Christina Saull: My View from the Middle Seat

Name: Christina Saull

Occupation: Public Relations professional by day; Travel writer & photographer by night; social media addict all the time 

Website: MyViewfromtheMiddleSeat.com

Currently Living In: Washington, DC

Travel Motto: One of my favorite travel quotes is by J.R.R. Tolkien: "Not all who wander are lost"

Favorite Travel Destinations: Hard to nail down my favorites, as I love so many places for different reasons. My current favorites probably are the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York; St. John, USVI; and Banff National Park in Canada, but I have a few trips this year I'm really looking forward to, so my answer is likely to change in the next few months!

What Makes Her Want to See the Globe: I have an extreme case of wanderlust. I hate sitting still and am always curious about the destination I haven't been to. My travel bucket list is a world atlas.

Ultimate Bucket List Trip: Hiking through Petra, Jordan and staying in a Bedouin camp in the Wadi Rum desert

Best Way to Maximize Vacation Days: Since I have a full-time job, I'm well aware of the constraints that many travelers feel over taking time off of work and using vacation days. My top tips are:

1. Take advantage of long weekends — a Monday or Friday off gives you plenty of time to travel!

2. If you travel for work, plan business trips strategically and extend those trips to visit new destinations.

3. Make sure you know exactly how many vacation days you get and if they can be combined with sick days, personal days or floating holidays. Then, plan out your travel calendar for the year. I personally find it much more fulfilling to go on several short trips, rather than one two-week trip with my vacation days, but others may feel differently.

4. Stop feeling guilty. Your company gives you vacation days for a reason. No one can work (effectively) 365 days a year. Take your vacation and enjoy it! 

Advice for Those Who Want to Travel More: Just do it! I have so many people tell me they're jealous of how much we travel, but we really don't do anything they couldn't do. My husband and I make a conscious decision to prioritize travel over other things, like renovating our house or having a nice car. If you find planning trips too overwhelming, get a good travel agent. If you don't think you can take time off of work, stop making excuses and find a way to make it work. Even a short weekend trip can be incredibly refreshing and allow you to discover a new place or culture. Travel doesn't have to be "bucket list worthy" and extravagant to be fulfilling.