When I first started this webpage, I could only think of reading when I was thinking about a hobby. However, I was reminded that part of my lifestyle could also be considered a hobby. Traveling.
I had always loved traveling growing up in water_lux San Diego, California. We always took day or weekend trips going down into Mexico or up into Los Angeles or as far as San Francisco. My love of travel expanded globally when I became an exchange student to Belgium in 1987-88. I lived in Weerde, Belgium and attended an church all-girls Catholic school (I'm an athiest myself, but I am fascinated by religions) in Mechelen. I took every opportunity that I had to travel all over Europe. I worked at bar on the weekends and after school cleaning so I had some money to travel with. I would catch the train and take it in a new direction on a random Saturday and get off at new villages to explore. I loved the architecture, the churches, the cobblestone streets and the food. It was tough being away from my family and friends and learning Dutch, but it really kick started a love of exploration.
My husband and I both love to explore all parts of the world. My younger daughter was an exchange student herself last school year to Ljungsbro, Sweden. We saved up all year and took our two youngest through Scandanavia for a month. (My oldest is in stethoscope medical residency and couldn't leave.) We toured Sweden, met her host family who are just the most wonderful people ever, went to Finland (home of my great-grandmother Ama Inge Gustavson), toured Estonia for a day, went through Norway and ended our travels in Copenhagen.
Just a few weeks ago my husband and I went to Florence, Oregon for a weekend. Traveling doesn't have to be super expensive like our trip to Scandanavia, it can be just going to a town you've never been to. Having that soup_kitchen cup of broccoli cheddar soup and some fried cheese curds just because.
I want so badly to return to Belgium for a vacation to catch up with my friends and reaquaint myself with Belgium. I came up with a proposed Belgium Trip calendar itinerary. I included some museums that I would love to go to as well. Since I would be going alone, I wouldn't have a time limit.
Now, international travel is just so expensive so why travel that far when we can visit so many amazing places closer to home? I have been travelling for work and pleasure my entire life and have managed to visit a substantial amount of the United States so far. I thought it would be interesting to come up with a list of all of the U.S. states and which ones I have visited thus far and some of the cities I have been to in each of them. It also gives me a good hit list of states that I still need to visit.
