Day of 30 Indie Travel Project: 2012 Ticket

The last prompt/question from BootsAll: Where are you going in 2012? Why is that place great for indie travelers?

I just moved to North Carolina so right now I am planning on just taking little trips around the east coast states; Washington DC, Virginia and maybe South Carolina and/or Georgia. Today I just got my Rosetta Stone for learning spanish, a trip to Central America is in my near future!! Hoping to also go to India and Egypt by 2015 (fingers crossed).

new chapter

I did it!! I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina on Monday November 28. All by myself, living in a hotel and no job. Scary? yes. Nervous? yes. Excited? Hell YES!!!

The one thing I have to remember to do is to stay 'active'. The first day I arrived in Charlotte, I started joining groups on meetup.com. My first meetup meeting is this Saturday, 3 mile run then breakfast at a coffee shop. Today I had a interview/meeting with a temp agency. Every day I look on linkup.com for jobs. I am so grateful I have Alison, our walks help me get away from the computer and breathe. I think with a positive attitude anything is possible!!

Getting little ahead of myself but I am really excited about moving into a new apartment and decorating! My dad gave me six pictures (3 sketches of Paris that his dad bought back from WWII, 2 maps of Philmount, & family crest). Been looking around for some DIY projects. Found some fun ones on Mr. Kate, and Design*Sponge. I going to go hunting for globes, trunks and suitcases at thrift stores; get a world map to mark where I have been; frame and display some of my photos (Texas, Asia..).

Day 29 of Indie Travel Project: One Word

Today's prompt/question from Bootsnall - What does travel mean to you in one word?

explore

Day 26 of Indie Travel Project: Photo

Today's prompt/question from Bootsnall - Post a photo of your favorite place and tell us what you love about it.

This picture was taken in 2007, my first night in London during my first trip overseas. The tour (London - Paris - Rome) started the next day. I took the train to the hotel and went out to dinner at Shakespeare's Head by myself. I was so nervous, I have a hard time understanding the waitress. After a couple breathes and thinking "it will be ok", I ordered my dinner and beer. It was a great trip and I've been traveling ever since.

"One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure."

William Feather

"It's time to start living life you've imagined."

Henry James

"The journey is the reward."

Chinese Proverbs

"Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself."

Unknown

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Mae West

“Lead me not into temptation, I can find the way myself."

Rita Mae Brown

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion & avoid the people,

you might better stay at home."

~James Michener~

Day 14 of the Indie Travel Project: Quote

Today's prompt/question from Bootsnall - What's your favorite quote about travel? Why does it stand out to you?

Not all who wander are lost

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Right now, when I daydream, I see myself moving around. Live in a state (North Carolina) 3-5 years then move to another state (west coast) for 3-5 years and so on (Alaska, New York City). Hopefully take a long overseas trip every other year (India, Nepal, Tibet in 2013 and Egypt in 2015) I like my plan. When I thinking about kids and owning a house, I get a bad feeling/it does not feel right. This quote 'speaks' to me because I am wandering but I'm not lost.

Day 13 of Indie Travel Project: Home

Bootsnall prompt/question of the day: For some people, no matter how much they love traveling, there’s always no place like home. Other travelers make their homes wherever they happen to be. Tell us about your home – where is it and why do you consider it your home?

I am actually struggling with the definition of home and where it is. Been thinking about the saying is 'Home is where the Heart is'. For me, I think 'heart' means where do I feel fulfilled. Home is also where I feel comfortable.

fulfillment

'Maybe life's purpose is not strive to obtain constant happiness, but to find fulfillment in our lives, in whatever way is meaningful to us.' Learning to Breathe by Alison Wright (p. 227)

For years, through every candle/shooting star/full moon lantern/wish bone I get, I wish for the same thing: happiness. I never truly liked the wish, too open ended, too broad. I was I suppose to act on the wish to make it happen if I did not even know what the wish was (I truly believe one must act on a wish, not just sit back and wait). I have also been feeling like I am boring, like there is nothing to me. After reading Learning to Breathe, I realized it's fulfillment. What is fulfillment to me? A work that I don't dread going to every day, volunteering, socializing with like-minded individuals, living adventure to adventure, eating delicious good-for-me foods? I have explore/think/ponder fulfillment and what it means to me but I feel like I am going to 'right way'. And that makes me happy!

Day 11 of Indie Travel Project: Feast

Trying new foods is my favorite part about traveling! Today's prompt/question from BootsnAll: For some of us, food isn’t just a part of our travels, it’s the reason why we travel. Whether you travel the globe to try new foods and use food to form a deeper connection with the culture or just eat to live, food plays a big part in the travel experience. Share a food-related story from your travels or describe your best meal.

playing in the leaves

Day 1 of 30 Days of Indie Travel

BootsnAll has started a travel blogging project. Starting November 1st, they will post a new prompts/questions everyday for 30 days. If you want to participate, check out the daily prompt on BootsnAll’s 30 Days of Indie Travel project.


What were your travel goals last year? Did you accomplish them? What travel goals do you hope to accomplish this year?

I have two travel goals:
1. take a BIG overseas trip every other year (2007, 2009, 2011)
2. if all possible, say yes to trips

2010 was the odd every other year, no 'big' trip planned but I did go to Puerto Rico for 5 days, went on roads trips to Austin, TX and Oklahoma, and spent a long weekend in Portland, OR. This year I went to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia for 26 days; 5 days later I went sailing on Lake Superior for a week; then mid October I went down to Big Bend National Park to bike and hike. I am hoping for 2012 to go the Nepal and maybe, 50% chance, go to India (crossing my fingers).