My dad was in the Navy during World War II. He always said, “I saw enough of the world to last me lifetime.” So when I was a kid, we stayed put in itty-bitty Comstock, Michigan. But when I grew up and went out on my own, travel became an important part of my life.

I’ll spare you my hundreds of pictures, but I will tell you the story about the time the armed Carabiniers de Chile confiscated my Kodak camera as I was attempting to take a picture of the Chilean flag. In my defense, I was only twenty years old, and didn’t think Salvador Allende’s coup d’état was that big a deal.

What are your favorite travel stories? Start by making a list of all the places you have visited. Add dates (or at least the years) you were there. Think about how to describe these places to someone who has never been there. Think about why you chose to go there, how you got there, who was with you, where you stayed, and unique adventures you had.

The below questions will help you get started:

How did you spend summer vacations when you were a child?

Did your family take trips, or did you stay around home?

What is your all-time favorite vacation?

Did you ever take a spring-break trip as a high school or college student?

What was the first trip you took alone? Did you enjoy it or feel lonesome?

Do you enjoy busy vacations or relaxing ones?

Did you ever camp? If yes, did you “rough it” or go in style, complete with an equipped camper?

What was your first trip out of the country? Were you scared?

Where have you traveled overseas?

Is there a country you want to return to?

What are some of the prettiest or most exotic places you’ve visited?

Do you remember your first airline trip? What happened?

Do you enjoy cruises? Why or why not? Tell a cruise story—funny, fun, frightening.

What is on your travel “bucket list”? Why?