Lady Red Travel

It’s that time of year again! A new year means time to start daydreaming about new (and old!) destinations to explore and making those dreams a reality. Here are the top places I’m hoping to make a reality for 2019:

Bermuda

So far, Bermuda is my only “official” travel plan of 2019. My (new) husband, Sean and I have been dreaming of exploring this lovely island with its pink sands beaches and turquoise waters. While we have been talking about vacationing here for quite some time, we officially booked our honeymoon here for May and booked a lovely AirBNB close to the capital of Hamilton!

East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, and/or Uganda

This amazing continent has been on the top of my list to explore for quite some time. Unfortunately, I’ve been struggling to figure out when to go, which country I should first explore on this diverse continent, as well as finding affordable airfare. This year has already opened up some opportunities for me to explore various countries in East Africa, contingent on taking time off and money.

The first opportunity would be to visit Tanzania, between January and March, where one of my good friends is currently living and studying in Dar es Salaam! For my current efforts in tracking flights, flying into Nairobi first from Boston seems to be the most affordable option, which means I could spend a little time in both Kenya and Tanzania!

My other opportunity would be to visit Uganda through the nonprofit organization I have been interning at the last few months, ChildVoice International, through one of their service trips in August. This amazing organization establishes Girl Empowerment Centers and Groups within refugee settlements, for adolescent girls and their children, who were victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). ChildVoice provides center-based programs and sustainable healing for long-term care.

I have been extremely fortunate to live 5 minutes away from their US based office (which is currently the location I am interning at). However, at some point I plan to visit their Ugandan center to see these programs implemented and meet the wonderful students and their children.

Nova Scotia, Canada

I discovered during a day trip up to Portland, Maine this past summer that there are ferries rides to Nova Scotia throughout the summer season. For nature lovers like myself, this beautiful region of Canada is the home to seals, puffins, and whale-watching, as well as the hub for water sports such as kayaking.

Acadia National Park, Maine

I feel as if I continue to add Acadia to my wish list every year, yet I still have not made the drive up north to visit this amazing national park. I am determined to make it a reality this year, either in the late spring or summer, in hopes to do some camping, hiking, and kayaking.

Washington, District of Columbia

While I was only able to spend a day in DC back in October, I managed to see a majority of the Washington Monuments. During the fall, my family and I are hoping to plan a family trip down to this metro area and explore more of the city (including a visit to the Smithsonian this time!).

Where are you planning on/hoping to travel to in 2019?!