Where has 2013 gone?  I swear I was just planning my first overseas trip of 2013 back in February and now we’re well past the half way mark. There’s a distinct possibility I say this every year, but this year has absolutely flown by! Realizing there are still so many places for me to see this year, I decided to take a look back at my “Where To in 2013?” list that I compiled back in January.

To be honest, I have been meaning to revisit that post for a few weeks now, but I was feeling a little intimidated.  I didn’t remember exactly what I had put on my list, but I had a strong suspicion that I did not have a lot of check marks to look at.  Not that travel is just a list of of things, experiences or places for me to scratch off a list, but rather that I have goals related to seeing the world that I’d like to accomplish.  I hate being disappointed by an unchecked To Do list, but I decided to finally assess my progress from that January 3 post.

I have to say that the results I discovered are pretty telling of the type of traveler I am.  The list I created consisted of twelve countries I want to visit in 2013 – 7 new countries and 5 old favorites. Turns out that I am 4 for 5 on the old favorites list with a pretty good chance of getting all 5 in by the end of the year.  But for the New Countries – I’m 0 for 7.  Wow! Not one new country this year – not even one that was not on my 2013 planning list.  I guess I do find some comfort in traveling to places I’ve been to before. And maybe that comfort is a bit of what I crave even when I’m on the road.

Well, the second half of this year will have to be about getting out to new places. Armenia may be my first new country of the year in August, and then…well, I have 5 months to figure that out.  At least one of the Caribbean countries on my list should be doable (Belize or the Dominican Republic) and perhaps even Switzerland if I can make it back to Europe.  I may have to wait and add Morocco and Sri Lanka back onto the list 2014. Iceland I’d love to see during the Aurora Borealis which I believe is best viewed from October to March.  All this while holding down a full time office job which I just accepted. Not sure how I will make it timing wise, but I will sure give it my all.  Here’s to a travel heavy second half of 2013!

And where are you planning to go before the end of the year? Any crazy trips or must see spots you have your mind set on?