Air Force Brat, Reporting In...

My dad's been in the military my entire life, and probably will be until he dies.  Me, I was happy to leave it behind once I turned 18.  Too many unstable relationships and social problems for my taste.  But I've met some amazing people, and the travel was incredible...

I lived in Japan for three years (1987-1990), and from what I remember it was very beautiful.  Lots of palm trees, and tons of people.  And they were always giving me free things.  But, you know, who can resist a precocious blonde four year old?

Then after being shipped back to the States and moving a number of times, we were sent to Germany in '98.  I was about to turn 13, and Europe was everywhere I wanted to be.  Once I got past the heartbreak of leaving my friends yet again.  My uncle and his family moved to Paris soon after, so every weekend there was a field trip somewhere.  We went to France I don't know how many times.  We spent spring break in Italy one year.  But summertime was really when we got our travel on, though.

We went on a cruise with one of the lines out of Italy.  I'm not sure if the Costa line is from there originally, as they operate worldwide, but I highly recommend it.  We left out of Naples, then we went to Rome, Sicily, Egypt, Jerusalem, Athens, Rhodes, and Cyprus.  It was quite possibly the most incredible ten days of my life.  I've got pictures that still take my breath away.

The following summer, we went on another Costa cruise that left out of Denmark.  We went to Norway, Sweden, Russia, and Estonia that time.  Absolutely beautiful.  The land, the architecture, everything.   And who knew you could still feed a family of 4 at McDonalds for less than 10 USD?

Then there was ringing in the year 2000 under the Eiffel Tower.  There's nothing quite like good times with good company, they really go hand in hand.  I'll never forget that night, it was like something out of a movie.  -dreamy sigh-

I love foreign cultures, so I was just about ready to asplode in pure glee by the time we moved back to the States in the summer.  Unfortunately, I haven't had the time or the money to travel abroad since then, but I'm hoping to someday.  True, I'd seen more of the world by the time I was 15 than most do in their lives, but there's still a lot out there to see. 

I'd love to see England, New Zealand, and Australia before I die.  Now all I need is some money to get there and some people to keep me company.  Maybe a couch to crash on here and there.  LOL.  Wish me luck!