What defines travel? Is it something that can be done in one day or are a couple days needed in order to be considered “real” travel?

I consider anytime I leave the nest, disconnect from work, and reconnect with my spirit to be travel! This can be for a few hours or a few weeks. I love a week long trip to an island in the Caribbean or a weekend road trip to Indiana for Oktoberfest. One of my favorite ways to day trip is to drive the 15 miles to Detroit on a beautiful summer day. This usually involves a Tiger’s game, and trying a new restaurant or sitting in a different area of Comerica Park.

Travel is in my blood.

My parents have always been looking for new adventures. Prior to having kids they were always on the go. Fishing in the Florida Keys. Train rides to Toronto. Texas to visit friends. Showing up on my grandparents doorstep unannounced, wherever they had happened to have dragged their Fifth Wheel at that time. My grandpa shared with me a couple weeks ago that he “never knew when George and Judy would knock.” He still doesn’t. It appears my parents have boundary issues….

Once my sister and I were born they instilled this passion in us. We went everywhere with them. Randomly showing up in Central Lake or Beaver Lake to visit the Grandparents was a weekend favorite. Swimming, tubing (I hated it), fishing, u-pick cherries. Grandpa calling in each morning to have us mentioned during Weekend Polka on the radio. We took a train from Windsor to Niagara Falls when we were small. I still remember the taste of a Blackberry Clearly Canadian. We went to Disney, Washington DC, and the Jersey Shore before it was on MTV. I now know why there was so much chlorine in the pool. Once we were young adults we went to the Keys and fished until our arms cramped and shoulders burned. We road tripped from Michigan to Texas for a few weeks with historical stops along the way. These are memories that I wouldn’t trade for anything. This is why travel is so important to me.

As an adult I’ve kicked my love for travel up a notch, or ten. I have surrounded myself with amazing friends who also love a great adventure. I look forward to sharing those adventures with you here.

Travel isn’t just about the destination. It’s about the journey and experiences you have. It’s about the tastes and smells of a new place. It’s about the people you meet and the parts of you that you find along the way.