Her hand rested comfortably on my shoulder as we watched planes take off into the inky sky like birds in a sporadic flock. “Before you know it, you’ll be on the other side of the ocean,” my mother whispered into my ear as she embraced me one last time before departure. I groaned at the thought of such a long plane ride, but she was right. In what seemed like a matter of moments, but was actually closer to 8 hours, I was whisked away to London. I had never really gone too far from home before, much less a completely separate continent, but I finally earned the opportunity when my school began offering a showcase of European countries. The night before we left I could hardly sleep as thoughts of the places I’d go rushed through my head.
When we arrived I thought I was going to be plagued by exhaustion, but it was as if the electric atmosphere that characterized London was able to recharge me. While exploring London, I was shocked by the contrast between regal architecture and modern fixtures. Only in London might one find a Dominos tightly snuggled between the walls of a building reminiscent of a miniature castle. After two days of breathtaking sights we ventured to Paris- a magically lit city that presented a romantic and nostalgic attitude. I was enthralled by both of these pulsing cultural meccas, but it wasn’t until Switzerland that I truly understood the magnitude of what I was experiencing.
Unlike the cities, everything was placid, and evidence of humanity was few and far between in the vast Swiss landscape. Mountains jutted into the sky like hands attempting to grasp the heavens, while rivers flooded through every crevice in the rock. That night, after we got off the bus in Lucerne, I rushed to my room to dress in exercise gear and run amongst the stars. It was frigid to the point where I could see my breath in front of me, but the temperature was invigorating.
My muscles ached and burned as I took what turned out to be my own personal tour. The roads were winding and curvy, and they often had paths that branched off into immense fields. When I reached one of these clearings I attempted to take photos, but no picture could capture the magic of the Alps and the clouds that graced their peaks. It was as if I was enclosed in a bubble of magnificence. I was so overwhelmed by what surrounded me that all I could scarcely manage to do anything but lay back on the grass and let the crisp air fill my lungs. All the while my eyes drunk in the landscape and burned it into permanent memory.
Being there, bathed in beauty and silence, a curiosity and wanderlust I had previously forgotten suddenly came rushing back. I felt renewed, and I established a newfound appreciation for nature and exploration. On the way back to the hotel my head swarmed with thoughts of the rich paradises earth fosters, and how I planned to explore them all. I never really believed that one moment could change a person’s life, but as I rushed past mist from waterfalls and felt the stems of wildflowers tickle my knees, I knew that somehow I had unlocked a new version of myself that longed to wander the earth until the end of time.
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hope you all like it!
The Paramount Hotel- http://www.nycparamount.com
BDC- Broadway Dance Center- http://www.broadwaydancecenter.com
Ellen's Stardust Diner- http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com
Capezio store- http://www.capeziodance.com
Amy's Bakery- http://www.amysbread.com
Junior's in Times Square- http://www.juniorscheesecake.com
The Ambassador Theater (Chicago)- http://www.ambassadortheater.com
Al Hirschfeld Theater- http://www.hirschfeldtheater.org
I was the same way. I had my Bat Mitzvah on top of Masadah and was complaining of the heat. I didn't truly recognize what an amazing place I was in. I was fortunate enough to return last summer and had the time of my life. I look forward to seeing your post for when you get to return. I wish you all the best!
one of my all time favorite vacations.
This was one of the best trips I have ever been on.
I am ecstatic that I was able to participate in learning my heritage, history, and my parents past.
My trip to Africa was really an extraordinary experience, and I fell in love with the country Nigeria. I am so happy that my father allowed me to see my heritage and my family.
Truly humbling
I hope you enjoy learning about my experiences in Paris, France!
Thank you so much for this information. Multi-generational travel is an area that I am interested in, but it is not easy to navigate various ages, levels of mobility and interests. These tips are super useful!
This was seriously such a life-changing trip for me. I got to see a whole other way that people live life. It really opened my eyes and made me EVEN MORE eager to learn German and to adopt a more frugal lifestyle.
My experience with traveling to a foreign nation, in the form of a blog.
Going on that trip was the best thing I have done in my life. I learned so much, and experienced many different things, such as food, culture, and people. It was a great opportunity for me, and I highly advise others to travel as well. You will not be disappointed.
I recommend this or a similar trip for any future paleontologists. I have since been to the Field Museum in Chicago and the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and am pleased to have visited all the major paleontological museums in North America.
I hope you have fun on your trips, too!
This is my submission to the young travel writer scholarship
My trip to South Africa transformed my life. I grew closer to my best friend, as well as experience a culture very different from my own. As a result, my knowledge of the world has grown.
I quite enjoy I can feel the passion.
I hope you enjoy the lessons i learned over seas in Spain! I know I will take them with me as I move forward in life. Thank you for reading!
-Rebecca Krivitsky
enjoy my story, i pray it will reveal a new cultural avenue while still providing a humorous tale
This trip was truly life changing. It was the first time I realized that there is a whole other world outside the United States!
Thank you very much for your post! I love it very much! I will bring my family to Florida soon!
Thanks and support
Here is the website documenting my trip: http://madisongoestonewyork.blog.com/
My time in El Salvador changed my life. It is my dream that one day I will be able to return there. I can honestly tell you that my love for the people in El Salvador has remained with me. And I hope the best for that nation.
The summer of my sophmore year in high school I spent a week in El Salvador. This one week changed my life. As I volunteered in El Salvador I gained an amazing view of different cultures and life styles. I developed a love for El Salvador and its people. And my memories there will remain with me through out my life. It is my dream that one day I will be able to return their and give more of my time to those amazing people.
My freshman year of high school I spent a week of my summer in El Salvador. It was a remarkable week that literally changed my outlook on life. I have a huge heart for the people of El Salvador and the country itself. It is my dream that one day I will be able to go back.
My amazing trip
It was definitely a trip to remember that I'd do any day! 🙂
A trip to remember that I'd do again any day
It was a trip to remember. Every spect of it was interesting and something I would do again!
I enjoy traviling with my family and creating new memories.
I enjoy traviling and spending time with my family.
– By Ciara Bri'd Frisbie
Thank you for reading my essay.
-Nathan Shaw
Thank you for taking the time to read my essay I really appreciate it.
-Nathan Shaw.
This trip was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. From the Great Wall to the hospitals of Beijing, I learned so much about myself and other cultures.
I just love traveling. Disney World is my favourite destination. Above all 10 sposts are my favourite. I would love to visit all that destination.
Reading this story has been a stroll down memory lane. I stayed at the Diplomat as a little girl in the 1970's, and still remember how impressed I was with it. So glad to hear that the resort has bounced back to its original glory.
I am very glad to know that Disney Cruise Line is taking health so seriously, yet making cleanliness palatable for kids. These suggestions are also great for air travel, another germy breeding ground. Thanks for the info!
My family loves Cancun, and we have had good stays at the Oasis and the Sol Melia and the Sheraton too. Nice to see a new list of recommendations from you. Thanks
This is a really fun outing, but if you can't get out to the countryside, just visit one of those urban tree sellers. A lot of them in the northeast are staffed by college kids from Canada, who take a break, get into a rental trailer and drive it south, then re-sell trees they have bought on consignment to pay for the next semester.
I always ask (nicely) and I always get (with a smile), the extra boughs that they take off to make the trees look even all around. With some ribbon, maybe the wire from a coat hanger and lots of creativity, it's easy to get the kids helping you turn old boughts into beautiful wreaths for around the house.
Love the photos in this article!
Thanks for having this contest; my family loves Snowmass and it would be great to go back there. We took our son when he was about 7 and it was a great learning adventure for all of us. The instructors are terrific and we had fun, but it's not something we could afford to do right now.
Thanks for giving us another chance to go back!
When Jean Carlisle of Menomonie, Wisconsin heard she won a family of four Galapagos Adventure Cruise, she wrote us:
"YES YES YES!!!!!!!! THIS IS MY DREAM DREAM DREAM VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN you tell I’m excited??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"A Galapagos vacation has always been on my DREAM list!!…add it to a cruise vacation makes it even more special. I accept!!!"
Jean explained that she'd enjoyed playing along the scavenger hunt but was anxious about the random drawing for a winner.
"I didn’t sleep well last night because I was so excited!! LOL I entered the contest because I had seen many publications and shows on national geographic on the Galapagos Islands and always thought that would be a place I’d like to visit. I was first drawn to the beautiful pictures on the website and when I saw the contest, I knew that I just had to enter and would love to win!
"I’d like to thank TakingtheKids.com, TravelingMom.com and Family Travel Forum for this once in a life opportunity!! We are excited to make arrangements and show off photos when we return!"
So glad it's helpful to you with your teens, I've already given the Primland brochure to my own mom and her girlfriend who want to tour the Blue Ridge Parkway and look at the Appalachian handcrafts. This is a great base for lots of exploration. If you go, I know you'll enjoy it!
This sounds like a real find and perfect for my own family. I ma always looking for resorts that will work as destinations with lots to do for my two teens, and Primland sounds excellent. Thanks for spreading the word!
Thanks so much for sharing your dreams about the Galapagos; that's the way we all felt when we learned that the terrific Lindblad team wanted to work on this project. so excited to know that someone's dream will reallyl come true! And a 6th grader is the perfect travel companion.
Don't forget to post your a link to your comment here :
http://www.travelingmom.com/freebies/contests/3917-galapagos-giveaway-contest-entries.html
so you're sure to be recorded as an entry into the grand prize drawing. Hope to see you on Twitter too @familytravel4um @travelingmoms @takingthekids @LindbladEXP
If there are no comments on our blog, does this mean that our blog has been rejected, or that it has not been reviewed yet? thanks!
As noted, thanks to your enthusiasm, there are several thousand posts to read, so the judges will be done by mid October. Check back after that to see your status!
I tried following the steps above for finding out about the scholarship judging, but I'm still lost. Does it show up at the bottom of your blog? Or is it just off to the side when you have the option of clicking on your blog? Like, is it next to the name of your blog, the date it was published and then the word scholarship with either a yes or no? Thanks!
Crystal – you get an email