Bye, bye high heels! There's a new shoe in town.

Shoes. The backbone of my existence in my twenties and thirties. The higher the better.  At one point, I had over 100 pair. Facebook was introduced to the world, and I introduced you to... my shoes. I posted pictures. Lots of pictures. I had new shoes for every dating disaster and dating success that happened.  The more my heart broke, the higher the heel. The happier my heart, the brighter the color.  I had every color imaginableI!

The weapon

I once wanted to write a book called "Six inches". It would be about a scorned woman who committed murder with her red Michael Kors 6" stiletto heel.  I loved shoes so much, I wanted to immortalize them by putting pen to paper and creating what I thought would be a masterpiece for women across the world.  But, that did not happen. I did not write the book, and my high heel love affair is in the past. Why the breakup?  

Something happened. I never thought the day would come where I would look at my shoes in fear. Not that I thought they were the very weapon my fictional character would use for her crime spree. It was something else. Expected, yet unexpected. I aged. Don't get me wrong, I am still young, but my backbone is literally telling me to give up the heels. I tried to wear wedges a few days ago and after an hour, I was done. Wedges! The easiest and most comfortable of all heels we can wear. I can't imagine what my real heels would do to me. Alas, they sit in my closet, looking pretty, ready to dance, but sadly being the wallflower nobody notices. 

When we moved here last year, I did a purge. We all do that when we move. I purged and purged, like a cat with a massive hairball. The shoes went too. Not all of them. I kept my favorites for nostalgic purposes. So many of them I bought while shopping with my friend Joy. We always ate and shoe shopped. It was our thing. I can't get rid of those. Too many good memories buying them, more than wearing them!

And now, there is a new shoe in town. Bye, bye high heels. You have been replaced by the comfortable shoe.  I refuse to think I am "old" because I choose comfort over sexy. I love my shoes with extra cushion, less height. Especially when traveling! I have learned that it is impractical to wear heels while walking on cobblestone streets in Greece. Heels on the hilly streets in Peru, would have killed me.  A solid, flat shoe that feels like my feet are walking on clouds, is completely divine. I happen to love Easy Spirits and Abeo. They melt into my feet.  Barefoot on the beach is my choice, and a nice Chaco is perfect for hiking local or international mountains. Not only do my feet thank me, but my shoulders do too. My suitcase or backpack is no longer weighted down by my heavy heels. It's freeing!

So there you have it. I admit that I am no longer a fan of high heels. They are so pretty, but pretty can be dangerous. Falling in heels at my age, is no longer a fun night out on the town. Traveling the world in comfortable shoes, is more my scene. But, no Birkenstocks. I just can't go there.

What is your favorite travel shoe? Put a pair on, and Let's Go!

The new shoe in town

  #shoes #travel #storymakerstravel #comfortableshoes #travelingshoes #letsgo #walkingshoes #exploremore

Rich, or Enriched?

Money is universal. We need it to survive. Food, water, shelter and clothing are the basic necessities of life. Without those, we will perish. But what happens when life gets hard and the funds start to dry up?  Do you give up or work harder? Do you create goals to live the life you want or do you sink into a pity party, thinking that the cards have been dealt and there is nothing you can do? 

Personally, I have done both. I did not grow up in a financially wealthy family. I am from a small town in rural NE New Mexico. Ranches and farms were the basis of our economy. Both my dad's worked primarily in retail/grocery stores. We didn't have a lot, but we did travel. My step dad, Celso,  took us camping in Red River many times throughout my childhood. I still remember the smell of sliced potatoes, slathered in butter and chopped onion, wrapped in foil over the hot flames on a grill.  I know you know what smell I am talking about! Those are some of my favorite childhood memories. 

One time we took a trip to see all the tallest bridges from NM to Colorado. My step dad really wanted to do that and I remember his excitement. I remember it was windy and I had a sourpuss face in all my pictures, because I was a tormented pre-teen, full of angst. But, I remember so clearly being excited when we crossed the border into Colorado and there was a sign that said, "Welcome to Colorful Colorado." It didn't cost much to do those things that left me with great memories many years later. You don't need a lot of money to travel. You DO need desire and passion to want to see the world. See the forests, the oceans, the mountains, the national parks. 

The world belongs to everyone! I think the thing that surprises me the most, is how friendly and helpful people are when I am traveling. It doesn't matter if I am in the USA or overseas. Mexicans, in Playa Del Carmen, are awesome! So kind! Generally, people are good. I love meeting people, which is ironic because I was such a recluse for so many years. I was a loner, but never felt alone while traveling, even though I was traveling alone! I think the excitement of being somewhere new is really my drug. I love it!

So how do you see the world if funds are tight? Maybe you have children or student loan debt, or hospital bills. It seems everything is piling up and you can't take a vacation. I get that. I have been there. Personally, I am a saver. I pay myself first, EVERY month. I am a true follower of Dave Ramsey and Clark Howard, and as a result I can travel more than average. But it wasn't always that way. I traveled light in the past. 

When I was in Asia, I shared bungalows with people I didn't really know, but it saved money! You can rent hotels with kitchenettes and save that way! Food is a big part of the traveling budget, but you can cook it yourself. The most important thing is to create a budget and stick to it. If you do that very thing, you will save money, which means you will have more for another adventure. And believe me, it can get addicting! My number one advice to you is to create a budget, not just for travel, but for life. My monthly budget always includes travel. Maybe I will use it that month, or apply it to the future.  But, it is my passion and goal to see the world, so I have to plan for it. I am not rich, but I am enriched. And that is a good place to be!

More than anything, I want everyone to explore. I hope I ignite a fire in you to think about where you are and where you want to be. Close your eyes right now. Picture yourself someplace you have always wanted to go. The smells, the sounds, the people. Do you hear laughter, or crying. Traffic or silence. Is it snowing or are the waves crashing. Now, open your eyes. Why have you not gone?  What is holding you back? If it's money, remember, you do not have to be rich to travel. I can help you. I can teach you. This isn't about my business. This is about my desire for you to go someplace new. If you are afraid to go alone...well, guess what! You have a travel partner in me. Let's go!

#storymakerstravel #letsgo #travelmore #explore #travel #travelagentlife #dontneedtoberichtotravel 

Science agrees: Traveling makes us happier!

Flamingo Beach, Costa Rica, Oct 2017

Happiness! Isn't that what we all want out of life? In today's world we rush, rush, rush, always seeking the next big thing we think will make us happy. Is it a new phone, a new car, a new job? Sure, all of those things give us temporary happiness, but what brings us forever happiness?

A recent study at Cornell University found that "spending money on experiences is more likely to bring you lasting happiness than spending money on material objects. The reason being is that people "adapt" to physical objects – meaning the things you've bought will bring decreasing amounts of happiness as time goes on and you get used to having them around – whereas those one-off experiences will be looked back upon with joy that only increases."

As someone who has lived a materialistic life and a simple life (which is my current lifestyle), I have to say, I am much happier now. In the 90's, my happiest time was when I lived in Maui as a broke 20 something, with several roomies and a bunny. I waitressed at a sushi bar and the Ritz Carlton. Maui was expensive. I had less than I ever expected to as a college grad, but I was exploring, hiking, laughing, and fell in love with sunsets and sunrises.

My love for travel started at a young age. My grandparents had a downstairs extra living room area. They always had stacks of Reader's Digest and National Geographic magazines in a woven basket in the corner, sitting on the orange shag carpet. I was a relatively quiet kid who loved to read. On the rare occasion I did get in trouble, they would send me downstairs to sit in the corner. I may be the only kid on earth who did not mind getting "punished". They had magazines!

I still remember seeing pictures of the women in Africa and Asia wearing stacks of neck rings, or women doing a customary dance with their tribe. Funny how I often can't remember what I had for breakfast, but I distinctly  remember thinking, 'I want to see that one day". And, so I did. And my life has never been the same. 

After earning my bachelor's degree in communications, with an emphasis in journalism, I ventured into the world thinking that I was going to be the female version of Geraldo Riviera. I literally had that thought in my mind for several years. I wanted to be on the front lines. I'm not kidding. I had visions of it. But, life doesn't always happen as we hope and plan (for me, or Geraldo).  Instead, I worked in advertising as a media buyer in Arizona before moving to San Diego for a few months. From there, I went to Hawaii on vacation for a few weeks, that turned into a few years. 

Living in Hawaii is an experience I will always cherish. I had to work 2 jobs, because everyone there does. Especially, when you are in your 20's and figuring life out. I loved it. I am still friends with someone from there. I wish I could remember the last names of the other people I hung around with and lived with, but unfortunately, I cannot. Maybe, I will find it in my diaries one day. If so, I see another Facebook reunion happening!

Beautiful Balinese women I watched perform a dance for us, in Ubud, Indonesia. 

At this point, I had only been to Mexico. It's easy to do when you live in San Diego. But, as far as international travel, that was it. I didn't even have a passport. But, my travel journey was about to begin when I met a Swedish girl, quite a bit younger than me, that moved to Maui and wanted to go to SE Asia. She invited me! I still remember taking my passport photo. I was so excited! I was also in a sad place from a broken heart. She told me that traveling would heal me. Boy, did it ever! I forgot all about my broken heart once I stepped foot in Indonesia. 

We had planned on staying for 2 weeks, but 10 months later, I had still not come home.  I saw so much more than Bali. I went to 8 countries. I learned about religions other than mine. I learned about politics. I have a letter I wrote to my grandparents about all the political stuff happening, and apparently, I was very opinionated about it too. I learned that Thai food in Thailand, "extra Thai hot", could kill me. O.M.G. it was so hot!!! I was trying to be brave as the Thai ladies kept asking me if I was ok. I held monkeys and fed a bat a carrot, who immediately pooped the carrot out just as fast as it went in. I have a picture of it somewhere stuck in a photo album! 

I learned so much, but most of all, I learned that I LOVED traveling and that I never wanted to stop. But, the money ran out and that is how I ended up in the South. Long story short, life took over and I did not go overseas for 12 years! I really regret that. I would love to have a redo, but I can't, and I don't live my life thinking about it. I move forward and now know that I will never stop traveling. As a matter of fact, when I met my husband, I told him that I travel and with or without him, I need to see the world. Little did I know, he used to work for National Geographic. I found my travel mate! And, he is cool with me traveling by myself again. I haven't done it yet, I plan to next year. Solo traveling is good for the soul too!

In closing, I have to agree with scientists. Traveling does make us happier. If you are open minded, you can see how beautiful people are all around the world. You can hear their voices and know that they are just like us. It hurts my heart when people tell me that they will never leave the USA to travel because they are afraid. I'm grateful I do not have that fear. I have happiness. And traveling is a big contributor. Are you happy when you travel? How does it enrich your life? Let me know, I would love to help you find and create more happiness. We get one shot at life, if traveling is not your thing, that is fine, but if it is, then "let's go"!  Create your best stories!

#travel #storymakerstravel #letsgo #exploremore #happiness #enrichment #seetheworld #itsgoodforyourhealth #happy

Val's Pals - Scenic Alaska on Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Jewel  - 7-day Alaska with Inside Passage from Seward to Vancouver (Southbound)

Get Onboard with Val's Pals 7-day Escape to Alaska!
Dates: 08/19/19 - 08/26/19

• $25 Promotional Deposit (usually $250!) per person Due August 14th, 2018 - All you need to book!

• Final Payment due April 15th, 2019

• Inside Cabins - $991.06 pp

• Ocean View $1521.06 pp

• Balcony $2011.06 pp

Prices include port fees and taxes based on double occupancy.

Put that check on your bucket list friends! We're taking the Norwegian Jewel on a 7-day trip to Alaska with inside passage from Seward to Vancouver (Southbound).

Itenerary: Seward - Icy Point - Juneau - Skagway - Ketchikan - Inside Passage - Vancouver

• Free group amenities and perks, including online credit!
• You get to choose 2 from the following:
  • Ultimate beverage package
  • 4 meal specialty dining package
  • 250 min wi-fi package per stateroom
  • $50 shore excursion credit per stateroom, per port
  • Photo package (20 photos per stateroom)
  • $75 onboard credit per stateroom
• Also offering before and after cruise stays
• This great deal can only be booked with me! Reserve your cabin today!
• The more the merrier! Let's GO!!

Not Included: 20% gratuities on Ultimate Beverage Package and Specialty Dining Package, travel insurance, airfare. Transfers to port. Ask for details!

A vantage from the Norwegian Jewel. Gorgeous! Isn't it?

A peak of Aurora Borealis at sunset! This would be a huge two-for-one if we can see the Northern Lights!

Hello! ¡Hola! Ciao! Bonjour!

Welcome to my first blog with Storymakers Travel! I am so excited you are reading this and have found my website. 

A little about myself: I love traveling! It is all I think about. Before I met my wonderful husband, Shad, I traveled extensively, often by myself. Now, I get to see the world hand-in-hand with my best friend. I have been to 13 countries/regions, including Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Macau, Costa Rica,  Sweden, Mexico, Greece, Peru, Haiti, and Dominican Republic. This year, we are going to Northern India and Sri Lanka, and hopefully beautiful Jamaica. 

Earlier this year, I met someone who is a teacher and a travel agent. I told her that I am a dental hygienist but would love an at home business in the travel industry. She helped me get started, and I am so grateful. It has been a huge learning experience for me, and it makes me want to continue to grow my business, so I can help others see the world and experience the cultures, the way I enjoy doing so. To me, spending time with the locals is such great fun! I always leave a country feeling exhilarated. It makes me a better person. 

As my blog evolves, I will include photos and stories from my previous travel experiences. However, that will be a task because we did not have internet then and my photos are stuck in photo albums! Remember those? I actually got my first email address while I was in Hong Kong! It was a hotmail account, which I just got rid of last year when we moved to Phoenix. It was hard to let go of it, lol. 

I also plan on including hot deals I find, travel tips, and anything travel related, that I think might be of interest to you. If you want to know something, reach out to me, and I can help you!

I hope that I can bring you happiness through my blog stories and especially through helping you create your best stories! Thank you for your support! It makes me happy!

#travel #storymakerstravel #exploremore #letsgo #travelwithme #travelagentlife #travelagent #travelagentsrock #workfromhome #seetheworld