Kelly came to us at Flight Centre seeking her first foreign adventure. We chose to send her out into the world with Contiki, and she shares with us the 26 days in Europe that will last her a lifetime.
On my European adventure last summer, I witnessed perfect strangers become close friends. I saw people become partners in crime and learn about each other’s dreams and aspirations. I learned that without temples and kingdoms, without architecture and history, the only difference between countries is just soil and molecules arranged in different ways. Travel is about the sights that take your breath away, the different cultures, and the unforgettable experiences. But more importantly, travel is about the people you meet and what they can teach you about yourself.
Us 18-35’s, we are the youthful ones. We fumble over ourselves trying to build careers or just to keep our heads above water. We make mistakes. We make fun a priority. We have our hearts broken. We begin to meet people who will stay in our lives. We meet the people with whom we build our families. But those of us who travel… We feed our souls with the freedom drug. We find our happiness in far off lands and explore places some only ever dream of seeing. We cross things off our bucket lists. We navigate foreign languages. We are addicted to wandering and become homesick for unfamiliar places.
We temporarily satisfy our craving for total freedom when en route to a new destination and we understand our wings better than our roots. And we find camaraderie in those like-minded strangers traversing airports and subway stations.
It’s been eight months since my Contiki tour in Europe and I’m now on a working holiday visa in Australia, writing this post while sitting on the couch of one of the girls I met on my tour. I’ve already reunited with a handful of friends from that epic tour and I can’t wait to visit more of them.
Travel isn’t just about the number of countries you’ve been to, or how many oceans you’ve dipped your toes in; it’s about the people you meet and the memories you collect along the way. #NOREGRETS
Ready for your own epic adventure? Get in touch with us online or chat about a Contiki getaway with one of our experts by calling 1-877-967-5302.
