Travel Goals

I told Angel recently: "You're lucky, because right now is probably the first time in our marriage that I haven't been planning some sort of future vacation that you'll end up agreeing to."

You see, for the past seven years, I've planned all of our travels, from day-trips to week-long vacations. Our usual travel plans usually come about in this manner: I hear of some location that, for whatever reason, excites my interest. For example: Tung Ping Chau, an uninhabited island belonging to Hong Kong.

I then begin to research the potential destination, collecting all available information on how to get there and what to do once there. I determine if the destination is reasonably budget-friendly and find the most cost-effective transportation and accommodations. Along the way, I periodically tell Angel all about how awesome Tung Ping Chau is and how cool it would be to go there and how I've figured out how to make it affordable and in the end, he ends up agreeing that my adventure plan sounds awesome, and we go. One exception: Our "layover vacation" in Hawaii was all Angel's idea in the first place. But I did all of the planning and mapping out of bus routes and building of our itinerary.

However, I'm currently in a state of mind where even going to the grocery store or to the mall sounds a little too risky most of the time. I do know that pregnant people travel all the time but I'm in a current state of wondering "How??" because I'm sick enough inside my own comfortable home. This is just a temporary state, I know.

Just because I'm not planning any trips right now doesn't mean there's no places on my list, however. There's always a few dream vacations hanging out there that I figure I may get around to one of these years. Here they are:

1. China

Okay, that's broad, but I definitely long to go back to China. There's a few major locations, the trouble is that they are a bit spread out: ChengDu and Xi'An are on my list, as well as ShangHai Disneyland.  Angel really wants to go to the Shi Lin Stone Forest and the Three Gorges Dam (a dam? Why?). Also, I want some authentic SiChuan veggie dishes because I miss them so much, and Halal dumplings and noodles from a Muslim Chinese family-owned noodle shop (That seems really specific, but I'm not a huge fan of pork, so our local Halal Chinese noodle shop in ShenZhen was amazing because they used beef as their meat of choice). I think we'll find ourselves back in China to visit sometime within the next couple years...

2. France

This one, my main interest is the Paris Disneyland (these would be my last two Disney parks in the journey to visit all of them around the world), and the Loire Valley castles. I haven't done much research into what else because I think this is one destination that Angel can not be convinced into thinking is interesting. If I go, I think I'd make it a trip with my little sister Anna because we're good travel buddies. She shares my (usual) endless energy.

3. East Malaysia

Angel's never been, and I'd love to take him to see a bit of Sabah and Sarawak one day. Mount Kinabalu and the Mulu Caves would both be major adventures...but both also sound more physically grueling than I would normally be prepared for. Such adventures would require pre-trip training, for sure!

4. Western USA Road Trip

I love road trips, and national parks. Especially after spending a few days in California in May, I'd love to someday explore more of the natural world of California and the rest of the western USA. Maybe work our way across the country. I have no idea when a trip like this would happen, though, as it's not like we often find ourselves in the US with access to a car we can drive across the nation. I utterly detest the long plane flight to the US and that alone will keep me away for a good few years, I imagine.

5. Hawaii

We loved Oahu, and now I'd want to check out Maui and Kauaii. This probably isn't too likely to happen unless we stumble across another "layover" incident, just because Hawaii is so far from everything. But Hawaii is awesome, so, it has to go on the list. AND AirAsia, the budget airline we use most around here, recently started offering flights to Hawaii...

6. A Cruise

I actually don't know much about cruises or cruise destinations but I love boats and oceans so they intrigue me. There's definitely a big part of me that thinks I have too much energy to be cooped up on a boat for much of a trip, but I'm told there's lots of activities on these boats, so I continue to think that maybe we'll go on a cruise someday.

7. The UP

I'm a Michigander but have never really been to the UP, other than just crossing the bridge and visiting Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox (a random memory from my childhood). I'd love to see the state parks up there someday--but only during the height of summer! I have no interest in freezing!

A few other places that intrigue me but seem more doubtful that we'll actually make it there: Iceland, Mexico, England, Ireland, and New Zealand.

What places are on your list?