It is always a little daunting to start up a new blog site. I had been a semi-regular blogger on Yahoo360 the past several years, but with all the technical difficulties that kept cropping up, I became increasingly frustrated. Blogs are supposed to be fun and cathartic, not tedious work so I just stopping blogging altogether. I am someone that likes to write and I have found that I really missed it, so here I am again in cyberspace one more time.

So what will I write about? Whatever suits my fancy at the time I imagine. Sometimes it will be about medicine. Sometimes it will be about my family. Sometimes it will be about my current frustrations. Mostly, I will be writing about what is on my mind, and usually that is what my next travel adventure will be and where. As my profile stated, I live to travel and travel to live. It is my Prozac. The planning and anticipation of my next trip is the balm that smoothes out the rough edges in my life. I have learned that it is truly the journey and not necessarily just the destination that brings joy to my life and a smile to my face.

Luckily I am in a position to be able to travel several times a year, anywhere from a weekend get-away to see a concert to a two week tour in Europe. Yes it does take planning, but as a self-employed physician in a group practice, I make my own hours. I don't get paid vacations, per say, but I do have the flexibility to take time off as I want to. My husband is a self employed consultant, so his hours are equally as flexible. I only have one child still living at home and my parents live with us, so there is always someone to fall back on to take care of the house and the pets. And I am still young enough to really enjoy traveling, trying new things, tasting new foods and learn about new cultures....I do not want to wait for my retirement years for this!

I think the travel bug has always been there, but the past several years travel has become a passion. Since 2000, these have been my journeys:

1. Go Ahead Tours: Landscapes of Great Britain (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England) 2002
2. Maui/CME work and vacation 2004
3. Grand Cayman work and vacation 2004
4. RC Mexican Caribbean Cruise 2005
5. Go Ahead Tours: Walking Tour of Tuscany 2005
6. Niagara Falls for our 25th Anniversary/Toronto U2 Show 2005
7. Maui 2005
8. Cancun Spring Break 2006
9. Honolulu Oahu/U2 Fan Group Gathering 2006
10. RC Greece Cruise and then our self tour of Italy: Venice, Florence, Tuscany and Rome
11. Washington DC CME work and vacation 2006
12. Honolulu Oahu, U2 show 2006
13. RC Cruise from Puerto Rico, to Aruba, Curacao, St Martin, St John 2007
14. Road Trip to Seattle and NCL Cruise to Alaska CME/vacation 2007
15. Couples Swept Away Jamaica 27th Anniversary 2007
16. Chicago CME/vacation 2007
17. CSA , Jamaica, a second time 2007
18. New York City for the New Year 2007-8
19. RC Cruise to Mexico and Belize from Tampa 2008
20. New York City/RC Cruise to Bermuda 2008
21. San Diego CME and Vacation 2008
22. CSA Jamaica for my parent's 50th Anniversary.
23. Oahu 4 day get away 2009
24. Paris 2009

Whoah....that is a lot. There are a few other short overnight trips too, like the one where Jim and I flew to California, saw Bruce Springsteen in concert and flew back the next morning so I could work....that takes dedication! Or craziness. And of course, our weekend in Vegas to see Jimmy Buffett last October!

I may go back and write about some past journeys because there are some interesting ones, especially our self tour of Italy. Right now I am not planning any new trips because this summer I have to take my boards, so we are not doing anything in June, my usual time off. We may just take the Winnebago up to Yellowstone for an extended weekend, but have not decided yet. Tentatively, we are going to Jamaica for our 29th anniversary and I want to something for my 50th birthday, but I have not decided yet. And next month its a road trip to Vegas for the weekend to see Jimmy Buffett again.

I may even copy some old posts from 360. So stay tuned.