Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog!

People often ask me how I am able to travel so often and how I find the unique sites to visit that I do. One conversation in particular really stood out to me. A friend of mine once said to me "I wish I was able to go on the vacations that you go on." That statement stumped me a bit. While I understand that life plays a huge role in what people can and can't do, here was a woman who literally lived the EXACT SAME LIFE as me. Her husband and my ex-husband had the exact same job. Therefore, they made the exact same amount of money. Neither one of us had a job of our own (moving often tends to make that hard). Neither one of us had any children. We both had multiple pets. There was NOTHING different about our lives. Sure, we probably prioritized things differently, but in short, she WAS able to go on the vacations that I went on. I didn't know how to respond to her because it truly baffled me that she felt like my adventures were out of her reach.

Over the years, I have come to understand that most people really don't know how to plan a vacation similar to the ones that I have been on. They don't know how to seek out unique travel opportunities or budget their money for a trip.

I am not a spontaneous person. Adventurous? Yes. Spontaneous? Nope. I plan. I like to know exactly what I am going to do and when I am going to do it.

So to lay out what this blog will be about:

~If you are looking for advice on how to drop whatever it is that you are doing, and go on a random spontaneous trip, this blog isn't for you.

~If you are looking for advice on how to go on the least expensive vacation, this blog isn't for you.

~If you are looking for advice on how to go on a luxury vacation, this blog isn't for you.

I am not a true travel bargain hunter, regardless of the fact that I am certainly not rich, nor am I a luxury travel planner. When I travel I try to immerse myself into the place that I am visiting. In some cases this might mean finding the cheapest places to stay and the cheapest places to eat. In other places, it may mean booking a room at the most expensive hotel in town. I search for the best things to do and see, and factor in the cost once I have a trip planned out in my mind. I don't waste money or spend recklessly, but I try very hard to not let the overall cost deter me from having an amazing experience. I have found that even without an endless flow of cash in my pocket, this is definitely possible to do.

So:

~If you are looking for information about unique experiences, advice on finding the best hotel (regardless of cost), advice on finding interesting sites to see along the way, then this is the blog for you.

~If the idea of stopping at every cheesy roadside attraction you come across excites you then this is the blog for you.

~If the idea of staying in a cheap roadside motel one night, followed by an expensive night in a 5 star hotel the next night interests you, then this is the blog for you.

~If the idea of seeing history and nature excites you then this is the blog for you.

~If the idea of finding hidden treasures and going off the beaten path excites you then this is the blog for you.

~If the idea of doing the same thing that every other tourist does excites you, then this is the blog for you.

When I travel, I want to see everything. I want to see the cheesy tourist attractions, while also experiencing what life is like for a local. I want to explore nature, learn about history and escape from my own reality. I want to be served breakfast in bed one day, and go out to eat at a hole in the wall restaurant the next. I want to see it ALL! I want to do it ALL! I want to see the good, the bad, the pretty and the ugly. I don't want to be a typical tourist, yet at the same time, I do want that.

To some people vacations are a time to relax, kick back, and do absolutely nothing. That isn't me. To me, vacations are a time to do EVERYTHING! So follow along as I take you to the Jersey Shore where I grew up, to the Yukon Territory, to a diamond mine in Arkansas, and many, many places in between.  I hope that this blog will inspire you to go on your own adventures. I also hope it will inspire you to realize that you CAN have these adventures. Life will, of course, interfere at times, but if you do the research and planning, the ability to see the world that you live in is right at your finger tips.

Enjoy!