After what was possibly one of my worst years ever, I decided to follow the advice of my Great Aunt.
“When life hits you hard and rough, you need to treat yourself better.”
So on New Year’s Day, I decided to take what little money I had and booked myself a ticket to the one place I had been procrastinating on visiting my entire life—Europe.
I had numerous offers to travel there in the past. Yet felt uncomfortable being stuffed into a bus with my fellow Americans.
The types of folks who would be craning their necks and gawking out the tinted windows. Smiling and quite proud of the blurred photos they soon would be sharing with friends and family at home. All while the bus painfully rumbled down time-worn, narrow cobble stone streets.
My ideal vacation is leisurely. Sitting in the back corner of an intimate cafe. Sipping something wonderful, while a couple bickers over which monument or museum to check off their exhaustive list, before preparing to hit their Top 10 hottest clubs for the night.
Perhaps possibly amusing myself, while an Instagrammer, perfects the perfect pose. While their partner sulks. Staring blankly at the screen of their phone. Swiping left or right on Tinder. Hoping to kill some time, instead of being locked up in a foreign jail for strangling a wanna-be Internet influencer.
Yes, being smug in my safe little corner of the cafe. Taking it all in. Watching the light fade while a young child enjoys a gelato in shimmering golden. Savoring such a sumptuous scene which even Bernini could not even direct any better.
This is what my heart hopes to enjoy from this daring adventure. Wouldn’t yours?
Fast Forward Six Months!
And so it begins . . .
. . . months from purchasing the ticket, the ensuing weeks of research and planning. It all boils down to an improvised mocha from a ubiquitous coffee chain’s automated espresso machine.
Not by any means the most impressive mocha I have ever had. However, the caffeinated chocolate flavors and a light snack help calm my nerves as I savor the calm bustle of the Delta Premier One Lounge.
A quiet respite from the buzzing din of the airport outside. I feel relaxation creeping into my consciousness.
Yes, I believe this adventure into self-discovery may very well be worth the painful decades – plus, in the anticipation!
This is the first in a series of one man’s journey through Europe, in search of hidden gems and off-the-beaten-track places.
