Nick’s Travel Blog

People, places, and things.

It’s October 3, 2023. I turned 30 less than two months ago. Two months before that, I sold my house. And a couple of months before that, I began a breakup that lasted a while. The last one still permeates today. It’s what happens when you leave on a good note. When you still care and you still find them attractive (physically and personality-wise). In 15 days, I’ll be taking a plane from Portland, ME to Paris, France. I’m excited, nervous, and extremely grateful. I know not many people have this opportunity.

Recently, my partner and I ended things between us. Long story short, we had agreed to sell the house and so we did, splitting the profit. It is this money that will enable me to take this trip to Europe. For three months.

Why?

The first reason: I’ve always wanted to. I have had the desire to travel, but never the follow through. So this is my time. I love languages and culture. Despite not taking French seriously in college, I’ve been practicing it pretty consistently for a year now. Thanks, Duolingo. This will be my first visit to Europe and I’m excited to torture the French with my attempts at their beautiful language.

A lot of folks, including my parents, feel that retirement is when you should do all this stuff. But I believe that this could be my only opportunity. Who knows?! So I’m gonna take it while I’m young, physically able, and with some money. This is a chance of a lifetime, for sure.

And the last reason that I’ve considered omitting is my desire to escape. I imagine you’d be like: escape from what? You have money. You have time. You clearly have lived a great life. And you’re not really wrong, but I’ve never sat and felt what or who I am until recently. And I haven’t noticed my anxiety. My life has always been about moving, about doing, about partying. I’m taking this trip to explore myself. But also to escape current conditions and a little bit of depression. Cause escaping always works, right?

In any case, I’m hoping this trip will strip me of everything that I am. I’ll rebuild myself to become precisely who I want to be. And hopefully without guilt. Cause I struggle with guilt in a lot of ways.

I started thinking about this trip and using Workaway as my method of housing and immersing myself. Workaways are where you exchange work for housing and sometimes a meal or two. Great program! After, I thought about using hostels. But that quickly morphed to apartments. I’d love to have an apartment somewhere in France for a month to really feel the culture around me. Same in Italy.

And now… I’m feeling like I’ll just wing it and be uncomfortable with it. I’m used to stability in housing. I’ve always known where I’ll be for the night and be safe in that. First world problem for sure. But I’m kind of looking forward to experiencing the unknown – to having no idea where my head will rest for the night. I’ve experienced it a little during a road trip down South. But this will be much longer and more intense in a new atmosphere.

And right now, I’m struggling with how to spend a week or so before I leave. My video business has been inactive for a while now, so I’m jobless. But I’m back with my folks (God bless ’em) and trying to fill my days, even if it’s centered around a gym trip or a walk in the woods. But I’m certainly anxious to get a job when I return to fill my days with that (and earn money). For now, I’m doing work on the house, writing, reading, and playing video games.

Tips on European travel?

Thanks :)

I’ve got the Eurail pass and I understand my limits on staying in the Schengen area.