My Favorite Places ... Let The Travels Begin!
I became a worldwide traveler at a young age thanks to my time in the military. Since leaving the military I have continued to travel on my own. I have a love for traveling and my hope is to be able to retire within the next 10 years from the conventional work force. Once I retire, I plan to move abroad for a few years and be home-based in Marseille, France. I will write novels, do freelance writing, and travel Europe and Africa. Travel writer perhaps? Not sure the world needs another travel writer.
The below cities are my top 5 places that I have visited and plan on visiting again. I am going to share a little about each of these wonderful places with the hopes of encouraging you to get your travel on as well.
Bali, Indonesia - Bali is an Indonesian island located just 8 degrees south of the equator. It is breathtakingly beautiful and a popular destination for honeymoons and those looking for great resorts. The weather is pretty warm all year long, pretty hot on some days. During the day you can hike a volcano, surf, do a jungle excursion, or visit ancient temples or palaces. I spent a lot of time relaxing on the beach during the day. The nightlife is nice with great dining, dance clubs, bars, and moonlit walks. I also spent a lot of nights dancing it up.
Corfu, Greece - Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. I fell in love with Greece, Corfu in particular, although I never developed a taste for Ouzo, which seemed to be everywhere. I became a greek food fan (yummy lamb gyros on the street) and enjoyed the shopping experience. I bought lots of lavender scented goods. I found Corfu to be both stunning with amazing views from all points of the island and wondrous with all of the Greek mythology. The Mediterranean weather is wonderful and warm and the setting is romantic. Definitely worth a return visit.
Mallorca, Spain - Mallorca is a Spanish island and all I can say is "PARTY". Actually I did all of my fun-having in Palma, which is a city on the island. I nearly had enough fun to last a lifetime in Mallorca. It is beautiful, and fun, and made me feel a little wild. I spent my days sipping daiquiris on the beach, swimming, and parasailing. I spent my nights dancing up a storm and flirting with an endless parade of really cute guys. Ahh to be young. My return will be somewhat tamer...somewhat.
Marseille, France - I love, love, love Marseille, which is why I will be moving there. Marseille is a port city in the south of France. It is France's second largest city behind Paris. I like Paris as well but Marseille is slightly slower and gives me better access for all of the European travel I plan on doing. Plus the cost of living in Marseille is very reasonable. Marseille is a lovely city by the sea with wonderful Mediterranean climate. It is also a very culturally diverse city and many people speak English. I used to be fluent in French but not so much anymore. Before moving there I plan on regaining my fluency as well as learning passable German. I picture my future self seated at an outside cafe reading a book and sipping a cafe au lait.
Napa Valley, California - Yes I am aware that Napa is neither foreign nor exotic like the others on the list, but that does not make me love it any less. I love great wine and great food and Napa has both. Plus I am a California girl and it's a relatively short trip to get away to a nice B&B in Napa. There's some really good French restaurants located in Napa, some very pricey ones too. For me, Napa Valley is romantic and relaxing. If one doesn't feel romantic and relaxed in this locale, you are doing something wrong or you are with the wrong person.
This is my past and my future travels. Life is too short, and although we all have the what ifs, and the shoulda coulda lists, I am doing my best to keep my list short. Live your life with few regrets and missed opportunities. You are not getting any younger and time will not wait for you.
Side Note: Ouzo is a distilled alcohol beverage that tastes like black licorice. Yuck!
