It's a great big world out there...

My parents instilled a love of travel in me through family vacations every year.  Although we almost always went to the Smoky Mountains every year for vacation, every now and then, we would get a small trip to other places close by.  Then when I was 15, I got the summer of a lifetime.

My school history club went on a trip up the East Coast, stopping at every major historical site on the way.   We visited Kitty Hawk, NC, Williamsburg, VA, Washington D.C., Mount Vernon, Gettysburg, Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, Plymouth.   It was an incredible whirlwind month.  Then, I got home and 3 days later took a trip out west for a month with my parents.   We started in FL (our home state) and went to Texas, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming and on and on.   I remember the awe of visiting the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion National Park, the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Grand Tetons, and so many other places.  I knew then, I wanted to see as much of the world as I possibly could.

But then, adulthood came.  I learned what it was like to struggle to make ends meet.   I learned that travel was a luxury, not a necessity.   My first marriage was to a military man so I got to live in VA, AL, TX, FL and Puerto Rico, but vacations were non existent.  Thankfully, Puerto Rico was like a vacation.  Blue waters, white sand, and so many things to see and do.   Little day trips here and there, but I always wanted to see more!

Life continued.  I have two beautiful children.  Divorced and remarried to the love of my life, Doug, my dream to travel begin to resurface.  Little weekend trips to the surrounding towns became frequent.  We explore our "backyard" so to speak, quite frequently.   I even played a game with my children called the "get lost" game.  We would get in the car, drive out into the country, and then I would let them tell me which way to go, and at every intersection they took turns navigating us into roads we've never been on.   Fun for a day, but we always had to find our way back home before dark!

1st cruise to Mexico

Then, my husband took me on my first cruise!  I fell in love!!!  It was so amazing.  At least once a year, we saved for a nice but affordable vacation.  I was able to set aside money to begin saving for bigger adventures.  A Mediterranean Cruise,  a trip to Ireland, then to Scotland, Wales and England.  With each trip, I hunger for more.  I want to see the whole world.  Each adventure leaves me with wonderful memories and a dream for more.

This blog will be a recap of some of my adventures in the past, and tales of our journeys, as we continue to explore as much of this big, beautiful world as we can.  Where are we off to next?   The Florida Keys!

I hope you'll enjoy the photos to come and stories of towns and villages, oceans and streams, mountains and valleys, and whatever else we visit on our journeys!

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