This summer, I had the good fortune of spending two weeks in Europe with my family. We cruised from Italy, through Istanbul and ended in Greece, stopping at a number of ports in between, each with its own magic to offer. Suffice to say, the trip was beyond a dream come true, and here’s 8 things this dream taught me:
- Gelato can solve literally anything.
Awkward tension with family? Get gelato. Petty fights with sister? Get gelato. Too tired to walk through another corridor of the Vatican Museums? Get gelato (I admit this might be slightly difficult inside the premises itself). Since we spent a significant portion of our time in Italy, everywhere we went saw streets adorned with rows of gelato parlors, beckoning to us at every step until we eventually gave in (I have no self-control evidently). The best gelato I’ve ever had was in Capri at Café Morgano and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.
- Trying new food every day is a gift.
While we’re still talking about food, I thought I’d bring this up. To say my family is into food is an understatement. On a principle, my mum and I try to create a variety in terms of what we eat while on a holiday, and we never miss an opportunity to try out local street food. I always try to avoid Indian food while travelling (unless the craving becomes unbearable), because otherwise I’d feel like I was missing out on an opportunity to dive into their culture. After all, the restaurants back home can only get so close to the real deal.
- Budgeting your time is paramount.
One of our guides in Rome said, “You can never do Rome in a day, or two days, or even four. You’ll need weeks to see all the sights and even then this city will surprise you.” Turns out, this is a very universally applicable mind-set. You can try to see all you can in a city, but you’ll end up missing something regardless. If you concentrate too much on historical sights and museums, you might miss the local culture, or vice versa. While it seems like a losing battle, I figure planning trips is the most important thing you can do to get the best out of it. We spent only about a day at each of the ports we docked in during our cruise through the Mediterranean, so time was of the essence. The tours we did found a healthy balance by choosing two to three historical sights and interspersing it with drives/walks through the area to show us a taste of their lifestyle. All I know is I can’t wait to go back again and delve deeper.
- Accept that not everything will go as planned.
Yes, you have to budget time and plan what to do and what not to, but it’s inevitable that some things will not work out. We got side-tracked loads of times during our trip, either because we liked some places more than we expected, missed the last public transit, or just felt too tired to continue with the initial agenda. At the end of the day, this was a holiday. So we did what we wanted to do, at the pace we wanted to keep. Even though we might have missed a couple places on our list, it worked out just fine. We’ll just do the rest next time (hoping there is a next time).
- Always make small talk.
On a principle, Indians don’t usually make small talk. The concept of personal space and minding your own business is very important (albeit some people still don't grasp it). We don’t casually converse with people while waiting in lines or talk to the people sitting on the table next to us. If you ask me, small talk is a skill. To make (mostly) meaningful conversation after only moments of meeting introduces you to all sorts of people. We were on a cruise, so we didn’t just meet local people at the places we docked in, but also met people from all around the world who were cruising with us. Some of the people we spoke to had already visited the places we were docking at, so we got extra insight into the dos and don’ts of touring those places and met amazing people in the process.
- It’s okay to shamelessly tourist.
I love taking pictures and snapchatting my mundane life, so why on earth would I hold back from doing the same when my life just got more exciting? Pictures are important, souvenirs are important, selfies are important, because at the end of the day, they’re memories. When I flipped through the picture on my phone two days after coming home, I wanted to go back as soon as possible, the nostalgia of a fortnight well spent in some of the most beautiful places in Europe hitting me hard. And I’m sure, when I look at these pictures two years from now, I’ll feel the same nostalgia. Pictures are time capsules, so you may as well be a typical tourist and take pictures of Santorini’s sunset from every angle possible. Never mind the haters.
- Lifestyles are bound to be different. Embrace it.
In Europe, half the shops close at five pm (though restaurants stay open much longer). In India, half the population goes shopping/to the mall after five (which is when the work day usually ends). Even though I’ve already been to Europe, adapting to this change was a bit of a shock the first day I landed. What does one do after 5 o’clock if all the shops are closed? It all comes down to a change in the way of life, and as a tourist, I had to accept that. Turns out, it wasn’t so hard. The sun didn’t set till after 8, and all the places we docked in were so lovely that you could aimlessly walk around their streets and be content. The shops stopped operating after five, but life certainly didn’t.
- Lastly, alone time is always important.
This vacation was all about family for me: the last proper one we’d take before I went off to college. From here on out, most of our breaks would center around whether I would go home to India or my family would visit me in California (or a rendezvous somewhere in between). That being said, I do some of my most profound thinking while travelling (important question– am I the only one who thinks orange chicken is overrated?). I liked walking through the narrow streets of Mykonos, the corridors of the Academia Galleria, the Gardens of Augustus. I liked walking on the open deck after dinner, the wind so loud I could shout my thoughts and not be heard. I liked reading under the sun and the silence that came with it. Alone time is important. Even on vacation. Actually, especially on vacation.
I realize these aren’t simply lessons confined to this specific summer travelling through Europe, but are rather a culmination of all my travels up until this point. Right now I’m at a turning point in my life, and I’m not simply reflecting on the past, but looking forward to the lessons the future will bring.
