A small personal breakthrough

I realized the other day what is wrong with my writing--I am not adhering to the most basic of rules "Write what you know." A lot of my ideas call for exotic (or at least foreign) locales and I've never been to any of the places that I want to write about. Or I haven't been there since I was 5 years old and really have no memory strong enough to build my story off.

I think this is perhaps why Refractions just sputters along. I had an idea for another story the other night, but I've never been to Greece. I could, of course, pick my friend Amanda's brain about the place, but it isn't quite the same. With out-and-out Fantasy or Sci-Fi, it's different of course, because you can just make up stuff, as long as it sorta makes sense. But my reality, or real world, based writing suffers from my inability to paint accurate pictures.

So that leads me to my next question--wtf do I do about it? I can't very well write foreign travel off on my taxes as a "work expense" although wouldn't that be lovely? Part of me is really itching for some travel--real travel. Sure, I've done Texas, California, Maine, Canada, D.C. ...but I need something different, something awe-inspiring. Something that will make me feel as if I have to write about it if I want to continue functioning as a person.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.