Why start a Travel Blog in my late 50’s? The answer is why not?

I have been traveling the world since a very young age – From yearly trips abroad with my family as a child to adventurous travels around the globe with friends as a young adult, taking a few years off to raise my children and then finding my soul mate who would challenge me to new adventures around the world. Our kids are grown and raising children of their own, and we have both reached the place in life where we are comfortable enough to retire and make our passion more than just vacation planning a few times a year.

I am a newly retired high school Spanish teacher and have been encouraging teenagers to explore the world for almost 20 years. I love when I get emails and texts from former students sharing photos from their trips and telling me that I was the one who inspired them to travel! I am a firm believer that in order to be the best version of ourselves, we must realize that the world extends way beyond our town, our culture, and our comfort zones.

As a bilingual traveler, and a lover of all languages, I aspire to continue exploring the world until my body decides it can’t. My heart, mind, and soul will never say stop so I hope the rest of me will take a hint and just keep trekking. Too many times have I heard stories from people who wish they had not continued to say “Maybe next year” because our tomorrows are never guaranteed.

The other day, I pulled out a map of the world and starting circling the places I have traveled to… from The United States to Canada. From Central to South America. From Europe to Asia and even the Middle East.  I have climbed mountains in the Patagonia, white water rafted down the Colorado River, ridden elephants in Sri Lanka, walked 180 miles from Portugal to Spain, ziplined in Costa Rica, enjoyed ice fishing in Wisconsin, volunteered in Honduras, visited Buddhist Temples in India, skied in the Andes, climbed volcanoes in Italy, smoked Hookah pipes in Bahrain, climbed the Great Wall in China, and so much more. And now that I am retiring, the next part of my journey is just getting started.

For the next few years, I plan to continue exploring the world while sharing those experiences with you through my travel journals, photos and videos.

Whether you need to figure out where to start your travel plan, advice on where to say that will fit your budget, ideas for the right excursions, the best foods to sample, packing tips, cultural do’s and don’ts, or which destinations best suit your style, I hope that Marcela Travels can help you plan your next adventure!

My name is Marcela and I travel!