7 Travel Resolutions for 2020


Every year I make the usual resolution about losing weight that never happens so instead this year  I made a fun list of travel goals that I have for myself. I feel that writing them down makes a big difference because it makes it more concrete and it's something I can look to hold myself accountable to make sure I achieve this list.  I want to consume less and instead focus on spending money on experiences and travel, not things/clothes. I’ve been fortunate to have traveled to some really amazing places already  (and never cared about a passport stamp or will add the number to my IG bio as some badge of honor) so my goal is to continue that journey of quality travel experiences.

Winter Reads 2020


The Family Upstairs  by Lisa Jewell
The author is a British mystery/thriller writer. I loved her last book Then She Was Gone and read this book in just two days because I couldn’t put it down! The book is about Libby, who was adopted, discovers that she will inherit a mansion on her 25th birthday. Shocked and wanting  to know more about her birth parents, she travels to the abandoned house only to discover it was the scene of 3 murders, Libby was the only survivor. A few other people have travelled to this house at the same time knowing it’s Libby’s birthday to meet her. The book tells the story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest of secrets.

Exploring Holland

I spent one week in the Netherlands driving around the country last August . The Netherlands is a small country, it’s half the size of the state of Virginia and 2x bigger than the state of New Jersey to give you a comparison. So travel distances around the country are short. Amsterdam, the capital, is the largest city but there’s so much more to see to get to know the character of the country. Since I have Dutch roots, I wanted to explore the countryside and small towns to experience traditional Dutch culture and see the windmills and other hidden gems.

Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a one hour drive from Amsterdam or you could take the train. Rotterdam is the second largest city in the south. It’s also the largest cargo port in Europe so you see shipping docks and cranes along the river. The center of the city was completely bombed during World War II so all the buildings are relatively new and built with modern architecture.  My personal fave was the Cube Houses and the Market Hall. There’s also a lot of street murals that are worth seeing. I only spent eight hours there but made the most of it.