Postcard from Europe: When the Travel Bug Bit

Even though I was one of the lucky kids to have a passport at an early age, I wouldn’t necessarily say I craved leaving the country. Actually, getting on a plane often meant getting sick before, during, and after takeoff. I’d struggle with stomach issues and ear pressure, embedding not-so pleasant memories into my mental scrapbook of the family visits to the Virgin Islands.

It wasn’t until I was graduating college that I took my first journey abroad sans parents. Some friends and I planned to take one of those multi-city bus tours designed for 18-24 year olds. It was a step above backpacking, and it was glorious.

This is when the wanderlust began…

Maybe it was the fact I had my first flight with my own TV and complimentary bottle of wine.

Maybe it was that we were about to tour London, Paris, and Barcelona. 

Or maybe it was the elation of finishing school mixed with the trepidation of entering “the real world”. 

Whatever it was that inspired us to book this whirlwind excursion, I will forever be indebted to my younger self for going along for the ride. Not only did it show me how exciting the world is outside the States, but it gave me the confidence to book more trips and experience all it has to offer.

What did London, Paris, and Barcelona offer?

• Big bus tours of the city. While I try not to do the cliché touristy stuff, this was the most efficient way to see bucket-list sites in a short time. Which is perfect for when you’re only in the city for a few days. 

• Once in a lifetime opportunities. We happened to be in London during the Queen’s unofficial birthday, and found ourselves outside Buckingham Palace during the Trooping of the Colour where we caught a glimpse of Her Majesty. 

• An authentic taste of the city. Fish and chips, patisseries, and paella were on the menu. 

• Art and architecture. Medieval cities have an old world charm that always seems to be under painstaking restoration to maintain its beauty and wonder.

• Undocumented adventures. Of course I created a scrapbook filled with photos and anecdotes from this adventure, but it’s the things I remember and didn’t write down that (thankfully) are still with me. 

Like the time we went in search of ice cream in Barcelona. 

We wandered the winding streets, thinking we’d just go up one and come right back down to our hotel. Well, if you’ve been to any European city, you know it’s not that easy. As we were enjoying our frozen prize, we soon discovered we were lost. My five years of French wasn’t helping me communicate in Spain (it didn’t really help that much in France). But luckily, my partner-in-lostness knew enough words to get us back on track. It made the ice cream taste sweeter and the stories more interesting. 

While it was wonderful seeing all the major monuments—like London’s palaces, France’s tower, and Barcelona’s gothic artistry—I’m more impressed with my willingness to book the tickets, get on the plane, and go see the world. The travel bug may have bitten eventually on another vacation, but I’m grateful for embarking on this voyage of a lifetime that sparked so many more.