“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine
I can’t remember life before exploration became a part of it. As a child I was at my happiest being packed up in the back seat for long road trips. I watched my uncle on TV in far away places and looked at photos after my grandparents would return from overseas trips. One of my all time favorite childhood books was about travel, living by the sea, and making the world a better place; all of which I highly value. My life would be incomplete in endless ways if I had never experienced so much of the world! It is a reason I have trouble staying still; because I know how incredible it is out there and I want to see and experience it all.
I don’t see travel as a checklist. There is nothing wrong with that. It just isn’t me. Instead, I try to soak up as much as I possibly can about a new place. I want to listen to the sounds on the streets. Is there music playing? What languages are being spoken? I enjoy observing. Stopping for a drink in a cafe or sitting on a bench in a lovely piazza. When I travel, I am in the present. I can let go of all of the busyness that fills my daily routine. The multi-tasking upon multitasking. Endless espresso to plow through piles of papers, plans, and e-mails. I am my happiest self exploring. A picture of content delight while on the road. 
“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
As someone who has never known a day without life-threatening food allergies, my wanderlust is a characteristic that surprises many. Even my friends (none of which have any food allergies) are often worried about travel; stressed by the mere process. They fret about where to go, what to do and when to eat. I like to arrive. To see what interests me. I enjoy the unplanned plan. My laissez-faire attitude I know is unique, however with allergies, it is completely unusual. At this point I have a rhythm though. There are parts that must be planned, like having enough epinephrine and inhalers, or making sure I have accurate chef cards in the right language and safe snacks for stomach-growling emergencies. Those are my non-negotiables. The rest I often leave up in the air. It helps that I have friends spread out across the globe. I now luckily have too many places to visit!
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
I know that it takes time and experience to become truly comfortable with travel. That is why I share my travel adventures in hopes of inspiring you to go live your own!
