When I was six months old I went on my first plane ride from the Philippines to the US. As a military kid, I was accustomed to moving every 3-5 years. Throw in a pair of parents always planning a trip somewhere and a strong case of perpetual wanderlust set in my system. 

After deciding I wanted to be a writer, I always had this dream of one day becoming a travel writer. Maybe I could work for National Geographic and take pictures of the world around me while writing about my experiences? I had these visions of some day wandering the world and showing other what I saw to encourage them to wander the world. However, that was a some day idea. 

This past Friday, I sat on a plane on the rain awaiting takeoff. It would be a short flight to San Francisco and I had my headphones, playlist and nook ready. However, it was slightly bittersweet. I sat on this plane alone and that was not the original plan. Honestly, it was not the first time I traveled alone. Traveling across the country by myself was a regular thing. Yet, this was the first time I had no one waiting for me to return. 

It was then that I snapped this picture and thought of my daydream of being a travel writer and that’s when it hit me. As I posted the pic to Instagram, I created the hashtag jetawaydiva.  Why not get away if I can? No one would be missing me. And why should my travel writer idea only be a daydream? Why not now?

Every year my sister and I get together to discuss our goals. We do not say “resolutions.” There is a certain power in words and using one synonymous with an attempt that usually fails before the end of January is not very encouraging. Instead we focus on aspirations and not only set goals but plans to achieve those goals. By the end of the trip, I had decided that this would be the year of my travel blog.

And so, I present to you the Jet Away Diva. Here, I will post photos, and write ups from my travels along with articles and tips for those wanting to plan their own adventure. 

Happy Trails!