The Swiss Alps

The last place I would like to visit is the Swiss Alps. My mom and I have always wanted to hike the swiss alps. They have a trip where you can hike everyday from one bed and breakfast to another that are tucked away secretly all along the mountain trails. It would be magical to hike these beautiful mountains and great bonding time with family. The trek we would like to do is called the Haute route and it starts in Chamonix, France and ends in Switzerland. All along the way you hike through adorable, tiny swiss villages and really get to experience a new culture. Along with hiking, they also have trails for biking, rock climbing, and paragliding along the mountains. The Alps are known to be a hikers all time favorite area for hiking and since my mom is very into hiking I think this would be the perfect vacation to take her on someday. Also, while in Switzerland there are many other beautiful places I would love to see while there. The scenery all around is absolutely breathtaking in this country and greener than anything I've ever seen in the United States. It also has hundreds of well known museums and art galleries that are perfect for tourists while making time aside from the hiking.

Sydney, Australia

Another place I would love to visit is Sydney, Australia. It is the largest city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. It is nicknamed the Harbour city and is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. I also found that it is the 66th most expensive city in the world and the MOST expensive city in Australia. It is so expensive because of how stunningly beautiful it is, of course making it a dream vacation. Sydney is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the East and the Blue Mountains to the West. Another appealing point about Sydney is it's wonderful climate. It has warm summers and cool winters making the climate not so drastic to where certain times of the year would not be a good time to visit. Really, anytime in this city would be a wonderful time for tourists. I found on this site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_attractions_in_Sydney, a list of amazing things to do while in Sydney. One of the things that really interests me would be going to the Sydney Opera House. I've never been to the Opera and the architecture of it is absolutely beautiful! Another beautiful piece of architecture in Sydney is the Harbour Bridge. The pictures I have found of it at night with all the lights lighting it up are amazing. Another place that looks very exciting to visit while in Sydney is Luna Park. It's at the foot of the Harbour Bridge and would just be a fun amusement park to visit with the family while on vacation. I found that the best beaches to visit while in Sydney are Bondi, Coogee, Collaroy, and Manly. All these beaches are very well known and have activities for the whole family throughout the whole day and during the night life.

Liberia, Africa

Another place that is very important for me to visit is Liberia, Africa. I've had the privilege of working with a man at my job that was born and raised in Liberia and came to the United States for a better living opportunity. He was separated from many of his children, brothers, and sisters in a fight to get here and save himself from the conditions he was living in in Liberia. After college my dream is to join the Peace Corps. I want to be stationed in Liberia because the man I have worked with has told me countless times that he owes so much to the Peace Corps because they are the ones that helped him learn English, feed him, clothe him and his family, and prepare him for coming to the United States. He is saving up right now to take a trip back to see many family memeber he hasn't seen in over twenty years. I can't wait to see the pictures he is going to take on his visit back home of his native land, and beautiful family members he misses so dearly. I think it would be a life changing experience to be able to go to Liberia for 2 years and be able to give to other people from this country what my friend is so grateful for everyday. Liberia is a country on the west coast Africa bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. It is unique to Africa because it was colonized by freed American slaves naming the capital Monrovia after the president at the time, James Monroes. I think it is so important for people from this country to help those in dire need in Africa. Every day 40,000 people in Africa die of starvation; fifty percent of those people being under the age of 10 years old. It is absolutely heart breaking that this is going on in the world, and though it may just be a small step in going to Liberia and trying to help the few that a person can, a few can still make a difference.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Another place I would love to visit is Honolulu, Hawaii. I think Hawaii would be such a beautiful place to visit and would be the trip of a life time. There are so many different things you can try when you go to the beach such as surfing, snorkeling, and just soaking up the sun. I also would love to go on the Pearl Harbor tour. I love to see where historic events have taken place and learn in an actually FUN way :). They also offer a sunset dinner cruise and I think that would be a beautiful experience for my boyfriend and me. As I'm sure most of you know, Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and the name actually means "sheltered bay". Over 6 millions tourists come to Honolulu every year. From the research I did I found that the residents of this beautiful city are known to be some of the most welcoming and friendly people around. They love to show the visitors the time of their life and let them embrace their amazing city as much as possible. Another thing that drew me into visiting this city is that the major diet of the residents is strictly fish, fruit, and vegetables; and since fish is the only type of meat I will eat I think that this trip's cuisine would fit my lifestyle perfectly. Another interesting fact about Honolulu is that is known as the world's most extensive city. I found that very interesting. Another thing that I would have to work up my nerve to do there is a private helicopter tour of the volcanoes! I'm scared to death of flying, especially in something so small, but seeing the amazing structures of a volcano would be a chance of a lifetime and I don't think I would be able to miss out on that while in Hawaii. I also was curious to find the best restaurants and hotels so on the website, http://www.10best.com/Honolulu,HI/ I found much of this information.

Paris, France

First of the top five places I would like to visit is Paris, France. It is the largest country of Western Europe and it has always been a dream of mine to travel to this beautiful city. Paris is well known for it's museums, shopping, and unique restaurants. I absolutely love to try new and different types of food so, trying out all of the ethnic foods of Paris would be really exciting to me. Paris is the worlds capital of fashion so I am also very curious to see what the shopping is like there. When researching about Paris I found that every year there are 44 million tourists that arrive making it the top tourist region in the world. I also found that Paris has roughly 13 million people making it the most populated city in all of Europe. Paris is on the Seine river and has two islands that are connected to the city by bridges. Seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris would also be an amazing experience while being in Paris. It is the second highest built structure in the world and is just absolutely beautiful. Paris is also known to be the most romantic city in the world so it would be a great place to go with your significant other. I think a honey moon to this amazing city would be a dream come true. Every year there are three very exciting festivals held, Christmas, Bastille Day, and the French Renaissance. These would all be great times to visit Paris. Another landmark I would love to see in Paris is the Cathedral of Notre Dame. I love beautiful architechture and know this would be such a privilege to witness in person. I've researched some of the most beautiful hotels to stay at while in Paris and am including the links to those sites. http://www.hiexpress.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/parlv?rpb=hotel&crUrl=/h/d/ex/1/en/hotelsearchresults, http://www.hiexpress.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/parop?rpb=hotel&crUrl=/h/d/ex/1/en/hotelsearchresults. I believe on those two sites the highest quality hotels with the best prices were found. I also found some beautiful pictures of the city to share with y'all.