NYC trip: Jonas Blizzard

As I was preparing for my first trip to New York two weekends ago, I decided to buy some new Nikes for all the walking we'd be doing. Sensible right? And I was going to wear my favorite faux leather jacket because it's my cutest one and the temps were supposed to be in the 30s, while I'd been getting used to hovering around zero here in Des Moines. It would be a heat wave!

And then the forecast kept calling for more and more snow in the northeast. My mom had been bugging me to take my heavier winter coat, but I kept insisting that I'd be fine wearing my jacket as long as I had a big cozy scarf to wear with it. No problem there. But at the last minute (literally, the day before my flight out), I decided to head to Target and buy a pair of knee-high boots (which I never wear and did not even own one pair, if you can believe it). And then on the morning of my trip, I had extra room in my carry on, so I thought I might as well stick my jacket in there and wear my winter coat. You know, just in case.

I was fully expecting this storm to be one of those "Prepared for 20 inches only to get 6" type of storms.

HA.

Some 26-odd inches and "whipping" winds later... Enter: Winter Storm Jonas. On the one weekend I visit New York. This was basically the only sentence coming out of my mouth on Saturday while Adam and I were stuck in the hotel for the majority of the day. But honestly, even though the storm forced us to cancel half of our plans, I still had the best time. I mean, it's New York after all. Not to mention, it's pretty cool to say I was there during a major blizzard. (Which, if I'm being really honest, was basically just another January day in Iowa ;)

I learn more and more every day that plans never really work out how you expect them to. But that allows for spontaneity, and that just makes life more fun, yeah? Looking back on my first trip of 2016 and ahead to future ones, I'm trying to make that my philosophy for traveling — because what's an adventure without surprises?

What is your travel philosophy, or do you even have one? What's the biggest surprise you've encountered on a trip/vacation before? I'd love to know...

P.S. Here's to new adventures and my travel guide to Des Moines, in case you're traveling here :)