thanks!

Since it is a day of giving thanks I'm going to give thanks to my parents who instilled in me a love of travel. Growing up it seems like we would always take at least two trips every summer (one always being Redfish Lake) and we'd go places at other times of the year too. By the time I was 18 I had been to every state in the West along with Canada and Mexico and Hawaii which was pretty impressive since some/most kids my age had never been anywhere. So really it shouldn't be that surprising that I still have the wanderlust and I'm always wanting to go somewhere and do go whenever I can (it kills me when I'm on the subway and I see the ads for Iceland in only 5 hours at $799 for flight and hotel packages-I want to gooooooo!)

My favorite Thanksgivings were when we would go on a quick road trip, usually to CA but once to Phoenix-which were the last four that I lived at home ie: 9th-12th grade. Whoever came up with this brilliant plan (mum or dad or both?) cheers to you! The first time we took off for the holiday we went to San Francisco and had Thanksgiving at a Denny's in Santa Cruz. We had so much fun on that trip we went to San Francisco again the next year and Heidi and I still talk about the PETA protesters at Union Square over the disgusting fur coats women were wearing. Junior year we went to San Diego and we spent a lot of time trying to get to our hotel which we could see but couldn't get to because of the crazy roads and the freeway. Who can ever forget the Thanksgiving spent at Taco Bell at the Grand Canyon-classic.

Heidi and I loved these trips for the fun and adventure we got to have with our family and we usually got to go Christmas shopping and get some swell items. Especially in San Diego and Phoenix where we hit up the music stores and returned to ID with stacks of music. We were always on the hunt for anything that we couldn't get at home.

These trips were great to tide us over until spring break when we would hit the road again. With all the traveling we did when we were young it's in our blood to always be going somewhere and Heidi and I continue to get out and see the world while we can. Now we just need to go to Hong Kong, Praque, Stockholm, Tokyo, Brussels, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Bergen, Istanbul, Sydney, Luxembourg, Madrid, Copenhagen, Berlin, Munich, Sao Paolo, Buenos Aries, Cape Town, Moscow and everywhere else!

Thanks Mum and Dad for being such great parents and showing us that there is a world beyond the back yard.

--Katie