Here we are in the month of December and the holidays are racing towards us as well as the close of this unimaginable year. Yes, I think we can all agree 2020 has been a doozy. Restrictions, closings, travel bans all de rigueur aspects of this past year.
From an early age, the idea of traveling to faraway places was thrilling to me. Foreign places, new languages, regional cuisines – all seemed so exciting and I was fascinated with reading maps and learning where different countries were located on the globe. I do wonder where that traveling spark came from, who in my life inspired me to be so curious about far off places? Maybe it was just an innate feeling that I needed to quench.
These days, both domestic and international travel are complicated and strictly limited. I miss going to new destinations. Marc and I both love to travel but it just hasn’t been a normal year for anyone. Arriving in a new city can sometimes be quite daunting, depending on the language, currency, and customs. Travel is an adventure, sometimes difficult, but what I find the most rewarding is the opportunity to learn about the people and places we visit. I’ve always been inquisitive about the how and why traditional customs and cuisines become the common threads in the fabric of daily life. Then there are those memories and stories that last longer than a photograph or souvenir.
One of my bucket list items was to see the Northern Lights. Last year, we had the incredible experience seeing them dance in the night sky in Reykjavik, Iceland.
With visits to 20 countries, 31 U.S. states, and countless world-class cities, my sense of adventure and current passport are ready to get onboard once we are cleared for takeoff.