Travel Dreams

I am hoping I find a job soon, but at the same time I fear that with a real life job I will never be able to travel for lengthy amounts of time any more.  Nevertheless, I still want to dream.  Here are some of the places I would like to travel to someday.  It's a long list:

1.  The dolomites in Italy for some climbing and then travel west to hike the Cinque Terre.  A stop over in Firenze might be nice too.  When I went to Florence with the Art/History tour we only spent an afternoon there.  I think we rushed through something like five museums.

2.  Israel, Jordan, and Egypt with my favorite museum and ruins loving travel friend Becky

3.  Czech Republic.  Darren's brother-in-law is from the country and hasn't been back since I think the '80s.  He still has family there.   It would be so fun for us to return with him, as well as revisit the beautiful capital (I really believe it is one of the prettiest cities in the world) and, of course, climb on some of their crazy pillars.

4.  A cruise through Germany.  My dad has probably seen 3/4s of the World War II films ever made and read hundreds of books about the event, yet he has never been to Germany, or even Europe.  This is extra strange because the man works seven days a week partly with the motivation to earn money to travel with his family.  We've gone all over the world (India, Argentina, etc.), but never to Europe together and I think that is a travesty.  One of my absolute favorite tours was in Berlin, and I think my father would love it too.

5.  And, yes, I have a perpetual yearning to return to Argentina.  After all it is my favorite country, and sort of like a second home.  I'd like to show Stella, Darren, Jessica, and Brad its greatness and have a reunion with all my former UAPers.  I'd also like to finish the Circuito in Patagonia (which is actually in Chile) and visit Ushuaia.  Of course, a dream would be to take the boat to Antarctica, but realistically that will probably never happen (it costs something insane like $4000 to get there).

6.  I'd also like to return to Brazil with Darren and climb Pao de Azucar in Rio again and visit Bahia again to bask in the encompassing music and capoeira.  The trip I took there in 2007 was one of my favorites, but I was traveling alone, and I'd love to share the experience.

7.  New Zealand--because it's an adventurer's dream.  Darren and I wanted to go there on our honeymoon, but it was WAY too expensive from Guam--like $3000 to $4000 dollars (which is strange because Guam is a lot closer to New Zealand than the States).

8.  El Potrero Chico, Mexico.  This is probably the most doable vacation for the foreseeable future because it is relatively close, and should be somewhat inexpensive.  I believe Darren already knows routes he'd like to climb here.

9.  Southern France.  I've heard it is stunningly beautiful and that there is wonderful climbing.  I'd, of course, like to go back to Paris too.  The musee d'orsay is one of my favorites.  And, speaking of museums, I'd like to go back to Madrid, Spain and actually spend quality time in the Prado Museum.  I squandered most of the day we were supposed to be there by looking for cheap climbing shoes in the city (which we didn't find...they were just as expensive).  I didn't realize what I was missing out on until I actually sped through it and then later studied about its paintings in my Arts and Ideas class in college.  Doh!

10.  Northeastern Spain: Supposedly there is great climbing and I never got to go into the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona or see all the other Gaudi sites, so I'd like to return.

11.  Ireland, because it is pretty and green.

12.  Denmark, so Darren and I can embrace our ancestral roots.

13.  Bolivia.  I've heard it is one of the cheapest countries in South America and has fabulous mountains, salt flats, and flamingos.

14.  Norway.  I have a friend who has been living there for many years, and I'd love to visit her and see the country.

15.  China--you know, to see where all of our world's products come from ;0).  This would be a place I'd like to have guide because it seems like it'd be overwhelming due to the vastness of the land and population.

16.  Australia.  It'd be fun to climb at the Grampians and Mount Arapiles and see Ayers Rock and some 'roos.

17.  British Columbia.  We'd like to visit our friends up north and do some more adventuring there.

18.  Fishing in Ontario, Canada.  Our family used to go here every other year or so, and it has been a long time since we've gone.  I miss it.

19.  Hawaii.  I never really had any desire to visit here until Darren and I had a layover in Honolulu on our way to Guam.  Just flying into the place was amazingly stunning, and I'd love to visit our friends Crystal, Ivan, Serena, and Jason that have recently moved there.

20.  Russia.  The country seems to have such a unique culture and history, so I desire some experiential education there.

21.  Morocco.  Darren and I want to return to North Africa to climb rocks and explore Marrakech and Casablanca.

22.  United Kingdom.  I've been there a few times, but I would love to go with my aunt who adores England.  I also wouldn't mind seeing another play at The Globe.

23.  Haiti and Zambia.  We have friends living and doing altruistic work in both of these countries.  I would like to visit and help them.

Anybody have any other suggestions?

Perhaps writing all of this down is silly.  I know we should aim for higher, less selfish things than traveling the world.  But I am a planner, and I love history, art, nature, visiting friends, and interacting with people different from those where I live.  I also love growing closer to the people with whom I travel and making lasting memories with them.  Hopefully God will also provide opportunities for me to be used by him wherever I go.  I've never had so many spiritual conversations as when I am traveling.  I remember I was on a ferry going from Estonia to Sweden when I was asked for the first time why I believe in God.

I've never actually written down what countries I've been to, so I'm going to take a stab at it.  As you can probably tell, I'm missing international travel right now.

North America: Canada, United States, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Bermuda, and a bunch of other Caribbean islands (Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, etc.)

South America: Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia (just the airport)

Africa: Morocco, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa (I was just in the airport, but it was the longest layover of my life--19 hours.  I was alone and most of my layover was at night, so I didn't venture out.), Cape Verde (airport only, but I had to include it 'cause it is so random)

Europe: Sweden, United Kingdom, Estonia, Romania, Czech Republic, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Greece, Turkey, Vatican City
--Most of these I traveled to on my Art/History tour in college.  It was a fabulous deal to earn something like eight college credit hours.

Asia: India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Palau, Philippines (airport only)