After too many schnitzels and slices of cake to count, a short-ish but sweet trip to Germany and Austria came to a close last Sunday after a 10 hour flight back to Charlotte. Every trip I take, I grow a little more as a person. There are so many life lessons to take away from it that are because of experiences that have allowed me to see life in a different light. There is one specific experience that I am going to implement into my weekly “routine”. That is to “stop and smell the coffee”. Well actually, go and sit in a coffee shop and have a coffee in a real mug. I am always running around trying to accomplish my next task on my “to do list” and need to take the time to sit, relax, sip a latte, and reflect on my week. This was a big focus while I was in Austria specifically. The cafés in Europe are now starting to offer coffee “to take” because that’s what we want as that is what we have here. The traditional cafés do not have this and will keep their traditional ways to really sit, sip, read, write, and enjoy. My plan is to try a new coffee shop every week in February and take this time to sit and reflect, write a letter, or simply catch up with the people I love around me.
Not to totally go away from living in the moment, but as a quick update, I do want to share my next travels! I will be traveling for 35 days in March and April. Yes thirty five consistent days! It begins in March when I fly into Rome, Italy and ends flying out of Edinburgh, Scotland! There will be Assisi, Florence, Cinque Terre, Vatican City, Montpellier, Paris, London, and Dublin in the middle of those two destinations, too. Italy, France, England, Dublin, and Scotland – yes, it amazes me that my spring consists of, yet again, another trip of a lifetime. One difference this time is that I will get to experience about a week of it with with a special someone traveling with me for the first time in Europe! I cannot wait. Sharing in these experiences with those close is the best way to experience.

Here’s to being home & stopping to smell the coffee!

xo