Exit Thoughts

*I loved the variety in our trip. Going from hiking in the Isle of Skye to hanging out at the Palace of Versailles, from the black sand beaches in Iceland to the lights of London has been really cool. I felt like we got a better picture of the variety of Europe than I did last time I was here, when I really focused a lot on capital cities. It was awful for our collective stench and hygiene, but really fun to hike and explore the countryside in addition to the cities.

*I have to give a shoutout to my travelmates who have put up with me all trip; every museum that I wanted to go into, every crepe and croque monsieur, every group picture that I made them take.  Y’all are great.

*Next time I travel, I have to make a better effort to work out. I feel (and look) like a sloth right now. Also, the amount of tummy-fat sweat I’ve been accumulating while sitting on the metro is pretty ludicrous. Too far? Too far.

*Going back to places that I’ve been before was a lot more fulfilling than I expected. I think I have a mentality (which is probably exacerbated by the map with pins that’s hanging on my wall) where I always want to explore somewhere new, find a new country, new spots. I found quite a few new things even in cities that I had already been to, and I definitely underestimated how much going back to some of my favorite places cemented how much I liked them.

*Travel, especially when you’re young, on a budget, and haven’t invested a ton of research in your destinations, is a very trusting experience. From things like asking for directions or pictures to not getting scammed by cabs and hostels to following routes and advice from online blogs and sites, you kind of have to put your faith in other folks. Most of the time it works out well! When it doesn’t, it’s usually because you’re flying RyanAir and your travel buddy has jokingly listed you as “Dr. Richard Saber”…

*The dominance of U.S. pop culture creates some really strange cultural juxtapositions. At one point last night, I was talking to some French girls and Norwegian guys in a bar in Portugal while listening to a Brazilian band play “Sweet Home Alabama”. Go figure. Other weird juxtapositions: sitting under the Eiffel Tower while some neighboring Spanish guys were listening to Kendrick Lamar, listening to country music while running through Scotland, and the entirety of the brilliant American CD- which had 92 songs on it!- that we listened to while driving all over Iceland.

*The end of a good trip leaves everyone thirsty for more. If anyone is looking for a travel bud- especially within the U.S./Canada- this summer, let me know!