As I write this post, it's about a week and half until Luke and I will be hopping onto a big, white jet plane to spend our summer adventuring in South Korea, Taiwan and China. The amount of time that has past from the moment we sat across from each other at an overfilled coffee shop, empty mugs sitting stale on the counter, locking eyes and saying to each other "I can't believe it, we're going back to Asia!" and now is staggering. And yet, it feels like a conversation we had last weekend.

It's always around this time, when the reservations have been made, every detail sorted and visa accepted, that I start to realize how incredibly fortunate I am to be able to take on grand adventures like this year by year. I start to acknowledge the insane amount of privilege I have, to be able to afford such experiences, to be able to leave home and those pesky adult responsibilities for a short while. These adventures do not come easily, but they certainly do not come often to most. This is a reality I think of often and always... especially when it comes to sharing travel posts.

I think back to when I sat with my grandmother on her living room floor, sifting through magazines together, mentioning how I felt I had a "European soul," listing out the castles I longed to see. I think back to how disheartened I felt knowing I wouldn't have the opportunity to study abroad... dreams dashed aside in favor of a cap and gown (at least for a little while). I think back to trying foreign foods with my daring younger brother. I think about my first cross-continental flight. Those moments, so present and real in my mind's eye and yet so, so far away from my reality as I type this post. Time, you've twisted my mind.

This is the essence of why I travel. The reality of time... it's finite and fleeting nature sits close to my heart. Choosing to spend it learning about this wide and beautiful world we reside in is one of the best personal decisions I have ever made. The truth is, in a way, travel is how I choose to make my time on this globe count. To fulfill a dream, to expand my perspective and seek understanding, to make me feel closer to this vast, overwhelmingly large and old planet we inhabit. I want to soak in it all, I want to make my short time here full in this way, for a least a little while longer.

When JORD Wood Watches reached out to me and shared my mutual excitement for our upcoming travels, I couldn't believe the timing (pun intended)! With their gorgeous wooden finish made from a variety of 100% natural woods, ranging from bamboo, koa, golden camphor, ebony, to sandalwood and more, to their attention to detail in packaging and styling... how could a girl say no? Having a beautiful timepiece to refer to while adventuring abroad is a delight. Not only does it allow me to kiss my attachment to my otherwise useless cell phone goodbye while we trek around our destinations, but it also has a sentimental quality as well. China and Korea are exactly 12 hours ahead of us here on the East coast, meaning at any second of the day I can glance at my Fieldcrest watch (made with earthy Zebrawood and Maple) and recognize the nearly perfect time difference between myself and my dear friends and family back at home. Plus, who doesn't love a little reminder to make our time count?

To celebrate our grand adventures abroad, I've partnered with JORD to giveaway a $100 gift card for their wonderfully crafted website, where you can find yourself a little momento to savor your time and travels! The best thing? Every person who enters receives a e-gift code worth $25 in their shop! Pretty awesome if you ask this nostalgic traveler. Click here to enter... good luck!