the wanderlust begins

i have been described as a “great travel buddy” for as long as i can remember. it must have something to do with the fact that i am totally in awe of most places in the world- and i can’t believe i’ve been given this life, with all the privileges i have, and so i don’t intend to waste it. from snowboarding all day in the mountains of utah as a kid to spending summers catching hermit crabs in the bahamas to braving the topless beach in the south of france, my ability to say “yes” to things knows no bounds. in fact, i get in trouble quite a bit for my inability to say no. on a family trip to costa rica i coerced my fellow kelleys to bungee jump 265 feet off a bridge outside san jose, we famously signed wavers every day we were there. i take every opportunity to suggest travel- thanksgiving? why not vegas?- i even weasled my way into my little sister’s graduation adventure trip rafting in the bottom of the grand canyon on the colorado river when she didn’t want to go. still one of the best trips ever, dad.

now that i’ve graduated college (ugh!) i still have NO idea what i want to do with my life, but i am sure of a few things:

1) i want to see the world before i settle into anything

2) if i don’t see  it now and embrace it to the fullest, i probably never will

3) i am so blessed to have been given this life, and i don’t intend to waste it.

4) i want to give back to all the places i’ve never been, and to all the people i’ve never met and

5) i love to experience new things-mainly food, yoga postures, and petting baby animals

so, when my parents suggested a “gap year” between college and whatever the hell comes next, i eagerly called my fellow travel-enthusiasts who had backpacked the globe before me for advice, phone numbers, volunteer opportunities and to ask where to the cutest baby animals are available for petting.

and now, months later, i am in the midst of planning a backpacking trip around the world for one year with one of my best friends in the world and am signed up for trip after trip before i take off officially- to the holy land with mom to get jiggy with jesus, to do yoga on the red rocks of sedona, and to drink wine with my aunties in italy. then, i fly across the globe to fiji, backtracking my way into the states with projected stops in australia, new zealand, thailand, cambodia, vietnam, laos, india, dubai, south africa, kenya, egypt, turkey, and a free for all 75 day european romp- and i want you there with me every step of the way!

so come along- without the hassle of losing your checked baggage while simultaneously trying to figure out southeast asian airport signs, and read about what are bound to be the amazing adventures and crazy misadventures- the year of a life time- of this twenty something gal and her best pals with a plan to eat weird foods, meet new people, and sever my ties to the world i’ve known for so long- a world of laptop chargers, full closets, and a swath of five star vacations at caribbean resorts.

i’ve always been adventurous- and i want you to adventure with me too!

ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, baby animals of the world…

i am erin, and i am going to travel the earth.