Bitten

I don't know when it happened, but I have an obsession with traveling. I know a lot of people love to travel, but I feel if I don't then I'm wasting time staying in one spot. A little back story, growing up my parents and grandparents took us all over the NE. Seriously, a day trip to VT, PA, NH, was normal. We were not travel neglected in the least. But, the farthest I had ever been from home (besides the NE coast), was in 8th grade when my mom won us a trip to Disney World. It. Was. Awesome! That was my first experience on a plane and I was hooked. We didn't travel that far again where we took a plane.

Fast forward to graduating from high school and looking at colleges. I decided to go to the University @ Buffalo. 1) Because it was the only SUNY school that had an architecture program and 2) it was the farthest school away from home. As soon as I was there this fascination came over me. I wanted needed to have a million life experiences under my belt. I wanted to do it all. First step, get out of the country. Oh look, Canada is 15 mins away...and the drinking age is 19! Let's go! (Yes, Canada is America's hat, and I don't really consider it going out of the country, but baby steps people!) Then I was like, I want to be a bartender...so I got a job downtown on Chippewa and met a bunch of amazing people in the process. Ok, take that off my list. Oh..you want to go to Toronto to watch the Blue Jays play the Yankees? Ok, let's get in the car and go. And this was my mindset all throughout college. I didn't want to miss an opportunity!

That's when sophomore year, I applied to be a camp counselor in PA. I got the job working as a lifeguard/camp counselor in Greeley, PA. To date, it has probably the craziest/greatest summer of my life! And to add more excitement...guess what camp was right down the road from us? Does Camp Anawanna ring any bells?

Source

That's right people, Salute Your Shorts was filmed basically across the street from us! I was there for 3 months with people from all over the country and world. After leaving there I think I can seriously say I know someone on every continent.

This is a third of us, who all had the same 18 hour period off. Jersey shore, and yes, we all slept in one room. This is what I mean by crazy summer!

After that, a lot of the foreigners travelled the US. I had them staying with me in Buffalo before traveling west. This prompted me to begin my own traveling of the world. From there, there was no stopping me. 

I visited friends all over NY, in every college imaginable. 

Me with the Cortland mascots head on during the Cortland/Ithaca game.  (How I got it, I still don't know)

I travelled to Colorado to visit fellow counselor/lifeguard Marcy...every January for 3 years. (First time on a plane by my own)

Went skiing for the first time and fell in love with Fat Tire!

We went to the Dominican Republic.

I got into a study abroad program, where I lived in Italy for 3 months. I was able to travel all over the country...for this I am truly blessed! (Pisciotta, Florence, Rome, Amalfi, Ischia, Pompei, Ravello, Napoli,   Vatican...basically everywhere but Venice, Tuscany, and Regio Callabria)

I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, twice, in Buffalo.

Built a universal boardwalk in North Padre, Texas.

From there:

Brazil with the family

Ohio for Grad school

Cruise to Key West, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica

Minneapolis and the Mall of America

Then I backpacked across Europe:

Dresden, Germany

Yes, Gordon Gee was with us...we are tight like that!

Poland for the best pirogue ever!

Keepin it classy!

Switzerland

France

Spain, where I ran with the bulls!!! (I've done a lot of crazy things...but probably the craziest!)

New Orleans

DC

Now if you stuck through this ridiculous monster of photographic memories you deserve a cookie....no really....go to the kitchen or the store and get a big one on me! Now I'm sure you're wondering what the hell this has to do with anything, besides me being nostalgic. Well, I'll tell you. Did you notice that Kevin wasn't in any of these pictures besides the cruise? That's because he never travelled until we started dating....and I mean never...okay, he went to Colorado when he was little to visit his aunt. But besides that, nada. We went to Canada and a Bills game within a month of being together because I needed to take him someplace!

The cruise was his first time out of the country, and his first time on a plane in probably 15 years. So I think he has finally also caught the travel bug. From a person who is so compulsive and never stopping....to not being on a trip in months...it makes me stir crazy. So I am slowly converting him.

We have a trip at the beginning of April already planned for DC, for cherry blossom season, to visit our lovely friends in the photo above. The weekend after that we are heading to Boston, and then of course Mexico in July for our honeymoon. Then flying halfway across the country to Iowa in October for his cousin's wedding. That should tide me over for a little while. But we have already begun planning for the years to come. Another cruise next March, LA in April, and Ireland sometime between next summer and fall. Then Chicago and maybe Disney and Vegas the year after. And then I am squeezing in a trip to South Africa sometime before we decide to have a child. I really can't wait to travel all over with him, it is really something I look forward to!

Is anyone else like me and can't sit still? Is there something you love to do that you want to share with your partner? Am I the only one crazy enough to take on this many trips?