I never really know how my travel experiences have affected me until I return to my starting point: home. Flying through various destinations and worrying about logistics sometimes takes away the mind’s energy to process what it’s witnessed until it’s back on familiar soil. And since each trip is different, every time I return home, it’s a brand new feeling, a new form of culture shock I can never predict.

Volunteering in Fiji

Coming home from Italy, I felt pissed off at my hometown for not being as historical and visually stimulating as Florence. After Semester at Sea, it pained me to be away from the people I grew very close to on board. And with the conclusion of my Big Journey, I think I felt more stable and purpose-driven, albeit more confused, than any previous homecoming led me to feel. I think it all depends on the nature of the journey and where you are in your personal path with self-awareness. Because that’s one major reason I travel: to become more self-aware.

And now with the winding down of the World Traveler Internship, I have a whole new set of emotions and passions driving me. For once, I’ve welcomed the comforts of home excitedly. Man did I love sitting around! And for the last month, I’ve spent about 90 hours a week working on my Web site, on personal projects and anything fathomable to get me on the path towards being a freelance travel writer. It was the World Traveler Intern program that assured me I love being thrown into a new country with a mission of documentation. I’ve learned how I love to travel, where I want to travel and how to deal with the rigors of this oddball, unconventional, thrilling profession.

Anyone with a smidgeon of wanderlust would adore being a World Traveler Intern, but I can promise you an aspiring travel writer, photojournalist, basically anyone wanting to experience and express as a career will be numbed by how cool it is to have this job. Throughout the trip, I sporadically stopped and smiled, so appreciative of the opportunity and fully aware of how lucky I was. And now I look forward to seeing what lucky souls will receive the honor next year. I’m certain they will have the time of their lives and return to their home bases more alive and wanderlust-ful, because as any traveler knows, that obsession never goes away. Travel begets more travel.

And now I apply the heaviest of connotations, the deepest of meaning to these next two words, directed at the lovely people at STA Travel: Thank you.

You can continue to follow Lindsay’s travels over at her Web site – Nomadderwhere.com.

Another week, another giveaway from your friends at STA.

Whether you are a photog or just a voyeur, everybody goes to Europe to see the sights. From the Louvre in Paris to St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Europe is full of  must-see locations for any traveler.

Our travel experts across the country came up with ten of their favorite must-see places in Europe. After you check out our list, make sure to let us know what your must-see place is in Europe.

On Friday, April 17, at 5 p.m. CDT, we will select one suggestion for a must-see place in Europe at random and that person will receive:

- 1 Round-Trip Ticket to a European destination courtesy of STA and Virgin Atlantic

- 1 Eurail pass

- 1 Busabout pass for hop-on-hop-off travel

So get to reading our list and then leave a comment for your chance to win.

STA Travel’s 10 Must-See Places in Europe

1. Vondelpark in Amsterdam – Imagine Central Park, but with a connected series of ponds and streams and you have one of the most beautiful parks in the world. 10 million visitors flock to this 120 acre park each year to see the park and its open air theater and film museum.

Wouldn't you like to see that in person?

2. Prague Castle in Prague – One of the biggest castles in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records, this castle is home to the Czech Crown Jewels. Measuring at 570 meters in length and an average of 130 miles wide, make sure to bring your wide-angle lens.

3. The Colosseum in Rome – Have you ever seen Gladiator? Check out the spot where the real Gladiators fought in brutal battles for their lives. Later in its existence, the Church tried to turn it into a wool factory to provide employment for Rome’s prostitutes.

4. Sagrada Familia in Barcelona – Easily one of the most spectacular buildings in the entire world, Sagrada Familia is a massive Catholic church that has been under construction since 1882. The construction budget for 2009 is 18 million Euros.

5. Alhambra in Granada – The Alhambra was completed towards the end of Muslim rule in Spain, which is evident in the architecture of this beautiful building.  You may recognize Alhambra if you’ve ever read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

6. BMW Museum in Munich – The visually stunning four-cylinder BMW headquarters and adjacent museum is as beautiful outside as the cars are inside.  One of the most recognized car brands in the world, the BMW Museum showcases some of the best offerings ever produced by the manufacturer.

7. Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy – Most people go to Italy for the fine food, beautiful people and beautiful Duomos, but Lake Como is a can’t miss for anyone looking for breathtaking scenery. Make sure to scan the shoreline for some of the most amazing – and probably expensive – Villas you will ever see.

8. Hyde Park in London – While the park itself is great, the real must-see is located on the north-east corner. That location is home to Speakers’ Corner, where free speech reigns. Step on your soapbox and get ready to be heckled, just make sure to avoid profanity to avoid the ire of the police.

9. Paris Plage in Paris - Imagine walking through beautiful Paris seeing the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and then….a beach. Paris Plage, located in central Paris, is an artificial beach on the banks of the Seine River that is attracting tourists and locals who can’t afford to take a vacation.

10. Uffizi in Florence – Home to a statue of the famous hometown poet Dante, the Uffizi is also home to works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael. Make sure to get your ticket in advance, because the wait can be long during peak season.

Let’s get the suggestions rolling.

Fine Print on Giveaway

Next stop for the trendsetting traveler is Italy. So many designers began their career here so it is no wonder that the Italians are the royalty of fashion.

Milan:

No words strike endearment into a fashion follower’s heart like Milan. You can find EVERYTHING here.

At Via Montenapoleone (or the Quadrilatero di’Oro, cross streets of Via Sant’Andrea and Via della Spiga) you will find EVERY famous designer. Georgio Armani, D&G, Fendi, Gucci, Prada, and others call this “golden square” home. As the name implies, do not expect any bargains, even during the sale season.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – The famous shopping mall with bold frescos and tons of designer shops. These scaling marble walls and golden frescoes are truly inspiring. To get here, exit metro stop Duomo and you will find the towering beautiful galleria to your left.
For more shopping, head west from the galleria on Corso Vittorio Emmanuele past the Duomo towards the metro stop San Babila. Along this route you will find department stores like La Rinascente, high end stores, and even stores like H&M, Zara, the North Face, Diesel and affordable boutiques .

Not to be missed is Corso Buenos Aires and the marketplace to the west (Galleria Buenos Aires between Via Francesco Redi and Via Plinio). From metro stop Porta Venezia to Loreto, you can find affordable H&M, Zara, department stores, United Colors of Benneton, and more Italian boutiques, as well as affordable grub and gelato.

Galleria Buenos Aires (an open marketplace) hosts some of the best fruit you will ever taste. Additionally, there is an abundance of supermarkets near Corso Buenos Aires, but beware of the street at night.

Portofino:

From Cannes, sail your yacht into the harbor find to find Hermes, Gucci, and everything utterly lavish. (Alternatively, coming from Milan, take the train to Santa Margherita Don’t forget to bring a picnic and follow the path on the south side of the harbor for a beautiful hike up the hillside for incredible views of the Mediterranean.

Florence:

A city of Renaissance beauty, Florence is sure to leave you astonished. After you have scaled all 463 steps to the top of  the Duomo, admired David, and ascended the steps to Piazzale Michelangelo, it is time for some fashion indulgence.

The morning is the best time for scanning the marketplaces, and the San Lorenzo market and central market are the best markets of Florence. Along Via Roma from the Battistero di San Giovanni down to the Piazza della Repubblica (Via degli Speziali) you can find Gucci and Zara. Further past Piazza della Repubblica towards Via Tornabuoni and via Della Vigna Nuova you will find the other high end stores Italy is famous for. To find essentials, there is a five story La Rinascente near Piazza della Repubblica.

Roma:

There are two main streets in the Eternal city that offer shopping galore.
Via del Corso runs from Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II all the way to Piazza della Popolo. Along here you can find Sisley, Calzedonia, and other affordable shopping.

For entertainment, you will often find street break dancers and chalk-artists.

The high-end district of Rome can be found near the Spanish Steps at Piazza di Spagna
along Via Condotti. This is arguably the most expensive shopping area in Italy. You can find the glamorous shops of Max&Co., Yves St. Laurent, and Burberry.

Make sure you take some time to rest at the Spanish steps or along the gardens along the edge of Villa Borghese between the Villa Medici and Piazza della Popolo. From the Pinicio you can see the entire city and is great for capturing Rome at sunset.

Photo Credit: Via Condotti by Jezuez471 on Flickr

Photo Credit: Galleria by Karynsig on Flickr

It is a pretty random day in the Dallas-area today.

Instead of warm temperatures and crazy driving, we have lots of ice, cold temperatures and we still have crazy driving -- but for different reasons. So today’s Links Around the Virtual World are a mish-mash of random links that we’ve found that we thought you’d find interesting.

First, I’m sure that at some point in your life, you’ve thought about it, but weren’t really sure how it would work. Maybe you wanted to a “do-over” on that exam or another chance to try a pick-up line at the bar. The “it” in this case is time travel – and no, this is not a preview of what’s to come from STA.

Check out this video for an interesting look at probably the only type of travel you can’t get at STATravel.com….

Let’s hit the rest of the links…

The Skyrest is an Abomination from Jaunted – You know that giant inflatable pillow that you can buy from SkyMall that rests on the fold-down tray table in front of your airplane seat? Has anyone ever actually seen someone using one on a plane? (I want photo-evidence.)

Photo of the Moment: Addo Elephant Park, South Africa from Vagabondish – I saw some scary things driving on the ice-covered highway to work this morning, but nothing that would compare to a 12-ton elephant in my mirror.

Florence Tip: Free Duomo tours from EuroCheapo – My motto: “If it’s free, it’s for me and give me three.”

Study Abroad: Packing for the Trip from CollegeJolt – Check out these great tips from Francesca on how to pack for a study abroad trip. Remember, you’ll be gone for months so a little planning and preparation is worth the time and effort.

Lego Obamas get Inauguration Day fashion makeover from Los Angeles Times Daily Travel & Deal Blog – Who doesn’t love to play with Lego bricks? Instead of wax figures, we should recognize the prominent members of society by creating a replica Lego person.