Leaving on a Jet Plane

3/16/2026

Next week I am embarking on an exciting trip to Europe. All going well I will get to see the tulips in bloom in Holland and some amazing storybook castles along the Rhine in Germany. Over the course of 10 days I will experience Alsatian culture, hike in the Black Forest, tour the Anne Frank House and at least see a tiny piece of Switzerland. Nick and I booked this trip about a year ago and I have had the absolute pleasure of researching the cities and towns we will visit, learning about the foods and cultures, and pondering which museums and excursions to take. The whole process has been fun!

Throughout my life I have had an insatiable wanderlust that has been fueled by books, magazines, and movies that let me explore places far from my daily life. My minor in college was Anthropology because I wanted to learn as much as I could about cultures around the world. Due to numerous life choices, I have not left the United States very often. I will never regret my career in education, yet the low salary has severely restrained my travel budget. For decades most of my travel was to places within a few hours of home by car and any extra money I earned went towards my kids’ college funds or my retirement accounts.

Now that I am about to retire and my children are grown, I can afford one big international trip a year. Some smaller, local trips are also an option. What I have come to recognize is that planning the next trip is equally as satisfying as actually taking one. Anytime my job gets stressful, the world news is too upsetting, or my grief becomes overwhelming, I can stop the cycle of negative thoughts running through my head with fantasies about where I want to go next.

I look at this as a positive type of escapism. My research helps me to learn about places I want to see. I follow all kinds of travel blogs and subscribe to sites that send me daily emails about travel deals. On the wall above my desk are two collages I made in writing workshops that help me to visualize travel and writing goals. I am not likely to become the next Rick Steve’s or a travel blogger myself, but I enjoy photography and writing about the places I visit. Who knows? Perhaps in retirement I will write some articles to submit to one or more of the websites I use regularly?

Yet again, I am reminded of the value of having things to look forward to. Part of re-establishing hope in my life is to keep finding things I want to do and places I want to see. My bucket list is large and varied. I want to see most of Europe, to take a photo safari in Kenya and to visit all 50 of the United States. My financial planners say these are realistic goals based on my savings. My health is good. It is time to go!