I love traveling. It’s such a simple statement but to me it floods me with memory after memory. My taste buds even have memories of delicious moments. Some that pop into my mind include pizza in Sicily, goat cheese croquettes in Barcelona and the crisp, cold, refreshing taste of Icelandic beer in Reykjavik.
Two years ago, my mom and I took a mostly impromptu trip to Iceland. It was a great trip (too short) but it came at a most opportune time in my life that was quickly becoming not what I thought it was. I was in a career change, relationship change and was basically imploding. So I was happy for four days of freezing fun! I joke about the temperature, it was actually just four lovely days of seeing an absolutely stunning country. I’ve been thinking on this trip lately because we are embarking on a new adventure. My first cruise! My mom, my aunt and her husband and I are taking a ten day cruise stopping in five different countries. I’m excited but also curious because I don’t know if I will like this mode of travel. It’s new to me. When I travel, I like to dive in head first to a place. Talking to locals and eating in hole-in-the-walls are my bread and butter… I am also very good at finding and consuming bread and butter too. *knee slap*
In 2009, my sister friend and I had the most amazing adventure. Three and a half months with a Eurorail train ticket going to as many countries as we could possibly fit in on the most menial budget. We met so many people, ate deliciously cheap food and saw the most amazing sites. We made some pretty unorthodox memories as well. Sleeping on the steps of a church in Venice, getting picked up by a Hugh Jackman look alike at the airport in Corfu, drinking ouzo at 10a without batting an eye, climbing all the steps in Cinque Terre with our hiking packs on, riding bicycles in Amsterdam, taking a tour of the governmental palace in Bucharest and so much more.
But I digress.
My main reason from bringing up travel in the first place is to talk about that inexplicable amount of time before your trip where everything is just a little more stressful. Have you noticed it? I feel like it’s especially true before big trips. What do I pack? Do I have enough luggage space? Can I clean my entire house before I go for my cat sitter? Will my cat be okay? My goodness why am I working so much before this trip happens? Etc. Etc. Etc. The questions become never ending and they aren’t really supplied with answers. It’s almost as if, your brain is on overdrive. The excitement and anticipation make your brain just a little bit stupid.
But I am not complaining. Hell! I’m relishing it. It’s not every day you get to enjoy this kind of stress. So even though I have no clue how I will get everything done in time before my flight, I am still happy as a clam.
Mar Tells Mini Tales 