ALASKA!

Since the very first moment I started reading Dana Stabenow's "A Cold Day for Murder," I have struggled with a crazy desire to go to Alaska.


But I don't want to just "go" to Alaska and do the tourist-y sightseeing trip for 10 days then fly out of Anchorage.


Nope.  I wanna really GO TO ALASKA.  I would so love to move to Alaska for at least 6 months, a year if I get even luckier, and experience that incredible jaw-droppingly beautiful state.  How great would it be to live out in some remote cabin with only an outhouse and local wildlife to keep you entertained?  Okay, maybe not so much fun to others but I would love to give it a try.

NYC

I'm going to have to dig through my photo box for my NYC pics since that trip was about 3 computers and 2 husbands ago.

I went into the city with a co-worker on my way to Boston. So for about 9 hours I did the "kamikaze" tour of the Big Apple with him.  He was staying at the W hotel which was brand new at the time so we came back there at the end of day to pick up my luggage on the way to the airport.

We were able to hit a few of the highlights despite our time limit: Times Square/Carnegie Deli (why did everybody get quiet whenever I started talking?), FAO Schwartz (!!!), Empire State Building, and Central Park.  I think the park was my favorite part of the city - I loved walking around and just taking it all in.

New York is another one of those places that I think everyone should see in person at least once in their lives.  It's an amazing place full of so many different cultures.

It's another place I would like to go to with my husband and son.  I think they would enjoy seeing someplace that is so very different from where we come from.

Boston, Massachusetts

On my list of very favorite places in the world, Boston ranks No. 2. (No. 1 will always be Red River for sentimental reasons.)

I'm a history nut so Boston was love at first trip for me.  The architecture, the two hundred years of community, everything that spoke to the beginnings of our young nation - it was really amazing. I was fortunate to be there in mid-October so I got to see the beautiful fall foliage that northeastern states are famous for.

I truly enjoyed everything about my visit: dining at small intimate Italian restaurants in the North End (about 2 blocks from Paul Revere's house), walking around Boston Commons, the Harvard and MIT campuses, going to Boston Harbor and touring the USS Constitution, strolling around Faneuil Hall and City Hall Farmers Market.  I even took a couple of sips of tap beer at Cheers (at about 10:30 am!).

I definitely want to go back to Boston - I really want to share it with my husband. I think he would really enjoy it.

Aruba, Dutch West Indies

Aruba was a beautiful, arid island along with being "One Happy Island."  It was like a desert out in the middle of the Caribbean - cactus everywhere except the resort beaches.  The resort beaches boasted huge luscious palm trees, which are not indigenous to the island. Those palm trees did a little traveling of their own to be planted on the little desert island.

All in all I really enjoyed Aruba - snorkeling, shipwreck excursions, sailing, spending time in the casinos, lazing on the beach.  The water is the most incredible pale aquamarine and so clear that you can still see clear to the white sand ocean floor for several feet.

I probably won't choose Aruba again for a couple of reasons: first, it was just too dry. I really enjoy humid tropics.  Second, our hotel experience was horrid. Right off the bat we were in a cheaper room with no air conditioning and no chance of getting what we had already paid for since they were sold out. Maybe we would have better luck at a different hotel but I think I would rather gamble on a different destination than make the same mistake twice.

Durango, Colorado

My first time to Durango was in 2008 with my husband and son so we could ride the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The little guy loves him some trains!

We planned the trip solely for his entertainment but it ended up being fantastic for all of us. Before we went I had grumbled about the $200 for tickets for the round-trip ride for the 3 of us.  Believe me.  It was worth every cent!  As a four-year-old with endless energy, that kid pretty much did not move a muscle or say a word during the entire ride up to Silverton and then back down to Durango. He was completely enthralled.  I loved seeing him so spellbound by riding a train just like the little ones he played with at home every day.  And his pure joy was very infectious!

The ride is fun, the scenery is incredible so absolutely do not forget your camera or you will regret it, and lunch in Silverton at a converted 19th century whorehouse was pretty delicious.  Silverton was enjoyable because it seems to have retained much of its historical appearance and everyone there is very proud of the history of their little town.

We are definitely going back!

Red River, New Mexico

My first location blog is going to be my favorite destination.

I can remember many summer vacations spent with my family in Red River.  Maybe it's because we were all so happy during those times. Work and home and bills and life in general didn't get to take the trip with us so it was all good.

We usually took our dirtbikes with us so we could explore further into the mountains than just hiking. I think one time we went my parents had a square dancing get-together at the Red River Community Building. I was about 6 or 7 that time.  We had a blast.

I think the last time we went as a family I was about 13 or 14, shortly before my parents' separation.  I didn't go again until I was 21 with some friends during Memorial Day weekend.  You know, when 15,000 motorcycles arrive in that little bitty mountain town.  All I can say is it was cRaZy and "Hi, Vinnie!!"

I went a few times with friends while I was single and then, in 2008, I took the very best trip to Red River that I have ever had.  It was with my husband and my little boy (4 at the time).  We had such a terrific time. We rode four-wheelers around and explored. We hiked. We shopped. We ate at the very good restaurants. The Wine & Art Festival was at the same time so we go to enjoy that event, too.  And I had a chance to fall in love with Red River all over again. I couldn't help it. It's the one place that holds very dear memories for me and my heart was bursting to see my husband and son love it as much as I do.

We're planning our annual Red River trip this year.  Can't wait!

Have Camera, Will Travel

I'm starting this blog mainly because I want to maintain some type of organized pile of all the places I want to travel to, places I've already been and what I experienced, and even places I may not want to visit but that I think might be interesting just to learn more about.

I'm a complete homebody so constant travel is not what I want but I do enjoy taveling and experiencing new places and new people and just making face to face contact with some of the amazing destinations in our world.

I've only been outside the US once but I am hoping that time and increased finances will change that. I think I enjoy travel more now than I did when I was single.  I love traveling with my husband and son - sharing the experiences of new places is really one of the greatest feelings ever.

I am a mountain girl at heart.  I much prefer the intimateness of being surrounded by soaring aspens and snow-covered mountaintops. I enjoy an occasional trip to a tropical location but my spirit yearns for the mountains.

I hope to be able to add new adventures to this blog along with some of the trips I have already taken.

Either way, I am looking forward to the journey.