Part Time Traveler

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07 Aug 2014 2 min read At Home

My Most Frequently Asked Travel Question: Answered

If you've been following the blog for awhile, you'll notice that since I moved to San Francisco I've been taking short trips around the U.S. - to New Orleans, Chicago, Austin.

If you've been following my tweets, you'll also notice I've been sharing some #bloggingconfessions in an effort to keep it real about life as a travel blogger.

Well, here's a confession for you: I haven't traveled internationally this year. (Pause for dramatic effect.)

One of my favorite things about writing this blog is helping people overcome their travel fears. With that dialogue often comes a lot of questions. By far the most frequent question I get these days is:

"When is your next trip?"

"If you love traveling so much, why don't you just keep traveling?"

Or my personal favorite:

"Why don't you just travel full time?"

(My response: you've never read my blog, have you?)

It's a valid question. Especially since I transitioned from working for a Fortune 500 corporation to being a full-time freelance writer who can essentially write from anywhere (emphasis on 'free' as in freedom, not free as in not getting paid.)

Another internet buzzword that's thrown around a lot is "location independence." Why, when I could be frolicking in Costa Rica or Bali, would I choose instead to live and work in one of the most expensive cities in the world?

My answer via Instagram:

<iframe src="//instagram.com/p/qb78iVqIl6/embed/" width="320" height="372" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;">:: neighborhood walks ::</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/glqPBYqImy/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/h7F4oFqIgS/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;">:: proximity to family/the mountains i grew up in ::</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/pM9fwAKIlA/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/oE24oZqIkt/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;">:: friends' dogs + babies ::</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/rI3skFKIsw/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/o1hDPsKImJ/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;">:: having my favorite indian/vietnamese/mexican/californian cuisine...all in the same week ::</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/oFIjlTKIuk/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/oHDa8cqIqo/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;">:: hosting parties and meeting up weekly with friends old + new ::</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/maz8QPqIjz/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/nzSrbUKIvl/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;">:: one word: CALIFORNIA ::</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/ndmmN7KIrA/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/><iframe src="//instagram.com/p/p4UMXyqIqA/embed/" width="320" height="371" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;">and last but <em>not</em> least... :: waking up in my own bed ::</p> <p style="text-align: center;">+ :: having a place to hang my maps! ::</p> <p style="text-align: center;">community, like-minded people, friends, proximity to family, <strong>happiness</strong>...that's why!</p> Travel is one of the things I love most in life. It makes me feel alive, it brings me joy, it enlightens me, it challenges me, it delights me. Yet... <p><strong>There's more to life than just travel.</strong></p> <p><strong>Travel is a tool I use to live better at home.</strong></p> <p>You know what's boring and uninspiring? Routines. But after awhile, even travel becomes a routine. (Just ask someone who has traveled in Asia if they've ever had temple fatigue.)</p> <p><strong>I want travel to stay something I look forward to.</strong> Like birthday cakes, champagne (ok, you caught me, 'x' that one,) and sunny days in San Francisco. They're especially beautiful because they don't happen every day.</p> <p>That being said...it's been awhile. I think I'll go look at some flights.</p> <p>(And if you're itching for a passport stamp in the meantime, there's always #TravelTuesday.)</p> <p style="text-align: center;">balance</p> <p style="text-align: right;">noise :: silence</p> <p style="text-align: right;">social :: introspective</p> <p style="text-align: right;">play :: work</p> <p style="text-align: right;">indulgence :: discipline</p> <p style="text-align: right;">travel :: home</p> <p style="text-align: center;"> <em>San Francisco is my soul city. Have you found yours? If so, where is it? If not, are you still looking?</em></p>  </body>