Our Top 10 Travel Photos (Part One)

Travel certainly makes me feel alive. Sometimes I want to pinch myself because I can't believe what a dream my life has become.. and all because of travel. If you would've told me 10 years ago what my life would look like, I probably wouldn't have believed you. It's not too good to be true, it's not some magic elixir. It takes hard work and sacrifice, but it's completely possible to have your cake and eat it too. I've stumbled upon something that truly makes my heart happy and I want to shout it from the rooftops so that others can live their dreams too.

So along that vein, here is a walk down memory lane. These are some of my favorite travel photos from our recent adventures. Notice, I've named it "part one" because it was SO hard to choose just 10. Be on the lookout for more travel photo related blogs in the future. And until then.. take a look at our photo gallery. 

Without further ado, here are our top 10 travel photos... so far :)

1. Trevi Fountain, Rome

This is one of my favorites because it really captures the feeling of the moment--pure joy! Here we are throwing coins into the newly renovated Trevi Fountain, cashing in on the saying that promises a return to Rome to those that toss in a coin. To date I've tossed in 3 coins and the promise hasn't failed me yet. I'm so pumped to be headed back next summer. You can check out the itinerary here if you feel so inclined. The beautiful lady to my left is our guide, Elena. She really made our trip special because of her love of life, constant upbeat personality and love of travel. We are kindred spirits for sure!

2. Arc de Triomph, Tour de France, Paris

This one captures my whole heart. I love this picture so much I have it hanging in my house. This trip was incredibly special for so many reasons. It was Roman's first international trip (he was such a trooper), and as an avid cyclist, it was the fulfillment of one of Jordan's lifelong dreams--to attend the Tour de France. It was incredibly special for him to share this moment with his firstborn son. This particular year was the 100th annual Tour de France, so the country went all out! There were jet planes flying overhead spouting plumes of red, white, and blue in their jet streams, the Arch was turned into an illuminated light show the likes of which I've never seen before. It was incredible. The winner was Chris Froome. Paris will always hold a special place in my heart, and this was an awesome way to experience it for the first time. I've been back several times since and it lives up to every single magical expectation, time after time. While the Tour de France won't be taking place when we return next March, we will definitely hit the Arch of Triumph again, along with many, many more Parisian highlights. Check it out here.  

3. Segrada Familia, Barcelona

There's nothing quite like experiencing living, breathing history being made right before your eyes. This photo is outside of the Segrada Familia, a masterpiece of art and architecture melded into one, by none other than Gaudi himself. It was breathtaking to watch as this centuries old masterpiece is still being constructed. Gaudi has his hand in so many corners of Barcelona. He really gives the city it's eclectic feeling and nowhere is that more apparent than at this magnificent cathedral. I can't wait to go again and see how it continues to progress. 

4. Stonehenge, England

This was a lucky shot captured during a long layover in England. We had just enough time to rent a car and drive out to Stonehenge before heading off to our final destination. While driving on the opposite-side of the rode felt much like taking our lives into our hands, especially while being so jetlagged, we were soon rewarded. It was unreal to drive down the country road and BOOM, there is Stonehenge off to the side. I had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that was someone's morning commute every day. 

5. Hot Air Balloon, Dubai

This was my number one bucket list item, believe it or not! I will forever have warm fuzzies about this dream come true. This was Christmas Eve, and we took a 4 am Hot Air Balloon Ride over the Dubai desert. We watched the sun rise, we rode over camel farms and had a crash landing--all before lunch time. This was definitely one of the most amazing moments of my travels over the years. Fun fact: my sunglasses fell off my head as we were landing this baby and I thought they were gone forever. Luckily enough, I found them only a few hundred feet away and unscathed. 

6. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

This has to have been one of the most surreal experiences of our entire lives, travel or otherwise. I'd always wanted to visit the Pyramids in Egypt, and we finally got an inexpensive chance when we were visiting Jordan's parents in Dubai. We booked a cheap, economy flight and a budget-friendly hotel and off we went. Amid recent turmoil we found ourselves as the only tourists in the area. This is a picture of the most mind-blowing moment where passersby wanted a picture of us, and not the beautiful background. I would highly recommend Egypt to any adventurous travelers out there. It is a country rich in history and art with so much to offer, no waiting in line, and a warm welcome from everyone. 

7. Fish Pedicure, Athens

This tops my list of weirdest life experiences. On a lunch break in Athens, we passed a shop that gave fish pedicures. If you know me, you may know I have an irrational fear of freshwater fish.. don't ask.. it's irrational. This was quite the hurdle for me as it both explores a cultural curiosity and conquers a lifelong fear. The fish basically eat all the dead skin off of your feet. I'm not sure how hygienic it is, especially considering the fact that it is outlawed in many countries, but all in all, it was a cool experience,  and if you are wondering.. it tickles like hell! While this excursion isn't exactly listed on the itinerary, we could probably squeeze it in. 

8. Gondola Ride, Venice

Who hasn't dreamed of riding in a gondola since they were a little kid? I certainly did, and let me tell you, it lived up to every single expectation. Winding through the narrow canals and listening to everyday life happening in the balconies and windows above is surreal. I love experiencing other people's worlds, if even just for an afternoon. Although it wasn't planned, I enjoyed that our gondola driver and I had coordinated outfits. As I was 7 months pregnant on this trip, I especially appreciated this moment to get off my feet and relax, the Venetian way. 

9. Nice, France

I think everyone on this trip could agree that the evening we spent exploring Nice was one of the highlights of our travels. Watching the sun set over the pebbled beach was beautiful beyond words. While we did misplace our GoPro camera this night, it didn't taint the joy we felt this entire day. I think most of us started planning our return trip that night. I especially loved that two of my besties were with me on this trip. These two lovely ladies have been such beautiful additions to my life, and I consider them two of my best friends, and we wouldn't be what we are if it weren't for travel. They say, friends who travel together, stick together.

10. Zaanse Schans, Windmill Village, Netherlands

This was from our most recent travel adventure to Amsterdam. We were celebrating our anniversary and this windmill village was the highlight of the trip. It was beyond quaint. We watched a clog-making demonstration, we sampled gouda cheese and chocolate, and we explored the winding pathways and ivy-clad cottages of this fully operational village. It wasn't just a tourist trap, it's an actual town where people still live and it's a definite must see on our upcoming tour back to Amsterdam. 

Travel doesn't have to be out of reach. It does take some prioritizing and planning, but it's totally achievable, even on a limited budget like ours. Take a look at some of our upcoming tours, and start living your dreams today. 

Taking Flight

I've yearned to travel the world for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is on an airplane. I remember the bumpy circular patterned-floor of the airplane aisle and the massive chairs of the airport lobby. I'd scoot to the very edge of the seat and stretch my feet out, but, like most three-year-olds, I had a long way to go before my stumpy legs would ever reach the floor. I remember the flavorless pretzels the air hostess passed me right after she pinned a shiny silver set of wings on my shirt. I felt so important.

It was a memory that was to stick with me for a long time.

I don't know where we were headed, but likely it was to visit family in North Carolina or maybe this flashback that I can't seem to shake comes from the long trek back home. We were living in Hawaii at the time--a long way from my parent's childhood homes and far from the tight-knit families they both came from. Neither of my parents are big travelers so it's still surprising to think that they ended up on Oahu--and even more curious that they spawned a child like me. In many ways I'm an anomaly. I don't have the laid-back personalities characteristic of my family, preferring details, deadlines and organization, over their go-with-the-flow approach to most ventures, I don't have their beautiful tan skin, after a bout in the sun I have a lobster tone that no one would ever describe as 'sun-kissed', but even more odd is the fact that I have always felt an insatiable urge to roam.

Maybe I keep going back to this early memory because it was so unusual for us--our family trips consisted mainly of long car rides to places we had friends or family, never flights--or maybe it was because my best friend would come home from choir trips with exciting stories of riding trollies through the steep streets of San Francisco or buying knock-off purses in Manhattan. Whatever the reason, the desire was there--unfulfilled. That is, until my Aunt Julie invited me on a trip to Arizona with her family when I was ten years old. We had long since returned to the East Coast permanently and they were going on a family vacation with three of their children. The boys had each other to pal around with, but their daughter was solo--enter moi! 

It was incredible! Not only did we have the most amazing vacation--riding through the desert on horseback, dune-bashing in a hummer, line-dancing with certified cowboys, and swimming until we were wrinklier than prunes--I got to fly again!

It lived up to every childhood fantasy I'd imagined it to be. I watched as the buildings got smaller and smaller, my face glued to the window watching the ground below. It mesmerized me as the scenery below changed from green and fertile to dry, mountainous and brown. The fact that I ate breakfast on the east coast and would be having dinner in the desert was exciting. I imagined myself jumping through the cotton-candy clouds like a trampoline and sat in awe at the blueness of the sky above and below. From then on when planes would fly overhead it would blow my mind to think that those tiny little moving dots were filled with people just like me. I wondered where they were going and found it hard to fathom that enough people flew every day to keep the airlines in business--flights were still a pretty foreign concept to me. I remember hoping that I would grow up and have the kind of life that required air travel. I made a vow that if I ever had children I would take them on a plane and show them how exciting the world was. I wanted them to know what I now knew--that life wasn't the same for everyone. Unlike the large oak trees I climbed and the crawdads I fished out of the creek, some people saw roadrunners, scorpions and cactus blossoms when they walked outside. I knew that other places were different than my little east coast world, but now I had seen it. 

I really haven't changed all that much. Instead of quenching a thirst, that trip lit a fire--one that can't be contained. My desire to explore this world has become like a wildfire--starting with me but rapidly spreading to my friends, family and students, one by one. I still get thrills from travel, but now the strongest thrill of all comes when I see that spark lighting in someone else. When I see someone else coming to the realization that life as they know it isn't necessarily "the way"--that through experience we shape how we view the world. I hope to have as many experiences as possible before I exit this Earth. I hope my own children are blessed to see people from as many walks of life as possible--to learn that just because people have different philosophies than they do or alternative lifestyles that contrast with "their way," that we are all just people. Travel does that. It makes us realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things and how we are all connected to one another. 

Don't stay in your tiny corner of the world with only like-minded people your whole life. Be a pioneer, a game changer--travel, experience, taste, and do as many things as you can. You'd be surprised what you'll find.