Jillian’s September 1 Post: Travel Dates

Have you ever dreamed of having a life-enriching travel experience but don’t have the time, money or maybe even inclination to visit the Serengeti or the Galapagos Islands? You can have great adventures “in your own backyard.”

I take frequent “Travel Dates,” visiting a place or trying an activity I’ve never experienced before. I’ll go for an hour before I start work, or during my lunch break, or for a couple of hours on a Saturday morning, or on an overnight trip. The key is to try something new, break out of my routine. Because I have found, this is where magic moments often lie…

I’ve walked to a nearby agricultural farm to watch colts feed and frolic with the mares, only to be kissed by a colt less than one month old! I have driven to Navajo country, where I photographed a child in a slot canyon, bathed in a shaft of light, to discover an unexpected sunbeam streaming from her heart. I have volunteered to help band hummingbirds in southern Arizona, and felt the heartbeat, 1000 beats-per-minute, of this tiny creature in the palm of my hand.

We don’t have to travel across the world to discover life-enriching moments. We just must go with the willingness to let the experience inspire our life, and I have found, it always does.

Where would you like to go on a Travel Date? Where have you been that’s provided a good or bad experience? What places or activities would you suggest to others who want to try their own Travel Dates?