✈️ Welcome to Next on the List

Still growing up. Still going. Still grateful.

Hey there — I’m so glad you’re here!

I’m Heidi: proud Army brat, global wanderer, cruise enthusiast, market-hopper, and someone who genuinely believes the world is smaller (and kinder) than we think.

I’ve been to 55 countries, 47 states, and 5 continents — with Australia and New Zealand booked in January 2026. That’ll leave just one continent to go (Antarctica, I see you 👀), and then I’ll officially be one very well-traveled Army "kidult" (kid + adult). Just heard that phrase from a new empty nester referring to his grown kids. 

🧳 A life of suitcases and surprises

Travel has been a part of my life since before I could sit up straight. My first trip? Germany at three months old (I slept through it, but still). I went to kindergarten in Okinawa, where my little sister was born, and graduated from high school in Germany, where weekend road trips across Europe were the norm.

On one road trip, my mom got lost and ended up in a no trespassing zone. The Dutch police ordered us out of the car and we had to hold our hands up. My brave and sometimes too courageous mom tried to keep her hands down and explain in English that we were harmless and simply lost. Mom, DO YOU NOT SEE THOSE AK 47s?? We were released, but that memory is forever trapped in my brain - thanks, Mom! 

But, that traumatic incident, did not stifle my passion for travel. In college, I intentionally chose a major that would allow me to study abroad a semester in London (shameless, but worth it).

After graduation, I taught English for a year in Cartagena, Colombia — the only way I could figure out how to see more of the world. 

But one of my favorite global stories starts back during my dad's second Army tour in Germany. This time I wasn't a newborn baby, but a high school student at a small American high school in Osterholz Scharmbeck (near Bremen, okay near Bremerhaven...) Anyway, this German high school is where I met a boy — smart, kind, and he thought I was cute. After graduation, we lost touch. Life pulled us 3,000 miles apart, and this was pre-cell phone, pre-email... just silence. After our American high school closed down in the 90's, I thought I would never see him or my other high school classmates again.

Fast forward 18 years, and somehow, we ended up not only in the same country — but in the same state. SMALL WORLD. We reconnected and now? We’ve been married over 21 years and he's still my favorite traveling companion. How's that for a layover love story? 💙✈️

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Then came the cruises, road trips & RVs

We raised two amazing daughters who were seasoned travelers before they could spell “passport.” In addition to over 50 cruises (Caribbean, Alaskan, Mediterranean, European), we have  hiked the Grand Canyon, road-tripped during COVID in an RV to Gatlinburg and hit all the Disney parks more times than I can count. We kicked off our empty nesting status with a trip to Cape Town.  Tahiti, Fiji, Greece and the Maldives followed. What's Next on the List is still a long wish list, but we just have to check off the list one trip at a time. If this pulls a heart string, get comfortable and visit with me awhile. I hope to share some tips and resources that will help your world get smaller, too.  

🌍 Why this blog?

Because travel is about more than places. It’s about people, perspective, and the kind of peace that comes when you realize we’re all more alike than we are different.

I want to show that you can travel comfortably, meaningfully, and even luxuriously — on a budget. You don’t need a huge savings account to make beautiful memories. Just some creativity, a little faith, and maybe a travel buddy or two.

And don’t worry — I’m not gatekeeping the good stuff. I’ll share tips, deals, must-haves, and yes, plenty of stories. (The funny, the beautiful, and the mildly embarrassing — because travel doesn’t always go smoothly, but it always teaches you something.)

🎶 A few more things about me…

I’m a classically trained pianist who loves to sing, cook, and throw a good gathering. I’m a big fan of kindness, community, faith, and farmers markets — especially the kind with fresh bread and that one vendor who gives you a free sample just for smiling.

I believe God gave us this beautiful world to explore, enjoy, and take care of — and that the best parts of travel aren’t what you pay for. They’re what you carry home in your heart.

So whether you’re dreaming of your next adventure or just looking for encouragement, inspiration, and a few packing tips along the way — welcome.

 Start Your Adventure