travel itch

I am itching to go somewhere. I want to pack my bags, hang out at the airport for an hour and get on a plane for several more. I always want to travel, but right now, it's worse. This time last year I was preparing to go to Paris for Thanksgiving (which was one of the best Thanksgivings ever), and this summer I've probably done more travel in a four month period than I ever have in that same period.

I had the opportunity to visit two countries for work. Well, one technically for work and the second, Denmark, when my flight was canceled and I had to overnight there. Horrible, right? And then I spent a week in Montana, and time in Dallas and Pittsburgh.

Maybe it's because this time last year I was getting ready for Paris, a trip at least about 10 years in the making. And now, as I think about fall and moving slowly (though it will happen all too quickly) into the holiday season, I find myself thinking of the holiday market on the Champs Élysées, with the hot wine and the Arc de Triomphe at the end there. And the lights too...all those beautiful, twinkling lights.


But at the same time, I also want to visit somewhere new. I'm thinking of traveling to Italy sometime next year, and already have one guidebook on my wishlist. Maybe it's also just to get into the act of planning again, to have that trip to look forward to in the near future. I know that last year, I could not wait to buy tickets to Paris, just so that it would be real. I could plan all I wanted, but until I had those tickets, anything could have happened.