Then vs. Now: Travel Edition

It’s amazing how much things can change in 10 years isn't it? That’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot since returning from Europe a few weeks ago. In 2003, I went on a 3-week trip to Greece and Italy with 20 fellow students from George Fox University. In 2013, I went on a 3-week trip all over Europe with my incredible husband of three years. (Side note:  wow, there were a lot of 3’s in there!)

One thing I couldn't help but notice was how much the way I/we travel has changed since then. Here a few of the most stark differences.

1)      How I eat.

Then, it was all about quantity. There’s a reason they call us starving college kids. I didn't have much money, so it was all about finding cheap, delicious gyros, pizzas, and sandwiches. And I was all about the orange Fanta (because believe me, it’s immeasurably better in Europe!).

Now, food is all about quality, and it’s something I value. This time we worked hard to find food that would satisfy both our palettes and our overworked bodies. We drank a LOT of great coffee, splurged on a few fantastic meals, and found good, reasonable sources of protein in between.

2)      Where I rest my head.

Then, we stayed in a lot of mid-range hotels or camp-like accommodations. Granted, it’s not like I had much choice (since I did not have a hand in planning the details), but I feel like the places we stayed were fairly close to what I would have chosen back then. In fact, they may have even been more high end! The emphasis was on finding a cheap place to take a shower and store my stuff.

Now, we stayed in several apartments, condos, and houses throughout Europe. While there was still a fairly large emphasis on saving money (because so little time is spent in the lodging of choice), there was also an emphasis on experiencing authenticity. In most of the cities, we resided amongst locals, and ran into many of them on the stairwells in the morning. (Thank you airbnb!)

3)      What I buy.

Then, I bought a lot of postcards and trinkets because I truly believed that’s how I would remember the trip. Whenever I looked at that picture of Saint Mark’s Square, completely empty, it would take me back to the summer of 2003, right? Or when I wore the t-shirt with the flag from Greece, it would prompt people to ask about my experience. (Though to be fair, even back then I was pretty particular about what I bought.)

Now, we put our emphasis on experiences over stuff. We spent time exploring gardens, and museums, and coffee shops, instead of tourist sites and gift shops. And when we did buy something, there was a lot of thought behind it. Everything we bought is already displayed in our home because we had a place in mind before we purchased it.

That being said, I’m happy to say that some things have not changed. I still take a lot of photos, because that’s part of the fun! And this time, it’s been extra fun (albeit, extra time-intensive) going through the photos because it’s allowed my husband and I to see how the other views the world.

I still journal a lot, and even got my husband in on the fun. We spent our down time on the buses and trains downloading photos and writing about what we’d experienced. And I’m glad the journal includes excerpts from both of us because, well, my husband and I write differently. He’s concise. I’m a bit more…wordy. 

And finally, embarking on adventures always makes me want to appreciate where I am much more. Except this time, we’re trying to do something about it! We’re venturing into DC more, getting together with friends more, enjoying good food more, and getting out of the house more. Because life is to short not to make adventure a regular occurrence!

We also have another travel companion. He keeps us pretty entertained!