I've been thinking about traveling a lot lately because I can't really travel right now. My ten things list is 10 places that I've been that I have enjoyed. I took my first plane ride when I was 20 and at that time had only been to 4 states. Since then I have seen 11 countries and added five states to my list and that's still just a small part of the world! There's so much more I want to see!
1. Ireland: Green grass, sheep and cows, drizzly rain, old churches - it is just simply beautiful. Dublin was ok, but I loved the countryside!
2. Alaska: I went during the perfect time (for a California girl) it was unseasonably warm and I got to enjoy and explore a good deal of it on my own. I think my favorite town was Skagway - I experienced rock climbing for the first time, took a long hike around a beautiful mountain lake and enjoyed some beer made with pine needles.
3. Costa Rica: This was my first trip with friends. Costa Rica is absolutely beautiful. I want to go back some day and see the parts I wasn't able to see. That means I'll have to go back a lot!
4. Nicaragua: I went here the same trip I went to Costa Rica. The border crossing was quite the experience, especially for two girls alone that spoke little Spanish. We met up with friends in a very touristy town before heading to the volcano island called Ometepe. I LOVED this place. I could have stayed there for a lot longer than we did.
5. Yosemite: I have lived in California for almost my entire life (I moved from Washington when I was about 3), but I had only been to Yosemite one other time. How awesome is it to have such a beautiful place with so much to offer in my backyard? I'll go back and experience rock climbing for a third time!
6. Arizona: I love my rain, but I love the dry heat as well and I find dust storms really intriguing. Arizona is quite a different beauty than I'm used to, but I really enjoyed getting out of California and going to another state.
7. Switzerland: I love mountains and this place has plenty. The pace of life is just different here and one day was not enough time to really get to know this place. I was most impressed when I went to a bar that night and watched the waitress go from table to table speaking a different language at each. I am insanely jealous of people that can speak multiple languages.
8. Germany: I especially enjoyed the Rhine valley. How can you not - Sloping hills along a river with castles at the top.
9. Dachau, Germany: This opened my eyes to world I knew of but had never experienced. You can literally feel the pain that went on here and it was a very somber place, but one I'm glad I didn't miss.
10. Hawaii: Beaches with different colored sand, lots of seafood, pineapple, volcanoes, geckos - It's a great place to explore and relax.
There's more I could add, but these ten are my favorite! I hope that having a child will not stop me from adding more to my list in the future. She will definitely experience a plane ride before she's 20!!
Want to see more 10 things? Visit Shimelle's blog.
And, for those that have asked, here's my baby belly as of February 24th. It's blurry, but I like it. Not too much longer and that big, baby belly will be no more. I'll have to watch her outside my womb instead of watching her move inside.
