This Valentine's Day, Fall in Love With Travel - Single or Not!

February means it's the season of love, what with Valentine's Day being the main focus of the month. I thought I'd dive into why you should fall in love with travel - whether you're single or not!

Why I LOVE to Travel - and Always Have
I'm still a twenty-something, but I'm "settled down" married now. However, that doesn't mean I don't still travel. My love of exploring a new city and going on an adventure is something that has always been near and dear to my heart. I traveled constantly as a young child with my family, and sometimes it feels like I've just never stopped. I love to travel with friends and family, but I definitely have never been put off by traveling solo. In fact, I've backpacked through Italy for a few weeks completely on my own. It was one of the most exciting and empowering experiences of my life! Anytime I'm traveling, solo or with others, I'm learning, growing and exploring - my 3 favorite things! I'm lucky to have found a partner not only in life but also in my travels. I know my husband is always up for some adventure, but if the right opportunity presented itself I wouldn't have any problems traveling on my own again.

Don't Let a Lack of Travel Buddy Stop You!
Solo travel sounds scary, but I promise you it's not that bad and is absolutely worth it! As long as you are cautious and take a few safety precautions, there is nothing to keep you from seeing the world. Traveling by yourself is one of the most empowering thing you can ever do. You learn to  be self-reliant and nothing else compares! Don't sit back and wait for someone to come along who would be willing to travel with you, take control of your life and do it for yourself!

Make it Happen
So many people live their whole life wondering "what if?" Obviously, travel is not something that everyone can afford to just dive into on a whim. It often takes careful planning and determined saving. Great things take time and hard work, but as someone who has lived a life full of beautiful experiences, I can tell you that it's worth the fight.

If you need a little help in the planning process, I'd love to help! MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com

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.

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!