My motto: Life is an adventure - take detours
Life is an adventure - take detours
What do I mean when I say, Life is an adventure, take detours? Well, simply stated, it is my life motto. Life has taken me on many adventures. I look for adventures wherever I go. Sometimes my detours take me to a dead end, but more often I have found that the unplanned brings unexpected rewards.
Feeling the need to explore? Ever wondered what went to the left when the map says to go right? Love travel, art, people, photography and food? Welcome to a bit about me!
My favorite detour? Travel
My earliest memory of knowing I wanted to travel was when I was about 5 and my grandparents were traveling around the world. I have been fascinated by people and cultures for the same length of time.
It is my adventures that have made me well, me. Along the way to who I am today, I have lived in 9 states ( 3 times in Illinois) , traveled in 49 states, lived in 6 countries and traveled in over 30 countries.
I can not sit still for long without getting itchy feet!
Got the itch? Read some travel books
When I can't travel, I am reading about other places and other cultures. Here are a few of my favorite books from around the world
Don't just dream it, do it! The next time you have some free time, take a different route and keep your eyes wide open!
Where I have been. Let's starts where I have lived
To put things in perspective, until I went to college I had lived in two states. Illinois and Minnesota. Everywhere else on the list is where I have lived since I was 18!
Illinois- I was born in Danville
Minnesota - I moved to Stillwater when I was 4
Texas- My first year of college was in Arlington
Switzerland- My second year of college was in Luzern
Wisconsin- Menominee
Texas- Houston
Minnesota- Minneapolis
England- London
Maine- Portland
Alabama- Mobile and Fairhope
Liberia
Connecticut- Woodbury and Bethlehem
Ivory Coast- Abidjan
Illinois- St. Charles
Colorado- Durango
Illinois- Geneva
Malaysia- Kuala Lumpur
Virginia- Charlottesville
My last stop before returning to the US? SE Asia
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeSo Many Countries So Little Time!
Where I have traveled- Internationally
Switzerland
England
Scotland
Wales
France
Italy
Austria
Germany
Luxembourg
Belgium
Netherlands
Spain
Monaco
Denmark
Lichtenstein
Liberia
Ghana
Ivory Coast
South Africa
Panama
Mexico
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Fiji
Tahiti
Bali
Indonesia (Jakarta)
Singapore
Malaysia
Thailand
Vietnam
Cambodia
Laos
Whew!! Some of these countries I have been to multiple times, but there are so many more on my wish list!
A Day in DC ( a 2 hour trip from Charlottesville) - All photos by Rikki Hallowell
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeTake a detour, feed your soul
Travel is more than the destination. It is the journey. The detours that allow you to experience the soul of the place. To me, in the end what makes a successful detour is what you take away with you. Each experience, each interaction, each glimpse of the life and heart of a country makes me a better person. If I can leave something positive behind, I have helped change the world for the better.
So you see, where I have been has been instrumental in making me who I am today.
This is a small glimpse of me. I hope my motto has in a small way made you consider your detours. Where will they take you?
All photos on this lens belong to
Rikki Hallowell and me....
Annette Hallowell
Please respect our copyrights.
Thanks for visiting!