Things I Should Have Said (or maybe not)
Before I left on this trip, my youngest brother told me to savor every moment. I tried to do that. I've been home two full days, and I miss Europe already: light, flaky croissants, sidewalk cafes, old buildings, and just not being at work :) I tried to blog in a timely fashion to keep my thoughts and observations fresh. Sometimes it was harder fighting my iPad mini than writing, other times, I was so tired I'm not sure I was making sense. I would post and then think, shit, I forgot to say this, or mention that. So I am taking this opportunity to wrap up my random thoughts. Thanks for reading.
A few statistics: I walked roughly 256,457 steps from June 15 to July 2. I went to six countries. Ate at least five types of cheese. Saw four concerts: 2 Phil Collins, 2 Adele.
I was 'forced' to try IrnBru because my friend in Scotland was 'forced' to try root beer in the US and didn't like it. WHAT?
After a while, nothing sounded like English, even when it was English; this seemed especially true in Scotland :D
You can always pack lighter...pretend to carry your suitcase up and down stairs a few times.
I miss the toilets with the full door and walls; these seem to be standard in Europe, as opposed to the half doors we have in the US. It's almost like you have privacy.
Do:
Put your phone down
Carry an American dollar or two; you may meet someone who has never seen one (I did) and you don't want to disappoint them (I did that too)
Remember you are a guest and it's not the US and things are different, and different is not bad, just different.
Find joy in the unexpected
Pay attention - watch where you're walking (this could apply to everyone, really), be aware of your surroundings, it's easy to 'lose' belongings
Check your phone plan, does it cover international service?
Be patient when queuing up; new security practices are being put in place all the time, and lining up for popular attractions and bag inspections are pretty standard
Allow for extra time for airport check in, some airports are spread out and have different locations for different processes, and signage isn't so great
Don't:
Be so damn loud, nobody really cares
Stick to the touristy spots, venture out a little bit
Get upset if someone doesn't understand you, not everyone speaks English or speaks it fluently, so be patient, speak slowly and distinctly (I can understand French except when it's spoken quickly, so think about how English sounds to others)
Be a know it all
Be afraid to try the local transportation, especially the Tube in London, the Metro in Paris, or the GVB in Amsterdam; it can be daunting, and there are probably places I wouldn't do it.
Sacrifice comfort and practicality for fashion - there are so many cobbled, uneven streets, and you'll probably do a lot of walking and climbing stairs, you don't want to sprain your ankle or hurt your back
I have been told several times that I was very lucky on this trip: seeing Phil Collins on two of his better shows of his brief tour; and seeing Adele before she essentially lost her voice and had to cancel the last two nights; the weather was hot, but not all that unbearable (although, I won't miss the back sweat), and then when it cooled down in the UK and the Netherlands, it wasn't too cold or too rainy; and I packed in a lot of activities in 17 days. It's been ten years since my last overseas adventure, and I can say it won't be that long until my next one.
Go see the world and eat dessert - it's worth it.
A few statistics: I walked roughly 256,457 steps from June 15 to July 2. I went to six countries. Ate at least five types of cheese. Saw four concerts: 2 Phil Collins, 2 Adele.
I was 'forced' to try IrnBru because my friend in Scotland was 'forced' to try root beer in the US and didn't like it. WHAT?
After a while, nothing sounded like English, even when it was English; this seemed especially true in Scotland :D
You can always pack lighter...pretend to carry your suitcase up and down stairs a few times.
I miss the toilets with the full door and walls; these seem to be standard in Europe, as opposed to the half doors we have in the US. It's almost like you have privacy.
Do:
Put your phone down
Carry an American dollar or two; you may meet someone who has never seen one (I did) and you don't want to disappoint them (I did that too)
Remember you are a guest and it's not the US and things are different, and different is not bad, just different.
Find joy in the unexpected
Pay attention - watch where you're walking (this could apply to everyone, really), be aware of your surroundings, it's easy to 'lose' belongings
Check your phone plan, does it cover international service?
Be patient when queuing up; new security practices are being put in place all the time, and lining up for popular attractions and bag inspections are pretty standard
Allow for extra time for airport check in, some airports are spread out and have different locations for different processes, and signage isn't so great
Don't:
Be so damn loud, nobody really cares
Stick to the touristy spots, venture out a little bit
Get upset if someone doesn't understand you, not everyone speaks English or speaks it fluently, so be patient, speak slowly and distinctly (I can understand French except when it's spoken quickly, so think about how English sounds to others)
Be a know it all
Be afraid to try the local transportation, especially the Tube in London, the Metro in Paris, or the GVB in Amsterdam; it can be daunting, and there are probably places I wouldn't do it.
Sacrifice comfort and practicality for fashion - there are so many cobbled, uneven streets, and you'll probably do a lot of walking and climbing stairs, you don't want to sprain your ankle or hurt your back
I have been told several times that I was very lucky on this trip: seeing Phil Collins on two of his better shows of his brief tour; and seeing Adele before she essentially lost her voice and had to cancel the last two nights; the weather was hot, but not all that unbearable (although, I won't miss the back sweat), and then when it cooled down in the UK and the Netherlands, it wasn't too cold or too rainy; and I packed in a lot of activities in 17 days. It's been ten years since my last overseas adventure, and I can say it won't be that long until my next one.
Go see the world and eat dessert - it's worth it.
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