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If you ask me what I am most passionate about (besides my family), I will always say “travel.” When I was a little girl, I was fascinated with the idea of visiting foreign lands. I would pour over National Geographic magazines and watch 60 Minutes with my dad, hoping to catch a glimpse of what the rest of the world looked like. 

During my 20’s, time and money were constricted as I was busy putting myself through college and vacations were far from feasible. However, as soon as I got my first real job in television news, I started figuring out a ways to see the world. For work or pleasure, it didn’t matter. During my time spent as a reporter, I was given the opportunity to travel to both Europe and Africa. As I have gotten older and left my career in journalism, my desire to travel has only grown stronger, because now I am able to take my children with me!

I keep a separate bank account for travel and try to contribute to it during the year.  Once the bills are paid, if I have to choose between shoes and handbags, household projects, or a trip – I’ll pick the trip every time! Over the years, I have figured out ways to cut costs. Sometimes the less expensive route has taken me places I could never have imagined.

For instance, during a backpacking trip through Vietnam, my friends and I paid about three or four dollars to sleep on the floor of a Hmong family’s home. To get there, we hiked through fields, miles from the closest town, Sapa. When we arrived at their village, it was just a couple of mostly dirt floor buildings nestled in a small patch of jungle, surrounded by gorgeous, terraced fields.  I'll never forget walking across a narrow bridge over a wet rice paddy to use the outhouse. When I opened the door, a chicken flew out and into my face! Thinking about that still makes me laugh. But the highlight of that trip was certainly spending time and eating dinner with our hosts, a beautiful couple and their five children.

It was just a few weeks after September 11, 2001, but our hosts knew nothing about the attack on the World Trade Center and they were confused as to how we traveled from New York to Vietnam.  Through a translator, the father asked if we drove to his country. The idea that we had flown to Vietnam hadn’t occurred to him. He said he had never seen an airplane but had once seen a train years before. He was very excited to learn about our flight experience. Never had I felt so important for having been on an airplane before!

Another culture shock moment for me was how fascinated the five children were by our digital cameras. They had never seen pictures of themselves before. Can you imagine?

It was such an honor to be a guest in their home. They may have long forgotten me, but I will never forget them. I often wonder how much of the modern world has since changed their daily lives. For all I know, they are hooked on their iPhones now, but at that point in time, the outside world had rarely touched their daily regime. That adventure changed my perspective on the world and will always be one of my greatest life experiences. Plus, I somehow managed to spend way less on that trip than if I had gone to Disneyworld or the Jersey Shore (two other destinations I also like.)

Since that first trip to Asia, I’ve been to China five times and spent a few weeks in Northern Thailand. In fact, the most important trip of my life was traveling to Lanzhou, China to adopt my oldest daughter.  Becoming a mom so far away from home was surreal and magical. I’ll never forget how it felt to feel my heart expand, so full of love, as I looked down at my baby during morning walks along the Yellow River. 

In recent years, my husband and I have come up with affordable ways to keep traveling with children in tow.  Two years ago, after coming home from a wonderful trip to Spain, so many people asked us how we enjoyed the food. We joked that with two kids, ages nine and two, we didn’t eat at many fancy restaurants, but we managed to visit every public playground in Barcelona! 

Here we are in Mallorca, Spain.

My oldest daughter and husband in Paris being photo-bombed by the Mona Lisa! 

My family in Ireland.

My husband actually laid on his back to capture this picture of my oldest daughter, her ice cream cone, and the Eiffel Tower!

Not all of our trips are abroad. In fact, now that my youngest is able to walk longer distances, I’m anxious to start hiking more of our National parks.

Here we are in Telluride, CO. We were visiting lifelong family friends!

Looking at ants (and enjoying some incredible scenery)— at Mt. Tamalpais, California.

I’m not sure exactly why I love travel so much. Maybe it runs in the family. My parents have the same travel bug.. and now my kids can point at a globe and tell you exactly where they want to go next. I’m thinking Iceland, but I’m always open to suggestions! What is your most memorable travel moment and where would you like to go most?

You can find traveling photos and more my on Facebook page {Sandra Bennett QVC}, and be sure to follow me on Twitter @sandraqvc!