I am most myself when I have doing one of two things–creating music and discovering a new place in this world. I always feel a bit weird saying I love to travel, just because for a lot of people that means laying on a beach in Cancun or pretending to prop up that tower in Pisa. And don’t get me wrong–I would never turn down an opportunity to do either of those things (especially if someone else is paying). But what I really love is getting out into the non-touristy places. I want to get a taste of what life is like in places that most Americans could never point out on a map, if they’ve heard of it at all. I want to eat food I can’t pronounce served in a family-run roadside restaurant. I love magnificent landscapes of all kinds, and structures far older than anything that exists back home. And let’s be honest…I’m a super awkward person, so I feel much more at home in places where I’m expected to be super awkward. 😉
I’ve also created a list of travel goals. I don’t know how possible they are for me, with my physical and financial limitations, but where’s the fun in inevitability? So here’s the list.
- Visit all 50 states of the U.S. (view progress)
- Visit all 13 provinces and territories of Canada (view progress)
- Join the Travelers’ Century Club. (view progress)
- Visit all 7 continents
- Visit all 5 oceans (I’m including the Southern Ocean here)
- Drive the U.S. coast to coast
- Drive to the Arctic Ocean and back from the lower 48
- Cross the entirety of Canada by train
- Cross the entirety of Russia by train
- Visit both poles (yeah, not likely…)
- Visit all 197 countries in the world (also not likely…but view progress anyway)
- Go to space (definitely not likely)
I spent 2019 in Europe, with the beautiful little country of Moldova as my home, and I was able to do some exploring in the region. Then between COVID and day-job delays, I was unable to return for a few years. But in August 2023 I was lucky enough to return to Europe and begin a new life chapter as a digital nomad. Unfortunately, I was laid off at the end of 2024, taking me back to the U.S. to figure out what’s next. My industry is laying people off left and right these days, so now I’m focusing on self-employment and entrepreneurship to avoid getting chained to an office desk again. 😉
Let’s connect on Polarsteps if you want to follow along when I travel, and want to see past trips. And of course I want to follow your adventures!