A lot of people say they love to travel, but I truly love everything about travel: picking a destination, watching for deals, planning itineraries, reading about the best places to eat dinner and enjoy coffee in the morning, deciding which museums or activities would be interesting to check out, learning about cultural nuances, and so on.

As of late, I’m making a conscious effort to share the things I love so others can love them too.

I spend more time reading Trip Advisor forums, travel blogs and Yelp/Foursquare reviews than I’d like to admit. Whenever I’m planning a trip, my goal isn’t to determine every detail or create an hour-by-hour plan. Rather, it’s to understand local customs and history, and get a sense of what the location has to offer.

2015 was a year of a lot of firsts for me- the first time planning an international trip, the first time taking a solo trip, the first time visiting a country without someone who didn’t speak the language, the first time visiting Europe in 8 years, and the first time exploring numerous cities in the United States.

Heading into 2016, I’m excited to plan another year of trips and feeling energized from a year filled with adventure.

As someone who works full-time (more on that here), my trips are realistic. No one sponsors my vacations and I’m beyond the point in my life where sharing a hostel room with four other people is something I find enjoyable. I often plan for the middle ground, like an affordable Airbnb rental. Like many travel bloggers, I’ve got my fair share of tips and tricks for making travel affordable and amazing.

I’m not an expert, but I spend a lot of time planning each one of my trips, and hope you enjoy the places I’ve visited as much as I have.

& Although I haven’t been everywhere, it’s on my list.

Image credit: HERE.