My Travel Origin Story

Selfie, Paris, 2008 (timer)

I fell in love with travel the moment I landed at London Gatwick airport in August 2008. I had sold everything I owned and as a college student that wasn’t much. I saved for over a year. I begged for money in my college graduation announcements. I didn’t know then how much that trip would shape the rest of my life.

I didn’t book any hotels in advance. I had no plans for where I was going to sleep the first night or the other nights. I was alone, yet very excited. I wasn’t afraid! My family didn’t travel when I was a kid, so it was my first real trip. I ventured through England where I learned that a queue is a line and that London has some of the best ethnic food. In France I realized that there are places in this world where you can take a nap in the park without the fear of getting murdered and that nudity on TV is awesome. The Netherlands was a great place to get stoned with British college kids.

A failed selfie with the Eiffel Tower.

Dinner the first night

Everything didn’t go perfectly and it was a trip-on-a-budget for sure. It wasn’t Eat Pray Love. But I had adventures that left me with a permanent desire to travel as much as possible, and that’s what I do now. This blog focuses on the in-between travel thoughts when I don’t have my backpack on. Thank you for stopping by.