The Australian adventurer and producer of travel films and television documentaries Alby Mangels is known for encouraging his audience to explore the world. "Have you ever had a dream? Just pack up and go? I did.... I'm Alby Mangels." As geographers, many of us are more predisposed to follow his call to travel. While we may not be able to drop everything like Alby, we can explore the world beyond our local community between semesters, especially those of us with long semester breaks. In the United States this can encompass most of May, all of June and July, and most of August, a span of about 100 days. While there are family and other responsibilities to consider, plus the expense of travelling to overcome, the rewards of visiting different places and regions is well worth all the planning involved. Over the last five years, I have had the opportunity with my wife and daughter to spend about one month outside of the United States each year. We have visited Belize, Spain, Turkey, Australia, and Singapore, the last three countries coincided with scheduled geography conferences. This has help me network face-to-face with geographers and organizations from other countries while offering me an international platform. These trips presented me more credibility teaching world regional geography both in the face-to-face and online courses. I have found that when using photographs or sharing anecdotal personal experiences from these excursions students were more attentive and inclined to engage. These trips have allowed me to cross the International Date Line, go "Down Under" to see the Great Barrier Reef, experience Uluru, and visit numerous other unique locations. So in geography, "Mixing business with pleasure" is appropriate. Follow your dreams!
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