the summer 2014 travel lineup

somehow, miraculously, my busiest time at work is over.  it seems too good to be true, but after several 80+ hour weeks, and many more 70+ hour weeks, i’m ready to explore something other than a corporate office.  thanks for your patience these past few months – more frequent blog posts to return shortly.

while not necessarily recommended, work stress does have one positive impact on me: it forces me to plan vacations.  i love having something to look forward to, a celebration for the end in sight.  or in this case, not just a single celebration, but many!  i am so excited for the travel lineup this summer, i can hardly wait.  after agonizing over the budget with my husband (we set aside a certain amount each month to make sure we can travel to the extent we like, foregoing other luxuries like nicer cars or a bigger house), we’re booked for the following locations:

the stunning texas hill country

• road trip through texas – my husband is going on a bachelor party road trip through central and southeast texas, complete with bbq, biking, and beer.  i tried to insert myself into that soiree, but apparently it’s not very traditional for a female to join.  shame.  at least the wedding is in hill country, too.  thinking of buying myself a pair of boots for the occasion.  yeehaw.

the devil’s backbone, outside of wimberley in texas hill country

• new york, new york – then it’s my turn for a bachelorette party in the city of cities.  my all time favorite, and this time i don’t have to plan a thing!  the last time i was in new york, i focused only on brooklyn, hardly venturing into manhattan.  while fantastic (and something i would definitely recommend), i’m ready to again be in an empire state of mind.

let’s hear it for new york…

• los angeles (x2) – does it count as a vacation if you’ve lived there before?  i think so.  i’m looking forward to seeing old friends and partaking in several father’s office burgers (if you are ever in LA, you absolutely must try this burger.  as someone who counts cheeseburgers among her favorite foods, believe me when i say this burger is incredible).  and staying at the cottages in silverlake is always a treat.

the view from our cottage in silverlake, a favorite stay in los angeles

• new orleans, louisiana – is it crazy that i have never been to n’awlins before?  i think so!  so thrilled that my friend, stephanie, pushed our friends to book this trip.  it is shaping up to be a fabulous time with good food, great friends, and (hopefully) lots of jazz.  did  i mention good food?

new orleans, as shot by ed bierman at https://www.flickr.com/photos/edbierman/10798203675/

• south africa – yes!  we booked it!  it’s official!  i fell in love with southern africa after reading brendan van son’s blog last year when he rode a motorcyle through africa, and i couldn’t wait to see it myself (sans bike).  we’ll be taking the beginner’s guide to south africa as i like to call it, which includes about five days in cape town and five days in kruger national park.  so excited to explore the winelands, table mountain, and see the big 5 (the lion, rhinoceros, leopard, buffalo, and elephant).  one of our safari lodgings includes canvas walls so that “you can hear the animals and be that much closer to nature.” scared. out. of. my. mind.

cape town, south africa, as shot by eGuide travel at https://www.flickr.com/photos/eguidetravel/2919101197/

• mystery location – yes, you read that correctly.  it’s time for the biannual bestie trip, and we cannot decide where to go.  solution?  let’s wait until the last minute and play travel roulette and follow the deals!  we may end up in boise, but hey, i hear boise has it going on.

please, please tell me about your adventures this summer!  where are you going?  and would you like to write about them in a guest post?  i would love to feature them and hear  more!  i get so inspired from others’ vacations.