nicolesjourneys: December 2010

So I have a little down time due to the fact I have the worst cold ever (ok a little too dramatic). In between catching up on old 30 Rock episodes (thank you Roku and Netflix) I decided that I need to do something constructive but not involving work.

So it is time to fess up… I have not taken and major trips since the Bahamas. This revelation is deeply disturbing.

I did participate in my first ever camping and kayak trip, took a last minute trip to the Cape and a relaxing weekend at a yoga center. Still, all this lack of travel (at least longer than 3 days at a time travel) has left me with time to ponder my next adventure.

I recently read The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World by Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett, and Amanda Pressner. This book details the travels of three friends that leave their jobs to travel the world together. Now I can’t do anything drastic like that but it did draw out the dreamer in me. I have so many trips on my bucket list and this book really inspired me to get moving on that list. It also brought up happy memories of my Semester at Sea program, backpacking through Europe with my sister, cross country adventure with a friend and Italy and Paris with two of my best friends.

The Lost Girls also inspired me to also attend an information session with Briefcase to Backpack. This group helps fellow travel dreamers find a way to take career breaks and travel the world. Amanda Pressner, one of the authors of The Lost Girls, spoke at this meeting as well as several other career break travelers. I realize it is not feasible for me to take a year right now but I think I could take a couple of weeks at a time. The audience and speakers have sold me on the wonders of affordable Southeast Asia. I am not sure I am ready to take off on my own but the meeting was also sponsored by Gap Adventures. I normally hate tour groups but this company has affordable small tours that look great for solo travelers. I picked out at least half a dozen trips. Sailing in Thailand, surfing in Costa Rica, volunteer trips in Nepal or Africa… Stay tuned!

In the meantime here are some photos of my favorite travel memories:

Semester At Sea, Spring 1995 (Bahamas, Venezuela, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan)