From the white sands of the Caribbean and rainforests of Central America to the crystalline waters of the South Pacific, eastern coast of Australia, emerald seas of Thailand and varied highlights of Europe, Into The Horizon chronicles a year of travel and adventure as Gretchen Gary circled the globe.

The odyssey began on January 15, 2006 and lasted just over 10 months, allowing time for extraordinary experiences in 12 countries and plenty of sun-soaked recreation on more than 25 islands.

It was a time to live by my own rules, do anything and go anywhere. It was a rare opportunity to indulge my wildest dreams and face my deepest fears. It was a time to test my endurance, challenge my beliefs and re-evaluate the person I had become. It was the best time of my life.

What started out as a carefree jaunt across the globe morphed into a spiritual journey that helped me realize my full potential as a child of this planet, one that accepts the world for what it is and not what I want it to be.

To all the beautiful people who supported me in my decision to do this and all the people who I met along the way and helped make the experience so extraordinary, I remain forever, your friend and co-conspirator in the great mystery of being. To all the people who randomly found this site through some travel-related search, my best advice to you is go for it - see as much as you can of this amazing planet.

The better we know our world, the better we know ourselves.