Blog Posts — WILL DRINK FOR TRAVEL

With a new year, comes the opportunity to go places you've never gone and do things you've never done. Don't enter into the new year without mapping out your travel schedule and making plans for your vacation days. At least get started with Quarter 1! So here's what I have for the year:

Confirmed Travel

Zambia

I'm hitting the ground running in 2016 and will be spending 2 months in Zambia. While there, I'll be mostly working but plan to explore as much of the capital, Lusaka, as I can. I'll also be taking at least one weekend trip to Victoria Falls. Approximately twice the height of Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls is bordered by both Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Curacao

I'll be heading to Curacao for a long weekend, thanks to a free trip I won at an event from Diamond PR! I loved Curacao when I went in December 2014, so I look forward to my return. And you can't beat a free trip!

Finger Lakes, New York

In April, I am headed to Finger Lakes, New York to take a tour of the Corning Museum of Glass and various wineries. Finger Lakes is New York's largest wine producing region. It should be a wine lover's heaven!

Mediterranean Cruise: Spain, France & Italy

I'll be taking a cruise around the Mediterranean with my family and some friends later in the year. We'll be cruising on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Harmony of the Seas, to Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Marseilles, Florence/Pisa, Rome and Naples. I've never been to Spain but have been to France and Italy. Needless to say, my appetite anxiously awaits all of the amazing meals I'll have.

Travel Wish List

Napa Valley

In May (my birthday month), I have my sights set on Napa Valley and possibly a road trip down the coast to L.A. and/or San Diego. I've heard great things about all three places and one of my long-term goals is to do more domestic travel.

Colombia

The rest of the year is up for grabs, but with fare glitches and cheap flights, I see Colombia in my future. I hear Cartagena has beautiful beaches and as you know, the beach is my happy place.

London

Simply put, London was amazing. I loved it way more than I thought I would, and it deserves more than just 3 days of my time. If I go back, it'll definitely be for a week or more.

Thailand

I put Thailand on my wish list last year. I didn't make it but hopefully it'll come to fruition this year. Doesn't this beach look amazing?

So where are you headed in 2016? Be sure to set your intentions and follow through with your plans. Don't let your vacation days go to waste!

I've done many things in my city, Boston. I've gone to numerous concerts, enjoyed many gyros and ice creams at Fanuel Hall, I've seen the Red Sox win at Fenway, I've walked in a fashion show, I've even interned at our own State House. However, I've never really seen the city in the same way a tourist does...until now.

I thought the best way to see Boston the way tourists do is how every tourist sees Boston - a duck tour. A duck tour involves amphibious vehicles that can travel both on land and in water. We went with Boston Super Tours. They're a company that does trolley, double decker, and duck tours.

Taking the duck tour was a great way to see my city in a different light. So what did I learn?

I learned more history than I already knew about my native city.
I was able to feel like a tourist and truly absorb the vibe of the city - even though I knew the tour guide from school!
I learned never to take what's in my own backyard for granted.
While traveling abroad is great, it can be equally rewarding to travel local.
I gained more inspiration to see more of the world.

In between vacations or extensive trips, take some time to explore your own city. I guarantee you'll learn something you didn't know before and will be glad you did. Check out more about Boston city tour below!

Our tour started at Boston Harbor with a shuttle ride to Charlestown. However, even with the shuttle ride, still came a short history lesson. We learned about the great fire that happened in Boston's North End many years ago. The North End was almost completely destroyed because of the fire; however, now it's almost all back to normal. The guide claims you can still see some remnants.

Pictured above is the State House. It's actually the second location, as the old Sate House is not far from this one and is now a museum.

This is a statue of George Washington on the Boston Common. A new fact I learned on this tour is that everything to the West of this statue - Kenmore Square, Fenway, Newbury St. - are all considered the "Back Bay" because it was built from sediment.

...And in a flash, our trolley turned into a boat.

I truly enjoyed seeing Boston by duck tour. If you're ever in the city, I highly recommend it!

- Nikki Vergakes

Where Am I Headed in 2016?