I'm a Wannabe Traveler

I love traveling. Really love it. I love the feeling I get when I'm in a new place, seeing the sites, trying out local restaurants, and experiencing what it has to offer. There is nothing better than visiting a new place and wandering around their downtown. It's all new and exciting, and I find that I'm far more adventurous and outgoing when I'm traveling. At home, I can be  kind of a home-body, quite reserved and hesitant to step out of my comfort zone. When away, I'm very get up and go, and will go into any little shop I see.

The problem? I haven't been anywhere!  Well, I guess I've been places, but I wouldn't consider myself to be well travelled. Up until a few years ago, I didn't even have a passport and had never even been on a plane. I had travelled throughout New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and ventured into a bit of Maine, but nothing to far from home.

That started to change when I changed jobs and started teaching at a middle school. I was invited along to chaperone school trips, which was great! I got to experience new places while seeing a couple bus loads of kids also have a great time in a new place, many getting to visit places for the same time, like I was. It's not exactly relaxing travel, because I'm on duty 24 hours a day for four days straight, but it's always an adventure. With school trips, I've visited Montreal three times and once to Ottawa and Quebec City. This year, we're staying closer to home and exploring parts of Nova Scotia.

Another boost to my wannabe traveler status was when I won a trip. Through a radio contest, I won a trip to Florida. Pretty lucky, right? It was supposed to be a trip to Disney and Daytona, but being a teacher, taking time off during the school year is pretty complicated, so they allowed me to take the trip during March Break. My husband and I had the dream Disney vacation. We had been married a few years before, but had not taken a honeymoon, so we called this our honey moon. (Let me tell you, it was a splurge trip!)  I was able to check "travel on a plane" off my bucket list. That was also my first Disney Experience, and I definitely caught the Disney bug... I want to go back!  

The places on my travel bucket list grows longer and longer all the time.  I feel like I'll never catch up, but hopefully in the coming years, I'll get to start checking some items off. 

Here are a few on the top of my list:

• Newfoundland
• Toronto
• Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City - without a bus load of kids!
• Alberta -I'd actually love to visit any of the prairie provinces, but to see the prairies and the Rockies would be pretty incredible.
• Yukon - I remember reading about the Klondike and the gold rush in elementary and have wanted to visit ever since.
• England, Scotland, Ireland
• European River Cruise - I always see these advertised on the television. I'd love to experience one!
• Holland - my grandfather was in Holland during WWII, and I've always wanted to visit.
• Disney World (again) -This time, it would be new again, because we'd be taking our son!

Have you ever travelled to any of these places? What are some "must-sees"? What's on your travel bucket list?