Blog 1: Why I Can't Stop Traveling

Traveling is easily my biggest passion, hands down. If I can talk about anything with 100% passion and interest, you bet it's this conversation.

Where it all started

Growing up, I was very fortunate to have a family vacation every single year. Those trips were almost always to the same spot, which I now hold near and dear to my heart. I've been to Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas 15 times. Some years we switched it up and went to Puerto Rico, where my grandpa and his family toured us through Old San Juan and the countryside.

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Those trips gave me so many amazing memories, but they also planted a little seed. There's just something about seeing a brand-new place. I value experiencing new cultures and immersing myself in a completely different atmosphere, and once I realized that, I wanted to see all of the world.

From one trip a year to so many more

I grew up with that "one vacation a year" mindset, but I have since shifted gears in the best way. This year alone (2026), I've been to:

• Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Mt. Fuji

• Italy: Milan, Florence, and Venice

• Belgium: Brussels

• France: Paris

• Alaska: Anchorage, Palmer, Seward, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan

• The Bahamas: Atlantis Paradise Island, once again!

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I am so very grateful for every one of these experiences, and for a job that lets me enjoy each of these trips.

How I plan (a.k.a. my favorite pastime)

I take great pride in planning all of my trips and figuring everything out before I go. I love learning everything I can before I even get there. I don't travel with tour groups. Instead, I create the tour myself, and I spend a lot of my free time digging through excursions and experiences. If you couldn't tell already, it's my favorite hobby. I'm always looking for something new to get my hands on.

I'm also so grateful to live in an age where maps and GPS are so friendly, because they make doing it all myself completely doable.

The moment I live for

But this is why I LOVE traveling...

Every time travel day comes around, I usually can't sleep because of my excitement. Once I land in a new spot and take my first steps off the plane, I'm already soaking everything in. The smell. How the locals act. Whether the driving is crazy or not. The trees and flowers. How clean (or not) the place is. The architect of the buildings. I pay attention to it all.

But the best part is interacting with locals and hearing their stories and guidance. I've met so many kind-hearted people on my trips that I'll remember forever.

Being dropped right into the environment is what I love the most. I can do all the research possible and still learn so much more once I'm there. Locals know stories you'll never find online, plus hidden gems and secret finds you'd never stumble on from behind a screen.

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Come along with me

Call me crazy, but I think about traveling every single day, and I'm so excited to start planning my 2027 travel itineraries. I can't wait to start sharing my journey through this blog, and I promise to write with all the passion and enthusiasm I have. It's truly so great to have you here.

With love,

Cristina Nicole 🩵