the passport streaker

I gasped and nearly jumped out of the shower buck naked this morning when I remembered my passport expires in a few weeks. I had asked the postal clerk when I was in Ketchikan, Alaska in August about current passport renewal policies knowing that mine was coming up on expiration, but I had simply forgotten about it since then. Considering I think it’s near tragic when I hear about anyone I know not having one, I’ll go without food before I’ll let my mini book of freedom and exposure kick the bucket. Not having a passport is like going without health insurance: It’s just not smart. I wrote about this here nearly 2 years ago . After Googling “Number of Americans with passports” again today, I am shocked to learn that the miniscule number of my fellow Americans who even have the power to cross the U.S border hasn’t changed.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduations- (That’d be the perfect time for one!), Secretaries Day, Bastille Day- whatever, give the gift of life. (Yes, like child birth or blood donation: The gift that keeps on giving.)

Trust me, your kids will thank you down the road for saying no to the latest iPhone and yes to a family vacation hiking around South America, going on an African Safari, or heck- simply crossing the Canadian border in your minivan to see some gorgeous mountains and their first ever sea plane. Here’s the first one I had ever seen. I screeched with delight when I turned the corner driving through Canada this summer and saw it. I am 32 years old and I still screeched over a sea plane:

Think it looks cool from a simple photo on my blog? Live in person and taking off for flight while standing right beside it was a hundred times cooler. There will never be an “app for that.

Me? Hugely passionate about how travel can open eyes and change lives? Just a teeny bit.