On the road again

After my Seattle/Vancouver trip in August, I took a travel break. I wanted to spend time in Chicago, see my friends and try dating. Two of these things happened with good results.

But after a seven month break and a few work-related trips, I’m hitting the road again, solo-travel style.

And rather than take a trip in the states to get my feet wet again, I’m heaving myself in the deep end by heading back overseas.

ORD>CDG

That’s right, Charles De Gaulle, aka Paris.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. My seven month personal travel break made feel safe and comfortable again, and I feel like I lost some of my adventurer nerve.

But as much as I love Chicago, I need a vacation…badly.

I need a break from life and work here. I need a change of scenery so I can clear my mind.

I love solo travel because of the freedom it allows, but it is also lonely at times.

To combat this, I took a friend’s advice and started journaling on my larger trips. I write in it as if I’m talking to a friend, telling them what I see, do and experience each day. I wrote in one for my Italy trip, starting from the day before I left. The journal holds my fears, joys, lists of what I saw and history I learned.

At times, the journal became a like a travel companion. It went with me everywhere and was updated multiple times a day.

And now that I’m hitting the road again, my new journal just arrived and I cannot wait to start writing in it.

So I’m off on the road again. But I’ll be back soon with updates from Paris and my super crazy decision to attend a work function in New York right after. But, um, it’s for Mad Men, so it was an easy decision 🙂

Any upcoming travels for you?