“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. You only have one life, one shot, so make it count. No regrets.” –Contiki
I vividly remember hysterically crying on the phone with my mother while staring at my computer screen. The plan was supposed to be simple. I would book one hostel, and my friend would book the other. But when I got a Facebook message from her (the only way I can communicate with her until I see her abroad) that her credit card wasn’t accepted to book one hostel—I freaked out. Suddenly it was my responsibility to make arrangements for hostels in three Spanish cities: Valencia, Barcelona, and Spain. Admittedly, I was already nervous enough to be traveling without family, the last thing I needed was a glitch in the plan.
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I got over my initial anxiety-filled, frantic moment and I’ll have a roof over my head while I travel through Spain (at least I expect to) this May, but I’m still nervous. I’m an adventurous person at heart and traveling is definitely something I love to do, but the idea of packing a backpack, saying peace to the U.S., and meeting up with a friend in Europe is pushing me a little out of my comfort zone. In certain situations, especially when traveling to a foreign country, I like to have everything planned and organized so nothing can go wrong. I know a little Spanish and Portuguese here and there, but I am by no means fluent—which is something I’m trying to work on before I leave on May 11th.
Aside from plans going awry and the language barrier, there are so many horror stories I’ve heard from others who have traveled alone or with friends. Getting separated and not having the means to contact one another, ending up in a situation that isn’t necessarily the best, terrifying hostels, and other stories have me worried. But, I have to say I have a lot of expectations out of my trip that I’m excited about. Traveling with my parents and siblings to Europe has been fun so far, but this will be my first time traveling with just friends. I’ll be meeting my friend, who is currently studying in South Africa, in Lisbon where we’ll stay with my family for a week, and our friend will join us for a few days before we head to Valencia where she is studying abroad.
I’ve been to Lisbon before when I was 16, but I’m excited to see it after having learned more about my Portuguese heritage and visit with my friends. Plus, I fully intend on experiencing Portuguese nightlife. It will be nice to start my trip with the comfort of having family around. I have about a hundred Portuguese aunts, uncles, and cousins (no, seriously), so it will allow me to ease into the trip a bit and get settled. Though it will be fun to show my friends Portugal, I cannot wait for Spain. People rave about it and I couldn’t be more excited. As nervous as I am, going from city to city by train and staying in a new hostel every few nights is what I envision traveling is while young. My friend studying in Valencia has already warned me that I need to prepare myself for going out at night. When I’m usually crawling in bed after a party at 2 or 3 in the morning, she is getting ready to go to the club. Am I ready? No. Am I excited? Yes! You’re only young once. Carpe diem, I say!
So, if you’re ready to take the plunge like me, there is no better time in your life to travel. Grab a group of friends and check out Contiki. Unlike my moment of panic, Contiki helps plan your trip every step of the way. And it’s for college age students so you’re bound to have a good time. You can select a tour based on where you want to go, for how long, when you want to leave, and the price range you want to spend. Learn everything you need to know about traveling and the best places to visit! Like they say, no regrets!