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Five Places Calling My Name




Sunday, April 07, 2013

Yeah, okay.  I admit it.  I hear voices.  Well, only one voice really.

"Traceyyyyyy.  Ohhhh Traceyyyyyy."

It's not a man's voice and it's not a woman's voice.  It reminds me of the sound of rustling leaves on a windy day and sometimes has the intensity of the sound of whistling steam from the hole on a near-to-boiling tea kettle top.  Faint but not faint.  Shrill but not shrill.  Its name, I know, is Wanderlust.  And, nutty or not, this voice has been in my head and my heart for a long, long time.  We are one and the same.  That is my reality.

I answer the call of Wanderlust often by surfing the Internet, flipping through the pages of travel magazines, re-visiting some of my own travel stories, chatting with travelers, accepting press trips, posting travel photos on one of my Facebook pages, and - almost always - by booking a flight...or two...maybe even three.  



Sometimes I make long drawn out travel plans and other times I don't. Sometimes my motivation to travel to a particular destination comes from a casual convo with a friend and other times it might come from an Instagram post.  And while asking a maniacal traveler (that would be me) where in the world she has never been yet wants to go might be answered with a quick "everywhere," there are some places that - for one reason or another - call out her name.  Here are five international destinations that happen to be calling out to me...

The South Pacific

Enchanted at an early age by the fictional island of Bali Hai, I have wanted to go anywhere in the South Pacific for as long as I can remember: Tahiti, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa....  And yes, I can imagine myself sailing with My Fella in the seas of the South Pacific.
"Here am I, your special island. Come to me. Come to me...."


Siam Thailand

 
This movie is still one of my all time favorites (and yes, I even loved the re-make).  It is - admittedly - the root of my desire to visit Thailand, as it is wrought with texture, rich colors and culture.  


Casablanca

Casablanca is yet another movie that has influenced my desire to visit its movie title namesake.  I did go to Marrakech for the first time this November past, but have yet to go to Casablanca, Morocco's largest city located on the Atlantic Ocean.  Notice a movie pattern yet? *giggle*
Here's looking at you kid.


Spain

I don't remember the first time I saw tango performed (or flamenco for that matter), but what I do know is that the drama of the dance (as depicted in the movie Moulin Rouge, above) and its origination in Spain is one of my motivations for wanting to visit España.  Barcelona is on my calendar for August, so that will take care of that.


Brazil


Even before I knew there was a movie called Orfeu Negro (aka Black Orpheus), I knew I wanted to go to Brazil.  And while I hear Carnival is quite the party, I just want to hang out and soak in the culture.  I leave for Salvador de Bahia in three weeks.

***

Do you ever hear the voices of Wanderlust calling your name?



***
Note:  Because I can think of way more than five places I'd like to go, and because no traveler could be content to name just five, here are ten more places on my international To Do List and five on my domestic To Do List:  Zanzibar, Indonesia, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Montreal/Quebec, Vietnam, India, Maldives, Easter Island, Guadeloupe; the Florida Keys, Charleston, N.C., The Hamptons, Grand Canyon, Vermont.  And yes, of course, there are more.

Antarctica did not make the list.


This post is a part of the Traveling Brown Girls Blog Carnival and this is the final carnival stop on the circuit.  For more travel stories, please visit Carnival Host BrownGirlsFly.com on Travel Tuesday, April 9.



16 comments:

InsideJourneys on: April 9, 2013 at 6:33 AM said...

I love the way movies have influenced your travel lust. I think I'll have to check out the Moulin Rouge. Love Spain, hope you get to see lots of dancing, and other things while you're there.

Unknown on: April 9, 2013 at 9:19 AM said...

Thanks, InsideJourneys!
I think movies have more of an influence than people think; particularly when you're young and impressionable. I like that my mom monitored what I watched as a kid, as I certainly could have been influenced in other ways, eh?
Moulin Rouge was a fun (and pretty) movie, if you like fun whimsical dramatic musicals (I do). Enjoy it!
Happy travels!
From the Brown Girl who will watch flamenco and tango in Spain. =)

LL on: April 9, 2013 at 10:02 AM said...

Stopping by from the carnival to say hi. I'm with you on Antarctica!

Monique @ Mo Travels on: April 9, 2013 at 1:46 PM said...

I love your list, and that extension was a good idea, because I also have more than 5. I can't wait to hear about Brazil and I know you'll love Barcelona. It is a wonderful city.

Thanks for being the ringmaster of this blog carnival and inviting me to participate.

Aliah on: April 9, 2013 at 3:31 PM said...

I love the movie references in your post. I cannot count how many times I have watched a movie and wandering into the setting and stopped watching for the story line! Swoon at Casablanca and Brazil!!!

Chelle Roberts on: April 9, 2013 at 6:05 PM said...

Tracey,

I love that your list is film-inspired. So many times I've seen a movie or TV show and it triggered a new travel obsession.

That "next 10" list was a smart idea! I shared my 5 spots with Crystal (or maybe she'll say she shared her spots with me) .... Either way, that left me with so many more begging to be listed. LOL ...

I suppose that this a never ending process for most of us ... the more places you see, the more you learn, the more you wanna see and learn.

Tawanna on: April 9, 2013 at 6:51 PM said...

You are so right about the influence of movies on our young impressionable minds and how that can leave an indent in our adult subconscious. I so wish I was coming with you to Spain - it would have been an even more fabulous time than London! And now I think I might pull out my Moulin Rouge dvd - thank goodness I've been to Paris, otherwise your mention of that movie would have me wanting to add it to my list as well. Thanks for being the ringmaster of this ride. Besos!

Oneika the Traveller on: April 9, 2013 at 10:19 PM said...

We share Brazil! Been going through the list and noticed that that's a commonly desired destination by our brown girl crew. ;-) Love the idea of incorporating films into your post! This was such a great idea, Tracey. I think we often forget the impact our travel writing has on like-minded folks of colour who maybe weren't as aware about the various travel possibilities that exist. Keep on being an inspiration!

Lola on: April 10, 2013 at 3:55 AM said...

Really digging the movie theme! One of my dreams is to spend 6-9 months island hopping around the South Pacific with my family while writing a travel memoir. Spent some of my most memorable times in Fiji a long time ago.

Arianwen on: April 10, 2013 at 4:02 AM said...

You make the wanderlust call sound kind of spooky! But I hope you fulfil your travel dreams. Have a great time in Bahia. I didn't make it that far north, but spent Carnaval in Rio this February and it was every bit as good as they say!

Heather Greenwood Davis on: April 10, 2013 at 5:09 AM said...

Isn't it so interesting how movies can shape our ideas/desires of a place? Casablanca got me too.

Unknown on: April 10, 2013 at 5:38 AM said...

Well, I can definitely vouch for what I saw of Spain and Brazil. I didn't spend nearly enough time in either place. The shopping in Barcelona is fantastic not to mention paella, sangria and all things Gaudi. And, Salvador just feels like home, warm and inviting. Enjoy!

Janice on: April 11, 2013 at 4:37 PM said...

Wow! Tracey I loved the movie clips what great inspiration.

April @ AbsoluteTravelAddict.com on: April 12, 2013 at 8:58 AM said...

So many places, so little time. Le sigh! Excited for your trip to Brazil. Rio was amazing and I know Bahia is going to be fab!

Second the Antarctica omission.

Carol on: April 14, 2013 at 4:47 PM said...

OMGOSH girlgriend. The list was enough, but the videos too?? I can just cry. Funny...now I hear it too: "Carol! Caaaaaarooooooooollllllll!" Teehee!

Take A Leap on: April 15, 2013 at 8:14 AM said...

I too enjoyed the movies theme. It definitely wets your appetite. I went to Italy before seeing the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, and after seeing it (I know about a decade late) booked a 2nd trip just to experience it all over again. Anyways, I hated that we didn't participate, but family comes first. My sister is just coming home from surgery last week. When she's well, we'll be back to our jetsetting ways. Tops on our list- Madrid, Spain; Dubai; Paris; London; and Maldives. If I could add a sixth it'll be Brazil. And a 7th would be back to Italy, but this time to the Amalfi Coast. I could go on and on!!

 

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