Becoming Books: [Life of a Blogger] Travel!!!!

Life of a Blogger is a weekly meme hosted by Novel Heartbeat.

Travel Edition

This my absolute FAV topic...well, second to books. ;) I love going places whether it be across the pond or just a random spot I've picked in my home state. Most of the time I travel alone, I really enjoy this, but sometimes I drag folks with me too!

My dream is retire by 50 and just travel the world as a social entrepreneur/ humanitarian worker. Some people describe me as having wanderlust others, like momma, say I want to be a vagabond. We shall see...

Notable Places I've Been:

Europe - United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Switzerland
UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Acropolis, Athens, Greece-La Fortaleza, San Juan, Puerto Rico-Grand Canyon, Arizona-Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA-Statue of Liberty, NYC-Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC-Historic Centre of Tallin, Estonia-Historic Centre of Riga, Latvia-Tower of London, UK-Works of Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona, Spain-Historic Centre of Rome, Italy-Historic Centre of Florence, Italy-Upper Middle Rhine Valley, Germany-Palace and Park of Versailles, France-Banks of the Seine, Paris, France-Historic Centre of Vilnius, Lithuania
U.S. Adventures - Las Vegas (x2), NYC (x4 or 5), LA (x2), Walt Disney World and Land, Grand Canyon

Trips I want to take:

Hike a famous trail (Appalachian, Pacific Crest, etc.)
Kayak the Mississippi River
Visit every continent
A cruise!

My Travel MUST Haves:

I'm a packer... I LOVE packing. I usually pack and then re-pack and all at the last minute. I always try to pack light because I LOATH checking luggage.

Backpacker's backpack or small carry-on luggage
Baby wipes and dryer sheets to keep everything fresh!
Dresses and more dresses! I'm not too much of a dress wearer at home but on the road... always. Takes up less space, I don't have to find multiple pieces.
Accessories can make or break my wardrobe. Adding a scarf, jewelry, cardigan or leggings can make a dress fresh again, suitable for a night out or a visit to a religious site!
Copies of all my documentation, itinerary and a phone call to the bank. NEVER forget to call banks/credit card companies before you travel abroad or at home. There's no bummer like figuring out you don't have cash when you are ready to begin a new adventure.

Things I Keep in Mind When on the Road:

There's no time like the present. Get lost, find yourself, laugh, try a new food, make a friend... yes, all the cliches. For me it's always been about the memories!
Journal, yes, journal! I'm so guilty for not doing this and I wish I had when I was younger and trolloping around Europe. While I'm still fairly young and remember the laughs, that will not always be the case... womp, womp!
Don't make it about money, be flexible. Just GO! I cannot stress this enough. Make sure you have enough for the necessities (e.g., somewhere to sleep and something to eat) but don't worry about saving thousands of dollars for a shopping spree or adventure trip. Do some research because each city has free stuff, walk around, meet people and do as the Romans do. I promise, it's totally worth it. (This comes from the girl who ate pistachios and cherries for three days in Finland... so that pretty much makes me an expert... haha!)