My regular readers, I’m sure, are accustomed to hearing me talk about my travel experiences. But for those of you who are reading this little window into my soul, Experiencing the Globe, you can see that it all started with a bucket list of all the travel experiences I want to have around the world—surprise, surprise—and that’s where the story begins.

Since completing the list is my life’s objective, I’m traveling as much as I can. However, I find inspiration in the experiences of other travelers when I return home between trips. I’ve read as many books as I can remember about exciting journeys. What’s more, as of late I snagged Forlorn Planet’s Movement Objectives: Experiences That Will Change Your Life

It got me thinking about the travel experiences that changed my life. After fully comprehending the implications for the planet and its inhabitants, I transformed into a sustainable traveler. That is because of a trip to the Caribbean. As a first-time solo female traveler, the first trip I took on my own gave me confidence and opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities!

I’m so glad I picked Italy, which is a fantastic place to explore on your own! After spending a month in Iran and meeting some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, I reaffirmed my faith in humanity. Moving to Croatia after meeting the love of my life in this beautiful country, which I now call home, was the travel experience that literally changed my life.