A Series of Fortunate Events

The following is my attempt to trace the train of travels that brought me to this week:

It all started in the summer of '99. I went to Austria for 2 weeks and then came home only to turn around and go to Alaska for two weeks. So be it, I was 9 years old, but I still say that it was one of the best summers of my life. 

In the spring of 2010 my two best girl friends, Caroline and Amber, registered to study abroad in Milan and Bath, respectively. I was super excited for them but knew that I would be majorly missing out if I too did not get to study in another country during my undergrad career. Against my parents wishes I registered for the Spring 2011 semester at the Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (Business Uni) in Vienna, Austria.

In early October 2012 Caroline called me and said we should consider going to The Yacht Week in the British Virgin Islands. Two of her friends who she had met studying in Milan would be on the trip and as TYW veterans, they highly recommended her attendance. Felipe Athia, if you ever see this, we are eternally in your debt.

 A few days later I put $5000 down in hopes that the two of us could find a few other friends who also shared our love of travel, adventure, the sun, the ocean and rum drinks. Believe it or not it was not hard to find people who fit this description. Two short months later the 6 of us were on airplanes en route to Tortola by way of St. Thomas and a few different US connecting cities.

Docked across from our boat The Sea Haas on the first night was a catamaran full of Chilean guys, who were from there on out referred to as Chili boys by Kitty. I spent a lot of time with these guys and have kept in close contact with one named Pepa.

My manager told me I needed to take vacation during September and I was considering multiple destinations. Last week Pepa said that I should come to Chile. I looked up flights and started thinking. I decided I was going to Chile.

I called Caroline on Sunday and told her to come to Chile with me for the week in September. I booked my ticket Monday morning and she booked hers a few hours later.

Long story short, the more you travel, the more you want to travel. The more you travel, the more people you meet and the more opportunities you have to visit other places in the world. If you haven’t felt this internal spark ignite, I suggest booking a trip as soon as possible. If you have traveled and do not feel the over bearing urge to keep moving and keep exploring, well then, God Bless America, I’ll see you when I get home.