Summer travel season is back and there's nothing like planning a trip to spark my motivation to blog again. 
This year, my big trip will be to the West Coast. Thanks to my friend who's a California local, we will get to experience some hidden gems as well as some quintessential Cali tourist spots.

California has been calling my name for as long as I can remember. One of the big items on my "lifetime to-do list" is to drive up the Pacific Coast Highway, in a top-down convertible, the wind in my hair, and a pair of spectacular shades donning my smiling face! I can hardly wait to explore all the beaches along that iconic roadway. I will finally get to do this next month and I couldn't be more excited!

We'll also be exploring 3 major cities in California: San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco (which is another "to do" on my list). In another post, I'll list our intended itinerary that can be used as a starter travel guide if you plan on visiting the Golden State too. 

One thing that I cannot take for granted, and one thing that I highly recommend cultivating for yourself, is acquiring kind and generous friends in far places. Sometimes it happens by chance, other times you can seek people out through online groups or family connections. However these friends come into your life, I recommend pouring into relationships like these, not to earn a "free stay" favor, but because you can expand your opportunities and your world by simply paying a visit to a friend. Many different cultural experiences can be had just by getting out of your neighborhood, much more your state or country. Having good friends in far places opens up your world and theirs to new experiences and once-in-a-lifetime chances. And don't forget to return the favor - invite them to your neighborhood too.

Keep following the blog for travel ideas you can use for your trips this summer. Let me know what tips you like best! You can also follow my actual adventures in California at the end of July-August on Insta (#shebirdielife + #californiabirdie).

• Are you one of our California birdies or have you visited recently?
• What do you recommend for restaurants, activities, or best places to spot a celebrity or two?

Image credit: wallpaperswide.com

First, I’ll say, there is much respect reserved for people who go out and do “social things” alone. It’s seen as a mark of maturity and confidence and in certain situations it’s just plain ballsy. Going out to see a movie, dining out in a popular restaurant, checking out a ballgame or a concert – going solo in these social settings can be liberating. You may discover something new about yourself or pay attention to things you hadn’t before. I definitely recommend challenging yourself to try it (if that would be a challenge for you). However, going solo on a trip to a foreign country, or even another state, is a whole other beast. 

Now, we all know there are plenty of people who trek across the globe on their own journeys of self-discovery (many of them have their own travel blogs!). Or you may personally know someone who just likes to go off alone once a year to a mountain cabin to reflect on life or work on his memoir. To each, his own and more power to them! It truly is a mark of confidence and shows a desire for self-awareness – good stuff. But I would say, if you’re a newbie traveler or you’ve never been out of the country before, take a friend. 

Experiencing a new country, people, and culture is an exciting experience. It’s one that you’ll want to share. Having a friend with you to co-experience a truly awesome moment or to capture those photos of you in front of the Eiffel Tower (selfies are nearly impossible in this case, trust me) is indispensable. 

Not only will you be able to share all the fun, but you’ll also have each other’s backs. Being safe in foreign country is a no-brainer (though…it does require using your brain – more on that in another post). The good old buddy system rule comes into play here. You can research to your hearts content, but when you’re lost in the seedy part of Camden, you’ll feel loads better knowing you’re not there alone. Plus two heads are better than one – it’s much easier to work your way out of a sticky situation with two minds engaged in the process.

I will confess, I have not yet ventured out on a solo trip. I’m sure there are many benefits to this, but I haven’t experienced them…yet. When I do, I’ll be sure to fill you in on what I learn. Until then, you’re probably wondering how to actually get a friend to commit to a big trip – see more about that here.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Please share below.

Let's be honest. Half the time you spend in that work cubicle, you’re not actually working, but daydreaming about being anywhere but there. Between spreadsheets, phone calls, and coffee breaks, you’re wishing you could be on a faraway Tahitian beach, sipping Mai-tais, and feeling the breeze on your face. Or maybe you imagine yourself backpacking through Spain with your 10th grade conversational Spanish skills barely getting you by. Or maybe you’re longing for the rush of an international city – London’s crowded tube and countless pubs are beckoning you to “live like a local” to your heart’s content.

We’ve all been there – that place in our minds – our escape zone. 

As young professionals working to make our way in this world, it’s easy to fall into the rut of our daily grind. We seek an escape, if only a mental one, to relieve some of the pressure and remind us that we are human beings with a desire to experience all that life has to offer. But this mental escape can become a reality with a little planning and a lot of determination. Even if you don’t think you can afford it, or you don’t have a lot of vacation time, or you don’t know a word of French (Spanish, Mandarin, etc.), it IS possible to see the world! In fact, it’s important that you do. 

You know there is more to life than the four walls of your cubicle, your apartment, and your favorite spot for Friday night happy hour. Whatever your four walls are, if you’re ready to go beyond them, keep reading. There’s much more to come!

Share your thoughts:

• Can you relate?
  
• What is your dream "escape zone?"