Let Travel be the Teacher
As I write, I am five and a half hours from completion of this long haul 11 hour flight returning to Portland from Spain by way of Amsterdam, attempting to blog on my Kindle because someone failed to charge my laptop yesterday. That someone is me. 😉Eleven hours of downtime is a long time. Enough time to read a fantastic new novel from cover to cover (we both read it, and I highly, highly recommend the Tattooist of Auschwitz) as well as a fun little read on happiness traditions in other countries (Happy: Secrets to Happiness From the Cultures of the World) and to study my genetics chapter for advanced pathophysiology. I am filled with gnocchi, cheese and crackers, and chocolate truffle. Delta airlines has surprisingly good meal service on long flights and provides pillows, blankets, earplugs and eye masks (nice touches)....but no hopes of sleep because it's still daytime in the time zone I'm traveling from!
Every time I travel I come back a changed, slightly rearranged person. In Amsterdam I got my 8th stamp in the passport book I renewed in 2013. Before then all I had was Mexico. I carry stamps from: Mexico, Canada, Aruba, Italy, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Turks and Caicos. It's been an amazing six years and I dream of many more. Sadly, with me in school this is likely our last BIG trip for a few years, unless we can swing a few...a girl can dream and try to work extra, right? We'll be focusing on camping and travel in the US while money is tighter though I'm thinking Fiji or Tahiti as my graduation gift? I digress. I'm ready to be home. This has been an exhilarating trip, and I'm exhausted quite frankly. I'll circle back to life changing realizations soonish. Hang in there.
I wanted to travel to Spain because it is a huge part of my heritage. Both sets of my paternal great grandparents are from Spain. I am 50% Spanish. It has been a point of pride in my grandparents. My grandpa and great grandpa visited years ago. Though I know little, I wanted to experience the country myself. My grandma said Malaga was the closest region to where ancestors would have been from, so we made that part of the trip. Many of you have seen my photos, so I'll try to be brief in summary. We spent 4 days in the Barcelona area. Barcelona is bustling and colorful, friendly and exciting. I enjoyed walking La Rambla and loved the Gothic Quarter. La Boqueria food market was a sight! I found myself falling in love with Gaudi through his architectural design wonders found throughout the city. I mean, La Sagrada Familia is AMAZING! I really appreciated our tour to the monastery of Montserrat and even more so the relaxing pace and delicious flavors of the winery Oller del Mas.
We spent three days around Malaga. In Malaga I liked the warmer sunshine, and found myself absolutely in awe of our day trip to La Alhambra in Granada. The beauty of the Nasrid Palace is unforgettable. We did many other things too: castles and cathedrals in Barcelona, walking through parks, a symphony, massages at a Turkish bath in Malaga. We watched sunrises and sunsets, ate many tapas and drank many cappuccinos. We walked SO many miles I am hoping my pants will be looser upon return home...but I have a feeling I made up for that with Trenzas de chocolate each day!
Our visit to Amsterdam was but a brief stopover, but we saw the Anne Frank House and were both moved to tears. Somehow seeing it is so much more powerful than reading about it! We laughed at how provocative the Red Light District is, and took pictures of quaint homes on canals. Someday we'll be back and do the Netherlands justice. Side note: the men in Spain were nice to look at, BUT the men in Holland...OH MY. #agirlcanlook
I once wrote that travel makes you uncomfortable, and it does in many ways. For all the delights, I slept very little and very poorly. My stomach was off most of the time and downright vengeful our last day in Spain. Neither Barrett nor I like crowds and we've been in them everyday for the last nine days. The food was not always the greatest, and some things were very expensive and inconvenient. Not only do I have irritable stomach issues at times-especially when my eating times are far from "normal", but I suffer from a bladder the size of a small child. Like no joke, so we did a ton of research on our day trips and distances on buses etc. After spending all day in Granada at the Alhambra, I was almost in a panic when the exact same bus line that we chose to take us there and had an on board facility did NOT for the bus on the way home. I still can't explain that as we called, we read reviews...etc, but what I do know is that my husband whipped out his phone and quickly found that an Uber could take us back to Barcelona for roughly $200, and would stop as needed. We didn't do that, but Barrett didn't flinch once at the idea or cost. I survived the bus ride only a bit uncomfortable fortunately, but took away that my husband will do anything in his power to protect me. I am constantly and consistently humbled by a love I have only known from my parents, and realize how lucky I am to have known both. No man except my father has ever loved me in such a protective, providing manner nor cared for me when I'm sick. In my first marriage, I was never taken care of. I thought that was fine at the time and independently thought I didn't need it, but whether it is needed or not, it sure is nice.
I wanted this trip for many reasons, and one was to have a break from our busy lives full of schedules, ballgames, homework and housework. I wanted to reconnect with my husband, and I did. I had time to talk and laugh, share discomforts, learn more about his views. We discussed politics and medicine, parenting, travel and goals. I got very sentimental after a few hard ciders and a delicious meal in Amsterdam, and profusely thanked my husband (I think he was surprised and enjoyed it though). I've written about it before, so it doesn't need much drudging up now, but my first marriage was painful and in all honesty soul crushing. It is in the past, and that man is my children's father, so I try to stay positive as much as I can. Barrett came along and crept carefully through landmines of issues I didn't even know I had. We still find them sometimes. He helped me to discover who I want to be, and most of all his steadiness and support has made me SLOW DOWN. You may still think I take on too much now, but years ago I literally could not stop, could not take a break ever or relax. I could not take care of myself. I was God only knows how close to ending up hospitalized for sheer exhaustion or pulling a Brittney and shaving my head. I unpacked an entire home once in 24 hours, not stopping until it was complete. That old Sarah would have taken on NP school while working full time, being a room parent for each kid, keeping an immaculate home and running a book club... Like no joke, all with a fake smile plastered on to hide the panic and pain. And I would have suffered for it as would have those I love, getting harried fragments of me who saw no joy in anything but was driven by her own demons to keep going. This husband of mine...he makes me stop. He is rock steady and he makes me let him take care of me. He shows me what matters and I've spent life a bit slower, enjoying my children and my journey. When we decided for me to further myself and attain my goal to be an NP it was after many heavy discussions on how much/how little I should work in order to succeed, still be a present mom, and take care of myself.
Our travel here on out will be impacted by what we've taken from this trip.
The morning I was afraid to stray from a bathroom we talked about future destinations and made a list of where we'd like to experience in the next few years.
In the US:
International:
Some inspiration for me:
Every time I travel I come back a changed, slightly rearranged person. In Amsterdam I got my 8th stamp in the passport book I renewed in 2013. Before then all I had was Mexico. I carry stamps from: Mexico, Canada, Aruba, Italy, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Turks and Caicos. It's been an amazing six years and I dream of many more. Sadly, with me in school this is likely our last BIG trip for a few years, unless we can swing a few...a girl can dream and try to work extra, right? We'll be focusing on camping and travel in the US while money is tighter though I'm thinking Fiji or Tahiti as my graduation gift? I digress. I'm ready to be home. This has been an exhilarating trip, and I'm exhausted quite frankly. I'll circle back to life changing realizations soonish. Hang in there.
I wanted to travel to Spain because it is a huge part of my heritage. Both sets of my paternal great grandparents are from Spain. I am 50% Spanish. It has been a point of pride in my grandparents. My grandpa and great grandpa visited years ago. Though I know little, I wanted to experience the country myself. My grandma said Malaga was the closest region to where ancestors would have been from, so we made that part of the trip. Many of you have seen my photos, so I'll try to be brief in summary. We spent 4 days in the Barcelona area. Barcelona is bustling and colorful, friendly and exciting. I enjoyed walking La Rambla and loved the Gothic Quarter. La Boqueria food market was a sight! I found myself falling in love with Gaudi through his architectural design wonders found throughout the city. I mean, La Sagrada Familia is AMAZING! I really appreciated our tour to the monastery of Montserrat and even more so the relaxing pace and delicious flavors of the winery Oller del Mas.
 |
| I will forever see oranges when I think of Spain. |
We spent three days around Malaga. In Malaga I liked the warmer sunshine, and found myself absolutely in awe of our day trip to La Alhambra in Granada. The beauty of the Nasrid Palace is unforgettable. We did many other things too: castles and cathedrals in Barcelona, walking through parks, a symphony, massages at a Turkish bath in Malaga. We watched sunrises and sunsets, ate many tapas and drank many cappuccinos. We walked SO many miles I am hoping my pants will be looser upon return home...but I have a feeling I made up for that with Trenzas de chocolate each day!
 |
| Trenza de Chocolate aka: chocolate twist...YUM |
Our visit to Amsterdam was but a brief stopover, but we saw the Anne Frank House and were both moved to tears. Somehow seeing it is so much more powerful than reading about it! We laughed at how provocative the Red Light District is, and took pictures of quaint homes on canals. Someday we'll be back and do the Netherlands justice. Side note: the men in Spain were nice to look at, BUT the men in Holland...OH MY. #agirlcanlook
I once wrote that travel makes you uncomfortable, and it does in many ways. For all the delights, I slept very little and very poorly. My stomach was off most of the time and downright vengeful our last day in Spain. Neither Barrett nor I like crowds and we've been in them everyday for the last nine days. The food was not always the greatest, and some things were very expensive and inconvenient. Not only do I have irritable stomach issues at times-especially when my eating times are far from "normal", but I suffer from a bladder the size of a small child. Like no joke, so we did a ton of research on our day trips and distances on buses etc. After spending all day in Granada at the Alhambra, I was almost in a panic when the exact same bus line that we chose to take us there and had an on board facility did NOT for the bus on the way home. I still can't explain that as we called, we read reviews...etc, but what I do know is that my husband whipped out his phone and quickly found that an Uber could take us back to Barcelona for roughly $200, and would stop as needed. We didn't do that, but Barrett didn't flinch once at the idea or cost. I survived the bus ride only a bit uncomfortable fortunately, but took away that my husband will do anything in his power to protect me. I am constantly and consistently humbled by a love I have only known from my parents, and realize how lucky I am to have known both. No man except my father has ever loved me in such a protective, providing manner nor cared for me when I'm sick. In my first marriage, I was never taken care of. I thought that was fine at the time and independently thought I didn't need it, but whether it is needed or not, it sure is nice.
I wanted this trip for many reasons, and one was to have a break from our busy lives full of schedules, ballgames, homework and housework. I wanted to reconnect with my husband, and I did. I had time to talk and laugh, share discomforts, learn more about his views. We discussed politics and medicine, parenting, travel and goals. I got very sentimental after a few hard ciders and a delicious meal in Amsterdam, and profusely thanked my husband (I think he was surprised and enjoyed it though). I've written about it before, so it doesn't need much drudging up now, but my first marriage was painful and in all honesty soul crushing. It is in the past, and that man is my children's father, so I try to stay positive as much as I can. Barrett came along and crept carefully through landmines of issues I didn't even know I had. We still find them sometimes. He helped me to discover who I want to be, and most of all his steadiness and support has made me SLOW DOWN. You may still think I take on too much now, but years ago I literally could not stop, could not take a break ever or relax. I could not take care of myself. I was God only knows how close to ending up hospitalized for sheer exhaustion or pulling a Brittney and shaving my head. I unpacked an entire home once in 24 hours, not stopping until it was complete. That old Sarah would have taken on NP school while working full time, being a room parent for each kid, keeping an immaculate home and running a book club... Like no joke, all with a fake smile plastered on to hide the panic and pain. And I would have suffered for it as would have those I love, getting harried fragments of me who saw no joy in anything but was driven by her own demons to keep going. This husband of mine...he makes me stop. He is rock steady and he makes me let him take care of me. He shows me what matters and I've spent life a bit slower, enjoying my children and my journey. When we decided for me to further myself and attain my goal to be an NP it was after many heavy discussions on how much/how little I should work in order to succeed, still be a present mom, and take care of myself.
Love is finding one person infinitely fascinating. And so... not an achievement, my dear. Rather, a privilege.
-Surprise Me by Sophie KinsellaOur travel here on out will be impacted by what we've taken from this trip.
- Plan less
- Experience more
- Rest more
- Get out of the cities and see the countryside
- Talk to strangers and spend time with our thoughts
- Read in the sunshine
- Talk about EVERYTHING and anything
- Kiss in every city (obviously) and on every outing
- We are often asked if we are on our honeymoon when we travel, which we love. 💓
The morning I was afraid to stray from a bathroom we talked about future destinations and made a list of where we'd like to experience in the next few years.
In the US:
- Florida keys
- Glacier National Park when it's open (we attempted to see it one spring and it was still closed)
- Alaska in winter to see the Northern Lights
- Kansas, or somewhere we can see many cornfields and stay on a ranch
International:
- Scottish highlands
- Austria
- English countryside
- Indonesia (mainly Bali and Ubud)
- Mexico with kids in the winter, likely Cabo San Lucas
- South of Ireland in the summer
- Croatia
Some inspiration for me:
Relaxing Holidays
The World's Most Relaxing Destinations
16 of the World's Most Relaxing Places
We want a break from big cities for a bit. We want to focus more on small home rentals and time in nature, movie nights "at home", and time to drink coffee and read books while being somewhere unique. We want to live and not just check off lists. We want time to wander without destinations in mind, and to do whatever suits our fancy that day be it a museum, a walk in the park, or staying in bed all day. It has been a worthwhile adventure, and I hope it has inspired you. It has me.
What has travel taught you?
Where's next on your list?
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