There was a time when I hibernated, well, year round. Mostly this was in high school, particularly the Alaska chapter.
This past week I've craved the sleep and luckily had today off to do so. I got up, ate Christmas day leftovers, read, slept, awoke, told Russ to get up for work, read, said goodbye to Russ, finished my book, and slept some more. Often I'd awake feeling guilty but remembered Russ' Dove chocolate advice to have a relaxing holiday.
Now I'm watching House Hunters International and wondering how I can move to Spain. I recently read a book that took place in Spain, and watching the beautiful scenery and architecture make it seem like a likely place for me. Not to mention it has very mild, beautiful weather as opposed to the the past two winters in Utah.
I'm really looking for a weather reprieve when we visit Austin for my friend's wedding in March. Hopefully this year an ice storm isn't due in Austin. I escaped the experience both years I was there and hope it is an every 3-4 years type thing--they had one last winter.
Here are my top ten places to travel. I've already visited a couple but would love to return.
1. The beach--it doesn't matter where so long as the water is warm like the Gulf coast.
2. The Mediterranean. I imagine the most romantic spots are along the Mediterranean Sea. Greece and Morocco are high on my list and I'm jealous of my friend Maggie who gets to honeymoon in Morocco next month.
3. Miami, Florida. Everyone I know who has lived in Miami loves it. To just think I passed up this opportunity with a job offer and came to Utah instead, but I met Russ so it made Utah worth it.
4. Chicago, Illinois. This is a super fun city to visit during the summer. The bay is a beautiful sight and there are many museums and parks that are fun to visit. The downtown is very nice and you really can't surpass the mass transit system. And our new president calls this city home.
5. Egypt. I've heard mixed things about Egypt. You have to take the difference in culture with a grain of salt and be prepared to meet those differences. Simply the magnificence of the Great Pyramids and Sphinx, Luxor, and temples would be nice to see in real life. I had a friend in high school from Egypt and so it easily made the list.
6. Kenya. While in Egypt, we may as well take a safari in Kenya. I hear this is the place in Africa to see the animals. I've wanted to visit Africa for years.
7. China. I've read some history and a little of the culture. It seems so at odds with American culture and such a deeply ingrained culture, much like other Asian cultures, since it is one of the oldest in the world.
8. Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is also a fun city full of history and a true cultural center. With it's many districts, there is something for everyone! There are some really fun restaurants and bars, with some of the best food I've ever eaten. It also had a great public transit system. I've only been to Boston during the winter and would like to see what it looks like without all the white stuff.
9. New York City, New York. Russ and I want to go to a Broadway play and eat at a fancy smancy restaurant here. I'm not sure we could afford to go shopping, though.
10. San Francisco, California. My friend will be moving here after she gets married so after a year or so hopefully we can visit the Bay area. My parents used to live here and had a book about the city with great pictures. I looked through this book time and time again as a kid. My sister and her husband spent their honeymoon in San Fran and others have said great things about San Fran too--another cultural center.
I didn't put Texas on the list because I've lived there and visited and plan to continue visiting regularly. And of course, there are other places I'd like to visit, such as all the National Parks (thanks Nevada Barr) and some church history sites.
There are so many places to go and people to see; so many cultures to learn a smidgen about first hand. Earth is such a diverse place. Even within the United States itself there is a wide range of cultures. My life goal is to experience a good portion of it before I die.
This past week I've craved the sleep and luckily had today off to do so. I got up, ate Christmas day leftovers, read, slept, awoke, told Russ to get up for work, read, said goodbye to Russ, finished my book, and slept some more. Often I'd awake feeling guilty but remembered Russ' Dove chocolate advice to have a relaxing holiday.
Now I'm watching House Hunters International and wondering how I can move to Spain. I recently read a book that took place in Spain, and watching the beautiful scenery and architecture make it seem like a likely place for me. Not to mention it has very mild, beautiful weather as opposed to the the past two winters in Utah.
I'm really looking for a weather reprieve when we visit Austin for my friend's wedding in March. Hopefully this year an ice storm isn't due in Austin. I escaped the experience both years I was there and hope it is an every 3-4 years type thing--they had one last winter.
Here are my top ten places to travel. I've already visited a couple but would love to return.
1. The beach--it doesn't matter where so long as the water is warm like the Gulf coast.
2. The Mediterranean. I imagine the most romantic spots are along the Mediterranean Sea. Greece and Morocco are high on my list and I'm jealous of my friend Maggie who gets to honeymoon in Morocco next month.
3. Miami, Florida. Everyone I know who has lived in Miami loves it. To just think I passed up this opportunity with a job offer and came to Utah instead, but I met Russ so it made Utah worth it.
4. Chicago, Illinois. This is a super fun city to visit during the summer. The bay is a beautiful sight and there are many museums and parks that are fun to visit. The downtown is very nice and you really can't surpass the mass transit system. And our new president calls this city home.
5. Egypt. I've heard mixed things about Egypt. You have to take the difference in culture with a grain of salt and be prepared to meet those differences. Simply the magnificence of the Great Pyramids and Sphinx, Luxor, and temples would be nice to see in real life. I had a friend in high school from Egypt and so it easily made the list.
6. Kenya. While in Egypt, we may as well take a safari in Kenya. I hear this is the place in Africa to see the animals. I've wanted to visit Africa for years.
7. China. I've read some history and a little of the culture. It seems so at odds with American culture and such a deeply ingrained culture, much like other Asian cultures, since it is one of the oldest in the world.
8. Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is also a fun city full of history and a true cultural center. With it's many districts, there is something for everyone! There are some really fun restaurants and bars, with some of the best food I've ever eaten. It also had a great public transit system. I've only been to Boston during the winter and would like to see what it looks like without all the white stuff.
9. New York City, New York. Russ and I want to go to a Broadway play and eat at a fancy smancy restaurant here. I'm not sure we could afford to go shopping, though.
10. San Francisco, California. My friend will be moving here after she gets married so after a year or so hopefully we can visit the Bay area. My parents used to live here and had a book about the city with great pictures. I looked through this book time and time again as a kid. My sister and her husband spent their honeymoon in San Fran and others have said great things about San Fran too--another cultural center.
I didn't put Texas on the list because I've lived there and visited and plan to continue visiting regularly. And of course, there are other places I'd like to visit, such as all the National Parks (thanks Nevada Barr) and some church history sites.
There are so many places to go and people to see; so many cultures to learn a smidgen about first hand. Earth is such a diverse place. Even within the United States itself there is a wide range of cultures. My life goal is to experience a good portion of it before I die.
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