Travel Goals

Way back in 2010(oh my! hard to believe it was that long ago), when I started this blog I had six goals and two of them had to do with travel.

One was to do five solo retreats. I had originally planned to go to different places for each retreat so that I could experience different areas of the country. Instead what happened was that my first retreat location was such a good fit – not too expensive, a beautiful place, a welcoming vibe, a good mix of group and individual activities, great food,  and close enough that the time to get there wasn’t too long. I ended up going there almost every year since my first time.

The second goal was to go to the Galapagos Islands. I put that on the back burner when our church sponsored a trip to Israel. I had a lovely time in Israel. It is a beautiful country. One of the highlights was floating in the Dead Sea. Learning some of the history and seeing sights that I’ve heard so much about in church was an experience that I will always treasure.

Once that trip was over I started thinking again about the Galapagos and perhaps adding Machu Picchu to the itinerary. However lately I’ve been reading about how those areas are suffering from the effects of tourism and I wonder if I should go? Part of me would still really like to go but another part of me thinks I could use the money I’ve saved to explore other areas of the world and/or the United States.

In terms of the world some goals would be walking along the Great Wall of China, seeing the Northern Lights in Finland, seeing the salt flat in Bolivia, going back to Great Britain, Greece,  and visiting my brother-in-law in Saudi Arabia before he returns to the states.

There are a lot of things I’d like to see and areas I would like to explore within the US. One thing about traveling in the US is that the hubby would go with me. He has no desire to travel outside of the US but would love to see all the National Parks in the US. We could probably find some areas that we would both enjoy.

Also, I’ve been thinking about relocating once the boy graduates. The cold winters and my arthritis aren’t a good match and I’m considering a warmer climate for my retirement years. Traveling in the US would allow me to see if I would like living somewhere else.

What are your thoughts about travel? Are you a fan of international travel or do you prefer to stay close to home? Have you been to any of the places I mentioned above? I’d love to hear from you – please leave a comment

MUMday

Monthly Update Monday  – today’s topic – A trip to the Galapagos Islands

I want to add a side trip to go to Machu Picchu when I go to the Galapagos Islands.  I’ve been researching some options and I have $6000 in my travel fund. I’d like to have at least $10,000 by the time I’m ready to go. I’m on track to do that as long as I continue to put $40 monthly  into the fund. It is already set up to happen automatically so it shouldn’t be a problem.