pabertra's VirtualTourist Home Page
| Page Views: 20,967 | A Lifetime of Adventures by pabertra - last update: Jul 17, 2009 |
10 years of travel...All new perspectives A decade ago I set out to see the places of the world that as a child I glanced curiously at in magazines. I thought they were so beautiful then. Now they are no longer a series of still images, but vibrant memories like an welcome assault on my senses, the smell of spices in Moroccan souqs, the black sands of Tenerife hot on my heels, the intoxicating rhythyms of gnaoua musicians pulsing through my body, all as fresh as the day I experienced them. I set out to see the true sights of the world, but have found the most memorable portions of my travel have been the people I have encountered along the way. From a fiercely independent 3 year old Tarahumara Indian girl hiking on the rim of the canyon steps away from a deadly fall, to children in the streets of Morocco who delighted in catching paper airplanes as they flew haphazardly from my second story window...these are the true highlights of my travels.
Much of my travel up to this point has been solo, and though exciting, it is the shared discovery of a new culture or a new way of life that brings meaning to travel. Having a good travel companion is equally as important as the journey itself so many if not all of my future travels I hope to share with someone that shares that insatiable curiosity about the world we live in. |
|  | Travel 2009... %s
Travel is gaining momentum this year...Kicked off 2009 with a weeklong road trip through Mexico walking the beaches of picturesque San Carlos, getting lost in the secret gardenlike hotel in colonial El Fuerte, hopping on El Chepe and watching between railcars as The Copper Canyon unfolded before me, rubbing shoulders with Tarahumara Indians and reusing some long lost Spanish skills from those study abroad days in Spain.. Little did I know opportunity would land me again in Mexico in July, this time in metropolitan Monterrey with a lively cobblestone historic district and a charming Riverwalk.
What's on the horizon? A weekend trip to Miami, going back to Nassau, may possibly wind up in Singapore which would be my first real taste of Asia beyond crossing into the Asian part of Turkey, August will take me south of the border once again to yet another part of Mexico, Mexico City or D.F. The rest is sheer speculation but Peru, Utah, and other locales may be possible...only time will tell.
I've settled on a career in nursing...I love it and it is a career that has thousands of opportunity for travel....what a perfect match! |
| Long Bay, Beef Island, British Virgin Islands |
| | Quick Overview Of Places I've Visited
United States, Puerto Rico, & US Virgin Islands
Mexico
Bahamas
England & British Virgin Islands
Spain & Canary Islands
Portugal
Morocco
Turkey
Greek Isles
Belgium
Switzerland
Canada
My travel goal is to see every Hispanic "country" in the world. I'm on number 3 right now.
Country Count: 12
VT Member Count: 15 |
| | My Travel Life--A Brief History I have always looked for opportunities to travel even as a child. I'd tag along for many of my mom's adventures across the U.S. like the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans. Friends would invite me along with their families as well. Also, I picked up my first nannying job that included accompanying the family on their vacations (what luck!).
As soon as I graduated high school at 16, I struck out on my own adventures starting with a road trip to Texas and a little jaunt into Mexico, which aroused my desire to travel even more.
My college years lead me to the Caribbean: the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. During my fourth year of college I studied abroad in Spain for 6 months and used that as an opportunity to travel Europe extensively and even slip briefly into Africa and Asia. I graduated, started working, and have never looked back.
I've bounced around the Midwest living in Louisville, back to my hometown of Indianapolis, and plan to relocate again at some point. I plan on spending the next few summers traveling stateside. America is a beautiful country and I want to know her as intimately as I do Europe.
Where am I headed next?
Oh, Oh, MEXICO! A jaunt through Sonora stopping at beautiful San Carlos and then heading deep into the Copper Canyon on one of the world's most spectacular train journeys to encounter the Tamahura Indians...
Tucson...checking out the historic downtown area, skiing in Mt. Lemmon, stopping at the San Xavier Mission...and whatever else I can squeeze in...
After that back to weekend trips for awhile due to school...Chicago and hopefully I'll make it to Mackinac Island, MI in 2009.
Otherwise who knows where opportunity will take me....
I still have this US wish list and unfortunately it hasn't changed much except to grow longer:
Oregon: the great Northwest coastline
New Mexico: Taos, Las Cruces, Albequerque, and Santa Fe
Montana: Kalispell, Glacier National Park, Missoula, Bozeman
Boston: Red Sox Game in Fenway Park
Maine: Acadia National Park, Lighthouses
I'd love to escape the US for awhile especially to Croatia or Tanzania. |
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 Comments for pabertra | | | | |
JohnniOmani Sun Oct 25, 2009 13:19 UTC
Really cool homepage. Well done. Cheers from NS John | Mikebb Tue Sep 22, 2009 03:32 UTC
Interesting home page, much travelled for a young person. Thinking of Singapore, was there in May, first time since 1984. We broke our stay with a 3 day trip to Kuching, Borneo, a must see destination. | staindesign Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:55 UTC
Hello there Paige! Happy Happy Birthday my dear! I hope you had a great one! We need a VT meeting here in Indy sometime soon!! | jumpingnorman Wed Aug 26, 2009 07:18 UTC
PAIGE - Happy Birthday! Can you send me a jumping picture on your birthday - would like to put it in the jumping galleries, hehehe...Hugs from the Jumping Family in Arizona :))))) |
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