I spent hour[s] chatting to my best friend who is going through her passage in adulthood: her Europe trip. I did mine back in 2012 so it's wonderful to finally be able share tales from those places I enjoyed, give advice and share some hot tips! Before my trip, I sucked up every last bit of advice and experience from everyone that I knew that had gone anywhere in the new millennium. After 6 months of roughing and learning from what now seems like a continuous stream of mistakes (although I was thoroughly enjoying myself at the time), I now have an opportunity to share my own wisdom. I would feel old, but I don't.
A Europe trip has become a norm in young Australian culture, as one of my friends said: a passage into adulthood (or the reverse for some). It's really quite an extraordinary culture, considering the distance and costs, but because it's so normal, its hard to really appreciate the opportunity until your'e back. Of course, I had to take a year off from uni and work my toot off sweat-shop style to be able to pay for the trip, but at the end of the day I know it was a luxury and an opportunity.
I had countless lifetime experiences whilst travelling, and I made lots of friends. But perhaps the most valuable part was how I met and came to know myself. Travelling by yourself gives you plenty of opportunities to sit, think and reflect (I'm looking at you, 30 hour train trip!), especially when all you have is a notebook, pen and a random box of coloured pencils that you found.
Photos are only from the segment of my trip through the south of France and Paris.
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