Europe – Part 2

City Walls in Dubrovnik, Croatia

 

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.”
– Pat Conroy

 

For this trip I went by myself to have a solo adventure. I met up with other people on my tour group, as well as other crazily-psyched travellers along the way at each of the destination stops. I went with the tour group, Contiki. Known for its party culture (as I apparently found out), the partying scene wasn’t what I was going for; rather, it was to see the world in general, and as much of Western Europe in particular.

 

Here is a map of where I went:

 

 

These are some of the thoughts and words that describe my trip to Europe:

Before:

• Adventurous
• Exciting
• Exhilarating
• Taking a risk
• Planning + research & planning + research
• Time to put “real life” on hold
• WHERE AM I GOING TO COME UP WITH ALL THE MONEY?!?
• Who do I go with??
• Time to pack &: Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate!

During:

• Time of my life
• Unreal opportunity
• Sleep? Who needs sleep…I’ve got places to see!!
• Breaking my comfort zone & ingrained personality style
• My index finger seems to be in a fixed, permanent position from constantly taking pictures
• So much to see and take in
• There isn’t enough time to fit everything in!
• Thought process: “Go, go, reflect, go, go!” (repeat)

After:

• I don’t want to come back!
• Is there ANY way to extend this trip??!
• Definitely the trip of a lifetime
• Opportunity to share with my kids about this trip (as my Dad had done with me when he travelled Europe)
• So many memories that will last a lifetime
• TONS of pictures to look through
• Wow! I just saw 19 countries in Europe in 5 weeks
• When can I go back?

The Louvre – Paris, France

 

 

Upon the return to my native land, Canada, I noticed I had caught a serious bug from all my travelling. No matter how fervently and desperately I tried to cure it it just never went away. This “bug” as I have heard it coined, is more prominently known as the “Travel Bug”, and more people than I know have been infected with this. The more folks I talk to who have done their share of travelling have confirmed the undeniable fact: IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY!!!

The question is: Will you allow yourself to catch this adventurous & contagious “bug”?