Aliens are Invading My Apartment!

Anybody who knows me well understands that I am blessed (or cursed, depending on how you look at it) by permanent wanderlust. For the past 8 years, I have visited at least two new countries a year. I love nothing more than the freedom of traveling in an unknown country with only my backpack, Lonely Planet guide and my resourcefulness. The wanderlust "bug" bit me back in 1998 when I backpacked in Morocco and made my way through the entire country over the span of a couple of weeks - I made no advance reservations of any kind and simply meandered throughout the amazing country. From that point on, I was hooked - my backpack and I have made our way to Egypt (pictured above - that's me on the camel), South Africa, Guatemala, New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Poland, Belize, Mexico...the list goes on. The adrenaline, thrill-seeking, freedom-lover in me has found NOTHING more exhilarating than the thrill of exploring new worlds from the inside out.

Unfortunately, I fear that this is the first year that I will not be able to visit two new countries. I am grateful to have had the opportunities and worldly experiences, so I really am not complaining. I do have a trip to Italy with my little sister, but unless I visit some neighboring countries, I am afraid to say, Italy will be my only international destination. My 8 year streak will be broken and it's hard for me to accept this bitter pill. Perhaps it's a mixture of increased responsibility, growing older (gulp), or simply that the wanderlust bug fever is breaking. Who knows?

So, instead of going out to see the world, the world is coming to me! I have been looking forward to this coming week for a long time now because some old friends from Australia and the UK are coming to visit little 'ole me in Cambridge. These are friends I met while backpacking in Egypt in 1999, and we have stayed in touch ever since. (In fact, I went and visited them in their respective countries). And, as wonderful icing on the cake, an old friend from Switzerland e-mailed me this week to let me know he would be in Boston this weekend, so I am also going to get the chance to see him.

What glee! What joy! I will be visiting Australia, the UK and Switzerland this week! What a lucky girl I am ;)