When I was growing up, I had a lot of dreams. Just like any other teenage girl I had dreams and plans for the things I wanted to do when I got older.
One of those things was travel. I dreamed of traveling all of the United States and seeing my country, but I also dreamed of other countries, foreign cities and towns, foreign countrysides and beaches. I wanted to see the world.
During my young years women were just gaining freedom in some areas. Traveling alone was only done by a very few brave women. Some went into the military to accomplish their wanderlusts, but very few. My father had spent time overseas, mostly Germany, and he was happy to be home. My parents did not encourage me to travel out of the country. They pointed out the dangers and the absence of protections under the laws in some countries that could ruin a young persons life if they made a simple mistake unknowingly and broke some foreign law.
As a result, I never really pursued travel outside of the United States. If I was a young person today, with all the opportunities available and the fact that women do everything they want now, I would have been all over the world by now.
What I am trying to say is this, in today's world, women (and men) travel solo more than ever before. Women go into careers that take them all over the world. Travel has never been easier and we have never known as much about other countries as we do today.
There are still concerns when traveling abroad. There are still dangers abroad, especially for women. There will always be concerns and dangers, however, it has also never been safer. More and more women are going all over the world, some completely on their own.
Now if traveling overseas is not your "thing", there are more than enough places to travel to here in the United States. This country we live in has so many beautiful, varied, unique, wonderful places to see and visit that you could spend your whole life just traveling in the United States and never see everything.
Even if you have a handicap or have a medical condition, you can still travel somewhere new now and then. There are groups for every possible situation that travel to every concievable place. Travel groups for seniors, for handicapped travelors, Christian traveling, health and wellness travel groups, if you have a situation there is a travel group for your situation out there somewhere, you just have to look for them.
Even if you only travel in your own backyard, you will find things and see things you have never known existed. Once in a while I will venture to the Blue Ridge area of my home state, not more than 45 minutes to an hour down the road and I visit a small town. I have found treasures in those small towns. Things that no one every thinks about but would love if they knew they existed.
The real surprises are when I venture to my own downtown area and just walk the streets, window shopping and then treating myself to a local confection, a coffee or a meal. I found stores that I never noticed until I was walking, I may have drove by them many times, but I never noticed them. Walking your town might open your eyes to a lot of surprises and at the very least, you will feel so much better when you are done.
There are also tour groups in many small towns (such as mine) that go to plays, concerts, shopping trips, museums, hikes, etc., and they cost very little. Someone else does the driving and you can sit back and look at the scenery as you pass or chat with the friend in the seat next to you. A lot of these groups are operated by country recreational departments, senior citizen centers, state parks and recreation departments, and even churches. You just need to look around you and ask other people, you might be surprised at what is available in your own back yard.
Many churches have mission trips that you can go on. Not only do you have the opportunity to see a different state or country, you have the opportunity to help others and contribute to others in a way to make their lives better. This is an excellent way to travel and also help others.
About once or twice every two to three months, I sign up with my country recreational department to go on a day trip. I have been shopping, to dinner theaters, to concerts, to plays, river canoeing and many other fun trips. Most of the time I know people on the trips, but when I don't I usually meet new people and no matter what, I always have a great time and see something or do something that I have never done before.
Here are a few pictures of some of the things I have done with this group:
One of those things was travel. I dreamed of traveling all of the United States and seeing my country, but I also dreamed of other countries, foreign cities and towns, foreign countrysides and beaches. I wanted to see the world.
During my young years women were just gaining freedom in some areas. Traveling alone was only done by a very few brave women. Some went into the military to accomplish their wanderlusts, but very few. My father had spent time overseas, mostly Germany, and he was happy to be home. My parents did not encourage me to travel out of the country. They pointed out the dangers and the absence of protections under the laws in some countries that could ruin a young persons life if they made a simple mistake unknowingly and broke some foreign law.
As a result, I never really pursued travel outside of the United States. If I was a young person today, with all the opportunities available and the fact that women do everything they want now, I would have been all over the world by now.
What I am trying to say is this, in today's world, women (and men) travel solo more than ever before. Women go into careers that take them all over the world. Travel has never been easier and we have never known as much about other countries as we do today.
There are still concerns when traveling abroad. There are still dangers abroad, especially for women. There will always be concerns and dangers, however, it has also never been safer. More and more women are going all over the world, some completely on their own.
Now if traveling overseas is not your "thing", there are more than enough places to travel to here in the United States. This country we live in has so many beautiful, varied, unique, wonderful places to see and visit that you could spend your whole life just traveling in the United States and never see everything.
Even if you have a handicap or have a medical condition, you can still travel somewhere new now and then. There are groups for every possible situation that travel to every concievable place. Travel groups for seniors, for handicapped travelors, Christian traveling, health and wellness travel groups, if you have a situation there is a travel group for your situation out there somewhere, you just have to look for them.
Even if you only travel in your own backyard, you will find things and see things you have never known existed. Once in a while I will venture to the Blue Ridge area of my home state, not more than 45 minutes to an hour down the road and I visit a small town. I have found treasures in those small towns. Things that no one every thinks about but would love if they knew they existed.
The real surprises are when I venture to my own downtown area and just walk the streets, window shopping and then treating myself to a local confection, a coffee or a meal. I found stores that I never noticed until I was walking, I may have drove by them many times, but I never noticed them. Walking your town might open your eyes to a lot of surprises and at the very least, you will feel so much better when you are done.
There are also tour groups in many small towns (such as mine) that go to plays, concerts, shopping trips, museums, hikes, etc., and they cost very little. Someone else does the driving and you can sit back and look at the scenery as you pass or chat with the friend in the seat next to you. A lot of these groups are operated by country recreational departments, senior citizen centers, state parks and recreation departments, and even churches. You just need to look around you and ask other people, you might be surprised at what is available in your own back yard.
Many churches have mission trips that you can go on. Not only do you have the opportunity to see a different state or country, you have the opportunity to help others and contribute to others in a way to make their lives better. This is an excellent way to travel and also help others.
About once or twice every two to three months, I sign up with my country recreational department to go on a day trip. I have been shopping, to dinner theaters, to concerts, to plays, river canoeing and many other fun trips. Most of the time I know people on the trips, but when I don't I usually meet new people and no matter what, I always have a great time and see something or do something that I have never done before.
Here are a few pictures of some of the things I have done with this group:
Dinner Out at a Fancy Restaurant..
An afternoon play
A comedy dinner theatre
I encourage you to find a way to get out of the house and see something new at least once a year (more often if possible).
Don't let fear prevent you from seeing the world.
Whether it be your own home town or some country far away...
God created it all and there is something worth finding everywhere!
When was the last time you traveled anywhere? Were you alone or with someone or a group? Do you have plans to travel in the near future? This year? Next year? Where is the one place you want to visit before you die? Do you have plans to visit that place?
XOXO
I encourage you to find a way to get out of the house and see something new at least once a year (more often if possible).
Don't let fear prevent you from seeing the world.
Whether it be your own home town or some country far away...
God created it all and there is something worth finding everywhere!
When was the last time you traveled anywhere? Were you alone or with someone or a group? Do you have plans to travel in the near future? This year? Next year? Where is the one place you want to visit before you die? Do you have plans to visit that place?
XOXO
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