2015 was a spectacular travel year for me; of course, any year that includes a visit to Paris is going to be pretty awesome. Paris was the highlight, but there was lots of other awesomeness too. Here it is, by the numbers. 

4 Big Cities Visited (“big” as defined by me which is basically anything bigger than my small city of 100,000) – Paris, Chicago, Madison Wisconsin, Portsmouth-Norfolk Virginia. 

2 Beaches Walked On – Omaha Beach in France and the Outer Banks in North Carolina

2 Airplane Trips – to Paris and to Virginia

2 Train Trips – Paris to Bayeux and from home to Chicago

17 Museums Visited (ok, this is almost cheating because I went to Paris where there is an interesting museum on almost every street corner, but still) – Figge Art Museum, German American Heritage Center (Davenport, Iowa), Rodin, Orangerie, Louvre, Orsay, Quai Branley, Pantheon, Museum of Decorative Arts, Jacquemart Andre, Cluny, Picasso (Paris), Bayeux Tapestry (Bayeux, France), Chrysler Art Museum (Norfolk, Virginia) Art Institute, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium (Chicago)

2 Guided Tours – Chicago Architecture Foundation river cruise and D-Day beaches tour. 

2 Glass Floors Walked On That Are Suspended High Above Ground – Eiffel Tower and Willis Tower (Chicago)

5 Airports Navigated – O’Hare (Chicago), Charles de Gaulle (Paris), Dulles (Washington DC), Quad City International (Moline, IL), Norfolk International (Norfolk, VA)

3 Public Gardens Visited – this is a little harder to count since I am notorious for poking a my head into any small park or courtyard (as I did in Paris) but officially – Tuilleries (Paris), Olbrich (twice) (Madison Wisconsin) and Lurie Garden (Chicago)

In addition, there were several taxi rides, 2 Uber rides, multiple Metro rides and car trips, 5 states and 2 countries. I ate great food, saw incredible sights, listened to fascinating stories, learned about different histories and cultures and found out a lot about myself. Worth every penny. 

So where will I go and what will I see in 2016? I have lots of ideas and thoughts (and even some reservations already made) but what I do know for sure is that I’ll continue to travel and explore. Stay tuned!