Oh, The Places You'll Go...

"So, what do you like to do?"... This is a question that I often get asked on dates or when meeting new people. After giving my standard answers of playing soccer and just hanging out with friends, and maybe a few other random things, I can't really come up with anything else. This seems pretty lame and boring so I thought about it some more....what DO I like to do? My love of traveling and experiencing new places came to mind. It really is something I love and have been blessed to be able to do. So one of my new answers has become that I love to travel when money and opportunity allows. It does not even have to be anywhere big or that far away...I really love all forms of traveling. It is especially fun for me to be able to visit the hometown of a friend and see where they came from. A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to go down to Vegas for the mission farewell of my friend Kasidy. While seeing the Strip and the other tourist attractions of Vegas was really cool, a large part of what made the trip special was getting to see Kasidy and Kylie's homes and where they grew up.

All of this has caused me to think about the places that I have been and the places that I one day hope to visit. Some of my favorite trips I have been on...

Family trip to the Seattle area, the summer before my eighth grade year:

It has been my favorite area in the United States that I have visited.

We took a one day cruise around the San Juan Islands.

Family trip to France and England in order to explore Greg's mission in Southern France.

Castle in Southern France

Getting caught in the rain at the Normandy Beaches


At the Mediterranean Sea



Inside a hedge maze near London

Trip to the countryside of England with my Dad on an extended family reunion in order to see significant sites in our family history.

Castle ruins on the border of England and Wales

Exploring a coal mine

Some of the places that I want to go(there is pretty much an unending list of places I'd want to go, but these are a few of my top choices)....

Italy

There are SO many places in Italy that I would want to go, but this picture is of Trieste, Italy. My Grandpa has a framed version of it because he has traveled all over the world for his job and he told me that this is the one place he loves the most.

Ireland

I love the green, and what place has more green than Ireland?! Every time that I see pictures of Ireland, or when movies are filmed there, I have such an urge to go there!

New Zealand

Everything that I have read or heard about New Zealand makes me want to visit this beautiful and unique place!


India

This is actually a new one for me, it has never been one on my top list before. I have recently gained a lot of interest in India, because it has such an interesting and beautiful culture that I would love to experience.

Australia

My grandma, who has traveled all over the world with my grandpa, told me that her favorite place she has visited is Australia. Among other things, she loved the people there. It is another unique place that I would love to visit.

This is only a fraction of the many places that I would love to go, but whether my journeys lead me across the seas to foreign countries or somewhere new that is not far at all....it is always fascinating to see the places you'll go....