Oh the places you'll go

I have an itch to travel again. I've been to Canada (woohoo), 48 states, Australia, Fiji, the Philippines, Spain and Morocco. Yes, I realize that I have a cruise planned in the unbearably faraway future (120 days away) and I should be grateful for the fact that I can take the trip, but it has now been over a year since I've left the country. I miss the fun of planning a trip, catching planes and entertaining myself during layovers. I miss the excitement of a new city and the joy that is a homecoming. Paris? Italy? Great Britain? When will we meet?

In 8 days, Ryan and I will be off to a faraway land called Orlando. Yippee! Orlando for me is just a crazy world of lost people searching for Mickey Mouse. Despite it's low level (or absence) on the exotic scale, I am quite excited about it. If I am successful, it will be the first time I conjured up a surprise for Ryan and actually held my tongue until the point of actual surprise! I'm looking forward to the 2 hours on I75 armed with SoBe's, yummy snacks and some quality get-to-know-you time. I love our little stop in Okahumpka, getting lost every single time we come into Orlando no matter how many times we've come through (maybe a little out of tradition) and then lounge around once we land in the hotel.

In 28 days, my family and I sans my brother and his wife, will be leaving for our annual family vacation. A tradition that has held firm since 1994. I don't even want to think about how old I was in Nineteen Ninety-four, but that is how long I have been stuffed into a car, lived out of a tightly packed suitcase and got to know who the people in my family are. I've stood behind many a photo encouraged by my mother-ever the photo opportunist, I've rushed alongside my family members from one tourist trap to the next under my father's militant travel itinerary and shopped til I dropped in nearly every shopping mall, strip mall and tourist shop across the nation. You name the "USAopoly" location on the board, I have been there or will have been there soon. Huge redwoods? been there. Mammoth Cave? done that. Grand Canyon? Seen it, thrice.

In 120 days, I am on my way to the Western Caribbean! That's the big trip, nearly 2 whole years since my last escape from the states. I've tried to distract myself from the growing excitement, planning the Orlando trip, dreading the fam vacay, and wallowing in self pity. But the truth is, the end of the year holds so many more exciting things than the summertime! Seriously, the cruise, me and Ryan's 3 yr anniversary, Christmas!, and New Years. Summertime hardly stands a chance in comparison.

Now I just need someplace between 28 days and 120 days...google maps, here I come.