Has it hit you yet? No, I just can’t make myself believe it. I really went there? Well believe it or not, I was. Those sought after sightseeing destinations England, France, and Rome. I traveled to. It didn’t really hit me that I was actually there.
We arrived at Heathrow early in the morning and took a dazed trip to Winsor castle. Beautiful, but we were all a little too tired to enjoy it. A nine hour plane ride doesn’t sit too well with thirty American tourists. It still hasn’t hit me at this point.
â–º QUARTER FINALIST 2012 TEEN TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP
A train ride, a proper English meal of fish and chips, and a few hours later we stood in the middle of Piccadilly Circus. At this point we were a sight to behold. Thirty American tourists walking like zombies, being led by an extremely loud, extremely British tour director. As we walk back to tube station where we to begin our trip back to our hotel I looked up at the Shaftesbury Monument framed by the glowing lights of the giant screens that featured different advertisements. Did it hit me then? No, I was far too tired.
Two days later all thirty of us sadly stood in the middle of St. Pancreas station ready to depart from London, and arrive two hours and fifteen minutes later in Paris. A nice two hour and fifteen minute nap later we arrived in the city of lights. I instantly knew this was my kind of place, just seeing some of the locals getting off trains or hurrying to catch them I knew this would be a fabulously dressed town. As I pulled my suitcase behind me, admiring the style of the city I heard a sound I would never forget, the sound of a suitcase wheel popping off leaving me to either drag, or carry the case. So much for making a fashionable first entrance to my future home, everyone knows that carrying a 45 pound suitcase for a mile isn’t fashionable. Did it hit me then? No, too busy duct taping my suitcase back together.
Europe in the movies is far different than the real thing, with the exception of one place we visited. It was in between the Moulin Rouge and the Montmartre church. I was indescribable really; it had a village- like feel, with twinkle lights strung up between the buildings, and little cafés around every corner. By far my favorite place we went to. But did it hit me even then? No, I was too worried about pick pockets.
After Paris we took a very interesting night train ride to the city of Milan. From there we took a bus that hopped from Italian village to even cuter Italian village until we arrived in Rome, the eternal city. It was absolutely beautiful, everything about it I loved, but it wasn’t until the very last night that it hit me. It was around nine o’clock when I saw it, the Trevi fountain. I stood at the very edge looking up at the ornate statues, I was really here, and I was really tossing in a coin to wish for my return to Rome. In that moment, I was truly living. It hit me.
Traveling, even more so with a big group can often be filled more with worrying than really enjoying. So take my advice, live in the moment, especially when traveling. You never know if you may return, so make the most of the time you have there. Has it hit you yet?
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