Have you ever had a great opportunity in front of you that made you feel frozen and anxious; not sure what your first step should be? That’s how I felt when I learned that MM and I would be moving to Europe for 8 months. So many cool experiences to be had–right at my fingertips. But where do I even begin? I feel a sort of pressure to make the most of my time in Spain and to not let any of it pass without being appreciated and utilized to the fullest. A good pressure/problem to have, I know.
To make sure that I don’t let this time fly by without making the most of it, I put some thought into my biggest travel goals.
With 8 months, here are my biggest 8 travel goals for this year:
Visit 8 Countries (including at least 4 new ones)
It’s a priority of mine to experience a few new countries this year. At the same time, there’s a short list of countries I’ve already visited that I want to get back to for an extended experience. When I first made my travel wishlist for our move to Spain, the list of cities was near 20, somewhat of a stretch. Now that we’re here, I’m culling down my list. Maybe I won’t make it to all 20 locales but here’s hoping I knock a bunch off the list.
Top of my wish list:
- New Countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland
- Countries to Return to: France, Italy, Greece, United Kingdom
Experience the Wellness Scene During my Travels
I love finding a local spin studio or hunting down the best matcha latte, but often while traveling I skip over the wellness scene. When I don’t know my way around, I’ll default to the hotel gym and whatever coffee shop is closest. With so many great cultures to explore in the coming months, I want to get more out of my comfort zone and venture to hidden wellness gems. I’ll share my findings with you here!
Go on a Solo Trip
I consider myself to be pretty independent, yet I’ve never taken a solo trip. I’m not great with directions, I’m definitely not gong to rent a car in a foreign country (I barely feel comfortable driving in a city I don’t know well in America), and I’m kind of a fraidy cat and like to think safety in numbers. Traveling alone is an experience I’d like to have. Most experiences I enjoy having with someone else, but I’m going to take this leap and give solo travel a try. Also, my travel wish list is clearly long and MM has work Monday-Friday, leaving me with quite a bit of time to explore solo.
Attempt to See The Northern Lights
This has been a dream of mine for a long time. I’m happy to report I just booked flights to Norway! The problem with the Northern Lights is you can spend a lot of time and money to see them, and it’s a toss up if you’ll catch a glimpse. I’m going to at least attempt to see them. I’m upping my chances by going extremely far north to Tromso, a top ranked Northern Lights destination. I’ll be traveling in March when there is only about 5 hours of daylight. Wish me luck!
Ski Switzerland
How can I not experience some of the best skiing in the world while living in Europe? Switzerland is a quick flight away, and though my skiing skills might be mediocre (I switched from snowboarding last year and am still working up my confidence), I need to put myself to the test on the beautiful Swiss Alps.
Explore Small Towns
In the past when I’ve traveled to Europe, I’ve stuck with the biggest cities and attractions. Big cities are great, but I’m interested in a new kind of experience, finding small charming towns and wandering my way through.
Take a Scenic Train Ride
How dreamy do train rides through the Swiss Alps look? I need to do a lot more research to figure out the logistics of this, right now I’ve got my eye on Switzerland’s Glacier Express.
Enjoy the Moment
I love travel, yes. But travel can be tiring, uncomfortable, stressful, and expensive. Many times during trips I’ll think ahead and look forward to getting back to the comforts of home. My goal this year is to shift my attitude and focus more on experiencing and enjoying the moment. I don’t have many of my typical comforts of home since our apartment is a long-term Airbnb. Hopefully this helps me not fast forward through the moments.
