I recently traveled to Athens, Greece; Rome, Italy; and Paris, France. The whole adventure began as I decided to join the #winelover community for their anniversary trip. I'll be posting about the #winelover community and trip as well as other fun. This post is about lessons learned a few days after my trip.
Stay Present
I frequently have trouble staying in the moment and this proves even more challenging when traveling. I am not sure if it's a mantra or what that will help, but staying present is important. It's important to enjoy that moment especially as one stands in the midst of ancient ruins.
Accepting That You are a Tourist
I hate admitting this to myself. This means getting lost, looking silly, pulling out a map or more. I have gotten better with this one, but still struggle. Who wants to admit they have no idea what they are doing? But that's where sometimes the most fun and unusual situations can happen.
Landmarks and Museums Need Tickets/Cost Money
I always forget that each country is different and many times European countries charge for their museums and landmarks. I went to the Colosseum where the line was at least 100 deep. If I had bought a ticket in advance online, it would have made things much easier. It's not that everything has to be planned out, but think out some of the day's adventures that may require tickets.
Take More Photos
I think I hesitate to take photos because I will look like a tourist or I will have too many photos. It's better to have photos to go through and delete than not enough.
Don't Bucket List Travel
My friend mentioned that perhaps Americans travel with a bucket list or check list. I think that unfortunately that may be true. Instead of just enjoying the journey we focus on checking off things to see or cities to visit. It's ok to go to Paris and not see the Eiffel Tower. It's ok to not go to Paris if one doesn't want to go.
What are some of your lessons learned? Leave your answers in the comments.
