The Year of Travel

I have to admit, I really enjoy traveling.  There’s something about going to new places and seeing friends around the world.  It’s part of the reason I decided to go to Colgate – I wanted something totally different and I wanted to be outside my element… and I definitely got that.

Despite staying busy on the work front and taking in as much of San Francisco as I can, I’ve managed to travel nearly half the weekends this year and have gotten the chance to see many of my friends scattered throughout the country.  This year I’ve squeezed in trips to Sun Valley, NY, Lake Tahoe, Colorado, Las Vegas, Peru, Rhode Island and Boston… travel is undoubtedly my guilty pleasure as I got the first major wave of my travel bug when I studied abroad in London in Spring 2006.

In the next few weeks, I have an itinerary that makes my head spin.  I’m headed to San Diego this weekend with a few friends to relax and soak up the rays.  I haven’t been to San Diego since senior year of high school and I’ve never been for leisure.  Needless to say, I’m looking forward to being down there – the summers in San Francisco are lackluster, and it doesn’t start to warm up until September and October… so, San Diego’s perfect 80-degree days will be a very welcome change.

For Labor Day weekend, I am headed to Saddlestring, Wyoming for a friend’s wedding (Congrats Morgan and Stefan!).  I’m not quite sure what to expect although I know it’s going to be a really fun wedding and I can wait to see my friends get hitched!  The wedding is at the H F Bar Ranch, where Stefan and Morgan met and have spent the last several summers – I’ve heard so much about this place and I’m excited to stay there and see what’s it all about!

I fly back to California the Monday of Labor Day and then on Tuesday I turn right back around to go to Europe with my family for just under two weeks.  I’m headed to Turkey (Istanbul and Izmir) and Italy (Tuscany and Rome) and I can’t wait!  I have never been to Turkey and I hear the mix of European and Asian influences is spectacular – I’m doing my best to read up on Turkey and familiarize myself with a place that is completely foreign to me.  I meet up with my family in Istanbul and will be spending a few days there.  Next, we’re flying to Izmir, a city on the Gulf of Izmir by the Aegean Sea.  If you have any recommendations for both, please let me know!

We then fly to Rome and drive to Tuscany, an area of Italy that is far relaxed from the rest and whose hillsides are adorned with villas, vineyards and small town.  Admittedly, I am so excited for some spectacular Italian cuisine (Parmesan cheese, wine and truffles? Yes, please).  I spend my last night in Rome and then I head back to the States with a half-day/night in New York City.  I’m planning to meet up with a bunch of friends while I’m in NY, and happy I’ll be able to spend some time in the City, even if only for one day.  I fly back to California Monday morning, September 21st and will be heading right into the office.  I’ll be jetlagged for sure, but it’ll be worth it.  Can’t wait for what’s to come!  Here's a map of where I'm headed in the next month. In total, 19,371 miles I'll be traveling (whoa):