All aboard

If you asked me what my dream job is, that one occupation that you seriously couldn't believe someone would actually pay you to do, the answer would be to go places and then write about them.

X'cacel beach on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico

I have loved to travel since I stepped foot on my first airplane in sixth grade. I still remember the awe that overtook me as the plane lifted off and the buildings and trees began to shrink before my eyes. Hours later, those same eyes were taking in the beautiful turquoise waters of the Caribbean.

I would never be the same.

Travel has opened my eyes to a much bigger world than I could have ever imagined. It has unlocked new tastes, new sights and new sounds. It has helped me appreciate the many conveniences I otherwise take for granted (like round-the-clock access to electricity) and it has helped me understand that there are better ways of doing things (like how to effectively drive fast on the Autobahn).

Every trip changes my perspective on the world.

My map so far...

Small paper triangles, cut out of Post-It notes, dot the National Geographic World Map on the wall in my office. I love to look at all the places I've been. Each triangle holds a million memories - from a fleeting glimpse of rare pink dolphins in the Amazon to the majestic splendor of Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle to the hauntingly gorgeous coastline in Nova Scotia.

But I'm not satisfied yet. There is so much left to see, so much to learn, so many places to be changed by.

Nobody's paying me to travel just yet, but I'm going to write anyway. (Email me if you want to start. I'm ready, willing and able.)


Here's the tally so far -
* Four continents down (North America, South America, Europe and Africa)
* Eleven countries, 29 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces
* Iceland marks the furthest north I have been. Namibia is the furthest south (and east). Portland is the furthest west.
* Mexico is my most-visited country outside of the U.S.

Next up: Chicago