Sunday, May 1, 2011

Signing Off

A year ago today, Anne and I stepped off a plane in Madrid, Spain, which would culminate into a two week tour of western Europe. I started this blog with the goal of providing a daily, or a least semi-daily, recount of our travel experiences. Sometimes one's intentions are more ambitious than what reality will provide. Such was the fate of this humble blog.

I could make up for lost time. My memory is sharp and I have a knack for remembering detail. But I don't think I can adequately recreate that "in the moment" feel. It underscores the reason for having a travel blog, an intimacy shared between writer and reader. Not writing from this position in time seems unfair to everyone involved. Our experiences deserve better.

I'm thankful that my sister was able to study abroad for an entire academic year and that we could share a part of Europe together. I'm thankful that I had the monetary resources and time off from my job to experience Europe for two whole weeks. I'm thankful for all the wonderful people I met and friends I reconnected with, especially those individuals who allowed me to stay in their home free of charge. I'm thankful for all the readers of this blog. And I'm most thankful for my travel partner, Anne -- world traveller and most affable woman who ably put up with an international traveling neophyte. Without her guidance, good humor and support, my experience wouldn't have been as enriching and memorable as it was. Thank you.