Soooo....a month and a half has gone by since I last visited this space. But, for once, I've actually got a good reason - Ez and I traveled 14,741 miles in three weeks. 14,741 miles by plane, bus, train, u bahn, s bahn, taxi, and even boat. Three time zones, three countries, two brand new passport stamps (in our brand new passports), five sisters, one wedding, and my trusty travel partners, Ez and Anna (Aunt Anna, if you will).
I should rewind a bit and mention that prior to this trip Ez and I had never traveled further than the east coast, and I think our longest vacation was a week. Top that off with the fact that Joe and Decky stayed home and we were way outside our comfort zone. They do say that life begins at the end of your comfort zone, but I'm not really sure who "they" are, and, to be honest, a lot of life also happens within your comfort zone. While I'm no expert at travel or comfort zones, I can let you in on a few things I did find outside of my comfort zone (in no particular order):
- the best pretzels EVER
- that I can carry a fifty pound kid for miles and miles in the sweltering heat
- deep and meaningful conversations with all of my sisters
- black birds that eat right out of your hands at the very top of the Alps
- the random kindness of strangers
- overwhelming homesickness (times a million when Ez and I both got the stomach flu)
- reserves of patience when I thought I had none
- brand new friends and family
- that Ez is a party animal and a dancing machine
- Radlers
- castles
- a heart attack at the price of iced tea in Switzerland
- wasps. Lots and lots of wasps.
- also, that lemon juice makes wasp stings all better
- lifelong memories that I'll cherish forever.
So, lots of good stuff outside my comfort zone, and a few things I could have done without. We've been home three weeks now and it still feels like a surreal, magical, fairy tale dream. The beauty and history were amazing. The food was too. But as a homebody through and through, it was really the draw of family that made this such an unforgettable trip. Walking into a foreign country and feeling right at home was one hundred percent thanks to my sisters (and you too, Timm and Christian!) who organized so much for us and literally guided us from airport to AirBnB to train station and back to the airport (and nursed Ez and I back to health when we got sick). We got so lucky with the best guides and insider information and the best all around company.
I intend to revisit each destination in depth (Maine, Munich, Berlin, and Boston) in their own posts, but life just got insanely busy with fall schedules, so you all know how that goes. For now I'll just leave you with some pretty pictures and my advice that if you ever find yourself outside your comfort zone enjoy it for everything it's worth. I don't personally want to live my whole life being uncomfortable, and I think there's plenty of beauty within your comfort zone as well (that's what makes it comfortable) - but I did learn and grow so much, I witnessed the beautiful marriage of my sister and brother in law, and I found some of my favorite experiences out there. And, for what it's worth, Ez has officially gotten the travel bug and asks daily when we're getting back on an airplane.
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