Lifesavers

I am by no means a high maintenance gal. I like my eyelashes curled every once in awhile and maybe a pair of heels here and there but I can do without a lot of things.  But it was traipsing around Europe that made me realize just how essential and useful some of the smallest of things can be. Below are a couple of items that really pulled me through for my trip.

 

1) running shoes

2) umbrella

3) Coin pouch

4) tissue paper

5) water bottle

6) hand sanitizer

7) hair tie

8) student ID

9) (unphotographed) watch

1) running shoes

My beloved Asics took me everywhere; up the 500,000 steps we take to get down to the city of Montreux, through ice caves in Chamonix and hot streets in Paris, through jogs across the hills of Switzerland, and through hikes up Austrian mountains.  My other shoes had ultra flat soles that pained me every time I walked too long, too hard.  I think I'll be investing in some nice walking shoes for the future but as of the present moment, these babies were it.  I could run in them, walk in them, jump in them...I haven't yet tried wearing an evening gown in them but I don't think the results would look pretty.

2) umbrella

You think, "Europe..summer...not going to rain." You think wrong.  I was amazed at how many times we would step out of a building, belied by the blue skies and think that it was going to be a sunny day only to find the clouds turn on us with a vengeance and drench us in a downpour.  I've been caught in what could only be described as "water being poured over my head by a massive  bucket" raindrops one too many times.

3) coin pouch

Any and all things that would fit into my bright and cheery yellow coin pouch (provided for me by my wise friend Nicole) did.  I went on the trip not bringing a wallet because I knew I would not want the additional bulk. And I was right.  The coin pouch was convenient for storing money, chapsticks, and...well, coins.  It was also easy to carry and fit anywhere.  

4) tissue paper

For a cold, for a dirty toilet, my tissue paper packets carried me throughout Europe.  It was especially good because my friend Sheila got sick towards the end of the trip and I was able to play "mommy" for her and provide her with things to wipe off the snot in her nose. YAY!

5) water bottle

Aw, my ubiquitous bubble gum pink water canteen...

If I had a cent for every compliment my water canteen wrung, it would have paid for the bottle itself.  Switzerland is known to have amazing tap water and everywhere else in Europe charges excruciating prices for h20 so I just brought my "inconspicuous" bottle around, filled up with school or hotel water, and drank merrily away.  Water, it does a body good.

6) hand sanitizer

I'm becoming a little bit obsessed with this contraption. I know I know, you can't use it too much because then your skin will get adapted to it and it will no longer be "antibacterial."  Give me a break, ok?  I just like the fake feeling of clean hands.

7) hair tie

Girls with long hair should always have this around. Especially at dance clubs.  When you're shaking your thang and getting all hot and sweaty, nothing feels better than when all your hair is pulled out of your face.  I've abused the poor dear so much, it snapped before my trip ended.  

8) student ID

Being a student who pays $20,ooo+ a year to go to a public university, it feels nice getting a slight discount here and there just by flashing your ID.  I keep going to places with friends who would forget theirs. HAh! Guess who had an extra euro to buy a baguette later on? Always bring your student ID in a foreign country, folks.  They're more valuable and useful than your driver's license.

9) (unphotographed) watch

Geez, back at home, I hardly ever wear my watch for fear of getting a watch tan but abroad, this is certainly a necessity!  Especially since I didn't own a phone, getting separated from the group requires knowing when the set time is to meet up again.  It also helped me in terms of knowing when to eat, which is highly important as well and crucial to my physical and mental well-being.

I just wanted to write an ode to these small objects, giving them thanks for what most people would consider a meaningless job.  They accomplished what they were made to do and made me very proud.  You guys are my heroes!

Choo CHoo

I tell of a harrowing tale.  One of twisted bed positions and cramped necks. One of injured arms and wet bathrooms.

It is the tale of taking the Eurorail through Europe!  

The convenient thing about the continent is its awesome train system, where you can go from Geneva to Paris in just 4 hours.  Where there are trains at almost all hours of the day so if you should choose to leave at 4 in the morning or 10 at night, you can! (California public transportation, take notes)  Where you can meet crazy people, cool people, drunk people, mean people, smelly people, cute people, where you can actually meet people! (as opposed to being trapped in your car all by your lonesome.)

Sheila, Sepehr and I purchased Eurorail passes which granted us five traveling days to four different neighboring countries.  We utilized those passes to the extreme, going from Switzerland to France to Germany to Austria and then back to Switzerland.  All these days of traveling left us frazzled and drained but we still kept a smile up.

That is, until one of the nights, we decided to head to Austria on a night train.  I've had romantic visions of the night train where young attractive strangers are all huddled together in small quarters, sharing stories of their travels and becoming life long friends.  I envisioned a cozy little sanctuary where I would write in my journal, stare out at the beautiful night hills whizzing by...

well, this wasn't exactly what I had planned.  

Six of us were squeezed into this small itty bitty  cubicle with all our luggage.  We tried storing our luggage everywhere; in the little gap in the ceiling, in the middle of the cubicle, at the foot of our beds.  Needless to say, I didn't get a lot of sleep that night.  And I tell ya, I wasn't kept awake by a mysterious Austrian boy whispering sweet nothings into my ear all night. I was more kept awake by my own brain exploding from thinking, "wow...I am really uncomfortable in here."  I would doze off into little fits of sleep only to awake and find myself in the same cramped situation, only a little more cramped.  I thought my legs were going to fall off and it probably would have but our cubicle wouldn't have anywhere to store it.  Then what would I have done, thrown it overboard? Leg overboard? I don't think so.

.  

Sleeping on the day train was a WHOLE LOT more comfortable.  And Sheila and I did a lot of that. LOL. At least the book I was reading is opened. I think Sheila barely cracked open hers throughout most of our journey. Oh Sheila, learn to love reading!

And so, our journey has now come to an end.  This is our last stop and our final destination. Until next time!

Hi, I'm Broken

I'm home.

My feet hurt, my throat's sore, my legs bruised (7 and counting), my head's throbbing, my shoulder's aching, my skin's cracking, my eyes bloodshot, my tonsils swollen, my ears deaf, my arms bitten (3 and counting).

But I'm home.

My laptop charger's missing, my camera's cracked, my suitcase zippers torn, my jeans unraveled, my phone plan's expired, my pajama stained, my water bottle dented, my watch water-clogged, my agenda's ripped, my chocolates melted.

But I'm home.

I now know to the fullest extent what they mean when they utter, "I need a vacation from my vacation."

When I arrived home Monday night, I was in a really bad shape.  Tuesday did not fare much better as I slept the entire day, up until this morning.  I didn't even want any of my mom's homecooked goodness.  I might even pass up a chance to got o Disneyland tomorrow!  When I was on the plane from Geneva to LAX, I seriously thought I was going to die. My one prayer to God was that he let me see my family before I go, that's how bad I was feeling.  Now, I don't feel as fatal but I still feel pretty darn awful. 

I'm just grateful that I was able to withstand the illness for as long as I had, seeing as all my travel-mates were also sick.  

Once I feel a little more up and running, I shall write some nice, long, overdue posts.  Meanwhile, try to guess which places these magnificent monuments and works of arts call home.

I apologize for any crookedness sensed. My broken camera tilts every time I click.  New camera time! What would you recommend I get?

Oh, and in case you didn't get the message; I'm home.  Use this information however which way you choose.