Why I'm Taking This Trip

carolinebarber — Mon, 16 May 2016 09:12:00 GMT

I got my first American passport when I was a year old, and my first British passport shortly after. My dad took me on yearly trips to the tiny town of Swaffham, England to visit my grandparents for as long as I can remember. If I got the travel bug from anyone it would definitely be my dad. It seems like he has been EVERYWHERE. There's a world map above his desk with pins in all the cities he's visited. He taught me everything from reading the signs at airports, to exchanging currency, to using the correct adaptors, to always staying calm in the face of chaos. I owe everything I know about travel to him.

And so, here I am fresh out of college about to go on my first ever (mostly) solo trip. I've been dreaming about this for my entire life. You know how you meet people that say, "My dream is to travel the world!" But how many of those people will actually do it? Why don't they just go? What are they waiting for? I want to shake these people and ask them these questions. After graduation life hits you hard and it hits you fast. Soon after most people will take a job, settle down, have kids, and before they know it they're locked in and that beautiful beach in Bali is just a background on their computer screen. This is the polar opposite of the life I want for myself. I refuse to wait for a future that isn't guaranteed. I don't want to go when I'm retired, I want to go now while I'm young and thrifty and fit and adventurous and not hardened by 40 years of life. I want to go while I can do things like sleep in a room with 13 other people, wear shower shoes, and eat one meal a day consisting of questionable street food for $4 with a smile on my face the entire time. Yes, I always imagined going on this trip with my best friends by my side, but the fact that they can't go has in no way deterred me. In fact, I'm actually more excited to experience so many cities on my own, while still getting the chance to meet up with friends and my mom in various other cities.

Although I love my home and I love my university, it's time for me to find some more places to love. There's a whole wide world out there and I want to see as much as I can, country by country, for as long as I can. By the very end, maybe I'll give my dad a run for his money and have just as many pins as him. Maybe I'll even get more.

With the help of my mom, my dad, my grandparents, my brother, and what felt like a million hours working summer jobs to save as much money as possible, my trip to Europe is about to become a reality. Tonight, I'll get on a plane. In 3 months, I'll get on another plane to come back. Odds are the person I am on the return flight won't be the same as the person I am on the outgoing flight. And that is a good thing.

About Me and Packing List

carolinebarber — Sun, 15 May 2016 18:00:00 GMT

My name is Caroline, I'm 21 years old, and I'm from Severna Park, Maryland, USA. I'm a very recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (still trying to cope with this "alum" status) and I'll be going to University of Leeds in England this fall to get a MSc in Food Science and Nutrition.

I am not an eloquent writer. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing in any aspect of anything at all (I'm only 21, give me a break). This blog is mainly for me, so I can write down the good, the bad, and the beautiful parts of my trip. It's also for my mother, so she knows I'm still alive. I'll try to post fairly often, but mostly I hope to find the balance between living in the moment and preserving said moments for posterity.

This summer I'll be backpacking Europe for about 3 months, from May 16th to August 9th. In this order I'll be in London, England --> Lisbon, Portugal --> Seville, Spain --> Madrid, Spain --> Barcelona, Spain --> Copenhagen, Denmark --> Rome, Italy --> Florence, Italy --> Venice, Italy --> Milan, Italy --> the south of France --> Krakow, Poland --> Budapest, Hungary --> Zagreb, Croatia --> Split, Croatia --> Hvar, Croatia --> Korcula, Croatia --> Dubrovnik, Croatia --> Athens, Greece --> Ios, Greece --> Santorini, Greece. From Santorini my schedule is open to travel anywhere else my heart desires. Below is a packing list I spent days and days going over after reading what seemed like every single travel blog for females backpacking Europe in the summertime. Special shout out to my mom for her determination and unparalleled bargain hunting abilities in getting me what I feel is the perfect travel wardrobe.

Packing List

(Clothes)

2 short sleeve tops
3 tank tops
1 long sleeve top
1 cami
1 cardigan
3 short dresses
2 bras, 1 sports bra
3 pairs of quick-dry underwear
1 pair of leggings
1 skirt
1 maxi skirt
1 maxi dress
1 pair of nice shorts
1 pair of jeans
1 rain jacket
2 swim suits
1 pair of boxers and 1 tshirt for sleeping
1 pair of walking shoes
1 pair of flip flops
1 pair of rubber sandals
1 pair of nike shorts and 1 tshirt for beach cover up

(Electronics)

iPhone
Ipad
Charging cords
Adaptors
Portable charger for iPhone
Headphones

(Miscellaneous)

Glasses
Sunglasses
Small notebook/pens
Locks
Watch
Umbrella
Ziploc bags
Microfiber Fast Dry Towel
Silk Sleep Sheet
Daypack
Purse
Roll up water bottle
Eye mask/earplugs
Protein bars

(Toiletries)

Dry shampoo
Shower cap
Shampoo/conditioner
Razor
Deodorant
BB creme/mascara/eyeliner/lipstick
Toothbrush/toothpaste
Nail clippers
Contacts/solution
Acne cream
Moisturizer
Hanging toiletry bag
Bar of soap
Chapstick
Tweezers
Hair ties/bobby pins
Hairbrush
Q tips
Sink stopper
Travel laundry soap
Febreeze to go

(First aid)

Bandaids
Pepto bismol
Ambien / Melatonin
Advil
Pack of tissues
Safety pins

Everything on this list fits nicely into the Porter 46 backpack with slight room to spare, weighing about 25 pounds. Ideally, this will work as a carry on for all my flights so I don't have to check a bag. TBD if I'll be able to sneak this on to Ryanair with their insanely strict baggage regulations... Hope this helps anyone who reads this!

A Girl and Her Backpack

Why I'm Taking This Trip

About Me and Packing List