothers live in Australia, the other in Germany.  I'd be lucky to see my brothers once a year, if not, once every 2 years.  I've lived in France, in New Zealand and have Canadian citizenship (thanks, Dad!).  My parents have a place in Paris.  Need I say more?  It's in my blood (and I think it is rubbing off on Chris too!).

I've done some of my best soul searching while traveling.  My own best self reflection.  And by no means do you need to travel internationally.  Look what we have just hours away OR at our fingertips.  From our home, we could hike in and camp near lakes, in the mountains.  Or skin up a mountain and ski down.  That's just as much of an opportunity to self reflect as a plane ticket to Asia.

Last but not least, traveling could be expensive.  If you let it be.  OR you could buy your ticket to Australia, paint a house, pick apples, or some other "under the table" job, make enough money for your plane ticket to your next destination.  All the while, making friends and crashing on their couches, etc, etc, etc.... you make it work.  If you think about it, you could truly be a nomad with no pay check.  I once considered it - a decade ago.  Maybe I will reconsider when I retire in our volkswagon van.  :)

Next up:  Tulum.  A yoga retreat.  Talk about self reflection.  And did I mention I will be surrounded by some of the coolest people on earth?  Travel.  Whether it be to the nearest hiking trail or across the globe.  If you think about all of the logistics and risks that come with it, you are missing out.  It's the one thing in life you should not miss out on.