Northern California (aka the best drive of my life)

A month ago I headed up to Northern California to spend some time with my parents. After hearing that the drive up the coast was breathtaking, I decided to choose that route. It's definitely the longer way, but it was soooo worth it. 

 

 

Doesn't your soul just feel better seeing these images?! You guys, these photos haven't had any color touch-ups. This is legitimately what it looks like.

The drive was amazing. It didn't even feel like a 12 hour drive because I was so taken by the scenery and I found myself stopping so often to soak in the sights. It was what my heart needed. My time here is coming to an end.... at least to my current knowledge. I've enjoyed many things about Southern California, but I have also found it to be what I don't want. The traffic, the pace of living, the expense... it gets weary for this Midwestern girl. I miss the simpler way I lived before; the sweet gathering of friends where sharing lives was the focus. I have no clue what's next. Seriously. It's a giant question mark, but it's quite likely that I'll be sticking with larger cities for a while. The highest need for travel nurses tends to be in such places. Here's what I've learned about myself: I love seeing new places, I enjoy exploring and travel, but in my heart I cherish a simple life surrounded by people I love. My time on the road is helping me to truly appreciate that and it's going to make settling down even sweeter. But until that time comes, I'm going to soak up the opportunities like this memorable drive and I'm going to fill my memory with stories for the future.