Four months from today I’ll be on a plane. That’s not atypical in a life filled with frequent travel, but this will be a special trip. Originally slated to coincide with my 40th birthday, but delayed due to life’s unplanned events (take that cancer), I’m heading to two countries I’ve never visited – England and Spain – for three weeks in the fall.

Though I typically start documenting a trip the day it starts, that doesn’t really tell the whole story, nor does it capture all the fun that goes into traveling. Mapping out the journey; reading about the places you will visit; making decisions about going east or west, north or south; determining what you’ll leave to chance and what you’ll plan ahead is one of my FAVORITE parts of traveling. It’s where the dreaming comes in, and who doesn’t LOVE to dream.

Plus I’m interested in your advice. I  have some “can’t miss” places on my list, but there are still many holes. Perhaps you can help me fill in the gaps. Where would you go? What would you do if you had three weeks in two amazing countries.