The Adventure That Started it All

It was over two years ago, now, when my AP Literature teacher first handed out the papers. It was for extra credit, and we were to show them to our parents, get their signature, and have them check one of the three boxes:

• I am interested in sending my child on a trip to France
• I am interested, but cannot afford it
• I am not interested

Originally, my mother checked the top box, but I still had a bit of convincing to do before she would allow me to go. After much coaxing, I talked my mother into allowing me to go on this wondrous trip to France, Spain and Morocco as my high school graduation gift.

Nevermind that my favorite teacher (from Honors Freshman English, to AP Literature, to Creative Writing) gave birth to her baby boy prior to the trip, and was therefore not able to attend. It certainly would have been an entirely different trip had she come along (her replacement was the drama teacher, who was fun, but strict), but it was a wonderful trip nonetheless--even if I didn't get to taste any French wine.
We were able to pull out all the stops in Paris--the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, the Louvre,  the opera house, and a river cruise on the Seine. The best part is, I was with my best friends Becca and Bailey. And while we learned that putting the three of us in a hotel room together is a bad idea, their presence truly made part of the trip as unforgettable as it is.

Notre Dame, Paris

Besides pulling all the stops and seeing all the views, I learned to not be stingy with travel money. For heaven's sake, while you're in a different country, buy all the souvenirs you want! And eat all of the crepes, because there are none quite the same in America, and you''ll work them off when you hike la Tour Eiffel, anyway.
 Of course, I also learned that after the sixth cathedral or painting of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus, it all starts to look the same. I now like to say, "If you've see one cathedral, you've seen them all." However, France and Spain both differ dramatically in that aspect. French cathedrals really all do look the same, with similar rose stained glass windows, and tall Gothic style architecture, but Spanish cathedrals range anywhere from La Sagrada Familia to La Catedral de Cordoba.

La Sagrada Familia, June 2011

La Catedral Cordoba

It was somewhere between Barcelona and Costa del Sol that my love of travel seriously took flight. One night in Madrid (I believe it was Madrid), my four travel mates and I set out on an adventurous walk without letting our group leader know. While nothing really important happened on this walk (it was at least 8 pm, the sun was beginning to set, and nothing exciting was open, an exciting revelation came to me: I am an adult. I can make responsible choices, without notifying anyone, and have fun without getting into trouble.

Bailey, Becca, Hayden and Loni

Our late night walk in Madrid has become the essence of travel. Being spontaneous and smart, maybe breaking a few guidelines here and there, but understanding that, in the scheme of things, adventures are what make the memories, not lifeless nights spent in a hotel room 'midst a world that needs to be explored.