NAS: Travel

How do you travel as a single lady?! Any tips or tricks you'd like to share? Do you have anything fun planned for this year?

Multiple times per week when I'm brushing my teeth in the morning I think about how boring my life is, how I never go anywhere. To be honest that is a complete and utter lie. I mean between July 2013 and March 2014, I hung out on four different continents - let along the time I spent traveling around the U.S. to Denver, New York City, Savannah, Orlando, and my parent's place. I'm the girl who bought a plane ticket to Africa and went into the bush all alone. (it's a great story)

Let me type that again - I went to the Congo, alone!

I still can't even believe that I did that - it's the craziest thing ever ... but the most amazing experience of my life.

So my off the cuff tips for traveling alone, they aren't super original, so be prepared to be underwhelmed!

1. If you want to go somewhere, just do it - buy the ticket! I was thinking of going to see my friend Elisabeth in Denver and was wavering back and forth for weeks. A volunteer in my office told me, "You're single, you have the vacation, you have savings for the ticket - just go. You won't regret going, but you might regret staying home." So if you have vacation & savings - do it! Life is about experience not wealth, not stuff, you'll have the memories of being in those places, visiting with those people, and experiencing the world forever!
2. If you're going alone, be smart. There's no reason to be afraid, but a heavy level of fear so you are smart is good. Know where your bags are at all times, keep your money in a pouch underneath your clothes (if traveling outside of the states this is a must) or in your pocket, and be aware of your surroundings. Sit near people who look trustworthy. Stay awake in the airport, although I didn't listen to this piece of my own advice. I was so tired in Belgium (and cannot sleep on planes for anything) that I laid down on the floor at the gate and napped on my bag - pillow and blanket and all. There's no reason to avoid traveling (by plane, train, or car) just because you're alone. Being with a group is awesome, but when it's just you, you're more likely to get in to see tight spaces or sneak in the back end of another group.

Heading to Texas at Easter, Georgia for a family reunion in July, maybe the beach sometime in the summer, New York City in September to see my brother and Papa Frank, and next Summer to Poland!

Those are all the tips I can think of and need to get going on my passport renewal application! 

Check out the other ladies over at Morgan's and back to Jen next week for a fun topic that I really don't want to write about! Latin & Me, part 3 on Thursday back here!