Do we have a heading?

The top 5 places I would happily start my travels in.

1. Italy
   
   
   The food, the wine, the language. It's hard to think of a downside to starting my travels in Italy. I first fell in love with this country on a whirlwind trip to Rome in 2010 when I got engaged to my now husband. Ever since then I haven't been able to get Italy out of my head, and have since returned to Rome and been on a whistle-stop tour of Tuscany (Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa all in one day!) whilst staying at a vineyard in the Chianti region. Heck, we've already decided than no matter what we will spend every last penny we have in Italy before we board our final flight home.
   
   
2. Vietnam
   
   
   I feel that Vietnam has been somewhat overlooked as a travel destination for a long time, in no small part I'm sure due to the war. That aside this is a beautiful country that is now coming about as the place to be, especially in the TEFL world. I'm intrigued by the french influence in Hanoi and mystified by Ha Long bay and think Vietnam would be a great place to start an exploration of South East Asia.
   
   
3. Indonesia
   
   
   Beaches, spirituality and number one on my list of places to visit, Bali. Part of my interest in travelling the world is to satisfy the anthropologist in me and learn more about the spirituality of each place and where better than Indonesia. Whats more, Indonesia to such a vast place. Who wouldn't be happy spending a month or two island hopping Indonesia?
   
   
4. Thailand
   
   
   The land of smiles, not to mention a cuisine to die for. I'm pretty sure everyone in my generation was first introduced to the idea of long term travelling by the book or film of the book, The Beach. Leonardo DiCaprio will be there, as well as a secluded beach that you can build a life on. It summarized why I want to go travelling; for something different, something exciting. The adventure of island life has lured me ever since.
   
   
5. Brazil
   
   
   Before planning a more long term life upheaval, my husband and I had thought we would use our annual leave each year to take a month long trip somewhere amazing. Brazil was the first place we planned to visit, along with Argentina and Peru. We've since discovered Brazil is a vibrant and multi-cultural country, made of a mixture of nationalities over the years (thanks Michael Palin). It also has the Amazon, the absolute summit of bucket list destinations.

Our plan is to live and teach in one or a few places for up to a year before doing more travelling independent of work.

Things are likely to change though, as money allows and jobs become available, but that all part of the fun. We really don't know at the moment where we will begin. Who knows, after a year we might be ready to come home, or decide never to come back (unlikely, mum), but right now there are no barriers, no deadlines. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me!