STEP(h)ABROAD

Are you crazy? Are you sure? What will you do when…?
All valid questions from flabbergasted friends and family. My travel plans were slowly unraveling from the tight wound up box I had folded them so neatly in at the beginning of the year; now I was traveling around the globe with a bunch of hormone driven, flatulence flowing, showered at their own discretion kind of BOYS, who all happened to be my best friends.

This was not something I planned but rather a beautiful mistake that took shape somewhere in the Med, between countless “sack wacks”, (despite the fact I had no sack) and a burp here and there.

I never had the urge to discover the affect of a 40 nugget challenge to ones stomach. But of course this is the most logical challenge to give your friend moments before a 12-hour train ride from Spain to Germany.
Demolish 40 McNuggets in 20 minutes.
Needless to say; I did find out and the hopeful idiot developed a very special relationship with the train toilet that day.
Sitting dumbstruck and maybe a little bit queasy from what I just encountered, I wondered what awesome prize the winner received?
Pride of course, amongst his brothers.
Really? That’s it? I had a lot to learn.
It was the good friendly competition that kept the group together and entertained on these seemingly endless train rides.

And while I couldn’t contend in the “peeing in a line” competition in Ibiza, I certainly got the money shot.
Make-up was no concern to them- no matter how many times I’d try convincing them of the importance of a good primer.
Puh-lease!

I learnt that hard and fast, not to mention mastering the art of getting readying in five minutes.
They waited for no one!

In Barcelona, we all became proud parents to Donny, the Spanish travelling turtle. He was our companion, as long as he was snuck on each train via a McDonalds paper bag. Alas, Donny was not a big flyer and retired with a distant cousin in Ole’ London Town.

I laughed at random things like Hadouken in Spain, played wing girl in the Greek Islands, ate “all you can eat” at Mama Casa’s in Lagos and drank “more than you should” in Ibiza.

They made walking from the hostel a comedy routine and breakfast feel like the circus had come to town. I was always entertained.
From trivial to essential, I learnt valuable lessons and made lasting memories.
One thing I didn’t plan- I never thought I would consume so many chip sandwiches.