Travels with Ruthe

There is a show on PBS called Travels with Rick Steves. It has been airing as long as I can remember. Rick Steves takes you to places within Europe that he finds interesting, offers travel tips, and locations that you may otherwise not visit due to being an a-typical destination for tourists. Through this show I have fallen in love with the Italian Mediterranean , saw glimpses of Germany and Italy, roamed Greece...this show is the reason I want to travel to Italy.

I am not a well-versed traveler. I have been out of the country, but only once. And the trip was to Mexico which is across the border from the state I live. I have recently been able to see New York City, and have been promised a spring trip to Boston. I have been to San Francisco and New Orleans, but never Seattle or Philadelphia. I have been to Atlanta, but only on a business trip, and on the outskirts of town where I did not see much of the town. For the most part, however, I have stayed within a very close proximity to the location I live now. I have lived in Colorado, Kansas, Texas, and Arizona, but remained in an 80 mile radius from where I grew up in Northern Arizona after leaving my parent's home.

So, while it is true I have not traveled as much as I would have liked, I have enjoyed where I have been. My most recent trip was this past weekend to visit my guy for his birthday in Connecticut. It was, as is always the case, highly enjoyable. But, there were a few glitches along the way. Glitches like not having my paycheck be deposited due to an accounting issue at work while I was away, and needing to call my mother to request money in my account. Without her help, I would have either had to have my guy pay for everything, or not eat...neither of which was a choice I wanted to ask for or partake in.

My trips to Connecticut have been my favorite personal mini-vacations. They have offered me respite from my busy life, a chance to see architecture, and culture not present in the location where I live. Going to Times Square in New York is definitely not the same experience as visiting downtown Phoenix on a Saturday afternoon. Riding a train to the city is definitely not the same as taking our little light rail from my location to downtown Phoenix either.

Travels have offered me the following anticdocs for enjoying myself:
- Travel as lightly as you can. There is no need to take 5 pairs of shoes when you are away for 2 days
- Planning your trip down to every detail will only create issues when something doesn't fit into your schedule. Relax, enjoy your time with who you are visiting or traveling with.
- Unless you have promised someone a gift, don't waste too much money on trinkets. They will only collect dust, and may not be received as you expect, or may not be needed by the other person.
- Wear sunblock even if you think you do not need it, and bring lotion for your hands
- Planes will be delayed, you could be bumped off your flight. Cars may have issues, or traffic may be hectic. Go with the flow and realize you will get home when you get home.
- Take pictures, and in taking the pictures don't forget to have some taken of you
- Try something new on each trip. Don't allow fear to hold you down where you are afraid to taste something new, go somewhere you have never been
- Getting lost is half the fun. So what if you take a wrong turn on the freeway. You can always turn around. You are never truly lost if you have a general idea of where you need to go.
- Go places when you want to go. Don't suffer from the issue of "I wish I had..."
- Enjoy yourself as much as you possibly can with what you have, and never forget to say thank you.