Think the Way a Traveler Would

Pretend for a minute, that you are looking at something right in front of you, but you’re not seeing it. You twirl around, squint your eyes a little bit, but still you really can't see anything in front of you. You’re puzzled. Stop there and take a step back. Adjust your glasses a bit, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and open them again. Are you seeing it now?

Welcome, my friend, to this vast, magnificent world. 

My adventures, close to home and across the world, have given me the ability to dig deeper and explore further than I could have ever hoped for. Getting lost without a map taught me how to ask for help. Getting stuck at the airport because of bad weather forced me to make the best out of a situation. Having less-than-polite encounters with people built my tolerance and patience. Experiencing the kindness of strangers who went out of their way to help others left me deeply humbled. And exploring cities with different cultures and customs taught me that stereotypes are quite often inaccurate, and that people are all human.

So I ask of you this: open your eyes and think, act and see the way a traveler would. Listen to what others are saying. Take every opportunity for what it is, not just what it looks like. Be eager and curious. Ask questions. Lots of them. Understand that the world is infinitely more complex than anyone knows. Admit your mistakes and express your strengths. Know that everyone has a story worth telling, and everyone has the opportunity to make a change in this world.

Take the risk; let go, leave home, and throw yourself into the great unknown. It will be worth it. I pinky promise. 

The Wonders of Interlaken

When in Interlaken; do as everybody else does… throw yourself off a cliff.

This seemed to be the theme of this weekend’s excursion to Interlaken, Switzerland; the mecca of extreme outdoor sports. From skydiving, paragliding and canyon jumping to skiing and snowboarding in the Alps, options for adrenaline junkies were endless.

As soon as I heard there was paragliding over the Swiss Alps, I knew I had to do it! The adventure began with a short but beautiful ride from Interlaken and up to the mountains.  From there, we grabbed all of our paragliding gear and walked a few minutes to our jump off point.  Once helmeted, strapped into the appropriate gear and parachute prepped, my tandem professional paragliding partner and I were ready to fly. I was given the instruction to literally just run down and off the side of the mountain we were on, while connected to various pieces of equipment and the parachute, of course. I found myself aloft in a matter of seconds, gliding above the hills, mountains and lakes below, while completely comfortable sitting in what felt like a lounge chair.

Connected to my tandem partner, who was seated behind me, controlling our ascents, descents, speed and overall elevation, I was left to absorb the breathtaking sights and witness an experience that I could have never dreamed of. The vision of the three highest peaks in all of the Alps – the stunning, snow-capped Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger – right in front of us, the spectacular aqua-blue waters of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz just below and jaw-dropping vistas in every direction we turned, I was in complete awe. Honestly, I cannot say enough. The adventure was one that I will never forget and I cannot recommend enough.

The rest of my weekend was spent exploring the quaint little town of Interlaken. Picturesque is too little a word to describe this idyllically located village nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

 The beauty and majesty of the Swiss Alps is absolutely unreal. While hiking one day, I was struck by how glassy the lakes were. With a beautiful coral color, they were so clean and clear you could see right through to the rocks and pebbles. This made for stunning reflections of the vibrant green hills and rocky mountains towering above the peaceful scenery.

We wandered. Learned about the making of Swiss chocolate. Ate a lot of Swiss chocolate. Enjoyed a simple, but divine breakfast every morning consisting of coffee with homemade bread and jam. We relaxed and played a great deal of card games and pool in our hostel. Saw snow for the first time in a month. And relished in the incredible views of the mountains right outside our window. 

When people travel they hope to see wondrous sights, but Interlaken showed me much more. This small town resonates with peace and quiet. Here, you’ll find more bikes than cars, impeccably clean streets, organized pavements and a disciplined traffic scene. But most of all, you will find happy and content people.

The Outskirts of Florence

­ On Saturday, my roommates and I woke up to no rain! This was a big deal considering its been raining every day since we've arrived. So we decided to take the short trip to the little town of Fiesole. 

This town is a perfect place for two things, the escape from massive amounts of tourists and the breathtaking view of Florence. It’s just a short 20 min bus ride up the hill to the magical countryside. Simple and worth the €1,20 bus ticket.

The bus ride itself was quick and extremely beautiful. Finding the bus on the other hand was a whole other experience. Let’s just say it took us quite some time trying to locate where at the train station you are supposed to purchase bus tickets, and then where we to even find this bus. After wandering aimlessly for longer than we anticipated, we finally found it!

Hint: The bus to Fiesole isn’t by the train station. It departs from the Piazza San Marco, about a 10-15 minute walk from where we bought our tickets at the station. We apparently didn’t do our research before leaving, but thankfully we were pointed in the right direction by a kind British man, and a hotel concierge.

Finally settled on the bus, the ride from Florence to Fiesole led us up a winding road providing us breathtaking Tuscan views with each curve of the road. When you finally get the chance to stop and stare out to the view before you, your mouth will probably drop as you take in all of Florence spread out before you. Gorgeous villas dotting the hillside, a Tuscan country feel and a bird’s eye view of Florence made this trip so worth the trouble and confusion we had experienced earlier that day.

When travellers are looking to come to Italy the first on their mind is most likely Florence, Rome, Venice, and Milan. So far, I have fallen in love with Florence, but it can be easy to forget that towns outside of the major cities exist and are also just as beautiful. Fiesole is most definitely one of them!