Dreaming of Travel

When we were expecting a baby, many people warned us our lives would change.  We were told by many people that we wouldn't be able to do the fun stuff we did before we had Rachel.

We're out to prove that you can still do cool things with a baby.  We're trying.. and on some levels, we are doing pretty well.  If someone says 'you can't do that with Rachel', we'll probably try it just to prove them wrong.  One thing that's been tough for us to figure out is travel.

Some of you might laugh, since Rachel has already been to BC and 9 states (WA, OR, CA, VA, NY, MD, DE, PA, NJ).  But I mean REAL travel.  Backpacking and hosteling and different languages/cultures/colors/sights.

Jason and I have not left North America together since 2008 for our Asia trip!  That's 3 years!  (Meggan did play field hockey in Ireland and Bermuda in 2009 but we have not left the continent since Feb 2009.)  This many sound spoiled, but really, I'm so sad and a bit ashamed to state those facts.  We LOVE to travel.  And I MISS it.

I have the time right now.  But not the money.  And not the ability.  I cannot leave the USA right now because I will not be allowed back in.  By the time I get my paperwork figured out to work and travel I will be working.  And then we might have the money... but not the time.  A frustrating circle!

So... is this because we have a baby?  Is it financial?  Is it because we've been trying to figure out where to live and what jobs to pursue?  We don't like the idea that it's because we're getting old/responsible/settling down.  We don't want to do those things... not exactly.

In any case, we miss it.  Terribly.

In front of me I have the book "1001 Natural Wonders you must se before you die" - a great dreaming book my mom gave me in 2005 that we love.  Well, since I am not allowed to leave the USA as I wait for my travel permit, here are the 105 inside the USA.  Thought this might inspire me or cheer me up.

- The Great Lakes
- Brooks Range, Alaska
- McNeil River Falls, Alaska
- Mount Katmai, Alaska
- Bear Glacier, Alaska
- Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska
- Portage Glacier, Alaska
- Alexander Archipelago, Alaska
- Glacier Bay, Alaska
- Mount McKinley, Alaska
- Bering Straight, Alaska
- Mount Rainier, WA (M, J, R)
- Grand Coulee, WA (M, J, R)
- Dry Falls, WA
- Upper Skagit River, WA
- Mt. St. Helens WA/OR (M,J,R)
- Massacre Rocks, Idaho
- St. Mary Lake, Montana
- National Bison Range, Montana
- Lake McDonald, Montana
- Mahar Point, Maine
- Old Sow Whirlpool, Maine
- Crater Lake, OR (M,J,R)
- Multnomah Falls, OR (M,J,R)
- Mount Hood, OR (M,J,R)
- Columbia River Gorge (M,J,R)
- Badlands, South Dakota
- Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota
- Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
- Mammoth Springs, Wyoming
- Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
- Grand Prismatic Spring and Firehole River, Wyoming
- Devil's Tower, Wyoming
- Agate Fossil Beds, Nebraska
- Monterey Canyon, CA
- Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary, CA
- San Andreas Fault, CA
- Yosemite National Park, CA
- Glacier Point,CA
 - Rancho La Brea Tar Pits, CA
- Sentinel Dome, CA
- Half Dome, CA
- Bridal Veil Falls, CA
- Kings Canyon, CA
- Lake Tahoe, CA (M, J, Small Person)
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Giant Redwoods, CA (M, J, R)
- Mono lake and Craters, CA
- Channel Islands, CA
- Death Valley National Park, CA
- Vernal Pools, CA
- Bristlecone Pine, White Mountains, CA
- Mount Lassen, CA
- Beaches of Southern California
- Monument Valley, UT/AZ
- Arches National Park, UT
- Great Salt Lake, UT
- Canyonlands National Park, UT
- Dead Horse Point, UT
- Zion Canyon, UT
- Natural Bridges, UT
- Hoodoos, CO/UT
- Bryce Canyon, UT
- Thor's Hammer, UT
- The Mittens, UT/AZ
- Dinosaur National Monumnet, CO
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison, CO
- Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
- Florissant Fossil Beds, CO
- Cave of the Winds, CO
- Deleware Bay, DE/NJ
- Natural Bridge, VA
- Mammoth Caves, Kentucky
- Huachuca Mtns, AZ
- Oak Creek Canyon, AZ
- Grand Cayon, UT/AZ
- Petrified Forest National Park, AZ
- The Painted Desert, AZ
- Saguaro National Park, AZ
- Antelope Canyon, AZ
- Canyon de Chelly National Monument, AZ
- Chiricahua National Monument, AZ
- Kartchner Caverns, AZ
- Meteor Crater, AZ
- The Sonoran Desert (Mexico border)
- Bisti Badlands & De-Na-Zin Wilderness, NM
- Bandera Ice Caves, NM
- White Sands National Monument, NM
- City of Rocks, NM
- Shiprock Peak, NM
- The Kneeling Nun, NM
- Blue Hole, NM
- Lechugilla Cave, NM
- Cimarron Canyon, NM
- The Valley of Fires, NM
- Carlsbad Caverns, NM
- Las Huertas Canyon, NM
- Slaugter Canyon Cave, NM
- Soda Dam, NM
- The Lost Sea, Tennesee
- Natural Bridge Caverns, TX
- The Basin of he Chisos Mtns, TX
- Big Cypress National Reserve, FL
- Everglades National Park, FL
- Ponce de Leon Spring, FL

Lots of beautiful places.  And many more not even listed.  I noted the ones we've been to with Rachel.  I've been to a few more on my own, and Jason has been to many.

So, as tempted as I am to pack up and drive to Wyoming or Great Sand Dunes or even South Dakota tomorrow just to explore... I think I can wait until next week.  On Dec 12th, Rachel and I will fly to Palm Springs to go do an early Christmas with Nana.  Nana has treated herself to a golf vacation for the month of December and while we're there, we will get to check out a couple of things on this list.

As for REAL international travel... we'll keep dreaming.