I've always been a goal writer. Something about putting it on paper makes it seem so much more real, as if seeing it written down makes me feel like it will magically just happen. But let's be honest, realistically just writing it down makes me want to work on it more to achieve it. I have been able to accomplish so much over the years by just putting my dreams on paper. This coming year in 2014, I am finally going on my long awaited dream of a trip around the world. I wrote this goal down back in 2007 and have never been able to forget about it. So in less then 37 days I will be taking off for a trip all around Europe with a stop off to Marrakech, Morocco. I wouldn't call this a New Year's resolution goal, it's more of what I like to call a "before I die" goal. I think using the beginning of the year is just a good timeframe to write the things you'd like to accomplish in the next few years down on paper or what I call my "dream book".
For years I have been jotting down my goals/dreams in the back of my calender book I carry around with me each year, but with all the new technology now I just started using a journal book I downloaded for my IPad. I love that I can put pictures in it to personalize it to look all artsy fartsy and reflect my personality. Whether you'd like to believe it or not, those that write their dreams and goals down and look at it throughout the year, are much more likely to make it happen. It can be kinda magical!
For 2014 and 2015 I am hoping to accomplish a lot of financial growth by just plan paying off ALL my credit cards. Of course this has been a goal of mine for the past five years. I see some progress happening slowly, but I'm about to get aggressive with it. I think everyone has this one written down somewhere. So here are some that you may NOT have written down, that I hope to make happen for myself in the coming years.
1. Get my California license so I can make a ton of money.
2. Buy an RV to travel and live in as a gypsy
3. Finish up remodeling job so you can rent out extra room to other gypsies
4. Find a good online program to further my education
5. Go on Asia Around The World 2015 (save $$ for trip)
With a cold front coming into Roswell, New Mexico, we decided to jump in the car to go see the aliens. What else is there to do in cold weather! So with a three hour drive from Las Cruces, we went road trippin. Our first stop was the UFO Museum located downtown. This place was like stepping back into the 1950's, actually the whole town was like stepping back into time. Maybe this is their edge to staying creepy and to draw more people to Roswell. Whatever it is, it is working for them!
The UFO Museum hasn't changed I'm pretty sure since it opened up in 1992. I walked in expecting to see some very high tech effects with space ships and 3D aliens walking around. Instead we got old newspaper clippings with pictures made from a copier glued to boards, old office equipment you'd find back in the 1940's, posters from alien movies and TV shows, and paintings done by local artist.
This was the coolest antique item that was on display, a 1947 Remington typewriter. Believe it or not, I can actually remember typing on a typewriter. So glad computers finally came along though.
When your in Roswell you are of course expecting to see some cool aliens, and these were the coolest ones that can be found. They call them "The Greys" because of their color and the ones that people claim to see most often. You can see them in the museum for only $5 a person. I think that's a pretty cheap price to see some aliens up close without being probed.
Roswell UFO Museum Video
"The Truth Is Here" is the motto of the museum and applies to the crash that happened back in 1947. Something strange happened here that still puzzles people, and draws thousands here every year wanting to see where this alleged flying saucer crashed down in this little desert town. The museum is a non-profit educational organization with a mission to educate the public about all aspects of UFO phenomena's.
A lower jaw of unknown origin held at Wright Patterson Air Force Base compared to a human jawbone on display at the UFO museum in Roswell.
Make sure you pick up your Alien Hunting license permit before you leave Roswell. You never know when you will need it. Bag limit is unlimited which is good, just incase there is ever an attack on Earth. You want to make sure you can hunt down as many aliens as needed. I think an alien attack is much more likely then a zombie attack. Just my opinion!
Do you go crazy over little green men like I do? Then you should make a trip to Roswell like we did. You can not help yourself but to love this place and this crazy little 1950 style town. It's cheesy, it's weird, but fun to see. Nothing like picking up a little green friend to take home with you.
This place is still a visitor hot spot even after reaching it's 66th anniversary. I think this place will never loose it's novelty status. There really is no other place in the world like this little UFO town. It's a strange place which will continue to draw people from all walks of life. Each year the UFO Festival is held in the month of July. So if you really want to see this place come to life with costumes, games, food, and music, come crash in Roswell.
The life of a traveling gypsy is an interesting way to live. The places I get to see and the people I get to meet along the way, makes up my life in a nutshell. I've driven to Wisconsin in the winter time, been to the desert of New Mexico, stood still with the cows in West Texas. I've vacationed on the Big Island to see Kilauea volcano; one of the most active volcanoes on earth, drove to the top of Mauna Kea to see the observatories located there. And despite warnings from family and friends, took off to Istanbul, Turkey for a week with my son to experience the Turkish culture. I love this life I lead, even though it can be lonely at times. But the adventures make it all worth it in the end. Here's a look at this Gypsy's life this last two years and how I'm living the dream.
Here's me on my first assignment in Dallas, Texas enjoying the great Texas State Fair. With tons of eateries and a huge hike and bike trail system located right downtown, you really can't go wrong with an assignment here. Next time I take an assignment here though, I will not be staying in an Extended Stay. I learned real quick that after working 12 long hours, you really want to come home to a nice place to relax, and a smoky smelly apartment is not a 13 week pleasant experience.
This is as close to a bear that I will get without being eaten alive. This bear sanctuary is located right in town of Wausau, Wisconsin. A bunch of us from work took a trip to go see the bears and the man that raised them right in his own backyard. This local Wisconsinite built a large gated enclosure right in back of his home in Wausau to house two cubs that were found homeless. We got to see first hand how gentle these bears really are and what it takes to raise them.
While on assignment in Wausau, I met another traveler from Alabama named Carrie.....AKA "Alabama Toe Jam"! She only had two more weeks to stay before heading back home. I was shocked to find out she had not been out to explore anything in the last 11 weeks that she had been there in Wisconsin. Being the little adventurer that I am, I made reservations for us to stay in an old historical hotel in Milwaukee for the weekend. We soon found out the old hotel was actually the place Jeffery Dahmer had killed his first victim. Talk about a sleepless night in Milwaukee!
Seeing Milwaukee is like the beer drinking city of the world, well besides Munich, Germany, we made a reservation to tour the Lakefront Brewery company. What a blast we had drinking different kinds of beers and even got to sing the Laverne & Shirley song at the end of the tour. Here's a video of our trip to Milwaukee and the adventure we had in this fun city.
I think Georgia O'Keeffe would be proud of me! Nothing like painting in the beautiful mountains of New Mexico a replica of Georgia's "Horse’s Skull with White Rose". She feel in love with New Mexico the first time she visited here in 1929. She soon found herself coming to Santa Fe and Taos every summer for the next 12 years to paint the beautiful desert lands. In 1940 she finally decided to permanently move to be closer to her new found love......New Mexico. They don't call it the Land Of Enchantment for nothing guys.
I must say I'll try anything once, especially if it involves a coupon. So when I saw a coupon to skydive White Sands in New Mexico, I jump on that deal and signed myself up. Falling out of the sky 10,000 feet just seemed like fun at the time. My guided tour buddy.....a local Texas boy....small world! Of course he's giving me the thumbs up to sign my life away.
White Sands Skydive
Yes, Saint Louis was my pit stop from Wausau back home to Texas. After driving 10 long hours, I had booked a room with an amazing view of the Gateway Arch from my window. Right before the sunset that night I was able to get some great photos of the Arch. Saint Louis seemed like a great place to do a future travel assignment.
Can I just sing "I love Chicago"? This city captured this Texas girls heart and I was ready to pack up and move. With Millennium Mile, Lane Beach Park, Art Institute of Chicago, and The Navy Pier, one would never be bored here. I drove five hours twice while in Wisconsin to stay the weekend in the city. Once was to make it to Saint Patty's Day and see the river get turned green. Something I'll never forget. I will forever be in love with this amazing town.
When your in Chicago, you must get your picture taken with the Monumental statue of Marilyn Monroe. I was of course by myself at the time, so without hesitation I pulled a stranger from the crowd to take a photo of me standing right under her. Don't be shy, some moments call for that!
I ask you this question "Are you living your dream?". I'd like to think I am. I have been very lucky over the past two years to see so much and experience some amazing things. My life has been one big roller coaster ride and I love it. I just can't see myself doing anything different. I hope I inspire others to live life to the fullest without regrets. I want to grow old knowing I did everything I ever wanted to do and that I lived a wonderful life.
I went to Hawaii for the first time in 2012 with my son Shelby for a week vacation of exploring Honolulu along with the Big Island. After a bad breakup that I had just gone through, I needed to get away to mend my heavy heart. I was lucky to stumble upon a great price on tickets leaving out of Dallas for only $450. It was something I could not pass up at the time. How do I get such good deals is a question I get asked all the time. My trick is to just sign up to get emails to some of the top discount airline sights that sent out a weekly discount airfares from your home base airports. The best site that I have found that offers some amazing deals is www.airfarewatchdog.com. With such a cheap priced airfare to Hawaii, I was able to take my son along with me. Staying in a cheaper hotel downtown and with the awesome airfare price we got, made this vacation very affordable. Being in Hawaii for a week was defiantly a dream come true and was exactly what this Texas girl needed at the time.
When you dream of relaxing on a beach in Hawaii, Hanauma Bay is the beach you need to go to. It is the most beautiful beach I had ever seen, with clear calm water for you to sock up the sun. I think my son and I just laid on this beach for hours enjoying the view. And to think for a few dollars we got here by using the city bus system that is available in O'ahu. A one way fare is only $2.50 , a four day pass is $25, or a monthly pass is $60. Having a car here is more trouble then what it's worth, so skip the car rental while in O'ahu and just take the bus. I believe in visiting like your a local.
While I was in Hawaii, I met up with another traveler who took me and my son to a luau with Paradise Cove. This was the view as the sunset that night. We had the traditional Hawaiian meal with smoked pig, white rice, and poi. Never could find myself liking the poi, but I did fall in love with dragon fruit. The futuristic looking fruit had the sweetest meat inside of it. Defiantly the strangest fruit I had ever seen before.
Here we are on top of the world on Mauna Kea on the Big Island. The summit of Mauna Kea hosts the world's largest astronomical observatory, with telescopes operated by astronomers from eleven countries.At 14,000 feet, there is 40% less oxygen than at sea level, so we had to make sure we acclimatize to the altitude before proceeding further up the mountain. When we finally made it to the top, it was as close to being on the moon as I would ever experience.
Another part of the Big Island I was dying to see was the Volcanoes National Park. Getting in to see the volcanoes was by far cheaper then getting to the top of Mauna Kea, but still just as exciting.
The volcano park was endless with so much to see. You really could spend a few days walking the many different areas of the park. We almost made it out to the edge of the sea as we walked around exploring the Mauna Iki volcano eruption. But it's size can be deceiving to your eyes and we felt like we'd never would make it to the water.
Hawaii really is full of every color beach you can think of, from black, to green, to white, to red in color. Some of the most beautiful beaches are located here. This was an amazing vacation with so much to see and do in only 9 days. Just not enough time to see all that the Hawaii Islands have to offer. I'm putting it on my list of places I must return to one day soon.
