As this year is coming to a close, I wanted to take a moment to look back at my travels. I wanted to see everything that was accomplished and set up my travel goals for next year. Let’s talk about all the places that I’ve been to. What my favorite parts were & what I learned about myself in the process.
2022 – Comeback Travel Year
After surviving life-threatening health issues in 2019 and we all know how 2020 & most of 2021 turned out. I define 2022 as my comeback year. Furthermore, while some travels were planned back in 2019, they were not completed until this year.
My Travel Roundup
To start, it’s amazing how well-traveled I have become! Ultimately, I was able to travel to 15 destinations. This had a combined total of 22 flights, 5 hotel stays, 4 Airbnb stays, 4 road trips, and 1 cruise. Surprisingly, I was able to travel at least once per month sometimes more! These trips included Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Washington, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, and two separate trips to California (Sacramento & Los Angeles).
The pandemic still looming over many of our travels. With this in mind, I have learned to keep my plans and expectations simple and low. This method of thinking has actually helped me have some of the most amazing travel experiences. Remembering to keep your itinerary open for new unexpected adventures is hard but definitely worth adjusting to. Sometimes you only learn things about your travel destination upon arrival and you must adjust accordingly. Without that, I would have never heard about the Crystal Hermitage Gardens in Nevada City, California, where I spent hours exploring the almost 34,000 tulips and forget-me-nots that have been planted with amazing views of the surrounding mountains. Or do a quick day trip to Carson City, Nevada where I was able to tour the Nevada State Capitol, visit the Nevada State Railroad Museum and take a ride on the Virginia & Truckee Railroad No. 25.
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things
This year, I wandered Yosemite and Mt. Rainier National Parks. Learning, hiking, photographing, and yes, I even did a little crying. These places are magnificent and seeing a picture will never be the same as seeing these natural wonders in person. Renting an electric scooter ended up being the perfect way to zip around downtown Seattle! In addition, the Fremont Troll was so exciting to climb on. I conquered my fear of taking a personal vehicle on a ferry and drove myself from Seattle all the way to Port Townsend where I spent the weekend exploring with new book friends and unicorn authors Tarryn Fisher & Colleen Hoover!
And Just a Few More…
With my father, I explored many historical sites around Puerto Rico learning the story of our people. We visited Guanica Rock, where the US forces landed in 1898 during the Spanish-American war, and hiked to Fuerte Capron which was built during that time as the lookout point over Guanica Bay. We even made a fun stop at the Bacardi factory for a tour of the rum-making facility and a special tasting of their reserve only available in Puerto Rico.
What Did My Travels Teach Me
One of the interesting parts of my travels was the friends that I made along the way. Some were friends that I had made online only, never meeting in person. The friendships that I had cultivated online gave me the courage to book rooms with them, and plan new travels, and sometimes they were gracious even to host me for the evening. It was lucky that they were all even better in person than I ever imagined.
Through all of my travels, I learned that as long as I’m not home waiting for the exact perfect trip, I keep myself open to so many more adventures. My fears are valid but with proper planning and research, I can overcome many of my anxieties in order to keep moving forward. Regardless of my budget, I am always saving for future travels. When the travel opportunity arises, I will always be ready to go.
My 2023 Travel Goals
For the upcoming year, I have started a list of travel goals that I would like to complete. I would like to make better use of train travel and stay in the overnight car. Having seen movies such as White Christmas, where characters spend the night in a roomette, I realized I’ve never done this, so it’s definitely a priority. To make airport travel more efficient, I’m also considering applying for TSA precheck (which I’ll discuss in a later post) and reviewing the Real ID process.
What are your travel goals for the upcoming year? What can I help you with? Make sure to check out Windy’s Wanderings for a bunch of ideas for travel planning & saving.
