Melissa Barton, Writer

Found at On the Road.

If you could take a dream trip in 2008, where would it be to and why?

My long-term dream trip is to take the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Russia and then the Trans-Mongolian to Ulan Bator. I loved my time in Russia and would very much like to see more of the country, particularly the countryside and Siberia, and I’ve wanted to visit Mongolia for many years (not just because of the fossils).

This trip definitely isn’t happening in 2008, though.

If you could only visit one new (to you) city this year, which one would it be and why?

That’s tough, since I don’t really have cities as dream destinations most of the time–I much prefer parks and small towns. So I’ll change that to “destination” and give an answer that’s actually likely to happen this year: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. I’ve had it on my list for the past few years for its spectacular scenery, and it’s only a few hours away, so I really have no excuse not to go.

If you could go back to one place this year that you’ve been to before, where would it be and why?

South Iceland. Partially because I lost many of my photographs from my 2006 in a major computer crash, but also because having been once, I have a much better idea of how to prioritize my trip (more time in Skaftafell, less in Reykjavik).

Do you think you might travel more or less this year than in previous years?

More than some, less than others. I don’t think I’ll be able to do much recreational travel except within Colorado, but I hope to be doing quite a bit of travel for research and conferences.

What will you be looking for in your travels in 2008?

New experiences, as always.