Asheville, North Carolina

Last weekend was my birthday & per usual I was insistent it would not be spent at work or moping around the house.  It's a given that tears will be shed on my birthday (despite it being on my 30 by 30 list to get over that crap).  I knew that this would be my last birthday of my 20s & there would be many a blue moment (yeah, yeah- woe is me...)  I figured if I'm going to cry, I might as well do it in a cool & interesting town.  Enter Asheville...

2015 Travel Plans

As always, I am constantly looking for my next adventure.  As a result, we've already got some travel planned for the upcoming year & I can hardly wait to pack my bags & hit the road.  I always have to have another trip on the horizon so I can keep motivated but some of my favorite adventures come together last minute.  Hopefully this year we'll find time again to squeeze a few weekend trips in here & there.  As for now here's what I'm looking forward to...

Belle Chevre Creamery & Moss Rock Festival

I love cheese.
I really love goat cheese.
More specifically, I really love Belle Chevre goat cheese.  I stumbled across their cinnamon goat cheese spread a year or so ago at Whole Foods & it was love at first taste.  So when I saw a Groupon offering to tour the Belle Chevre Creamery I jumped on it.

St. Petersburg Beach, Florida

Brad recently had a work conference in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida & I thought I'd tag along since I'd never been.  I'm constantly wanting to visit & explore new places so what better time. 

Travel Bucket List

I've never been a fan of the lists of must see places or 'once in a lifetime' trips.  I feel that by deeming certain experiences (such as watching the sun set over the Taj Mahal or standing underneath the Eiffel Tower) more valuable than others really cheapens the authenticity that I believe every place has to offer.  Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that the Taj Mahal can be truly breathtaking & I'd love to see it one day, but there's something to be said for the less touristy spots.  In fact, the hype has acted as a deterrent for many places for me. Throughout my travels, I can say that every place I've visited has had something to offer, even the ones off the beaten path.  No matter what country I find myself in, I think my true passion for travel comes from experiencing the different culture, interacting with the people, & learning something about myself along the way.  I cherish every single journey I've experienced- good, bad, & ugly. 

Slovenia: Part 5 - Bled & Ljubljana

Welcome back for the final installment in our Eastern European wanderings!

After our free time in Zagreb, we loaded back on the bus & hit the open road again.  We crossed the border into Slovenia & reached Bled in about three hours.  We had the most spectacular views of beautiful countryside & the Julian Alps along the way.  The sun was shining brightly & I knew instantly I was going to love Slovenia.

Croatia- Part 4: Zagreb

This next morning we awoke & prepared for another long day on the bus as we made our way to the capital city, Zagreb.  We grabbed a quick breakfast & boarded the bus.  We said goodbye to the coast & headed inland, making our way across the Bosnian border again.  We made another pit stop in Neum, Bosnia where we worked to spend our last remaining kuna since we knew we would soon be heading to Slovenia where they use the Euro.  We made it to Zagreb just before dusk & arrived at our stunning hotel for the night, The Westin. 

Croatia- Part 3: Bosnia, Dubrovnik, Cavtat

Welcome back for Part 3 of our Croatian travelogue!

Croatia- Part 2: Senj, Zadar, & Split

Last we left off we were preparing to depart Opatija.  The next morning we ventured downstairs for another breakfast before setting off in the rain for Split.  A few hours into our journey we stopped in a small fishing village, Senj, for a bathroom break & to stretch our legs. 

Croatia- Part 1: Opatija

Recently, the hubby & I embarked on another trip- this time for our one year anniversary! I'm constantly browsing the getaways on Groupon & Living Social.  You can find some really excellent deals on there.  We've used these sites several times & I've been thoroughly pleased with every one of the trips.  We've done everything from a weekend in New Orleans to snow skiing in Colorado to white water rafting in Tennessee.  We also used it for our recent trip to Nicaragua.  The accommodations have always been excellent & the customer service is wonderful.  Several months ago I found an 11 day excursion to Croatia & Slovenia. 

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

I always get depressed on my birthday for assorted reasons.  This year I decided the likelihood of that happening was less if I treated myself to an out of country adventure.  As you'll come to notice, nothing makes me happier than travelling.