I am bouncing with excited energy in this moment. In less than 15 hours I am leaving this country and going somewhere hot and tropical. I have never been on a tropical trip and it has taken me the better part of 41 years to face all my fears of travel and plunge deep into the travel bug.

I have never feared not loving travel. In fact, my fear has been the opposite… I have always feared I would not return back home. I have spent the better part of my life running away when things got tough or too hard.

Sometimes running looked like break ups of relationships, partying to much, busying myself with something else and others time it has been up and up running away…like moving 1000 km to get away from my life.

I know in m y soul lives a gypsy and I love her greatly. I have wanted to see the world since I learned there was one outside my one horse town. Maybe it is the curse of the small town kid, the desire to see more than what is in front of their eyes, or maybe it is a true desire to explore something so much larger than the imagination can imagine.

For the past few years I have been working on my fears regarding travel – learning that I can leave and come back. I have spent years building a life I want to return to, one I don’t want to run away from. The call to travel this trip came loud and clear and fell into place with no resistance on very short notice. Time was available through work; trip was a great deal, dog sitter set, family taken care of. The call for this trip was so strong that I would have gone alone if I could not find a friend to travel with. There was a driving need within me to go and to have fun.

There are a millions little fears rearing their heads today – did I pack enough? Is everything really ready? Do I have a back up plan? What if? Can I? OMG!!!!!!!

The answers are all yes. I can do this; I am packed and ready to go. It will be an amazing trip and it will be a great first experience. Upon my return I will plan my next trip. I have written my Living Bucket List and I am all about checking off each box. I have a yearning to experience life and for 41 years I have only dreamed about it. Now it is time to put work into my dreams and make it a reality.

While I am there I will be working as well. I am putting together a new book. I am sure this trip will inspire some amazing opportunity to write and gather photos for the end product. I am feeling excited and ready for this trip. I look forward to sharing any learning I have as well as any new projects that occur as a result of expanding and exploring my universe.