2017 Travel Recap

2017 was quite the year for me! While not a record-setting travel year, I still made it to 5 countries (4 if you don't include the U.S., where I live.) 2017 was a crazy year for me - I got married, moved across the country and had a blast exploring the world with friends and family!

First up was our girls' trip to the Bahamas for my bachelorette party! It was my first time on a cruise and it was a blast! It was much more structured than I'm used to, but overall it was still an awesome experience. I hung out with my sisters and my best friend in the sun, enjoying fruity drinks and light-hearted books. 

Next is the reason I included the U.S. in my travel list - we moved! We packed up our belongings and within a week of being married, my husband and I were settling in our new town. We are relaxing in a small town in Ohio right near the river and are loving life.

Next up was our honeymoon! What was supposed to be a quick layover in Madrid turned into a one-day adventure! We missed our connecting flight and were put up in a hotel. We decided to make the best of it and set out to explore some of madrid! We were exhausted, but we still managed to have a blast exploring Puerto del sol and the city center.

We did eventually make it over to Portugal for our actual honeymoon. Portugal is absolutely beautiful! We traveled from Porto to Lisbon to Luso to Lagos then back up to Porto. Portugal is absolutely amazing, and I can't recommend it enough!

Finally, we got to spend some time in Canada! We made a few pit stops in Toronto and Niagra Falls before visiting with family near Muskoka. The weather was lovely and the lake was just gorgeous. We had so much fun and will absolutely be going back soon!

I hope your year was filled with beautiful adventures. If you'd like help planning your next excursion (domestic or international), visit my website at MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com. 

Traveling on Christmas?

The holiday season is upon us, and for many that means traveling - either to spend time with friends or family or to capitalize on time off and see the world! I personally love to spend the holidays with my family, but as a professional tour manager, I've had to travel over holidays several time. With younger groups, they are often on vacation right over Christmas and New Year's so that's when we travel!

Traveling on Christmas Day
I've traveled internationally on Christmas Day twice - once from Baltimore to Spain and once from Holland to Spain. Both times were fairly uneventful. While definitely not as crowded as the days surrounding Christmas, it wasn't exactly empty either. Flights tend to be a bit cheaper on Christmas Day as opposed to the days leading up to or immediately following Christmas, which can be tempting for many flyers. For me, I was a bit sad to have to be out and about on Christmas. I much prefer a Christmas Day filled with family, naps and plenty of relaxing. If I didn't have work obligations, I probably would have opted to spend a bit more money and enjoy Christmas properly.

How to Make the Most of a Traveling Christmas
I've spent one Christmas abroad. I knew I had to be in Barcelona on Christmas day for work, so I decided to make the most of it! I have a family friends in Amsterdam (from when my family lived there), so I was able to spend the day with them! I enjoyed a dutch Christmas filled with tasty treats and plenty of laughter. I'm very lucky to have the friends and family that I do to make Christmas so special.

Vacationing on Christmas
Taking a trip on Christmas has become a yearly tradition for many travelers. Whether you are not close with your family or just want to take advantage of your time off, there's no shame in going on an epic adventure over Christmas! I know families who even take a trip together. Whether you want that perfect, snowy Christmas or you head to warmer weather, it can be fun to shake things up! And if you're going internationally, it gives you the chance to experience Christmas in other cultures! For example, I got to learn about the Catalan Tio de Nadal... AKA the poop log. Seriously, it's a thing. 
If you want to make the most of your holidays, I'd love to help! MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.