As my two-year travel anniversary quickly approaches, this post was a great way to look back on my current journey and previous trips that led me here, all the moments and places from A-Z.

Thanks to Adventurous D for nominating me. I hope everyone enjoys reading about some of my experiences and that my nominees will have as much fun looking back as I did.

A: Age you made your first international trip.

I didn’t just cross a border to Canada or Mexico my first time. Nor did I go on holiday at some fancy resort in the Caribbean. No, my first trip abroad was a leap into travel. At age 16 I spent 40 days traveling across six countries in Europe as an ambassador for People to People.

To be honest, I can’t really remember whether or not I was scared, but I imagine I was. Not only was this my first trip abroad, but it was a trip I embarked on with strangers. Sure my group of over 30 high school students met a few times prior to leaving, but other than that, we all knew nothing about one another.

The trip was extremely eye-opening. I saw, not only how different the world is, but also how much fun it is to embark on a journey solo and how close a person can become with total strangers. I traveled to Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, England and Belgium. After that trip, I was hooked.

B: Best foreign beer you’ve ever had.

Though I must admit I’m partial to craft beers in Northeast America and not a huge beer drinker anyway, I do thoroughly enjoy Hoegaarden. I actually started drinking the Belgian beer in England. Someone ordered a shandy from the bar I was working at then. I had no idea what a shandy or a Hoegaarden was at that time. It was my first week. The managing bartender said I had to try the beer topped with a bit of lemonade. I did and I was hooked. I think that’s all I drank the rest of the year.

C: Cuisine (Favorite)

Sushi. Even I think it’s absurd how much sushi I eat and how often I actually crave it, but it’s the only type of cuisine I’ve never been sick of and constantly crave. I haven’t even eaten it in Japan, the holy land, yet.

I first tried sushi when I was 12. A new place opened in my hometown and my dad convinced me to go. After our first experience in which we ate an entire boat full of raw fish that was meant for 4-6 people, we pretty much went back 2-3 times a week. In fact, we’ve followed the chef from that first restaurant all around NJ and Philadelphia. He’s a good friend now. Weird.

I probably eat sushi at least four times a week. I’ve been to Tokyo twice just for layovers at the airport. Both times I couldn’t find sushi for sale anywhere, which was a huge let down. One day I’ll visit Japan and on that day I will probably gain 20lbs.

D: Destinations. Favorite. Least Favorite. Why.

Once upon a time I could easily answer this question, but now it’s really hard. I have a lot of favorite destinations around the world, so it’s really hard to pick just one. I’ll give three that come to mind and all of these are probably more for the experience I had there rather than the destination itself.

First is London, England. This is the first foreign destination I ever actually lived in. I fell in love with this city hardcore. Yea the people are grumpy and it’s extremely expensive, but it has a special English charm that keeps me coming back. My favorite part of the city is how you can spend months, even years, exploring it and still you’ll find something new.

Next has to be Port Douglas, Australia. I spent the most amazing summer there. It has everything; great town life, beach, sun, even rainforest. That was all amazing but what made this tropical getaway special for me was the people I met there, including my man!

Last I have to mention is Thailand in general. I just loved everything about this country. The people were so kind, there is so much to learn about the culture, the food is amazing and it’s beautiful.

Hammocks, one of the many reasons I love Thailand.

It’s really hard for me to name a least favorite destination. The only thing that comes to mind is Sofia, Bulgaria. I only spent one day there and was conned within the first five minutes. It was my first time being conned too. This was when I was 20 and very naive. I had that bad experience and for a while just said the city was terrible. Now that I’m a bit older and have traveled a lot more, I want to give the city and the country another chance.

E: Event you experienced that made you say ‘Wow’

I think every day of my travels I’ve said ‘wow’. That’s why I love the life so much and keep coming back for more. That said, I can think of two events that were especially loud ‘wow’s’. Funny enough, both of those events actually took place under water.

First is swimming with a whaleshark in Donsol, Philippines. It was an event that I’ve been looking forward to doing for years and years, but it was also the build up. I tried to see one of these amazing fish three days in a row.

Finally on my third attempt and last day in the area, spotters on my boat started seeing whaleshark shadows. Swimmers pretty much have to jump off bangka boats like Navy Seals if they want to catch a glimpse. I plunged in heart beating, but fearless. When I finally caught my first glimpse, I was absolutely stunned. They are such beautiful creatures.

My first whaleshark sighting in Donsol, Philippines.

Next involved seeing quite a few sharks under water and another one above water in Malapascua, Philippines. I had been diving on the island for about four weeks before this dive. It was a 5 a.m. dive and one that I got to go off on my own with friends rather than follow a group. During the dive, my buddies and I saw quite a few thresher sharks and one hammer head in the distance.

I came to the surface with a massive grin, looked off into the distance only to see yet another thresher shark jumping in the air. Someone on the boat actually commented on how amazed the look on my face was.

F: Favorite mode of transportation

Definitely by boat. The ride is an experience and it usually leads passengers to somewhere really unusual.

Not a bad way to travel, hey?

G: Greatest feeling while traveling

The arrival. Nothing beats that moment when you arrive at a destination with no plans and no idea what’s next. It’s scary, but it’s invigorating.

H: Hottest place I’ve traveled to

The volcano on Santorini,Greece. I’m not positive it is the absolute hottest place I’ve ever been (Cambodia was pretty damn hot). But I visited the volcano in July, which is a boiling month for Greece anyway (think 40c/110f), hungover. I literally felt like I was burning alive.

I: Incredible service you’ve experienced and where

Thailand is known for its hospitality and friendly customer service. Match an already friendly culture with a high-end hotel and you get unheard of service. I visited the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok for a spa service. They were so kind. I’ve never received service that good.

J: Journey that took you the longest

I’ve done 30-hour bus rides, overnight ferry trips and days driving to a destination, but nothing compares to the hell I went through on my last trip from USA to New Zealand.

The journey, which started in Philadelphia, was already long, four flights over two days, with a night in Wellington then one more flight to Blenheim the following day. But because of a freak hail storm in August, the journey ended up being six flights and at least 20 hours worth of layovers and delays.

Altogether, the journey actually went on for a little over 50 hours. Not to mention I missed my original last flight and spent way more time in LAX and Philadelphia International Airport than I ever want to again.

One perk about the journey is that it forced me to splurge on one of those fancy private airport areas for the first time. Well I tried to. The people in the front actually let me in for free. I think they saw how defeated I looked and threw me a bone.

K: Keepsake from your travels

I’m not a big souvenir gal. In fact, I never buy anything that I don’t actually need on the road these days. However, there are two items I’ve been given on my travels that I really cherish and hope to keep forever.

Funny enough, both are from Italy. The first is a glass horse I was given by a glass smiths in Murano, Italy. I visited the island in Venice to see some of the most famous glass blowing operations in the world. They were such flirts. They gave me a small, blue, glass horse. I loved it because of what it was and where it came from.

But my favorite keepsake from Italy or the world for that matter, came from a toothless artist who didn’t speak a word of English that I ended up having a conversation with on my train from Rome to Naples. At first, I have to admit, I was nervous to speak to the guy. He was older, dusty and looked worn. He sat across from me and smiled with what few teeth he had left.

Somehow we started talking about where I was going. Pompeii came up. He demonstrated from his sketch book and stencils that he was an artist. Then he pulled out a drawing. It had two kids staring up at something and a shadow cast over them. At first I didn’t know what they were staring at, then he pointed to the shadow and exclaimed, “Arghhh”. It was a monster.

He gestured for me to keep it. We shook hands at the train station and went our separate ways. I still have the drawing and constantly think about that man. Just goes to show that sometimes you should talk to strangers.

L: Let down sight. Why and Where?

Le Grand Casino in Monte Carlo, Monaco. I just build up this fantasy of Monaco in my head that was impossible to fulfill on a backpacker’s budget. I could only afford a few games of black jack that lasted about 15-minutes and that was my night spent. So the place just didn’t impress me as much.

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel

Everyone talks about the Eiffel Tower when it comes to Paris, France, but my true-love travel moment in the city of love occurred at Le Sacre-Coeur. I remember walking up the stairs and this grandeur structure appearing.

That was incredible, but what really captured me was what awaited me behind it; artists lined up around this classic French scene of cafes and creperies. It was such an idyllic scene and something I never expected to find until the moment it hit me. I fell in love with that moment and travel in general.

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed at

Rydges in Port Douglas, Australia. I had been living in a hostel for two months, mainly in a full, six bedroom dorm. Anyone whose ever done this for more than a week, while working will know how wearing it is. I couldn’t take another night at the place, so I booked a last-minute room at the local hotel.

Rydges was my well-needed getaway from hostel life.

I arrived before check-in, lounged by the pool for ages, then went to my room and spent the entire night either in its massive tub with jets or on its feather-down bed amongst a dozen pillows. Flat screen, air-con, thick walls, heaven.

O: Obsession. What are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?

Flowers, docks, my feet, street lamps and food. I probably take about 100 photos of all these things combined on every destination I visit.

Enough said...

P: Passport stamps. How many and from where?

In my current passport I have a total of 66 stamps. Some places were stamped more than once for multiple entries, other places weren’t stamped at all. Some I can’t understand, but here are the stamps of the countries I can read; France, Netherlands, England, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Philippines, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Greece, USA, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Australia, Aruba, Belize, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, New Zealand, Italy and Hong Kong.

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where.

Vic Hislop’s Shark Show in Hervey Bay, Australia. That’s all I have to say about that.

S: Splurge. Something you have no problem forking out for while traveling.

Attractions and extreme sports. I won’t eat for days just so I can afford to go bungy jumping or rent a motor bike to visit a desolate beach. That’s why I travel and I don’t mind paying lots of money for it, because I may never have the chance to be in that one place again.

T: Touristy thing you’ve done

Times Square, solely based on statistics that it’s the most-visited tourist attraction in the world.

U: Unforgettable travel memory

Too many to mention. Paddle boating on the river in Prague, three days of diving on the Great Barrier Reef, exploring Angkor Wat, eating gelato at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, an endless night with strangers in Amsterdam, sneaking into a posh house party in London. They’re all unforgettable and pop into my head randomly all the time.

V: Visas. How many of them and for where.

Four: Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia and Laos.

W: Wine, best glass while traveling and where.

I forget what kind of wine it was, but in Tuscany at a restaurant overlooking vineyards while eating spaghetti cabonara. Can’t imagine a better moment for a nice glass of wine.

X: eXcellent view and from where

Watching the sunset from on top of a white clay house in Oia on Santorini, Greece. Perfect.

This very sunset.

Y: Years spent traveling

Collectively, I’ve traveled abroad for almost three years of my life. On one trip, I traveled for a year and a half before returning back to NJ.

Z: Zealous sports fans and where

No one beats the fans from Philadelphia. Born and raised in South Jersey, I’ve always supported Philadelphia sports teams. They’re known for being a$$holes, but I love them. I love their passion, their anger and their celebrations. Best night of my life was when the Phillies won the World Series in 2008. We almost destroyed the city that night, but it was some party.

Now it’s your turn! I pass the A-Z torch onto:

Lauren from The Life that Broke

Jose and Natalia from Natalia and Jose Luis’ Travel Blog

Annie from Wayward Traveler

Lavanya and Pawel from Iced Chai

Chelsea and Kinsey from Travelin’ Chucks

For the first time in my 25 years on earth, I spent an entire calendar year traveling.

And what a year it was. 

A year of traveling with a partner for the first time. A year that took me to a new continent, Asia. A year that pretty much brought me around the globe. Even a year in which I got to travel around my own country a bit.

This year has been a spectacular one. Let’s have a look back on what I did in 2011.

 Australia

My year actually started with an end. On January 26, Australia Day, I said farewell to the massive country I had called my home for most of 2010. My final days in Australia were spent mainly in Melbourne, where my boyfriend Ric and I lived in a tiny apartment on Chapel Street.

It was really hard to say goodbye to such an amazing country. It was even harder to close one of the best travel experiences of my life, the work holiday visa. I met so many amazing people in Australia, but the best of them all was the hardest to say goodbye to on that last day in the country.

Ric and I bid each other farewell as I headed off to the Philippines and he stayed in Melbourne.

Philippines

Hello Southeast Asia! I never thought or planned on visiting this part of the world, but after hearing how amazing it was from travelers in Australia, I just had to. The Philippines was my first stop, Donsol in particular. I visited for whaleshark season and after three tries I actually got to see one of the big fellas.

From Donsol, I headed to Cebu City where I spent some time with a friend of a friend’s family. After seeing such kindness from total strangers, I was moved to extend my visa to the Philippines by one more month. One month just wasn’t enough.

It’s a good thing I did as my next stop in the country, Malapascua, was just too hard to leave. I visited the tiny island planning to stay three days. I ended up, not only staying six weeks, but also earning my divemaster certification.

And guess who came to meet me in the Philippines?

Only the most special boy in the world. Ric spent about 12 days in paradise with me as I finished up my training. Later, we kicked off our travels together in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong

I wasn’t sure what to expect in this massive city. I thought of it as China, but people would say it’s not really China. At first glance I was just in shock over how many apartment buildings were in the city.

I really loved the place and I especially loved sharing it with my new travel partner. We visited the Big Buddha, went on a bus tour of the city, road the Peak Tram and ate lots of dim sum. It’s an expensive place to visit, so I’m hoping to go back one day with more money.

Thailand

We headed to the mother of all backpacker destinations, Bangkok, in late March. There we met up with my friend Julia who flew all the way out to travel with us for a few weeks. Bangkok is the most pleasant surprise I’ve ever had traveling. I expected it to be this seedy town with nothing but ping pong shows and heavy drinking to offer.

But it’s so much more. 

For starters, it’s an international city with amazing museums, restaurants, malls and more. But for backpackers, it’s something much more. I’ve never seen so many travelers bobbing around happily as I did on Khaosan Road. It made me wish I planned a few more nights in the city, but no worries, we would end up coming back three more times.

From Bangkok, we visited Ko Samet and Ko Chang, where Julia and I became deathly ill for ten days. I think it was bad eggs, but hey, I lost about 20 lbs, so silver lining. We said goodbye to Julia then spent probably more time than we should have in Lonely Beach.

We left the island to meet Ric’s mom and brother in Pattaya. It was my first time meeting them, so I was quite nervous. But they are amazing and we had a great time. There we celebrated Songkran and made a visa run to Cambodia. However, Pattaya is probably a place I’ll never return. It’s pretty much what I expected of Bangkok originally.

After another sad goodbye, Ric and I kept on traveling Thailand. This time we headed south visiting Koh Tao. We mainly relaxed here as we were gearing up for the famous Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan on April 18. We spent the next day recuperating on Koh Tao, then continued traveling south to Koh Samui.

On our visit to the over-commercialized island, we rented motorbikes, swam under waterfalls and visited Ang Thong Marine Park, the real inspiration for “The Beach”.

But we wanted more “Beach” action so we crossed Thailand to Ko Phi Phi on the west coast. A $US10 tour of the islands proved to be our best purchase and best day in Southeast Asia. Also, my best Easter Sunday ever.

After Ko Phi Phi we had to leave Thailand as our visas ran out.

Laos

First stop in Laos was Vang Vieng for its famous tubing. We spent a week in the tiny town on the river and never actually completed the tube route on the Nam Song River. But we had loads of fun, drank lots of buckets and watched an absurd amount of Family Guy.

After Vang Vieng we needed a serious detox, so we spent another week in 4,000 Islands. In this quiet area of Laos, we spent a lot of time lounging, but also did quite a bit of exploring. We rented bikes and visited the largest waterfall in southeast Asia. I also got to see Irrawaddy dolphins. I saw them alone as Ric broke his bike and was too defeated to walk any further.

 Cambodia

The trip from Laos to Cambodia involved two intense bus journeys. It took an entire day, but we finally reached Siem Reap in mid-May. The biggest attraction here is Angkor Wat, which is stunning, but I actually really enjoyed the town itself. We spent about a week there watching football and drinking cheap beer.

USA

It was time to fly our tan selves to the US of A, my homeland and Ric’s dream destination. It was Ric’s first time visiting the States, so the trip home was a really special one for me.

We landed in California, where I surprised a friend. There we drove the Pacific Coast Highway from Laguna Beach to Hermossa Beach. We also visited Hollywood and ended up on the set of our favorite show, Entourage.

No one from the east coast knew I was in the country at that point, except my Uncle. I had been secretly planning a trip home with him since October, so I could surprise my dad for his birthday. Everything went as planned. We spent one day hiding out at my Aunt and Uncles, that night my dad opened their garage door to see Ric and I standing there with ribbons around our necks.

But we didn’t sit still for too long. After about a week, we were on the road again. We drove from NJ to Alabama for a wedding in which Ric was best man. On the road trip I showed Ric around Washington D.C. and made a lot of fast food stops. He couldn’t get enough of America’s burgers and sandwiches.

It was my first time visiting Alabama and it was good to see the southern comfort side of the States. We spent most of our week there playing on a lake located behind the house we were staying at. We jet skied, tubed, kayaked, even jumped off a ridiculously high bridge. That really hurt. 

The wedding was beautiful, the party was wild. We left Alabama extremely hungover en route to St. Augustine, Florida, where I showed Ric around my first real travel destination.

The rest of my time in the States was spent in NJ and Philadelphia. Erin, a friend I made studying abroad in London came out to visit, Ric climbed the Rocky steps and we celebrated the Fourth of July at the Jersey shore. But the highlight of my trip home was welcoming my gorgeous nephew Jake into the world. I love my life and all the traveling it entails, but it means missing out on some really spectacular occasions at home. I’m just happy I didn’t have to miss this one.

Add another farewell to my 2011 of goodbyes, as Ric and I left the States to go back down under, this time for a work-holiday visa in New Zealand.

New Zealand

We arrived in snowy Queenstown in July, but didn’t stay for long. We spent two days driving up to Blenheim where Ric already had a job sorted. Then a real twist came when I had to go back home for an emergency. I came back to New Zealand two weeks later and we were on the road again, this time only a short journey to Wellington.

After quite a hectic first half of the year, Ric and I were exhausted and broke. So we made a home in Wellington, got proper jobs, worked loads and saved up for our next adventure, the South Island in 2012.

We’ve been in Wellington for four months now and I’ve grown quite attached to the small city. We held back a lot during our time here as we were saving, but we still managed to accomplish quite a bit.

In September we rented a car and visited Lord of the Rings’ film locations in the area. October was all about the Rugby World Cup, so we went to see USA vs. Australia at Westpac Stadium. I got to see the All Blacks parade Wellington after they won. In November I celebrated yet another Thanksgiving abroad. In December we bought a car and started road tripping to nearby beaches and towns. Oh, and I met a good portion of the cast of “The Hobbit” through work.

We didn’t just get to know Wellington, we pretty much became a part of the city. I’ve even started saying “mean”.

It’s been another year packed with adventure and it’s only going to get even more intense in 2012. January and February of the new year will be dedicated to traveling New Zealand. However, February is depending on whether or not I survive the Nevis Jump, so let’s hope for the best.

What did you do in 2011? Have you visited any of the same places? Do share.

This guest post is by Ricky Durrance for Beat the Brochure.

When travelling aboard, there are certain people who love to do what normal holidaymakers wouldn’t dream of doing. Does this sound like you? Do you, instead of following the tourist trails, go off on a canter and experience something totally different? I am one such person, however when in certain places it is hard to ignore the herd. Take Egypt. Any trip has to include a visit to the pyramids and the other top attractions. But do not think that this is only what you should experience when in Egypt. Like all the other countries of the world, Egypt has lots of hidden gems – it is just a case of finding them!

Visit a Souqs

What does travelling abroad mean to you? Does it mean getting away from the tourists, experiencing what life is like for the locals and walking amongst them? The chances are it does, and you cannot get more of a feel for Egypt than at a Souqs – a typical Egyptian market. You’ll be able to take in all of the smells, sights and sounds of real Egypt, and experience what life is like in the country away from the overpriced tourist attractions. You’ll even be able to take advantage of a bargain or two. When booking cheap holidays to Egypt, make sure a visit to one of these markets is included on any itinerary.

Venture into the Desert

It may not come as a surprise to many, but Egypt has a lot of sand. Rather than seeing the desert as a place to avoid, embrace and explore it. Of course walking through the desert would be incredibly dull and quite dangerous, but not if you explore it on a quad bike! You may think that going on a guided tour of the desert qualifies as a very touristy thing to do, but the majority of people overlook this excellent opportunity. On some tours you even get to stop off and eat a traditional meal and ride a camel. It is great fun and a real experience you’ll never forget.

Photo provided by Beat the Brochure.

Take to the Skies

When coming into land over a new country, it can be really exciting looking out of the window as the scenery and terrain become visible. However once you land it is difficult to get such a breathtaking view. But before you give up, there is a solution that will actually kill two birds with one stone. Take a hot air balloon ride over the traditional sites and ancient temples in Luxor. This way you will see all the wonders like few have seen them before, and secondly, you’ll be free from all the crowds down below. There are many hot air balloon experiences to choose from in Egypt – you could look down over the Nile or float above the world famous pyramids.

Photo provided by Beat the Brochure.

It is not just about finding alternative things to do in Egypt. Of course, the vast majority of people will want to see the sights that make Egypt holidays so popular. The trick is to find ways to experience all of the normal things, just in a different way!

This guest post is by Ricky Durrance for Beat the Brochure.

Ricky Durrance is a Web Relations Executive for Beat the Brochure. Ricky is a keen traveller and writer who shares a passion for both. Ricky has travelled extensively, visiting various countries in Europe and South East Asia along with Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

I realize that my 7 links is long overdue. Natalie and Luis nominated me back in August after I called out on Twitter for someone to help me become apart of the project and I’m only just writing the post now in November. Travel has consumed my life, but that’s an excuse I’m happy to give!

Thanks to them for the nomination and without further ado, after almost two years of travel blogging, here are my seven links.

Most beautiful post: Yoga in Daily Life, Dungog

I love everything about this post, the photography, the personal details, the way I wrote it and especially the feedback. My visit to Yoga in Daily Life in Dungog, NSW is one of the things I talk about most from my time in Australia. It was an experience I had never had before, living completely off the land and really taking time to think about spirituality.

I met the most wonderful people during this time. Even though we were only together for a short while, I stay in contact more with them than with people I’ve known for years. Altogether, I just loved my time there and was happy to share it. But what really made the post is how many people responded to it with positive feedback.

Most popular post: From solo to couples travel

I don’t know why this one received so many comments or views, but I’m happy it did. It was a huge and amazing change in my travels, going from a solo female traveler to being part of a pair of travelers. I got to hear from a lot of people who had traveled as a couple before and some who even found love on the road like me.

If this post weren’t my most popular than it would have been my most beautiful. The truth is, I NEVER thought something like this would happen to me. I was never looking for love on the road. In fact, I usually tried to avoid it. But it happened and it changed a lot more than my travel plans, it changed my life.

Most controversial post: Sex and the world

I’m not controversial by any means on my blog. But I got a surprising number of passionate comments on this post. I was fighting myself on the subject, so the different comments pretty much matched my feelings. It was written a few months after I met Ric. As most long term travelers know, love on the road is usually empty and short. I always tried to keep that in mind to prevent getting hurt.

At the time this was written I was really holding myself back from following my heart. A lot of people commented that it is possible to find a lasting love on the road. Well I became one of the people. In the end I went against my opinion in this post and followed love. You can see how it turned about by reading my most popular post.

Most helpful post: How to move to Australia: Five Steps

This was exactly what I needed to read when I started thinking about moving to Australia, mainly for the guidance, but also to calm me down. I was thinking all sorts before I arrived in the country: will they let me in, will I find a job, is my visa actually valid. The truth is that any move that far away from home is bound to make anyone a bit mad. I hope this post helped a few people. Look out for another one on New Zealand soon.

The success of this post surprised me: An Idiot Abroad, a good travel show?

This post has only been up for about a month, but a pretty good month on my site. In that month I posted photos from the All Blacks Champions parade in Wellington, a guide to the Melbourne Cup and even a really cute animal post, but Pilkington has managed to come out on top.

I’m glad I brought up the subject and I think I made some valid points. A lot of people won’t agree with those points, but I’m happy to people are reading it.

This post didn’t get enough attention: Kill Sharks, Kill the Planet

As I mentioned before, I’m not a very controversial blogger, but I was when I wrote this post. Shark finning is an issue that does not get enough attention, but it’s disputed by the people who do acknowledge it. I really wish more people had read or commented on this post. I’m very passionate about the subject. To go from swimming with these magnificent creatures to seeing bags of them in pieces only a week later was really upsetting to me. I wish more people would have acknowledged this post and the affect the issue has on everyone.

Post I’m most proud of: Last day is Oz

I did it! The whole reason I created this blog was to document my year in Australia. When I planned the trip I had doubts. When I created the blog I thought, what if something happens or it doesn’t work, not only will I have failed but people will read about it everywhere. But I accomplished a year in Australia and am actually still going.

I left my hometown of Mount Laurel, NJ on January 25, 2010. Almost two years later and I’m still on the road. I never knew this was possible and I wasn’t sure if I was capable of it. But fulfilling your travel dreams is a lot easier than it looks. I’m proud to be living my dreams and am proud to have created a platform that let’s me share with all of you.

Who’s next?

Now it’s time for my favorite part, continuing the movement. Here are my five nominations and something nice about them. To you five, look back on you blog and pick out your 7 links according to these rules.

Today, I’m Bobbi

Of course you’re nominated. Probably one of the most influential people to me over these past two years.

Bisou!

I love the beauty and the heart that goes into your site. I’m sure you have some great links to offer.

Bluenose Girl

I only met you last night through #TTOT, but you had me at Pinterest! I see you don’t have a 7 links post on your site. Hope you decide to join.

Sit Down Disco

I only recently got to know you and your site, but I want to know more. I can’t find your 7 links, would love to read about them.

Travelated

Another great gal I met through #TTOT recently. I’ve enjoyed just looking through your blog, would love to hear the highlights.