Today’s myth is that traveling in the United States has no real interest or importance. I know many people who travel the world, but fail to see their own country. My current travel tally, (yes, I’m counting!) is 40 countries, 50 states, 6 Canadian Provinces, and 42 National Parks. From that information, you might get the idea that I love traveling in America, and you would be correct. For the past few years I’ve been piling on foreign countries with no regrets. But I can only travel so much (money, you know!) This new year I’ve decided that I want to get back to my traveling roots, and will do half foreign and half domestic. Plus, I’m chipping away at my goal of hiking the 59 National Parks, and I want to eliminate at least three a year. I can’t do that if I’m in Africa or Asia!
I urge all travelers to discover America. I’ve heard the age-old complaint about the expense of traveling in this country, and that going abroad is cheaper. The secret: road trips. Become a do-it-yourself traveler. If you don’t want to take a full-out road trip in your own car, book some cheap airfare (Las Vegas is a GREAT place to start), and rent a car from there. Pull out the old Rand McNally road atlas, ditch the GPS, and start dreaming. Book mom and pop motels. Is the cost of the bed you sleep in so important? Look up images on Google and imagine the selfies. Better yet, close your eyes and imagine the freedom and comfort of traveling in your own country, not having to deal with the passport hustle, and stopping to see exactly what you want to see, what you want to do, where you want to eat. There’s no place I’d rather be than the American road. In fact, in a few years I plan on living on the road. I can’t wait!
No matter where your travels take you, remember this:
I Am Barb Lee 