Africa,  Asia,  Caribbean,  Europe,  Life,  U.S.A

New Year’s Travel Resolutions

travel resolutionsIt’s that time of year…

When people make a fresh start. They set their resolutions (or not) and reflect on the year they’re leaving behind. I have plenty of personal goals that I’d like to work on, mostly self improvement related. For example, I’d like to try to be: more thankful everyday, less selfish, more patient, more self sufficient, and to communicate more effectively. Some people say screw New Years resolutions.…. You can set goals for yourself and strive to improve at any time, right? Yes. I think so. But it is a good time to check in with yourself, to make sure you’re on track, or to outline a new path you may need to be on.

2013 Reflections

Last year at this time, I reflected on my year of loss and suffering and intense travel. This year has seen similar emotional ups and downs, healing and remembering, bitter-sweet happiness, and plenty of change. In fact, I think we’ve encountered two of the biggest changes in life: purchasing a new home and becoming pregnant!

The travel this year has been steady, but not quite as prevalent as in 2012.

  • There was that trip to Toronto for Bloghouse and TBEX, which gave me new insights and motivation professionally. I still need to write some posts about the fun, eccentric Toronto and Niagara Falls. Woah- I should put that on my resolution list. bloghouse
  • I spent an extremely cold week exploring Brooklyn, hanging with my bestie. We saw Sleep No More– which was amazing.

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    The Laura Brooklyn Tour. East River Park.

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  • I logged plenty of road-time traveling “home” to Baton Rouge for holidays and baby showers. I was also invited on my first FAM trip to work with Visit Baton Rouge, covering a culinary weekend in Louisiana’s capital. I have one more post on the editorial calendar for that trip- (procrastination station).  travel resolutions
  • We went hiking in the Highlands, NCtravel resolutions
  • Alan and I took a trip out West to Utah, checking out Zion, Bryce Canyon and Capital Reef National Parks (and driving through Dixie NF and Escalante/Grand Staircase National Monument). (More posts forthcoming!)travel resolutions

Pretty good, I’d say- especially when you throw in buying a new home and moving furniture up from Baton Rouge to Nashville.

2014 Travel Forecast

With a new home and a new baby, I realize the travel landscape is changing. I hope to be able to travel some while both pregnant and with a young baby. In particular, I’m hoping to:

  • Visit some friends that live in Denmark and possibly attend ITB in Berlin in early March.
  • Take a trip to the Dominican Republic to stay at the Paradisus Resort (a trip I won at the Expedia party during TBEX).

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    The Expedia Party where I won the trip to DR

  • Go with my family to the French countryside next October. There are talks of renting a chateau. I’ll keep you posted and would also love suggestions!
  • Lots of road trips home to Baton Rouge for baby showers and holidays- and possibly working with Visit Baton Rouge on another FAM trip!
  • There’s a potential for weekend road trips to (new states!) Kentucky, Arkansas, Indiana, and/or Ohio.

Travel Resolutions

It seems to me that travel patterns in 2014 will closely resemble those of 2013. Lots of U.S. travel and a couple of international trips (maybe three???) That’s the goal, anyway.

My overall travel resolutions going forward with a new baby, and further down the road- more kids(?), is to maintain a balanced home life with worldly experiences. I’d like to have easier, short trips remain in the mix, but I am completely focused on being able to occasionally go places and have longer stays, like my parents sometimes did with us in Europe, the Florida Keys and the Caribbean. I’d like to build an established house sitting profile and foresee using services like FlipKey as well.

I’ve said it before, and will continue to say, that I want my child/ren to grow up experiencing the world, as I did (and hopefully to an even greater extent). Instead of summer camp, let’s go to Africa or Asia and volunteer! Instead of Disney World or an American beach every year, let’s visit beaches in developing countries and experience the people that live there and their way of life.

I wrote a couple of guest posts on the subject of travel shaping my worldview for LL Word Tour and The Planet D.

I’m sure my travel goals will change, as my life and family does, but for now, I think I’ve got a pretty grounded sense of a balanced home and travel life going forward.

What are your 2014 (and beyond) travel resolutions?

Happy New Year to all!!

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