Set your sights high…

A beautiful morning sky somewhere over Europe heading into France

 

My last trip to Europe didn’t start off to well. Ironically, I had booked this trip approximately two weeks before all hell broke loose, or well, just my foot. My friend, Erin, and I had made a joke four years ago during the Olympics that we would go to Rio in 2016. Well, not everything has been so great with Rio, and we still wanted to do a trip. I’ve been itching to go to Russia for a VERY long time but the idea of a visa process, cost, and sheer uncertainty in the world made it less than likely to happen. We stumbled upon a trip to Prague, Vienna, & Budapest in late August and decided to “jump” on it. Hotels. Done.

Erin and I decided after searching for airfare from two different destinations (Austin & Philadelphia) that it made total sense for us to add two additional days on our trip and head to Paris. You know what Audrey Hepburn says, “Paris is always a great idea.” Always. Trust me. Paris can make your day go from gray to sun in a few hours. Literally! More about that later 🙂

Our flight from Philadelphia to Paris was an easy six-and-a-half hours, which started off to be a great flight…until the French college students in front of us brought a flight attendant to talk about their “sick” friend. Great! We spent the first 30 minutes after take-off sanitizing our seats and debating covering our faces. We ended up a-okay! It makes me wonder how true the “airplane” air really is? Or maybe the flu shots work. Who knows. Food. Meh. Food allergies and American Airlines fails in their options. Very little options. It’s time to change Economy options. Tomatoes are NOT necessary in every freaking dish you serve.

Our flight landed in six hours and 20 minutes (yay!) and we had a quick, easy customs departure into the European Union (I always feel like there’s someone singing in my ears when I cross through Europe- I feel at home). Luggage was a breeze. Finding an Uber. Breeze. Getting from Charles de Gaule to the Eiffel Tower area in rush hour? What seemed like a thousand circles and one dart…and we arrive. Oh Champs-Elysees…we meet again.

Here we go round in (another) circle…

 

 

 

What’s your map look like?

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve spent countless hours (and countless nights of sleep in my adulthood) dreaming of the places I would go. I remember the Dr. Seuss book, “Oh the places you’ll go” but I’m not quite sure he was talking about your travel destinations. Trip Advisor introduced their “Travel Map” feature, which allows you to track all of the places “you’ll go” and places you’ve “been.” If you’re looking for something to kick your butt into gear- Trip Advisor is it!

I’ve been to 17 countries, 107 cities and two continents. It seems like a lot but in the realm of things- it’s absolutely nothing. If you break it down- there’s a heck of a lot of the world left to see! I didn’t start cruising until 22 years old and didn’t make it to Europe until I was 30. I made it a goal in 2005, on my first cruise aboard the Carnival Glory, I would be a Platinum cruiser by 30. Little did I know, I’d achieve my goal AND make it to Europe in the same trip!? So, where are the places you’ll go? Where have you been?