Exploration: What Adventures Are on Your Wish List?

Travel has always been a passion of mine. From a young age, whenever the topic of going somewhere arose, I was eager to jump in. Just pack my bags, and I’m ready to set off! Growing up, our family didn’t take extravagant vacations. My father was a pastor, and our budget was tight, so our summer trips typically involved family outings to North Carolina. We also attended a few church conventions in places like Dallas, TX, and Miami, FL, but NC was our usual getaway. In the late '60s, my paternal grandfather and his siblings built cabins in Franklin, NC, and many of our summer vacations revolved around those cabins, exploring waterfalls and enjoying the beautiful NC mountains. They were fantastic vacations filled with unforgettable memories of Bryson City, Franklin, and Cherokee, NC. Family from Florida and other states would visit during the summer, and we all had an amazing time together. It was truly a wonderful way to grow up.

After graduating high school and spending a couple of years in college, I entered the workforce, single and eager to explore the world. My single girlfriends and I organized several trips together, and I embarked on my first of two cruises at the age of 24. It was a Caribbean cruise, and it remains one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. I’ll share more about that later. Since then, I’ve become a huge fan of cruises; although I’ve only been on two, I absolutely adore them. People seem to either love or loathe cruises, and I’m firmly in the LOVE THEM camp.

Excitingly, I’ll be collaborating with Dinogo over the next few months to bring you more travel-related content. I’m also thrilled to announce that I’ll be going on a cruise to the Southern Caribbean in January! I can’t wait to share all the details right here on my blog.

A few years after my cruise, my sister, some friends, and I took a fun trip to Ocho Rios, Jamaica. One of the standout moments was climbing Dunn's River Falls, which was a major highlight of our adventure.

In the early 1990s, I had the incredible opportunity to explore Italy. It was a remarkable experience as I traveled all over Italy, and even ventured into Switzerland and France. Visiting Europe had always been a dream of mine, and it certainly lived up to my expectations. I marveled at the ancient Roman ruins, including the magnificent Colosseum, which was truly breathtaking. Europe has such a rich history compared to the US.

Although the Trevi Fountain was undergoing renovations during my visit, it was still a delightful experience to witness. The beauty of Italian architecture is something you have to see to believe; it’s beyond imagination until you experience it in person.

I ascended the Spanish Steps in Rome.

Hearing about the Leaning Tower of Pisa my whole life made seeing it in person a dream realized. I often wonder how it's holding up now, over 20 years since this photo was taken. It truly is a stunning piece of history.

I took a boat trip to the stunning island of Ponza, located off the coast of Italy.

I explored the picturesque Tuscany region and savored some of the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted. Italian cuisine remains one of my favorites, and I even learned to make red pasta sauce from local women during my stay.

In the mid-90s, I visited Seattle, Washington, and experienced the beauty of Puget Sound for the first time. It’s such a lovely and scenic city! After a ferry ride, I also explored Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada.

I embarked on a whale-watching expedition and managed to capture a stunning photo of a whale with my camera.

In my travels across this great nation, I’ve visited many states and explored the charming Southern cities of Savannah, GA, and Charleston, SC. Both are steeped in rich Southern history and captivating beauty.

A visit to the historic ruins of Wormsloe plantation just outside Savannah was a standout experience. Just look at that entrance gate—so dramatic and grand!

Exploring an old historic home in Charleston, SC, was one of my trips back in the '90s. My love for travel and historic houses has been a lifelong passion.

If I were to list all the states I’ve visited, they would include Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, California, and Washington. That’s quite a list! There are still many states left for me to explore.

On the international front, I’ve traveled to the Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, St. Maarten, St. Barts, Mexico, and in Europe, Italy, France, and Switzerland.

As I approach 60... just one more year to go (how did that happen so fast?), my desire to travel has never been stronger. It’s been a while since my last international adventure, and there are still countless places I long to explore in this beautiful world. People over 50, whether single or married, are perfect candidates for travel at this stage in our lives. We have fewer responsibilities than we did when we were raising kids, and all that comes with it. The baby boomer generation is young at heart, and I believe we have a greater passion for travel and experiencing the world than our parents did. Personally, I consider myself a much more adventurous traveler than my parents ever were. I cherish visiting other countries and discovering how differently people live. Traveling abroad truly deepens my appreciation for our wonderful country.

I thought it would be enjoyable to recap my travel experiences and share my future destinations. There are so many places I’m eager to see, with a return trip to Europe—especially Italy—definitely on my travel bucket list. I would love to visit Australia and England, as I’ve never been to either of those countries. Greece is another destination high on my wish list. I want to seize the opportunity to travel while I’m still able, so now is the time! I also hope to explore more of our amazing USA, as there are still many states I haven’t visited.