I had the amazing opportunity when I was in college to study
abroad for a semester in Madrid. For
that four months I was able to easily hop all over Europe inexpensively and
effortlessly. But, being like any other
19 year old at the time, all the places I went to in Europe were the ‘popular’
destinations (Ireland, Italy, Paris, London..etc). I did do my fair share of exploring and
sight-seeing, experiencing each country to the fullest that I could at the
time, but now, much older, my travel priorities are a lot different.
Partying, the local parades, pubs and brewery scenes are no
longer something I put emphasis on. Now
when I travel I want to be able to see different things; cultures,
architecture, food. I want to experience different worlds every time I
travel. Sure, when I lived in Spain and
traveled around Europe I was obsessed with architecture, appreciating it and
seeking it out, but it was only if I happened to stumble upon it. I am no longer interested in following the tourist
path most traveled, I want to create my own path, see new things.
One of my best vacations was when I went to Mexico as an
adult (I had been there previously) but this time instead of doing excursions,
we rented a car and drove around ourselves with just a map and a vague idea of
a plan. We managed to stumble across a
local restaurant, in the middle of nowhere, that opened up to the ocean (great
photo opportunity!) We also found a sort
of national park where we were able to walk around with a Mayan tour guide (who
introduced us to his ‘friends’..wild crocodiles) and climbed on rickety wooden towers in the
middle of crocodile infested waters, and abandonded lighthouses in the middle
of an eerily quiet beach. Yes, this probably wasn’t the safest idea (both
because of Montezuma’s revenge and because we had no idea who/what was around)
but it was an excellent adventure. In my
adulthood, I believe that vacations shouldn’t be escapes from your life, but
they should be adventurous breaks.
My recent book obsession has been Wild, a story in which the author, Cheryl Strayed, backpacks the
Pacific Crest Trail alone. Unfortunately
for me, I am not athletic enough to do that, nor do I have any inclination to
spend several months walking through areas where both the wildlife and mother
nature’s fickle temperature is trying to kill you; but I do like the idea. I love the idea of taking a ‘soul journey.’ A
trip in which you are alone with your thoughts, experiencing things that make
you take a deeper look within yourself, questioning yourself, and helping you
grow as a person. While I do not have
the luxury to be able to walk away from my life for several months (not that I
would, even if I didn’t have a job or
mortgage) I am in love with traveling and think that’s something I should do
more of.
I recently started my application submissions to graduate
school, hoping to get accepted for the Fall semester. The program I am applying to is extremely
competitive, so I am managing realistic expectations. However, I decided that no matter what
happens, I am going to come out a winner!
If I do not get accepted in the fall, I will take a week (or so) and go
traveling through the United States. The
downside of studying abroad in Europe was that I saw a lot of what other countries
have to offer, and not enough of my own.
My experience with US travel is not as vast as I would like it to be;
full disclosure, I think I’ve only been to 20 or so states! It actually makes
me cringe that I have been to other countries’ capitals, and not my own (sorry,
DC, you’re on the list!) So if I have to
save tackling grad school for another year, I might as well make the most of
the free time I have before it gets trumped by school.
My plan would be to fly somewhere in the country, probably
out West or Midwest, and then travel by train to several other cities. I am thinking if I do a 9-10 day trip, I can
definitely get a few landmarks/bucket list places done, or at the very least
just have really interesting stories to tell.
So where do you think I should go? Fun things to see in your town,
quirky villages you’ve stumbled across on your own travels, interesting places
you’ve only read about in books . . . I want to hear everything! I am extremely
elated by all the possibilities travel brings, and especially a trip like this. Opportunities are endless, and your mid-late
twenties seems like the perfect time to get lost to come home to yourself.
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