When I think about travel the two words that come to me are “mind expanding.” We get entrenched in our daily lives and our “world” can feel small and revolve mostly around our daily commutes, our familiar foods, our comfortable homes, etc.

When traveling we can open ourselves up to “seeing” our world in a new light. We can appreciate “old” buildings as the remains of cultural history instead of just seeing the building as “old” and needing to be torn down. [Smirice Courtyard, Smirice, Czech Republic] We can try foods with flavors that are unfamiliar to us that might inspire us to change what we cook at home. We can see things in other countries that either help us feel blessed for the way our lives are at home, or make us aware of a whole new potential for how we might live our lives.

On each visit to a new country I travel as a guest first, and a photographer second. I enjoy meeting and being amongst people who love their country and so appreciate that a visitor finds where they live so fascinating. I might make a plan for each day but am easily persuaded to alter that plan when a local person gives me a tip on what not to miss in their town. Why not take it from the experts…they live there!

The occasional rainy day is a given when traveling, so bring an umbrella and don’t miss a minute of exploration. Waiting out storms actually provides a perfect excuse to enjoy the cafes and shops and get into the museums to learn the history of the great places that crisscross our globe.

Get out and see your world – share your story with me below!