Summer 2006

A year ago I was running away from my life. I needed a vacation, because I was scarred from my past relationship. I had to take some time for me and be in a new situation. I started this blog to record my experiences. I love to travel and I wanted to share those experiences with my friends and family back home. And I have a hidden desire to work in the travel industry. I may not be a writer or a travel photographer, but I can research. Maybe one day I could work for the travel channel or something like the Amazing Race and research all the cool things to do in a new location.

Anyhow, I digress, because I really wanted to mention that a new summer experience is fast approaching. Even though I'm only going for a month, I have decided to make it big. It is another year of changes, but this time it has been good changes in my life. I was accepted into a graduate program, I will be signing another contract with my job, I am moving into a new place in August, and I will be in a bigger single adult congregation for church. Those are all good changes in my life, which I hope will lead me to a better place. I love being a teacher, because I get summer vacation. So of course I want to go somewhere special while I have this break!

In January I started thinking about my summer. Last year I wanted to go to Asia, but I also didn't think I was ready for a trip alone. Plus, I didn't know where to start. After doing a little bit of research I decided that Singapore was a good starting point for a female traveler who has never been to Asia before. I mentioned to my family that I was interested in making a trip there and of course my parents were worried. Every where I want to go is dangerous to them. They didn't think it was a good idea for me to go on my own. I thought about what they had to say so I starting looking at other locations as well.

I rifled through my travel magazines for deals during the summer. I found a good price for kayaking in Croatia. That looked like a lot of fun, but I have taken a lot of trips to Europe so I wanted to hit another continent. Greece was another option, because I recently watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. In the movie one of the girls visits her grandparents in Greece. I love the blue water and white tiered houses along the coastline. Yet it is also in Europe. I guess I just figure that I'm going to teach abroad sometime in my life and I always imagine that happening in Europe so I know I will get there one day. Last year I was also interested in New Zealand, but the tickets were a little expensive. I didn't want to pay $1200 for a plane ticket. It just didn't feel right at the time. Since I have been to Alaska, I realize I enjoy the outdoors more then I ever knew, so New Zealand has once again become a possibility. Yet I couldn't stop thinking about Asia. I want to go to Asia.

I have a really good friend, Torey, who also wanted to take a trip this summer. He just wanted to leave the country and he has the ability (aka money) to make the trip so I asked if he would travel with me. I knew this would make my parents happy. I started to research Asia a lot more. He is a very adventurous kind of guy and I was worried because I kept looking at cities. He is so nice that I knew he would go wherever I wanted to go, even if he wasn't as interested. So I just couldn't decide what to do.

THEN I started looking at around-the-world tickets. What if I could hit many different spots? Maybe there was a way that I could go to all the locations that I was interested in, within reason of course. I only have so much money so I have to be mindful of that. I found a good website, Air Brokers International, and I started sending them mails with my queries. I also talked with my friend Torey about what he knew would work for him.

After a month of searching and the increasing fuel prices I decided to buy a ticket that suits my fancy. I will be going to New Zealand with my friend, Torey, for a little over two weeks and then I will fly into Singapore for two weeks. I'm so excited. I tried to get an extra week in Germany because I have a connection there, but I have a feeling that I will be spending enough money in a month! I only wish I would have planned for another week in New Zealand.

About a week ago I went to the library to check out a few books on these two locations. There is so much that I want to do. When Torey and I go to New Zealand we are going to rent an RV for about $350 dollars and we will split the costs. We plan to drive around both islands and see as much as possible. Of course, there are a lot of things I want to do as well...such as, scuba dive, caving, paraglide, see penguins, hike, watch a Maori performance, visit the temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and so much more. Hopefully we will meet some locals that we can get to know as well. I will take lots of pictures too. From what I have read, New Zealand is a very diverse country. You can climb glaciers or spend a day at the beach in tropical climates. Since we are going during the it will be a little cold for lounging on the beach, but I don't mind that so much. I can't wait!


Singapore is going to be just as great. Even though it is a city there is still a lot to do. I have started a list of things that I want to do there too...for example, see the zoo, visit outlying islands, get a message, and explore the ethnic quarters among other things. I will be staying at a hostel to save money while I'm there. This is going to be a big trip so I really have to budget my money. I expect that this summer will prepare me for bigger and better adventures. Maybe one day I will just pack up my life and escape into an adventure for a long time, but until then I am looking forward to this summer.

For more tourist information please visit the following websites:
New Zealand Tourism
Singapore Tourism