Time

Our lives, by adulthood, are most adequately described as tangled messes of responsibility, each obligation pulling us in a million different ways. We have people who depend on us, and some sort of job to pay the bills and put food on the table. Money is often how people value success; to a certain degree they are right. In the absence of any money, it is difficult to be “successful” due to the fact that to survive, you rely completely on the generosity of others for proper nourishment and shelter. As I’m sure you know (or maybe you don’t agree with me), money is not the most valuable asset a person can have. There are many things that are more valuable than money, among them is happiness. However, undoubtedly, the most important thing a person can possess is time.

The possession of time comes in all forms and sizes. Time is on an infinite scale and therefore is a term that describes our relative situations. Whether it’s sitting in traffic for an extra hour, paying extra for a pass that allows you to skip lines at an amusement park, or listening to a story from your grandmother about the Great Depression, time is constantly relevant in our day to day lives. Everything we do demands our time; from punching a clock at work to singing a lullaby to our children. You can’t escape the ceaseless nature of time.

For those of you who are still caught up about my saying money isn’t the most valuable thing a person can have, I’m speaking to you. Think about the way you make money. Whatever you are doing, whether you are a salary employee at a bank, or a craftsmen, or a brick layer, you are spending time to accomplish the goals of your trade. No matter what your industry is, you are being paid for the time you spend working with your specialized skills to accomplish these goals. Some people get paid more than others for the time they put in based on their industry, qualifications, and quality of work. Therefore, the availability and allotment of time is more valuable than the money itself, simply because the use of our time is how we accrue money. Kapeesh?

Every single day, and every minute of that day, we as human beings are forced to make choices. These choices are often so minuscule in nature that we don’t realize how formative they are to our lives. More often than not, these decisions deal with time. It could be the decision to wake up slightly later to sleep in. Or it may be the decision to skip the gym one night because you’re tired. The possibilities are endless. However, it is important to realize that all of these choices add up. Each little bit of time we substitute and trade around in our demanding lives is invaluable. We only get so much time to accomplish the things we want to accomplish. Even to achieve happiness, often regarded as the most important thing you can attain, time is required. It takes time to find passions in life, fall in love, plan amazing trips around the world, and to grow old. Everything requires time.

This being the case, it is important to weigh this knowledge into the day to day decisions we make. Is this the best use of our time? Could we be using this time to better ourselves and set ourselves up for a more prosperous, happier tomorrow? This sort of mindset is easier to attain in theory than in practice. Life throws consistent curveballs at us and fatigue is often the most dominant factor in the equation. I’m not saying that every second of our lives should be spent in hell bent productivity. I’m saying that minimizing the lost time, the most valuable asset we have, is the most beneficial way to change your life for the better or to continue going down a prosperous path.

We all grow up, but our dreams don’t disappear. Our imaginations are constrained by the difficulties of the real world, but deep inside we are still the same kids we once were, with the simple idea that we can become whatever we want to be. We all know that these dreams could still come true but for some reason we squash them down, painting them as impossibilities. We use our daily existence as an excuse for complacency and to avoid risks at all costs. When we were kids, it was easy to dream, but impossible to understand the cost to attain these dreams. And the answer is: you guessed it, the cost is time. You can accomplish most things given the right motivation and most importantly, time. Prioritizing your time is the most important self-improvement skill you can improve on a day to day basis. Even the most efficient human being alive could prioritize their time better; it’s a never ending battle. You can always, always be better.

With that I leave you on an inspirational note; anything is possible. Use every bit of time you have to better yourself, and use it for the important things in life. Spend time with your loved ones, chasing your passions, and chipping away at your dreams. Prioritize your time by appreciating the value of seemingly insignificant, daily decisions. When your time runs out, money won’t save you. Make the most of it!

And yes, this picture is the Rock of Cashel, a beautiful castle in Ireland that is truly a testament of time.

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring Prague

Prague is a city that appears to have slipped through time without the wear and tear of the world acting upon it. Due to the fact that Prague missed most of the devastation that major European cities dealt with during WWII, Prague is home to a bountiful collection of historic buildings. Between Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge (my favorite), and the Old Town Square, there is so much history to be witnessed.

My favorite part of Prague was the culture; the glass-blowing, the food and beer, the John Lennon wall, and the willingness of tram passengers to surrender their seats to pregnant women or the elderly. Glass blowing shops were seemingly everywhere, with thousands of beautiful, colorful creations. The food was cheap but exquisite; our Airbnb host referred us to an authentic Czech restaurant that was so incredible we ate there twice. I was able to try the famous Czech lager, Pilsner Urquell, fresh on draft at every bar and restaurant (It was delicious, it became my drink of choice while in the Czech Republic).

The John Lennon Wall seems so large and grand in pictures which is misleading; in reality, the wall is located on a somewhat random street, seemingly serving the singular purpose of blocking the street from a residential area. However, it is a symbol of peace and freedom, and the fact that it was hidden away in a random alley made it all the more mystifying to me. Standing there reading all of the kind, peaceful messages arranged in such a colorful display was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.

It was interesting to observe the courtesy of the citizens of Prague. On the tram, it was an unspoken law to stand and surrender your seat to the elderly or pregnant women. Most of the time, men would even stand for young women to allow them to sit down. Having been on many public transport systems all over the world, it was shocking and wonderful to see such an overwhelmingly human response on consistent basis.

Walking across the Charles Bridge was my absolute favorite part of Prague. The bridge was alive with activity; there were people selling a multitude of handmade items along with several groups of incredibly talented musicians filling the air with pleasant sounds all along the bridge. All the while you were met with incredible views on all sides. Prague Castle looms high above you while the River Vltava flows on either side. It is an absolute must if you are in Prague (writing this is killing me, take me back!).

The Old Town Square is a spectacle in itself. The main attraction is the Prague Orloj, the medieval astronomical clock which was installed in 1410, then the third of its kind, and currently the oldest one still in operation. Unfortunately, it is a popular destination and touring it was difficult (the wait was far too long) so we just had to view it from the outside. When I end up in Prague again, I will definitely have a look inside to see what makes that thing tick (Get it? Yes, I love my dad jokes.).

The nightlife is also a perk for the young crowd in Prague. We went on a bar crawl that was being promoted in the Old Town Square, which was a very impromptu decision. I think we surprised the promoter with how quickly we all decided to participate (Compared to people adamantly ignoring him.) It was an awesome way to meet other young travelers who were passing through Prague. We met fellow Americans along with Australians and English students, since the bar crawl was aimed toward English speakers.

In closing, Prague lived up to the hype. It is an incredible city packed with amazing historical sites and a rich, vibrant culture; I barely scratched the surface. Prague, I will see you sometime soon!

The Destination

Coming up with a plan for the future is a wonderful function of the human brain. With plans set we have a direction; having control of our lives to some extent gives us a sense of security and well-being. When you have a plan for life that you are happy with, you believe that everything is coming together and that everything will be all right once you reach your destination. And in some cases that’s absolutely true. Maybe that is why the plan makes you so happy, because you have a high level of certainty that it means life is looking up for you.

However, it is easy to slip into the idea that once a certain date rolls around and your plan slides into action, everything will be fixed. Your happiness will be secure, you will smile everyday when you wake up, and that until that day, nothing really matters. It is a false state of security to fall into, the idea that today doesn’t matter because the plan you set out hasn’t started yet. You haven’t reached the point where you are able to carry out your dreams, so why work hard today? To sum my point up in a succinct way: it is easy to lose focus on today when you are more focused on the plans in your future. However beautiful the future looks, the only way you will attain that future is taking full advantage of today, everyday.

I am moving to New York City in June of next year and it has been difficult for me to stay focused on the present. I am so excited and determined to make it to the city and begin the rest of my life that I often lose focus on the present. Day by day I have the opportunity to work hard to create the future I want, and I want to choose to focus on today. I have created my plan, and it’s a wonderful plan that I couldn’t be more excited about, but for now it’s time to focus on today. To better myself each and everyday and take advantage of the time I have before June. There is so much to be accomplished in the present that it would be a crime to waste it. It would be easy to slide by doing the minimum amount of work and just consuming my life with Netflix (not that I don’t enjoy my Netflix, just in moderation). However, I refuse to do that.

Live for today and work hard to live a life that is full of fulfillment and happiness.

Memories of Malta

Malta was a lot different than I expected it would be, which really just means it was a lot different than Corfu, Greece, the destination I traveled to the weekend before heading to Malta. Malta was home to incredible beauty but most of the beauty resided on the coast at the water and at the small islands right next to Malta. Surprisingly, when you head inland the landscape resembles that of a desert. The buildings were generally all sandstone colored; there seemed to be an utter lack of color in Malta. However, this is part of the charm and beauty of the small island; the contrast between the desert land and the bright blue ocean water.

Traveling a lot causes a spoiled disposition, I realize that. It seems like all I have been doing is complaining about Malta when it really is an incredible place, and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to travel there. Malta had its charms; there are fun bars right on the water that we visited which were a lot of fun due to the fact that the UEFA Euro Championship was happening while we were there. For the championship game, they had a number of outdoor showings with so many people in attendance that we were forced to watch from a mile away. That being the case, we found a rowdy, crowded Irish pub to watch the game with passionate fans about and tensions running high. (No complaints here)

My favorite day in Malta included taking a ferry ride over to Comino which is a small island right next to Malta. That’s where the pictures above were taken; the views were absolutely surreal. I felt like I had entered a different world, one that only existed to me before in pictures. We spent the day there and went exploring, trying to get every perspective possible of the coast. As usual, the pictures are nice reminders of the beauty we witnessed but there is nothing like being there in person.

Malta itself was an awesome place and I would love to go back, however I definitely learned a lot about traveling on this trip and how important location is when choosing a hostel. Our hostel was decent but it was a 30 minute walk in the 90 degree climate to get anywhere worthwhile, which became a huge annoyance. We would have to plan out our days fully every morning to try to avoid unnecessary walks back to the hostel, which was restrictive. The best thing about being in an unfamiliar place is the ability to explore and just see what happens, but when your hostel is in a bad location it’s difficult to accomplish this. So, lesson of the day: GOOD LOCATION IS WORTH MORE MONEY. You have been warned.

However, on a closing note, I highly suggest traveling to Malta. Especially if you happen to score a 65 euro round trip RyanAir flight (Yes, this is why I went to Malta). Just remember to bring a UK adapter…

 

 

Discovering Corfu

So far in my European travels, I have been bouncing around between established, old cities that appear on everyone’s bucket list. The cities have been amazing, and I have had the opportunity to delve into a multitude of different cultures, experience interesting people, eat delicious food, and taste different beers from all over Europe. It has been the experience of a lifetime, but something had been missing. I couldn’t put my finger on it at the moment, but now I see it all with clarity.

When I was planning my trip to Corfu, I had never heard of Corfu (It is an island in Greece – you’re welcome). My motive for this trip was to find a cheap flight to somewhere with a beach for July 4th. After sharking around on Ryan Air for hours, I came across a flight to Corfu for less than 100 Euros round trip, and I knew we had to go. I looked at Google images and I was instantly floored by the beauty of this place.

I have never been to a more beautiful place in my life. Corfu was home to crystal clear, bright blue water, staggering cliffs, and endless gorgeous beaches. My favorite day in Corfu happened to be July 4th (Yes, we sang the National Anthem twice at the bar obnoxiously loud, go America). We went out on a kayaking tour lead by our hostel, which if you ever stay in Corfu, you have to stay at the Pink Palace hostel. It shouldn’t even be called a hostel; it is a beautiful resort that is incredibly accommodating, especially to young people. We kayaked to another set of beautiful cliffs and jumped off a 30 foot cliff in the Mediterranean for about an hour, then we set course for an ancient, abandoned monastery that was located at the top of a small island right off the coast of Corfu. It was one of the most amazing places I have ever been to.

Life is full of opportunities for spontaneity and adventure, it just requires you to go grab them. You have to be willing to do new, possibly uncomfortable things to truly travel and experience the world the right way. That’s what traveling is all about; exploring unfamiliar places and seeking out adventure at every turn. I took a risk on Corfu, somewhere I had never even heard of before, and it ended up being my favorite destination yet. I literally landed myself in paradise on a whim.

Trust your instincts, say yes to adventure, and get out and see the world. You won’t regret it.

Canals of Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a city riddled with beautiful canals, scenery and delicious food, as well as a plethora of “coffee shops” and plenty of opportunity for erotic window shopping. It is a melting pot of fascinating culture, swarming with tourists from all over the world. Parts of Amsterdam are a bit shocking to look upon to the untrained eye; it is different than any city I have ever been to. The elicit, even grotesque parts of Amsterdam are often a few steps away from some of the most beautiful parts. Whether you agree with all that Amsterdam has to offer, it is a fascinating and eye-opening place to experience firsthand.

My friends and I spent two nights in Amsterdam and our goal was simple; we wanted to get a feel for the city. We wanted to walk along the canals, visit the red light district, visit a coffee shop, and just generally experience the vibe of the city. We were able to do all of this and much more in just two days. One of the most enjoyable parts of Amsterdam was just walking around aimlessly, watching the people and seeing all the interesting shops. Every new street offered some sort of surprise that added a new perspective on the culture of Amsterdam.

One of my specific to-do’s was to take a tour through the Heineken brewery. This was my favorite part of the trip, the brewery tour, and although you have to deal with crowds of people and a lot of waiting in line, is so interactive and engaging! They do a good job of explaining the beer brewing process (a passion of mine) while still making it fun and hands on. At the end of the tour you have an opportunity to drink at a rooftop bar at the top of the brewery and enjoy a delicious Heineken as you gaze out over Amsterdam. If there’s anything I love, it is drinking beer outside and in high places with a beautiful view. Heineken was awesome. One night we went to the Amsterdam Ice Bar, and that was incredible as well. It was exactly as advertised, a bar made of ice with drinks in ice glasses. It was pretty cold, though (I know, I’m a regular Einstein).

Another item on my list was to visit the Anne Frank house which unfortunately we didn’t have time to take a tour (online tickets are the way to go). This picture is taken close to the Anne Frank house (it is on the left right before Westerkerk aka the giant tower). I definitely want to come back to take a tour, but it was really cool even just seeing it from the outside.

Amsterdam means different things to different people but it will always hold a special place in my heart. I love you, Rin.

 

Until next time Amsterdam!

Magical Bruges

As I currently sit in the Mark’t, the central square in Bruges, I feel as though I have been transported back in time to a magical age before the invent of modern technology. It is as though time has not taken its toll on the beautiful, ancient buildings; it remains an oasis in a desert of evolving technology and change. Even as I look upon the buildings in person, and also after I climbed the ever ascending, winding staircase to the top of the Belfry, I had the sense that what I was experiencing was not real, how could it be? Those who refer to Bruges as a fairy tale city are exactly right. It’s difficult to believe such a beautiful, old, quaint, yet vibrant city still exists in today’s society.

My friends and I took a weekend trip to Belgium, spending two nights in Brussels and one night in Bruges. We started in Brussels, and naturally our first stop was a waffle shop. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a waffle so quickly, at least not until I had my second one 15 minutes later (it was practically a heart attack on a plate – a waffle topped with a pile of whipped cream, strawberries and sugar). We wandered the streets and wound up in my favorite spot in Brussels, Grand Place, the central square (Yes, you caught me, I have a thing for old city squares). Over two days it would be safe to say that I was in the square 10 or more times, I could not get enough of it, it was so beautiful. Sitting outside at a restaurant on the square and drinking a liter of Blaunche de Bruges was one of the highlights of Brussels for me.

The nightlife in Brussels was such a great time due to the fact that everyone was so nice and they genuinely wanted to talk and get to know us. We went to a bar called Delirium that has more than 2000 beers available for purchase, which is just such an overwhelming amount of beer (I wasn’t complaining). We ended up meeting people from all over the world and taught them American drinking games like thumper and cheers governor (they loved them and never wanted to stop).

The second night we went to a sports bar to watch soccer games that were a part of the Europa tournament. It was the most insane bar experience I’ve had. There were people from all different countries standing on chairs screaming for their countries (especially the Irish, classic) and drinking copious amounts of beer. Everyone was getting incredibly rowdy but the best part was that overall, people were extremely respectful of each other even though they were all passionate about their teams with several beers under their belts. It was an awesome and unforgettable experience to have.

It’s hard to talk about Belgium without talking about the chocolate, waffles, fries, beer or mussels, so let me just tell you they are all insanely good! I don’t know how one small place has so many incredible, unique staples. Also, all of those are heavy, seemingly fatty foods but I don’t think I saw one overweight Belgian in my entire three days in Belgium. Pretty remarkable if you think about it!

Now to my favorite part: Bruges. I had to start the post with a blurb about Bruges because I fell in love with it in just one night. It really is magical and charming, and the people we met were so unbelievably nice. After a full day of walking around and getting a feel for the city, we met up with a couple of locals, Rien and Maren. Rin (my partner in crime, and not to be confused with Rien) arranged for me to meet up with them because Maren is her sister’s friend from college. They were so incredibly friendly and nice, and they have such a romantic story of how they met. Briefly, Maren, an American, studied abroad and met Rien, a Belgian, they started dating and she eventually just moved to Bruges to be with him. Wild, right? They showed us around to some of their favorite bars and ended up inviting us back to their house for some beers and stimulating conversation. It couldn’t have been a better evening (Thanks Rin, you’re the best. And of course thank you Rien and Maren!).

If there is anything I know for certain, it’s that Bruges will be seeing me again.

Southern Expedition

Traveling is never truly about reaching your destination or about seeing miraculous places and historical monuments. Traveling is about the journey; all of the difficult moments, set backs, and long, uncomfortable bouts of transportation are what make up the real experiences of traveling. Often people look at these experiences as the negative aspects of a trip, but I disagree. All of the difficult parts are the parts you will remember and laugh about many years after. Set backs and difficulties while traveling often present new opportunities that you otherwise wouldn’t have had if everything went according to plan. You also develop fantastic stories that you will inexhaustibly tell for the rest of your life (People love to hear the same travel story 30-40 times before it gets annoying, it’s a fact).

Rin and I traveled thousands of miles by car on our east coast road trip of the US. At one point I did the math and I think total we drove about 37 hours over 15 days, often on very little sleep. There were many times we would get in the car exhausted and worn out, but we were always able to wear an optimistic attitude and to build each other up when we were having an off day. It is so amazing how much control you have over your own happiness; sometimes all it takes is an optimistic outlook and a roll-with-the-punches attitude to have a wonderful time. Traveling with someone who shares this outlook is such a relief and it makes it incredibly difficult to have a bad time.

Rin and I traveled from New York to Richmond to meet up with some of my friends and family for a night before heading to my brothers wedding in Myrtle Beach. It was quite a bit of driving for just two days but it was so worth it for the time we spent in Myrtle Beach. My brother’s wedding was so beautiful, and by some miracle the weather held off so they were able to hold the ceremony outside next to the beach. It was an undeniably beautiful, magical wedding with a really fun reception (Yes, the open bar helped considerably).

After having 4 wonderful days in Myrtle Beach with friends and family (Thanks for letting us crash, Mom! You’re the best!), Rin and I headed back up the coast, stopping in Richmond for a night before heading to DC. We had two sunny, warm days in DC so we were able to walk all around the mall and visit a lot of the Smithsonian museums. Our favorite museum, however, was the Newseum. It was incredibly well done, with exhibits including a portion of the Berlin Wall, a 9/11 exhibit that featured front pages on newspapers from all around the world the day after, an interactive television news studio, and so much more. We could have spent all day in the museum, it was fascinating and well worth the 20 dollar entrance fee.

DC marked the end of the best road trip I have ever been on (It is also the first road trip I’ve ever been on). I hope it’s the first of many more to come with my new partner in crime!

Next stop: Berlin, Germany

Tschüss!

Northern Expedition

Sometimes in life we have the opportunity to be accepted into a new group of people, whether it is at church, school, or meeting the family and friends of someone you care about. Inside these groups are years of history, countless memories and jokes that they all share between them. They are a cohesive unit, and even if there are flaws or broken relationships in the bunch, everyone knows about them and how to avoid conflict. This can be intimidating for an outsider coming in; you are entering a dynamic that you are not familiar with and you do not know the subtle ins and outs of the group. However, even though you fumble around and make some mistakes, it is wonderful to witness and attempt to be a part of a new, fun group of people.

In my recent travels I had the privilege to dive right into a couple different groups of people who could not have been more welcoming. Within a couple hours of meeting these people, I felt like I was a part of the unit and I was starting to pick up on the group dynamics. There are few better feelings than being accepted into a group of people that you really enjoy spending time with. Also, it is much easier to be accepted when the person introducing you has already told everyone about you previously. (Thanks Rin!)

From the pictures above, it is pretty obvious to make the connection that I recently traveled to New York City. It was my first time in the Big Apple so I tried to see as much as I possibly could in the short time I had. Pictured above were two of my favorite sites (Can you guess them? I’ll give you a hint – the second one leads to Brooklyn…). I was just so amazed by the size of the city and the consistent height of the buildings. No matter where you go, you are surrounded by concrete giants, herding you through an asphalt maze. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Thankfully, due to my lovely and talented guide (Thanks Rin!), I was able to see a large amount of Manhattan in just one day. I had a small taste of the city that will most definitely draw me back, and I’m sure it will be soon!

I spent close to a week in Bristol, RI, which by the way, is the quaintest, loveliest town with the nicest people you could ever imagine. Bristol is right on the Narragansett Bay which offers beautiful scenery and a wonderful opportunity to kayak and sail. If you ever are passing through Rhode Island, it is a must see! While I was in Bristol, my newly acquired friends and I took a day trip up to Boston, another city I had always wanted to visit. Boston had a wonderful vibe to it; it was historically rich and culturally vibrant. The picture above was taken from a restaurant we were eating at right on the Boston Harbor. While I was able to see some of the sites in Boston including Fenway Park and Faneuil Hall, we decided to take it slower than New York. After each site, we would go to a brewery or bar to recharge our batteries and of course we would all have a delicious beer to keep us going (How else could we make it to the next spot?).

My trip up north with the best co-pilot and travel companion in the business, Erin (also referred to as Rin) could not have been better. I saw so many new cities and states and I was able to experience new cultures and taste so much delicious food and beer. I met the most amazing people along the way that I hope to keep in touch with for years to come. My eyes were opened to so many new and exciting things, and none of it would have been possible without you Rin. Thank you so much for taking a leap of faith and sharing the most incredible trip with me. You are a beautiful, adventurous, and kind person and I am so grateful for the time we had together.

Our road trip took us down south as well, but that is a story for another day. Moral of the story: if given the opportunity to go on an adventure that seems risky or improbable, take the leap of faith and go. You will regret not going far more than you would if you just go, and who knows, maybe you’ll have the time of your life.

 

Leap of Faith

Plans are the lifeblood of dreams; they are what keep our hopes and future ideals alive. We make plans to give our lives direction and to give ourselves a purpose. With plans, we have goals to work toward and future events to look forward to. Not everything in life should be planned, of course; there always needs to be room for spontaneity and adventure. However, it is nice to have an outline to guide your journeys.

Plans are a large part of my life right now; I will be traveling or away from home for about 13 weeks this summer, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. I will be traveling all around Europe, from Germany to Italy to Ireland and to wherever else the road takes me. I will be able to experience so many different countries, cultures, people, beer, and food along the way. I will be living within the outlines of a plan but also with a sense of spontaneity in my every day travels; there are so many experiences that will just happen organically, but they would never happen if I hadn’t planned to put myself in that situation. As much as planning may seem laborious and full of future commitments, it is a beautiful way to reward yourself and to open up the doors for adventure.

Before traveling abroad, I will be taking a 15 day trip up and down the East coast, seeing cities as far north as Bristol, Rhode Island and as far south as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The trip is planned but it was very spontaneous; one might even call it a leap of faith. This trip seems crazy and has from the the word go, but I have never been so excited for 15 consecutive days in my life. To me, that’s all that matters. Some things in life don’t have to make sense to everyone else, they don’t need to be justified. You just know you want and you chase it with everything you have. It’s really that simple sometimes. (Rin we are totally psychotic, aren’t we?)

Adventure awaits and I for one am not going to pass it up. Life is full of risks, and I’m willing to take a leap of faith that I think will ultimately make me happy. I don’t want to live a life wishing I would have seized opportunities that seemed too risky or crazy at the time. I want to look back and only regret the actions I took, not the opportunities I was too scared to take. Ideally I would like to regret nothing at all, but nobody is perfect and I would rather find out firsthand where a path will take me rather than spend my whole life wondering.

I took this picture while standing on the Rock of Gibraltar with my monkey buddy viewing three countries and two different continents from one spot. (Morocco, Spain, and England, and Europe and Africa. Duh.) The only reason this was possible was because I booked a trip seven months out on a bit of whim and it ended up being one of the best experiences of my life.

Plan a trip, no matter how big or small, and no matter how far in the future it is, you will not regret it!