They say the first step to overcoming an addiction is by admitting that you have a problem. 

Hi, my name is Ashlee, and I am addicted to travel. 

I've been traveling since about 2008 and my desire to continue only gets stronger with each new destination I visit.  How do I know that I'm addicted to travel, you ask? I've searched within and came up with these eight telltale signs.  See if they apply to you too!

1. You make sacrifices in order to feed your habit.

You will eat air for breakfast, peanut butter sandwiches for lunch, and eggs for dinner to feed your travel habit.  Some people are addicted to shoes and handbags (not knocking it...well, not really), but you know travel is your drug of choice when you cut out certain lifestyle luxuries to save for an upcoming trip.

2. Your family and friends always ask, "Where are you going now?"

They don't understand why you'll spend months on end away from home (*points finger at self*) or why you feel the need to always go somewhere. Just as long as you aren't asking them to foot the bill, they don't have to understand. Choose one of these responses, wave goodbye at the security checkpoint and keep it moving.

3. You must take at least 1 vacation per quarter.

I have the 3 month (or less) itch. I have to travel at least once a quarter to scratch my 'travel itch.' If I haven't gone anywhere in a couple months, I get into a little bit of a funk.  And then I remember that I haven't been anywhere in a while.  My solution? Book a quick getaway. Whether near or far, it's always nice to get away from normalcy in order to come back refreshed.

4. You will scour the internet looking for the best deal possible.

Not only do I look up flight and hotel information for upcoming trips on a daily basis, but I will not rest until I am sure I receiving the best deal possible.  Blame my Gemini ways.

5. You have alerts set up for your home airport.

Skyscanner.com is my best friend in my head.  They have a search functionality that allows you to look up flights from your home airport to anywhere in the world for the cheapest deals. I also receive daily emails from various travel sites for the best deals out of all Washington, D.C. airports. You should too! You could be missing on out on some great deals.

6. You already know who to call when an airfare glitch hits the internet.

Not all of your friends are down to travel wherever, whenever. You know exactly who to call when that $187 flight to Abu Dhabi hits the internet. There are no questions asked. They will give you their proxy to purchase their ticket because they trust you'll make the best decisions possible when booking a trip, and vice versa. Word to my friend Adriene!

7. You are open to wherever the cheapest flight will take you.

I've gone to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Iceland, London (and soon to Cartagena) because I've been open to purchasing airfare for a destination that isn't necessarily on my bucket list.  But as it turns out, I've loved all of these places and wouldn't have known that unless I opened myself up to the possibilities. (I'm sure I'll love Cartagena too!)

8. You plan to never stop traveling.

Let's face it.  Travel is addictive. Once you start, you can't stop. There's something about the thrill of seeing and experiencing cultures other than your own that makes your thirst for travel insatiable.  You haven't been everywhere, but it's on your list!

So, are you addicted to travel? Chances are if you're reading this, you probably are too. Just don't forget to pay your bills before traveling first :)