SURPRISE, it’s not the gelato in Italy!
It’s not the rich history, the beautiful architecture, or the delicious food. It’s not the breathtaking moments, checking bucket list items off my list, or dancing in a subway at midnight in Paris. Surprisingly, I left Europe missing something I didn’t expect to miss so dearly.
When choosing the best option for travel, Chase and I decided to go with a tour group called EF Ultimate Break that accommodates the ages of 18-29-year-olds. We knew we would be the oldest and a little “odd man out” considering we were celebrating 5 years of marriage. But with the many advantages this tour offered, we chose to book our trip (and our own separate room) and embraced that we would probably stay to ourselves. Thankfully, we were wrong.
London, Oxford, Paris, Versailles, Rome, Vatican City, Florence- 4 countries and 37 people.
Buckingham Palace, red telephone booths, the Changing of the Guard, the Effiel Tower, a cruise on the Seine River, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, The Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Colosseum.
These are just a few of the surreal moments we experienced together.
But strangely enough, those aren’t the moments I miss the most.
I miss banding together, determined to catch our train to Paris. We threw luggage off the bus and ran through the train station hoping no man was left behind. We chose to be positive when we missed the train despite our efforts and made the best of it while going to Harry Potter’s Platform 9 3/4 or going to have tea and pastries. I feel like for many of us, that’s where friendship began.
I miss being the obnoxiously loud Americans on the metro in Paris and standing way too close to each other while the train took off before we were ready. Screams of laughter went throughout the train leaving no doubt we were far from Parisian.
I miss attempting to sneak into the McDonalds bathroom in Versailles and getting kicked out because we were trying to use the same code from a receipt. Oh well, call us rebels (or people who really had to go and refused to buy a Big Mac to do it).
I miss taking pictures of each other sleeping on a train to Florence and posting them for all to see in the WhatsApp. Exhaustion may have gotten the best of us, but our laughter heard throughout the train when a new photo was sent was a whimsy sound I won’t forget.
Not only will I miss the 37 people in our group, but I will miss the amazing people of the U.K., France, and Italy.
Range in London- thank you for helping Chase and I figure out how to rent bikes so we could experience the Royal Gardens in a relaxing, efficient way. Thank you to Charlie, a man who desires to be a photographer, for the kind words on the Tube. I hope your dreams come true.
Sarah, our sweet tour guide who led us around Oxford University- my heart overflowed with wonder because of your storytelling and engagement. Your accent may be the prettiest one I’ll ever hear.
To the random man on the metro in Paris that warned me of my unzipped backpack- thank you for keeping the pickpockets at bay! Really, your kindness (more than likely) saved us much trouble.
Claudia in Florence- thank you for your honesty, bold nature, and passionate spirit. Thank you for teaching us about the realities your country is facing and giving us a front row seat to the Italians upbeat spirit and positive nature. Thank you for the encouraging words you spoke reminding us that life is short and the world is big. Best of luck to you in your pregnancy, you are going to be the best mother.
And to Zio Gigi, the restaurant owner who welcomed us with song and sang to us while he brought out our (delicious) pasta – you gave us the Disney moment I never knew I wanted.
And last but certainly not least, to Dario, our amazing Tour Director- thank for the salsa dance (and the surprising moment where I was literally picked up and thrown around) in Rome, buying the group our first pastries and crepes in France, and for buying our first gelato in Italy. Thank you for answering all of our questions on a non-stop basis and for the continuous laughter, high-energy, and positivity. You taught us how to let go, live slow, and surprised our entire group with snow globes and a Pinocchio. You made Chase come out of his shell when you kissed him on the cheek at the Eiffel Tower. You said yes to turning our bus into a dancing bus and took pictures of Chase and me in beautiful places that I’ll treasure forever. Thank you for letting me pretend to be a tour director and singing a duet of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” with me on the streets of Florence. You gave Chase his first unforgettable experience in Europe and curated moments we will never forget. We are proud to call you friend, Dario!
Our group of 37 came from all over The States, different backgrounds, varying ages, beliefs, and interests. Some had little in common, but we all shared a strong desire to experience the world and that was more than enough to find adventurous, common ground. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from such amazing people from all different walks of life.
I miss Europe and all the checks we penciled in, but there is no doubt the people we met in the places we went will forever be a permanent stamp on my heart.
Until next time…
Ciao.
P.S. Special thanks to EF Ultimate Break and to Grace, our patient travel consultant, for fielding an unforgettable experience. You made the process seamless and the outcome was superior, and our trip was truly was epic and zero stress! We will just be here figuring out how to make this happen for us next year before we age out!
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