Long-Term Travel Goals

Sometimes big trips take big preparations. In 2019, my husband and I are planning to go on a grand adventure to Australia and New Zealand! Now, because we are based in the U.S. that is quite the plane ride. Therefore, we would like to go for at least two week, maybe even longer. And because this will be such a big trip, we are starting to prepare now.

Start Saving

Trips across the world are definitely not cheap. That being said, savings plans are a wonderful thing! My husband and I sat down and did the ballpark math - flights, hotels, activities etc. We tried to overestimate or round up whenever possible so we wouldn't come up short when it came time to travel.Once we had a goal figure we divided it up between the two of us and broke it down month by month. Saving a few hundred dollars per month seems WAY easier than spending thousands of dollars all at once. I know that by setting aside some money on a monthly basis that I am saving up for adventure while still being responsible with my money. Win - Win!


Research

Next step is to research and get ready for your trip! it can feel incredibly overwhelming to try to nail down the details of your trip. The best way to plan is to take it bit by bit. If you start planning for your big trip months (or even years) in advance, you'll be able to take your time. Start with the fun part - activities! Are you going to lay on the beach? Skydive? See the sights? Once you get an idea of your main "objectives" you can fill in the details from there - hotels, meals, trip duration etc.


Make It Happen

Make your dream a reality! Don't just plan for an "eventual trip." Set a date, come up with a savings plan and do your best to follow through. So many people have dream trips that they will take "one day." Life is too short. The time to start planning is right now.

If you need help getting off the ground, check out my website at MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.

A Night in the Beautiful Bussaco Palace

On our road trip around Portugal, we made a pit stop at the GORGEOUS Bussaco Palace in Luso, and boy, was it beautiful! It is technically a five star hotel, but the accommodations aren't what you would typically think of as a five star hotel. It is literally a palace, which means it's old and it does show it's age a bit. Somehow, that only seems to add to the beauty of the place. 

It is honestly like a fairy tale! It's so beautiful!

You can spend literally hours hiking around the grounds. The palace was used as a hunting palace a long time ago so the grounds are expansive. There are so many fun walkways and path ways, I doubt you'd ever have time to explore them all.

You can even stay overnight in the palace - our room was darling! As I said, not a lot of fancy adornments, but it was very sweet. We thoroughly enjoyed the comfy bed, and the bathroom was very nice as well. No complaints there!

And finally, I don't have a picture, but I HIGHLY recommend enjoying a fancy dinner out on the terrace. My husband and I had a magical time. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was phenomenal! It's probably one of my favorite memories from the trip. 

Overall, the palace is a little out of the way (hard to access via public transportation), but it's worth the drive. We had a magical time and absolutely would visit again.

My Dream Destinations

As a perpetual traveler, my list of places I'd love to go is ridiculously long. Instead of listing them all out, I decided to pick my top 3 trips Let's start with the upcoming trip - Portugal!

Portugal
At this point, my husband and I are just a few weeks away from our road trip around Portugal. We wanted a mix of adventure and relaxation and I think it will be perfect! We are spending a few days exploring some cultural sites and laying out on some gorgeous beaches. We're starting in Porto, going down to Luso and Coimbra then it's on to Lisbon. We are spending a few days in Lisbon before closing out the trip in Lagos. Neither of us have been to Portugal before, so we are ready for a brand new adventure!


Australia/ New Zealand

This has been on my bucket list for ages! I've been to this part of the world as a small child, but I hardly remember it. Both countries just look absolutely breathtaking and I hope to take a few weeks and do it upright sometime soon! I want to do the bridge climbing, I want to hike the hobbit town and maybe even go to the Sydney opera house! So many adventures await!

Iceland

And finally, Iceland. Oh, Iceland. I've almost gone on two or three trips to Iceland, but ultimately I've ended up going somewhere else. Iceland is relatively cheap to fly to, and who doesn't want to climb a glacier?! I have every confidence that I'll get there one day - probably sooner rather than later.

So many, so little time. If you want help planning your next adventure, check out MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com!