New experiences…new perspectives
My husband and I have just returned from a wonderful 12-day trip to London to visit our son and his wife, who moved there this past summer for three years. It was only the second time in our lives we’d been “across the pond,” and the last one was 14 years ago. In other words, we are not veteran travelers.
While we were there, the “kids” took us to Paris for four full days of sightseeing. They suspected we might never go on our own, and they were probably right. It was absolutely thrilling to see historical and cultural sights I’d learned about in school—the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre (and the Mona Lisa), the Arc de Triomphe—and while I’m still processing everything, I wanted to share some initial thoughts and lessons learned from traveling and having this wonderful experience. Some are serious and thoughtful. Some are trivial and silly. C’est la vie!
Lessons learned from travel
- Jet lag is harder than I thought.
- Learning about another country—its people, its history, and its culture—creates a wonderfully rich and meaningful kind of connection.
- What we think of as old in the United States would be considered recent history in cities like London and Paris.
- The homeless sleeping on city sidewalks and in doorways always break my heart.
- Efficient public transportation is a marvel for this country girl.
- Comfort trumps fashion when it comes to choosing shoes to wear.
- Don’t believe the stereotypes. We have more in common than not with Londoners and Parisians.
- All babies are precious, unless they’re crying near you on the plane.
- A smile makes a universal connection. So does food.
- The travel experience is best when you’re willing to go with the flow and try new things.
- Traveling light is a skill worth cultivating.
- A cell phone with good mapping and travel apps is worth its weight in gold.
- Know your currency and pay attention to prices.
Elizabeth and John at l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris - Expect to wait in line for a public toilet, and don’t be surprised if there’s no seat or if there’s a fee to pee.
- Appreciation and gratitude usually pave the way for good service and a positive experience.
- Sometimes others are rude, but that’s no excuse to be rude yourself.
- Years of studying French really helped to read signs, menus, and brochures.
- Doing things that make you nervous are much easier the second time you do them. Be brave.
- There’s no place like home.
I’m reminded of a wonderful ditty about travel that our dear family friend and neighbor Catherine Tyssowski used to say:
“I’ve traveled much and this I knows: take twice the cash and half the clothes.”
What have you learned from traveling?
Wise, witty, whimsical comments, Elizabeth. I enjoyed every word and photo. Aren’t we lucky when our ‘children’ explore the world, and we get to join them and learn through them? I had never realized the bonus of having grown children. They help US continue to grow.
Thank you so much, Pamela. I am so flattered to have that coming from you, because you are a master at wise, witty, and whimsical!
Yes, I truly think I’ve learned far more from my grown children than I’ve ever taught them.
Wow! What a great trip! I love to travel but my husband and daughter not so much. They are total homebodies. We recently drove from North Dakota to Toronto to celebrate their Thanksgiving with my husband’s family. I concur that “The travel experience is best when you’re willing to go with the flow!” There were some days we didn’t make as many miles as we wanted due to my husband needing to stop at nearly every Tim Horton’s he saw and having to coax Faith to get back in the van to drive all day. My husband’s parents said it best when they suggested, “Maybe you should just come to Toronto by yourself next time!” I do admit though it was a beautiful time to drive 3,100 miles with all the gorgeous foliage!
Everyone is different when it comes to their tolerance for travel, aren’t they? But I’d say a 3,100 mile trip is long by ANY standards!
I enjoyed your “Lessons Learned” immensely, Elizabeth! Great pics! I liked best the pic of you and hubby before the Arc de Triomphe. Like my wife, what i enjoy most about traveling is the simple pleasures and the people. Years ago, we enjoyed a guided tour of Turkey. One morning, it was almost time to board our bus to see another historic site when my wife said, “I don’t want to see those rocks!” She stayed behind and enjoyed a massage.
Clarence, I’m laughing out loud at your wife’s good sense! Fortunately on this trip, we had planned things with a bit of rest in between, but I have certainly been on trips where every second was planned and I was about to scream before we got home. Even in a museum like the Louvre, your legs and feet can get so tired you just want to sit down and not see another picture or statue. The only way to digest a place of that magnitude is to leave nearby so you can go over and over again.
And related to your comment, the people-watching was the highlight of the trip.
Now you’ve been across the pond two more times than I have. And I really want to go for all the reasons you stated above. I really wish I were there to hear the stories firsthand at breakfast!
I wish you were here too, Esther!