The first thing I wanted to do when I got back to America was eat Taco Bell. This sounds rather ridiculous, but I missed the comfort foods that I had at home that you couldn't find in the UK.
I had been to three different countries in the past ten days; I had gotten lost but I had also been found; I had seen the ceremony of soldiers at Buckingham Palace; I had witnessed the blooming tulips in Holland; I had smoked a joint by the canals of Amsterdam; I had stood amongst the pools in the Roman Bath House; I had marveled at the architecture and landscape of Cambridge; I had stood in the exact same spot where Jane Austen has lived; I had sipped tea on the balcony of Dublin Castle; I had wandered in awe in the Long Library; I was a new person with so many new experiences that I would never forget.
If I learned one thing from that trip, it was to never pass up an opportunity to travel or experience something new, no matter how scary or uncomfortable it may be. No thing or materialistic item could ever measure up to the worth of experiences, and I knew this for certain now.
I stepped on the plane, ready for the 10 hour flight ahead of me. I was jet lagged, exhausted, but so alive. I was stuck with a middle seat on the plane, and therefore didn't sleep at all. We landed in Charlotte, North Carolina. I had a chicken sandwich in the airport, and I felt like I was already home. I realized that I wouldn't ever take the little comforts of America or home for granted ever again. I was truly blessed to grow up in the U.S. and I now could recognize this.
I had a three hour layover in Charlotte, and tried to figure out who would pick me up from DIA when I got back. This was the only part of the trip I didn't plan out, and it was a lot harder to find someone than I thought it would be. Everyone was still gone or coming back from spring break. I finally arranged for a friend to pick me up at the airport right before I boarded the plane.
I realized that I would be in Colorado in just three hours, and I was so happy. When I landed, I rushed off the plane to baggage claim, and was greeted by my friends, Stephen and Dylan. We went straight from DIA to Vudoo Donuts, and the terrible eating trend continued even back in America.
I was just relieved to be home and be surrounded by familiar faces and places. That trip made me cherish where I lived even more than I had before.
I finally got home that night around 10 p.m., and even though it was morning time back in London, I crashed. I was so sleep deprived that I couldn't keep my eyes open for even a second longer.
The next day, the Sunday before classes started back up again after spring break, I slept the entire day until 6 p.m., neglecting all of the homework that I hadn't done over break. I desperately needed to sleep, and when I woke up, I felt like I could possibly do it all again.
The weeks to come involved me plotting my next adventure, that is, when I had more money. I would be living off of cereal for the next few months, but it was worth it.
That trip will always be one of the most epic experiences of my lifetime, and I cannot wait to travel again. I feel like traveling opens up your eyes to other cultures in a way that reading about them cannot. I'm grateful for the ten days that I spent in London, the Netherlands, and Ireland. I will never forget these places, the people, or the experiences that I had.
Whenever you get the chance to travel, do it.
No comments:
Post a Comment