2016 Travel Resolutions
Normally I only half heartedly make some New Year resolutions. I’ll spend a few minutes thinking about what I want to work on or toward, write them down, then…forget about them.
Last year I couldn’t think of any. Sure, there were plenty of things I could work on, but I didn’t feel any desire or drive to make resolutions so, instead, I set travel goals. I had three:
- Go to Burma
- Go to a music festival
- Go on a road trip in the U.S.
Local market at Inle Lake in Burma
I did make it to Burma and it looked like I was actually going to slip in a music festival at the very end of the year here in Thailand but at the last minute was invited on a trip with The Yacht Week (posts to come soon!) that was the same week as the festival. So I didn’t get to cross ‘music festival’ off my list but instead experienced a truly once in a lifetime holiday and kind of saw it as a road trip…just on the water through the Thai islands instead of on an actual road in the U.S.
It counts, right?
The Yacht Week: Thailand
Anyway, I didn’t quite meet all three of my travel resolutions but finished 2015 feeling pretty pleased with myself anyway.
For 2016 I’m doing the same thing and setting three travel resolutions. I’m not really sure where these are coming from – I rarely have any clear reason or rhyme to why I want to visit a place, I either just want to go or don’t care at all – or how I’m going to make them all happen, but here they are:
1. Go on a road trip along the west coast of the U.S.
I have a big birthday coming up this year and, while I’ve done plenty of smaller road trips, I’ve never had that epic summer American road trip. I want to go from Seattle down the coast to San Diego and, if I can keep myself from driving straight into Mexico, cut into Arizona to see the Grand Canyon.
2. Turkey
For some reason I’ve always wanted to go to Turkey. Don’t know how it’s going to happen – it doesn’t make sense considering I spend most of my time between Southeast Asia and the west coast of the U.S. – but I know a couple people living there and just feel like this is the year.
3. Australia
While I’ve assumed that I would get to Australia at some point (it’s relatively close to Thailand), I’ve never felt a strong pull toward it. However I know several friends living in Sydney and Melbourne and have recently written a lot about the country for clients which has made me realize just how much the country has to offer. So…the travel seed has been planted.
And you? What are your travel resolutions for 2016? Where do you want to go discover and explore?
Hey! I'm Alana and I've spent nearly the past decade living in Chiang Mai, Thailand, working as a writer and photographer. I started Paper Planes as a place to share local insight, special places, and how to travel well through a range of experiences — from hostels to high-end hotels, street meat to multi-course meals.
New places are always calling my name...
1/07/16
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That would be an amazing road trip! Please stop by and say hi if you make it to Newport Beach! I want to go to Nicaragua this year- good job I’m going on Saturday! 🙂
Nice – you’ll have reached all your goals for the year 😉 Have fun! Will let you know if/when I make it down…
Come to Turkey!!!
I know… I have no idea how I would make it happen but really want to…when’s the best time to come?
Absolutely you should come to Turkey…
I want to so bad – I’m going to make it work!!
You should definitely try to make it to the Grand Canyon! You can’t even begin to imagine just how huge and amazing it is!! Also…Turkey (Istanbul) is one of my favorite places I’ve ever been. So. Much. History. And beauty all in one!
I’ve never been to either….will work to make it happen!!
A US road trip of the west coast is actually something I’VE been hoping to do, too. Do you have any idea of when that might take place? It could be really super amazingly awesome to do it together…just sayin’! KEEP ME POSTED! I am tentatively thinking of being in the states from March to June…
Welcome home! I love all your travels–BUT– we have plenty of great sites right here at home! And – – you should take a trip down the West Coast – – from Seattle to San Diego. I have traveled every coastal road from northern part of Washington to Ensenada Mexico – – and you would enjoy most of it. I would not drive to Mexico now. Wherever I have traveled around the world – – I always compare it to California.! We have beautiful oceans and beaches – – San Francisco and the bridges – – largest trees in the world, redwoods – – mountains – – deserts, death Valley below sea level – – volcanoes – – sunbathing on the beach and five hours later snow skiing at Lake Tahoe – – Yosemite and other national parks – – wines and wineries famous around the world – – famous universities – – food – – meat and poultry shipped around the world – – high-tech centers famous around the world – – etc. etc.
However – – I’m still envious – – and very proud – – of all that you have done! Keep it up.
Love you.
Grandad.
As usual, there are several places in Indonesia I want to visit, repeating and new places. Barus and Toba Lake in North Sumatera, revisiting Lombok, and perhaps Borobudur temple. Gonna do more sketching while traveling this year. But before all that, I’m excited to see Madonna live in Singapore.
I hope you get all your travel wishes come true! I’ve heard sooo many terrific things about Turkey, seems that everyone I know who’s been there loved it!
Just came across your blog, and I’m glad I did! I made that (SD > SEA) road trip a few years ago, but just kept driving into Canada. I couldn’t recommend it enough. The spontaneity of road trips is what makes them so special. Looking forward to your future posts!
Thanks, Moses!