SIX PLACES I NEED TO SEE (AND I WANNA KNOW YOURS)

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My edits for the first draft of my book are due Friday and I'm freaking out over the responsibility so OBVIOUSLY I'm ignoring it for a moment it by dreaming of trips across the world. Y'know... classic avoidance techniques that us grown-ups use.

I've always been filled with insatiable wanderlust, as long as I can remember. I spent my childhood at the Wilmot library pouring over travel books in both the adult and juvenile sections; learning everything I could about whatever place I was obsessed with at the time. DID ANYONE ELSE DO THIS?

I was such a nerdy kid.

I now travel a LOT for speaking engagements (2-5 times a month and P.S. you can book me here!) but those trips are brief 24 hour turn-arounds and while I love exploring university towns (and talking about body love!!!) it's different than extended trips to far off places. I've been keeping a mental list of cities that seem to call my name for years now and I've collected travel porn for each one. The top six?

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Amsterdam: Perhaps I've romanticized Amsterdam far more than it deserves, but a historic city with tulips, other copious greenery, bicycles (and designated singing trails), colorful buildings and cafes galore? No wonder it's one of the happiest cities.

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Palm Springs: After deciding that I needed to visit Salvation Mountain, I noticed that I'm less than 5 hours away from Palm Springs. WHY HAVEN'T I BEEN? It may seem weird to travel from Arizona to another desert town but I'm looking forward to the color, palm trees, pools, and Elvis paraphernalia filled rooms. OH and visiting Dinny the Dinosaur (from Pee-wee's Big Adventure) on the way!

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Amalfi Coast: The color. The water. My quenchless need to go back to Italy after visiting Venice and Treviso. Sigh.

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Havanna, Cuba: As an island country suspended between tragic history and tourism booms, Cuba fascinates me on many levels. I have mixed feelings about visiting (much like parts of Mexico) but I'm still in love with what I've seen of the people, culture and cities.

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Seattle: I have a feeling that Seattle might become a home to me someday. I have a lot more interest in vising this beautiful city over Portland and yes... I'm a sucker for giant markets.

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San Juan, Puerto Rico: I plan on visiting Puerto Rico next, after Palm Springs and I'm hoping to go at the end of this year. Puerto Rico (oh the colors and tiles and villas and bioluminescent bays...) is considered US Territory which means that traveling from here to there is more or less seamless. No passport or currency conversion needed. That plus the fact that flights in December are less than $500? I better start working on my Spanish immediately.

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There are of course a million places I'd love to see (like family in Dublin and US cities like Savannah and Charleston) but these six make me swoon the most. Conquering this list should be an adventure and a half though, as my favorite way to travel is solo (which allows me to cause the least amount of cultural disruption) but now that I have a person that also loves to travel? I suppose I'll be learning a new way to explore these places.

What about you? Do you like solo, couple or group travel best and why? And what's your list of 6 places you need to see? Leave them below... I obviously need to lengthen my list.