Meet Melissa: Our Newest Travel Contributor

I really try not to be envious, but couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy when I met Melissa. Living in the Middle East for three years gave her family the opportunity to visit many fabulous countries and collect tons of stamps in their passports. By the time her son was 4 years old, he had visited 13 countries, and her daughter was racking up the travel points even before she could walk. I love that they were able to make so many memories in far off places. The family has now moved back to the states and resides in Colorado, but traveling has become a way of life. She shares her travel adventures at The Roaming Family.  Melissa says that travel is what keeps her alive, and I certainly understand her feelings. I asked Melissa to share a little more about her travel style. 

 

Quick! You’ve got 30 seconds before your toddler dumps your bag all over the airport lounge. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

My husband and I met in Chicago at a bar that showed University of Colorado football games.  We both graduated the same year and knew several of the same people.  We dated for for several years and he asked me to marry him during an extended trip all over Europe–our first big trip together.  Our love of travel together was born on that trip and has continued over the years.  we travel quite often and have introduced our two children, Max, 8 and Zoe, 5 to the joys of traveling.  We live in Denver and are your typical family facing the ups and downs of raising small children.  we also have a Chihuahua named Alix.

Okay, let’s do some easy questions:

Car or Airplane?  Airplane!

Beach or Mountains? I live near the mountains so I guess I have to pick beach to mix it up a little 🙂

Carry-on or Checked? Carry-on whenever possible

Early bird or Night Owl? Night Owl

Museums or Hiking Trails? Hiking Trails

Now, let’s get serious. What’s your favorite trip you’ve ever taken?

My favorite trip would have to be Nepal.  We visited Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.  The architecture and energy of both cities is amazing and the people are so welcoming.  It breaks my heart that many of the amazing buildings we saw are now gone after the earthquake.  We also took a small plane over Mt. Everest, which I had been wanting to see for at least 20 years.

What is one place you are dreaming of visiting?

There are several places in SE Asia that I still want to see – Bhutan and Laos and Myanmar are at the top of the list.  I also want to visit Egypt and Turkey and have never been to the Pacific Northwest of Canada–such as Victoria and Orcas Island

If you could pick one quote to sum up your feelings about travel, what would it be?

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine