90 DAYS, 90 DAYS, 90 DAYS!
My official countdown has begun! I’m so excited about my first ever trip to Europe. I’ve researched and researched which is where I got the idea, along with a family member who finally brought the idea to fruit, that I needed to start this blog! I searched so many websites trying to find the perfect one-stop-shop for all of my many inquiries and questions about traveling to a foreign country. Mind you, I google everything, to no shame. I’m the first person to whip it out as soon as someone wants to know the answer to a question. I wanted to know everything there was to know so that I’m fully prepared.
Let me tell you how all of this started. I saw the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun”. We all know the one. The beautiful Diane Lane, going through a divorce, selling all of her belongings and buying a beat up villa in Tuscany, and with her luck, a bird pooping on her head. Astounding country side, beautiful green hills, the bustling street market and all of the wonderful Italian people. I saw this movie when I was younger and I came across it in the $5 bin as an adult. I, of course, scooped it up, took it home and watched it, to the tune of about ten to 15 times. After I watched it for the umpteenth time, I decided I needed to make this trip. There’s nothing I love more than a great pasta with crisp, warm bread.
Now that I’ve put that vision in your head, I need you to know that I’ve never traveled anywhere (especially across the pond) alone. I have lived alone in a city I knew, I’ve been to Kuwait with a whole company, I can eat alone and go out alone. I didn’t feel okay with going abroad for the very first time alone. So, I enlisted the help of one of my elementary school girlfriends and of course the idea went down like a fine Italian wine. First, we both made a list of our top three places we really wanted to see. Of course, Tuscany was my number one. So, for a three week span we came up with London, Paris, Rome, Tuscany and Dublin. We are 90 days out and only have the London hostel booked because, well, to be honest, I don’t want to be on a super strict planned out three weeks. If we see what we want to see in Paris in the span of three days and then discover we want to stay in Rome or Tuscany for six, then I want to be able to do that. Luckily, my travel partner is okay with all of the loose-based planning, as long as she has a place to shower and lay her head at night. The best advice I could have ever gotten was “just let it happen”. I’m not one to get super stressed or worry about much of anything, especially the things I can’t control. I guess I’m lucky in that way. Things will happen that are so out of your control it gets a little silly to worry about them. You’re supposed to be on a vacation after all!
With all of this being said, I have officially 90 days until I’m on a plane headed for Heathrow. I have my plane ticket and the first 2 nights of 21 planned and I couldn’t be happier. I am getting anxious the closer it gets, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Stay barefoot and comfortable..
(or in this case, happy, with comfortable shoes)
Elizabeth
Wander Barefoot 