The Adventures of D

A BRIEF intermission: Month Six — Momma, I’m coming home

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 7. And, today begins the sixth month of my travels. I have an announcement to make: I am going home. On September 20. I had originally planned on extending my trip through early October and head back to Spain, however, plans have changed. The past month has been one of the [...]

To be, or not to be … topless

The women surrounding us on the beach had one thing in common: they were missing their swimmer tops. And not the least bit shy about walking, running, jumping in the rolling waves of the Mediterranean without being covered. Going topless on a European beach. It’s on my bucket list. But, could I really take off [...]

A BRIEF intermission: Month Five & “You need to have the funk to have the fun”

“You need to have the funk to have the fun.” – Anthony Never were truer words written to me via Skype. Two days ago, I was messaging Anthony, one of the most amazing people I have had the fortune to meet on this Adventure of mine. We talked about life, I caught him up on [...]

A BRIEF intermission: Month Four – Realization and Action

“Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.” – David Frost Today is July 7. Four months of traveling under my belt. It was three weeks ago when it hit me. This sudden realization of what I want from my life. I [...]

Home?

I traded rainy and cold Belgium for sunny and magnificent Spain around noon the day after leaving Amsterdam (about the same time I regained my sanity). Only, when I arrived in Spain, it wasn’t really sunny or magnificent. I just pretended it was because that’s how much I love freaking Spain. In fact, it was [...]

A BRIEF intermission: Chasing spring … two months in

A year ago, when I lived in Atlanta, I remember marveling at the city’s sheer gorgeousness with the changing of the season. The pink flowers that would sprout from the winding trees. The bright green grass that would pop up overnight. The light wind that would gently blow during days spent at Piedmont Park, taking in the South’s spring.

I would never in a million years have imagined spending my spring 365 days later in Europe, living in a prolonged (and amazing) spring for nearly two months.

A BRIEF intermission: One month in

Today is Wednesday, April 7, 2010 and I am officially one month into my travels. Today marks the longest I have ever been away from America. And, it feels absolutely AMAZING. There was a time in my life when no one would have ever imagined my leaving the comfort of my home, my life, and [...]

A BRIEF intermission: One month in

Today is Wednesday, April 7, 2010 and I am officially one month into my travels. Today marks the longest I have ever been away from America. And, it feels absolutely AMAZING. There was a time in my life when no one would have ever imagined my leaving the comfort of my home, my life, and [...]

Baby, I'm a free bird

The first time I tried on the little silver Fossil necklace adorned with 3-dimensional dove, the chain broke in my hand.

I wanted it so badly. I had been given a $25 gift card to Macy’s and was browsing the inexpensive jewelry, looking for something to symbolize the wanderlust I was feeling (cause, you know, a cheap piece of jewelry can so do that).

And there it was, attached to the flimsy plastic/cardboard holder with one word written all pretty on it:

“freedom”

An interview with customs

“Where are you going? How long are you here? Where are you staying? How do you know the person you are staying with? How did you meet? How long have you known each other? What does your friend do? What do you do? Where do you live?” The immigrations officer fired question after question at me.

I stood at the counter, silently praying she would stop asking questions and stamp my passport.

Fortunately, she did.

I had spent my entire flight across the Atlantic paranoid. When I went to check in online earlier in the day, I was informed I had to call the airline — that my trip was beyond the limit for travel and a visa was required.

My heart nearly jumped into my chest.

How could I have missed this? I thought I was good to go.