30,000 Feet

The thought of flying makes my stomach churn. Maybe it has something to do with being that high up in the air and not having any control. Or it could be that I'm locked in a tube for an allotted amount of time with germs circling with no way to release it. A trick I learned early was to always wear a decorative scarf around my neck so that I could politely wrap it around my mouth and nose if someone decided to leave their manners and baggage claimed and continued to cough with their mouth open and not cover it. And yes, I closed my eyes too for all those wondering.

I love to travel though. There's something about venturing off to a new place and getting lost in the adventure. I have yet to make it outside of the country, but I don't doubt that one day I will. My favorite adventure was to New York City. I've grown up near a big city my entire life, but there's nothing like being in New York. Movies can't capture the essence of it all.

When I stepped out of the cab for the first time, I was overwhelmed. The cabs, people on the the streets, the sound of chaos, it all overwhelmed me. Nothing could prepare me for it. Within 18 hours, I memorized a few routes on the subway. Time Square turned into magic at night and Sunday mornings were reserved for the runners and cyclist. Two days wasn't nearly enough to conquer even one side of the city, but just like a good book, it kept me craving for more.

Thus far, the most peaceful place I've been to is Alabama. I never thought I'd say it but somewhere between Tennessee and Alabama, I felt complete serenity taking in the scenery. It was new, in other ways peaceful. Usually, I'm one that longs to have her feet buried in the sand while watching the waves of the water, but seeing the hills and clay are a very close second.

I've only been to 13 states in my lifetime. While for some that may be quite a few, my personal goal is to have stepped foot in them all. I want my luggage to have a story to tell. I want my shoes to be well rounded. I want my lungs to breathe the air quality of different places. There's nothing like traveling. It reminds me that the world is bigger than just my 8x10 cubicle at work. The world is my front yard. I have to create the time to enjoy it.

There's a whole world out there waiting for you to experience it.