Adventures Throughout My 23 Years

Mom suggested I blog about all the places I've been so far, so I decided to take her up on the idea.
Hopefully I can remember all of my adventures!

I know I started traveling at quite a young age to one of my favorite places... Grandma and Grandpa's condo in the Lake of the Ozarks.  Favorite memories include stopping in Rolla to get BBQ ribs (although the highlight for me was actually getting the Andy's mints they sold at the counter), getting to unbuckle my seat belt and ride in the front seat once we hit the gravel road, our traditional 4th of July week trips, and of course swimming endless laps in the pool.  I even snuck in one solo trip with just my friend Lauren....although I guess Grandma and Grandpa didn't trust me because they sold the condo shortly after! Mom and Dad used to always ask me where I wanted to go, and I always just wanted to go to the lake... nowhere else... oh how that's changed these days!

And of course there is also the Kremer side tradition, our family reunions in Cherokee Village, Arkansas.... never heard of it? Well, yes, it is kind of in the middle of nowhere, but we always had fun on our annual trips.... canoeing, rafting, boating, and playing lots of cards! Hopefully, I will actually be able to make it this year, since I haven't been to the past few.

Next, I remember getting to miss a week of 2nd grade (I think) to go to Disney World! I didn't really like the rides.... except for It's a Small World... I'm sure Mom and Dad never wanted to hear that song again after the trip was over.  I much preferred to get my autograph book signed by all the characters. The Genie was my favorite because he didn't let the big kids butt in front of me!  I also had a scare when Bear went missing when the cleaning ladies washed the sheets... but luckily they were able to find her!

Then, I won the 8th grade Pro-Life essay contest at school, which meant I got to attend the Pro-Life March in D.C.  Dad agreed to chaperon, which he probably regretted after our 22 hour bus ride to D.C. And once we finally made it, we only actually stayed for about 12 hours!

Then, Mom and I had our traditional trip to Saugatuck, Michigan, where we stayed at LakeShore Resort and got to walk on the beach every morning.  Quite a relaxing getaway! 

Our tradition of writing in the sand at every beach we visit! 

And then our high school long-awaited junior trip to Memphis, where we visited Beal Street.
Next were lots of college visit trips. Boston with Mom. It snowed a foot... not the best for touring college campuses.  Xavier, Dayton, University of Illinois, and Illinois Wesleyan with dad, and then finally I decided on Tulsa.

Then came the fun post-graduation trips.  First I was off to Disney World with my engineering class.  We entered the parks early and learned how the rides actually worked. And I finally rode my first roller coaster, Space Mountain, and loved it! 

Though I still loved pictures with the characters! 

 Shortly after, I was off on my first European adventure, this time with my French class. We took a 2 week tour around France.  I loved Nice, and we just missed Tom Cruise proposing to Katie Holmes at the top of the Eiffel Tower... I remember being really sad about that.  Climbing to the top of the tower and parasailing in the Mediterranean were my favorite memories!

Lauren and I by the Eiffel Tower!

Next, I headed to Tulsa, which led to many college trips to visit friends, the first one being to Colorado to visit Alivia over Christmas break. I had my first skiing experience!

  Over the summer, I was off to to Rio Rancho, New Mexico, to visit my best friends Jeneva, Amanda, and Alison.

 I had my first four-wheeling experience in the mountains of New Mexico! 

And then a trip sophomore year to good ol' Sherman, Texas, to visit the Hubbert triplets and see why they kept telling my Texas was soo great. And I can't forget my first trip to Chicago for spring break with Monica.... who had a herneated disk in her back so she couldn't sit for the entire trip! haha... that made things interesting.

I think the Chicago skyline is a little better than the STL one! 

Next was study abroad in Salamanca, Spain. During my time, I visited lots of places beginning with London.

 Big Ben! 

Then off to Lisbon, Morroco and all over Spain.... Malaga, Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastian, Santander, Bilbao, Sevilla, Granada, and lots of little towns along the way. 

 

 My travel partner, Abigail and I in Sevilla, Spain.

 The girls in Lisbon!

 Riding a camel in Marrakesh!

During my time in Spain, I made a new best friend.. Ash. I made my first trip to Cali to visit her in LA the following spring break. Let's just say I'm more than a little jealous of the 5 minute bike ride from her house to the beach. We also visited Orange County and Laguna Beach, and I think we got frozen yougurt.. the big fad at the time, at least once a day.... maybe more.

Ash and I on the famous Rodeo Drive

Then it was time for law school visits.... a good father daughter trip to Virginia and D.C.  Lot's of schools and a bit of sightseeing along the way as well.

Good view of the Washington Monument

Next, we headed to New York for my long awaited trip to see the huge Christmas tree.  Ash joined us for the trip. Highlights include see the Rockettes and Matt and Meredith on the Today Show.  We are just not cold weather people though, so we were ready to get back to our warmer states by the end. 

Ash and I

I think that brings us to the present!  And you've already heard about all of my adventures over the last year...Lake Garda, Italy, rafting in Austria, jazz festival in Montreux, Switzerland, Amersterdam with Rach, Copenhagen, Malmo, Krakow, Italy with Mom, Prague, my solo trip to Berlin, and one of my favorites, Dublin.  Still on the list: Croatia, and my last and much-anticipated trip to Greece! And I am heading to Budapest tomorrow to celebrate my birthday with Chenea!

I have been blessed to see so many places and am looking forward to seeing many more in my next 23+ years!  Top on my list...the Northwest to visit Rachel, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada!