Thankful: An Ode to Friendship and Traveling
- freshairnocares
- Nov 22, 2018
- 8 min read
*Long post alert*
So if you've been keeping up with the Kardashians, you know that they are getting richer, going to the best parties, and just having the best time.
Similarly, if you've been keeping up with this blog, you know that my life is pretty much exactly the same.
Jk.
Whatevs.
But believe it or not, I have subjected you to at least 60 articles focused on personal travel stories about how I have become more poor, traveling to some pretty cool places, and such.
With all of these stories I've shared, I kind of gloss over the most important ingredient to the blog:
the characters. Aka my travel companions.
I do this for two reasons:
1. To keep anonymity
and
2. To like, really truly keep anonymity
This is meant to be an "anonymous" blog, so I avoid names and specifics to keep it that way.
However, this Thanksgiving, I'd like to pay tribute to those who dare to travel with
(a sometimes-more-than-not- cranky) me.
I try to tell them once we've landed and spent a few days apart, how much I love them and appreciate them for accompanying me on these journeys.
I just hope the amazing experiences I feel because of these people is not one sided.
That would be embarrassing.
So.
I list these travel warriors in no particular order *except* I have to start with this first person.
She spent the most time with me abroad on 2 different trips:
Jessica* (named after the one and only Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote - Jessica's favorite books to read whilst traveling)
A little bit of a backstory/ reminder that Jessica and I traveled together to Ireland in 2010 for an undergrad program and spent 2 months with an amazing host family in County Clare.
Jessica was already a seasoned traveler, while this was my first time across the pond. Wide-eyed and still a little shocked that I was even getting the opportunity to go... I can only imagine that traveling with me was a little like traveling with a toddler to Disney. Everything is magical, yet somehow tantrums occur due to being out of your element.
Apparently, I didn't whine too badly because in 2014, we went back to Ireland on a mega-roadtrip, so it's all good.
Anyway, what I loved about traveling with Jessica was / is that because she is a more seasoned traveler,
I felt more likely to do things out of my element because I knew she'd been there and done that.
Even if she hadn't, Jessica goes into anything with a positive, even-tempered attitude.
Driving in Ireland for 2 weeks is an example.
Even as our car slid backwards down a pebbled driveway, almost into the Atlantic... Jessica never got flustered and was supportive. She even let me continue driving.... Not leave the car right there on the edge of the mini cliff and continue our trek across the Emerald Isle by foot (as I adamantly suggested).
Favorite Jessica travel memory: Following the music one Wednesday night to a small bar where the average age was 68 and the patrons were all (mostly) adorable men. The Clare Cats were playing some live music and we were able to enjoy a truly authentic time. It is the memory that fuels my travel motto, "always follow the music".
Thank you, Jessica for your patience and being the best possible person to travel with for my first adventure. If the experience had gone poorly, I never would have gotten the travel bug, nor would this blog exist. Your familiarity of what it takes to travel abroad is what I always strive to match. I hope now, that I am at least halfway to your level of a Travel Queen! xoxo
Next, would be my bestest friend from childhood - we'll call her Beth*, for reasons she knows.
Could this picture be more perfect, Beth?
"I have a Gelato Love for this Friend"
Beth, two other friends, and I were able to travel together in 2016 to Italy for 2 weeks. Again, Beth had some background in traveling - with Italy, in particular - so I was super grateful for her expertise. In fact, when we were trying to iron out where to go, it was between the Amalfi coast and Cinque Terre. At the time, the latter was still a slightly hidden gem, compared to the ever-popular Amalfi coast, so my friend was really smart in suggesting that we go on the path less traveled. And boy, was that an amazing and worthwhile idea. Cinque Terre was breathtaking and even more beautiful (to me) than the overrun, Positano / Capri area.
My favorite memory with Beth (besides always being down to eat gelato every meal, sometimes twice a meal) came before leaving the states. In order to choose where we'd go, we ended up having a random drawing where she proceeded to throw the little papers in the air over Facetime, where the rest of us watched with bated breath. Her husband was there to assure that the drawing was fair and accurate... and the whole thing leaves me with such a silly, but happy memory: the woes of planning a perfect trip. Not everything is glamorous, and sometimes you have to use methods that date back to the second grade.
Thank you Beth for helping to plan a trip of a lifetime. That trip will remain a gem in my heart because the company included you. How far and beautifully we've come since childhood. Love you xoxo
Next, I am going to put my co-workers in a group. A snazzy group.
Although our chunks of time that we travel are much shorter, they have provided me with just as amazing memories and moments.
"We're Only Here Once Crew"
The OGs or the Barcelona Babes were a crew of crazies, just like me, who were/are down for adventure. In order to sign up for a 4-day vacation, you gotta be a little nuts, which is why I love that they jumped at the opportunity. Slightly more nutty: two of them waited to book a few weeks before departure. I love it.
In short, these OGs represent all that you hope to embody in life: free spirits, adventurers, happiness, and drive.
I love traveling with these people because we go into every adventure with time working against us, so we make the most of every moment. We wring the fun towel out dry? Is that the right metaphor? Perhaps, no. But it is important that you know these ladies are all about making the most of every second.
The motto: We're Only Here Once (aka WOHO) came from them and I live by it every time I travel now.
Individually:
The Navigator, The Zen Balance, The Life of the Party, and The Trivia Master all have a special place in my wanderlust heart! I am so lucky that they love an adventure as much as they love *our profession* because that can sometimes mean that we have the most in common on the list.
Next, two friends came on the second Friendcation adventure (and hadn't been on the first).
Actually, that's not true... Flat Miranda* was there (Flat Miranda post for reference).
But yeah, physically, this was the first trip they were on.
Miranda and Wheelamina* were important additions to this trip. They brought new perspective and alotta laughs. Wheelamina in particular, was clutch with changing a tire when it became punctured during a meaningful trip to the filming location of the Dark Hedges from GoT.
Seriously, without Wheel(get it?!)amina and Keith (a kind-hearted Irishman who stepped in midway), we'd have missed our all-important-food tour in Dublin the following day, for sure.
My favorite memory of traveling with Miranda as a piece of paper was in a gondola in Italy, hands down (refer Flat Miranda post again).
My favorite memory of traveling with Miranda as a human is a mix of when she was driving - hysterical commentary - and when we went whiskey tasting. She was totally not into it, but went with it, regardless. There is a really great picture depicting her obvious discomfort. It's a treasure.
My favorite memory of traveling with Wheelamina (besides the changing of the car tire) was hiking for parts of our 6-hour trek and complaining to her about how I was definitely going to die, whilst she patiently waited and sometimes pretended to be in the same struggle bus. I will never forget.
Thank you both for making Friendcation 2.o an adventure of a lifetime - and one that I'd love to recreate in the future. Perhaps in Tokyo?
Serena* was on both Friendcations and we travelled for her bachelorette. I think, in fact, the fake name "Serena" was chosen in Miami during that time - we wanted to go out incognito.
She is quoted saying that "you can always count on me to be the last one out the door and to steal a fry", and lord knows every squad needs one of these traveling kinds. They keep the fun going, so they are allowed to be a little late.
This past trip, I've already expressed how important Serena's role was on the trip - the main / only driver through process of elimination for the ENTIRE 2 weeks. It takes a lotta stamina and great playlists for the long car rides to really excel at this job.
On both trips (Italy and Ireland), this friend was all about having the best time and going out and doing things, which is why I love traveling with Serena. She makes it happen. For instance, having to travel straight from a conference out in the middle of the USA to Italy. Only to be left waiting at the boat stop, wondering when we'd pick her up, and then walking on her own to find us in the middle of Venice.
A true travel warrior.
She may always steal a fry and roll the suitcase out the threshold last, but more importantly, she is going to be the first one to say, "Let's go out!" "Let's have fun!" or my favorite, "Let's get that tattoo!"
... which is by far, one of my top 5 favorite traveling memories... let alone Serena memories. I will never ever forget where, when, and with whom I got my tattoo. I would have never gone through with it, had I not had a partner in crime and someone to assure me that it was going to be alright.
So I thank you, Serena, for all the many memories and more to come!
And that leaves me with my last friend.
We did not travel the longest in consecutive days together, but we have traveled the most.
Let's call her Paula*, the
"Partner in Crime"
She's the Selena to my Taylor
(just swap the heights and hair color)
The Ashley to my Mary-Kate
I'm Mary-Kate. Always.
The Wade to my James
I only made myself the more "famous" one because I know she'd want to be Wade
We've known each other for over 20 years, been to 5 countries (Vatican City is a country, people), and we both enjoy the excitement of new places.
I don't really know how this whole "traveling each summer" thing happened, but I knew we were kindred spirits when we used to make plans to ride this sky launcher thing down the shore where it shoots you into the air and you gotta hope that none of the harness restraints have rusted into scrap metal as you propel into space.
You know, crazy ish like that.
And although we never ended up going on that sketchy sky launcher, we took the whole "getting out of your element" thing to a different level: traveling to foreign lands.
Same idea, just no rusty harnesses.
Over the various vacations, we've watched our luggage drive off in a separate bus, tandem kayaked in a bioluminescent bay, and have climbed some pretty impressive mountains.
Paula is a sister from another mister and I am so lucky she can put up with my travel persona so well.
'Cause let's be honest, people... anyone who knows me, knows that it takes a special person to appreciate my personality.
After all,
(just switch Beyonce to Mary-Kate)
Thank you again travel warriors!
I wouldn't have any tales to tell without you!
And thank you, kind readers, for coming along on this journey called life <3
skålxx
credit: Youtube
