I'm sure someone reading this has wondered why I would be writing this. Why am I putting so much of my time and my efforts into something that requires a lot of work without getting paid to do it? Well my friends, I have officially written a blog about why I'm writing a blog. Yes, I am kind of lame, I know that, but this is my heart and I will let you in on a little bit of what the heck is going on in there.

I love to travel. I love to talk. I love to tell stories. I find myself wanting to tell everyone I know about my experiences in hopes that they will want to experience it too. What do I love about traveling? I love the flutter of excitement I feel when I decide to take a trip. When I figure out a destination I find myself unable to sleep, up on my laptop or my phone reading and researching as much as possible about where I’ve decided to go. Will I follow any of the advice or any of the guides I read that night? Maybe. Chances are, I will go with all the good intentions in the world and an itinerary packed full of exciting things to do found on TripAdvisor and other people’s blogs, but the second my feet hit the ground my to-do list might as well have been left at home with the toothbrush I forgot. I have the shortest attention span of all time and the second something catches my eye I immediately veer from my intended path. If I see something that looks exciting you can bet I’ll be there.

This may seem a little flighty and irresponsible, but I believe this is how the best memories are made. That’s also one of the reasons I love solo traveling so much. Whatever I see, whatever I want, I do. I don’t have to worry about compromising or doing what other people want to do, I just go wherever the wind takes me. Without an open-minded attitude like this I would have missed out on so many fun things. I wouldn’t have made Australian friends on Bourbon Street, I wouldn’t have had one of the best days of my life at Ocean Beach in San Diego, and I never would’ve found The Gulf Restaurant in Orange Beach, Alabama. These things are just a few of the awesome experiences I never would’ve had if I stuck to a plan.

When I started writing my sole purpose was simply to keep track of my travels for my own personal account. As I kept writing my purpose started to evolve. I would go home and people would ask about my trip, or what I did while I was gone and I would tell them about it briefly, but then I would tell them that I wrote about it and give them the link to my latest post so they could read it. Pretty soon my friends, family, and even people I barely knew were telling me how exciting it all seemed and because of that they were going to go visit somewhere I had been, or just go out and go somewhere new in general, and I loved the feeling of knowing I inspired them. I want to inspire other people.

People should know that traveling isn’t a scary thing, it can have scary moments, but it’s all an adventure that helps you learn and grow. Traveling and exploring the unknown gives you incredible memories that will be impossible to forget. I was blessed to have parents that supported me and encouraged me to travel at a young age and grow into the independent girl that I am today.

When telling my mom about a trip I was planning I was really nervous about what her reaction would be, knowing it would most likely be one of disapproval. She did have a few questions, but after hearing the research I had put into it already her response was, “Well, I guess it technically is our fault that you’re like this.” For a moment I thought to myself, “Like this? Like what?” That’s when it hit me, the first time you step out of your comfort zone and travel and experience new culture it is so addicting. You realize how big the world really is and you can’t help but to want more of it! The first time I was away from my comfort zone like that I had just turned 11. I did not go far, but I was away from home, away from everyone I knew, and I lived out of a tent for a month. I was miserable in the beginning longing for the comfort of home, but as soon as I chose to experience the life I was actually living, and forget about what was back at home I was changed forever.

The excitement of planning and going on a new trip is like something I have never felt. It’s almost impossible to put into words, but in the hopes of you getting to experience it with me I am going to do my best! I hope that hearing my stories and hearing about my experiences encourages you to get up and try something new. You don’t need to go far, just try something you’ve never tried before. I truly believe that after getting out there the first time you will be inspired to keep on adventuring!