"When you get those rare moments of clarity, those flashes when the universe makes sense, you try desperately to hold on to them. They are the life boats for the darker times, when the vastness of it all, the incomprehensible nature of life is completely illusive. So the question becomes, or should have been all a long... What would you do if you knew you only had one day, or one week, or one month to live. What life boat would you grab on to? What secret would you tell? What band would you see? What person would you declare your love to? What wish would you fulfill? What exotic locale would you fly to for coffee? What book would you write?"


Monday, May 23, 2011

Following Your Dream

Well, I leave tomorrow! WHAT? I cannot believe I have waited for this day, longed for this day for so long, in dreaming and in actuality-and it is actually finally here!

I can confidently say that I have dreamed about the day of setting foot in Europe more so than my own wedding day. I have really only given minimal thought to the aspects of my wedding day, but Europe....I have dreamed about this for as long as I can remember.

Which reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite movies of all time, Tangled, that really hit home with me. It is when the two main characters, Rapunzel and Flynn are sitting in the boat waiting for the moment when she finally attains her lifelong dream of seeing the lanterns that are lit for the princess (her) every year.

Flynn Rider: You OK?
Rapunzel: I'm terrified.
Flynn Rider: ...Why?
Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?
 Flynn Rider: It will be.
Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?
Flynn Rider: Well,that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream.
Here is a lovely video of it, on youtube:






This scene PERFECTLY describes everything that is racing through my head. I mean, this is my DREAM.  My life long dream.....I can completely relate with her fear of, what if its not everything she dreamed it would be? And, what if it is? Then what?.... I guess I can say I am blessed enough to be reaching one of my dreams at the age of 22 (and I'll be turning 23 in Paris!) and I can pick a new dream from there...probably something more to do with travelling the world!

I am so excited . Of course a volcano has decided to erupt today next to the Airport I am scheduled to connect in 6 am Tuesday, and the airport is closed until tomorrow noon. So, fun. Hopefully that won't be our first disaster. Luckily though (thank all my guardian angels) that I am flying with a couple others in the tour scheduled to leave from NY. I don't know what I would do if my flight was cancelled and I had to rebook for another time...or wait in the airport for a whole day like some stories you hear on TV. Ah!

Anyway, All stress aside, lets focus on the POSITIVES! 

1) I will get to see a VOLCANO on my trip from the air! WOOT! 


No really though In all seriousness- Hopefully I will be able to blog every night-providing that my hotel I'm in has wifi. If it doesn't, then, no blog for you. My goal is to blog every night even if its just to touch in, announce I'm alive, post a picture and a little blurb. BUT, do expect and prepare (get some popcorn maybe?) for some really long blog entries. One of my flaws is that I can talk  type and talk type and talk  type forever and forget that my blog entry is astronomically long and painful to read. So I will TRY to find a happy balance of not too long but long enough to adequately describe my experiences :-)

If you would like to know where I'll be at and what I'm doing each day just in case I won't be able to blog every night, here is my itinerary:

Day one (5/23): 830 pm flight. Yay day one!
Day two: arrival in Amsterdam, hotel by 3pm. Dinner scheduled tentatively at their version of the Hard Rock Cafe. After that, relax hotel time/free time in Amsterdam/walking tour.
Day three: Sightseeing tour of Amsterdam.
  •  Anne Frank House
  • Dam Square
  • Amstel River
  • Rembrandtplein
Day Four: Biking the dutch countryside!!!! WOOT!  2 1/2 hour Bike ride! OMFG! :D
Day Five: Transferring over to Heidelberg, Germany's oldest college town.
  • Heidelberg's Palace
  • Neckar Valley
  • Marktplatz (where witches were burned at the stake back in the day....)
  • Heidelberg Castle Wine Barrel
Day Six: Transfer to Munich, walking tour of Munich.
  • Frauenkirche
  • Marienplatz
  • Hofbräuhaus (Germany's most famous beer hall)
Day Seven: Travelling to Venice, stopping midway in Innsbruck for a small tour.
Free time in Venice at night.
Day Eight: Touring through Venice
  • St. Mark's Square
  • Grand Canal
  • Doges' Palace
Free time in Venice at night
Day Nine: Traveling to Switzerland, while stopping in Verona for a couple hours.  Arrive in Lucerne at night.
Day Ten: Tour of Lucerne!
  • Löwendenkmal
  • Kapellbrücke
Day Eleven: Travelling via train from Zurich, to Paris.  Arrive in Paris at night.
In Paris:
  • Latin Quarter
  • Notre Dame Cathedral
  • Evening Seine Cruise (woot!)
  • Climbing the Eiffel Tower at night
Day Twelve: Walking tour of Paris, mostly just free time.
Day Thirteen: Eurostar train to London!!!!! OMG!!
  • Walking Tour of London
  • Haunted Pub ghost walk- So excited for this.
Day Fourteen: Double Decker bus tour in London all day. Free time in london at night.
Day Fifteen: Last Day, flying home :-(


I AM SO EXCITED!!!! TOMORROW!!!  <3 my NEXT blog entry will be live from Amsterdam (probably). Unless I'm drastically bored in the airport and something strikes me as interesting enough to write about.

< 3 Wish me luck, see you when I get back!


~ A Writer in a Nurse's Body

LOVE

3 comments:

Claire said...

You are going to love it. You've worked so hard for this day and will probably never have chance in your lifetime to do this without thinking in some form about working, mortgages, husbands or children etc. so go wild enjoy every second. I can't wait to read your blogs and live vicariously!!!!

A Writer in a Nurse's Body said...

THank you SO MUCH claire!!! I cannot wait to go to England!!! I will have lots of stories from all over the world. I hope to learn some lifelong lessons and make lifelong friends. So exciting!!!!

Lisa said...

Julie, I lived in Amsterdam for almost a year. The Anne Frank house is incredibly moving. For a writer like you, take it all in. It's a great city to take photos - amazing architecture and cool canals. Hopefully, it's a lot cleaner than when I was there in 1986 :) Heidelberg is great and you'll also love Munich, especially the beergarten. It's a once in a lifetime experience. Be prepared to have a BIG time there! We had a blast. Munich is also beautiful, especially the old town. I only spent one day in Venice -- took a night train from Innsbrook after getting mugged in the train station to get there. Never thought I'd get mugged in Switzerland by some drunk bums! Anyway, Venice is great, but I didn't have much time there. Hopefully, you can see more than I did. I want to go back there. You are going to my favorite city in Switzerland -- Lucerne. I've been there three times. I think you are going to the Lion's statue. I won't tell you about it. Just experience it and tell me what you think...I will share my experience with you afer I hear yours. I think I can live in Lucerne! I've spent a few days in Paris and it is amazing...I just have had not so pleasant experiences with French people being rude to Americans, so I hope your experience is better. I have only spent one weekend in London and tried to see everything you can see in one weekend -- I'm sure you'll do the same! Can't wait to see your pictures and hear about your trip. Come see your Aunt Linda and I when you can - Aunt Lisa