Colosseum in Rome, Italy

Rome was my latest trip, therefore, I'm choosing to write about it while the details are still fresh in my mind. I spent a total of three days in Rome, and it was a life changing experience indeed. I'll be the bearer of bad news, just briefly so I can warn anyone traveling there. Airport customs was the worst I've ever experienced. A new system needs to be implemented, because they had about five or six custom agents for at least 700 incoming travelers.  Hopefully you have better luck if you visit. On the bright side, once I escaped the hours of torture in hellish customs, I quickly recovered and was rewarded with the most awe-inspiring views of my life.

Rome is so full of culture, history, and beauty; it can actually be overwhelming if you try to take it all in in three days like I did. I suggest a longer visit so you can take in the grandeur slowly and comfortably, without having to walk what seems like billions of miles... in one day...under the hot June sun. Since we were visiting for such a short time, my tour group and I started very early at the Colosseum. (BTW kids under 18 get in for free, but bring some form of ID to verify age so you're not hung up at the gate for an hour).

It was absolutely beautiful in an ancient and haunting way. Even in its deteriorating form, the architecture has a way of thrusting you into the past. The arena's intricate network of underground walkways are exposed, letting visitors imagine the gladiators and condemned prisoners hidden from view preparing to fight for the death. The levels of the seats in the arena were divided by social status. On the higher levels you can still see marble set into the floor for the elites of society. Besides the painfully steep steps leading into the arena viewing area, I'd have to say that the visit was very enjoyable. It's pretty crowded all the time, so visit early in the day before the noon crowds come in. It's also a great opportunity for memorable pictures, so bring your camera! I recommend bringing a water bottle with you too, especially in the summer months, because it does get very hot and the Colosseum is obviously not air conditioned!

I highly recommend visiting! It's a once in a lifetime experience that I swear you will never forget! If you have any questions, comment below!

An Introduction of Me

To those of you reading this now, thanks for the views and support!

This blog is dedicated to the girls that are just like me; young, vivacious, yearning for adventure. *Constructive criticism or encouragement is very welcome in the comments section below, please and thank you!*

Greetings! I'm a nineteen year old waitress and sophomore at my local community college in Belleville, Illinois. To those of you who are not familiar, it's a pretty normal sized town, about a 20 minute drive across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. I am a very adventurous and carefree girl who is unfortunately landlocked and away from all the action!! (For the time being at least...) Therefore, I travel whenever possible just to get a feel for different cultures and remember that there is indeed life outside of these cornfields and McDonald's parking lots.

I decided to try my hand at a travel blog because I have been blessed with more than one opportunity to travel around and out of the country and I really enjoy sharing what I've learned. I hope that by sharing some of my insight with others, I might stir that urge deep within all of us to experience adventure and take chances in the great unknown.

In this blog, I will talk about my most recent trips, the ones that I made sure to absorb memories and capture those special moments, both on camera and in this ol' noggin. (Oops, my Southern Illinoisian is showing...) These trips include:
Seattle, Washington
Los Angeles, California
Chicago, Illinois
Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau, Alaska
Memphis, Tennessee
Jamaica
London, Great Britain
Rome, Italy

Hopefully by the time I finish my blogs about all of these locations, I will have more places to add to my list. If you want to read for future ideas, curiosity about the places, or for just plain enjoyment, I invite you to live vicariously through me, because my hope is to inspire others to go out there and explore the world too. Let me know what you all think! Enjoy!