Travel Feeds the Soul

Just Relax and Enjoy

Traveling is one of the things I enjoy the most. I love getting to know different places, people, cultures, and foods. It gives me a new perspective and broadens my mindset. It’s always good to change airs and rest the body and mind by doing something different. I feel like travel feeds the soul. At least, it feeds mine. I do have this hunger for knowledge and exploration that travel can feed. For me, there is no better way to celebrate life than traveling.

20th Anniversary Trip

For our 20th anniversary celebration, I booked a Disney Cruise. My daughter was also turning 10 so, it was a big celebration with Mickey, Goofy, and the gang. It was our first cruise ever and it was simply amazing. We cannot go wrong with Disney, right? The restaurants were all great, the entertainment was top-notch, the itinerary was amazing, and so was the Caribbean weather. This was back in 2016 when I fell in love with cruising. Being surrounded by deep blue water brings me joy and peace. I love the feeling, the breeze, the smell, the sun, everything about it! Cruising feeds my soul deeply.

Mother-Daughter Trip

I told my kids that I would take them on a mother-child trip to the place of their choice as their 16th birthday gift. Last year was my daughter’s sweet sixteen and Paris was her destination of choice. We have dear friends living in Edinburgh, Scotland so, we’ve decided to extend our trip to the United Kingdom. We ended up visiting Edinburgh, Manchester, London, and Paris. The trip was quite epic. The company (of course) couldn’t be better, the weather was great, the precious bonding time, the pictures, the museums, the meals, the time spent with our dear friends in Edinburgh, everything was really special. My soul was nourished!

50th Birthday Trip

Two childhood friends of mine and I made a plan to celebrate our 50th birthday together with a trip to Europe. One of us turned 50 in October 2022 and the other 2 in January 2023. Then all the stars lined up for us to travel to Spain in November 2022. Another epic trip! We visited Barcelona, Besalú, Cadaqués, Figueres and Camós. We immersed ourselves in culture the whole time!

The amazing Barcelona architecture, the gorgeous Park Guell, the incredible Casa Batllo, the curated exposition at Museu Nacional D’Art de Catalunya, and the Montjuic Park were some of Barcelona’s highlights. So many great places, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Also loved to learn about the lives of some genius like Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miró in their amazing museums. The weather in northeast Spain in November was also a treat, cool and sunny. I treasure the time I spent with my friends exploring this beautiful corner of the world. It did feed my soul.

Extended Family Vacation

Living abroad makes it hard to go visit relatives. Every trip back home I try to squeeze in a visit to as many people as possible and it ends up being exhaustive. So, in 2018 we’ve had the idea of taking one week off our vacation to travel with our extended family in Brazil. This is for me the best way to spend time with my sisters, niece and nephews, mom and dad, aunts and cousins. During those trips, we have time to talk with no restrictions or interruptions, enjoy each other and have fun. Traveling together is a way to have quality family time and strengthen our relationships. Nothing nourishes more a soul than relationships.

Friends Vacation

Since 2017 we have been vacationing with a group of dear friends. As we all live in different states those trips are a great way to spend quality time together and give our kids a chance to still be close.

We just returned from one of those trips. This time we went to Panama City Beach, Florida. We had a great time! The emerald, green shades of the waters and the sugar white sands make that part of the Panhandle a Caribbean paradise in US land. Not only the beaches were perfect but also the weather. Late spring seems to be an ideal time to travel to that area. I think it might be really hard to avoid the crowds but, if you plan to get around by foot or bike, you’re going to enjoy it to the fullest. Being at the beach with such good friends is a magical combination! I feel nourished on my way back every time.

Travel feeds the Soul

Our true self is made of mind, body, and soul. Make sure you nourish them equally to feel truly healthy. There are many ways to feed your soul. Traveling is a big one for me because it gives me the unique chance to strengthen relationships while enjoying a new place. However, I also feed my soul with meditation, quiet time in nature, music, books, prayers, and self-care.

Find something you love to do that can feed your soul and make sure you do it regularly. Unfortunately, traveling is not something we can afford to do all the time. I try to watch the sunrise and sunset every day though. I know how good those little precious moments make me feel. Listening to birds singing in the morning during my meditation also feels my soul with joy. I hope you can find what truly feeds your soul.

Always remember: Good is what makes you feel well.

Anna.

To read more about my passion for travel and nature read my blog, Mamma Terra.