Taking a carry-on bag doesn’t even feel like a choice anymore, it feels like a requirement. I can’t imagine traveling with checked luggage for any length of trip. It’s more secure, economical, efficient and fun!

We have yet to settle down into a house, but our temporary home is our apartment in Chicago, Illinois. Even this home has changed three times in the past three years of living in the city. We have lived in three different neighborhoods and have loved each one for different reasons. The stuff we bring with us is basically the same, but the scenery is a bit different.

For some of us, food isn’t just a part of our travels, it’s the reason why we travel. Whether you travel the globe to try new foods and use food to form a deeper connection with the culture or just eat to live, food plays a big part in the travel experience. Share a food-related story from your travels or describe your best meal.

We climbed down a muddy hill into a rush of water that seemed to go on forever, surrounded by beautiful greenery and serenity. There were only 4 other people in these natural hot springs so we climbed up some rocks until we found our own area and there we sat. We felt the water rush over us and watched it swirl around the rocks and down to the next level. We listened to the birds and the wind through the trees.

Throughout our travels we have attended a lot of big events and festivals in many countries. We watched the peloton on the Champs-Élysées as the Tour de France ended, Josh was in the corral of people running alongside bulls at San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain and we attended the Zurich festival celebrating the local arts. Each event was special and held a place in our travel story, but with the hordes of people and the multitude of activities, I don’t feel like we got to truly learn more about the local culture