Introducing Trip Talks
and more about our trip to Europe 🥐
Have you gone on a trip recently? I want to hear all about it. Seriously, I have to hold myself back from asking my friends a million questions, because I don’t only want to hear about your favorite meal or if you had good weather—I want to know the logistics of sharing a hotel room with kids of multiple ages, if you and your spouse fought because the traffic was bad on the way to the airport, if you went shopping and what you bought. I want to know all of it. Also, how did you pay for your trip?1 🤔
When I first attempted to write about our trip to Europe, I wrote a long list of questions as if I were interviewing myself. It occurred to me that I could copy the list of questions, ask friends to share about a trip they’ve taken, and share their answers on Substack. I know I can’t be the only one curious about the ins and outs of how other people travel. So, let’s dive into the first installment of Trip Talks!
LOGISTICS:
Where did you go? Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris
How long were you there? We were in Europe for 9 full days—4 in Amsterdam, 2 in Bruges, and 3 in Paris2
Who did you go with? My husband, Andy
How do you approach travel spending? The last time we spent over $1,000 on a trip was ten years ago! Though we could have used savings, I decided to take on a second part-time job to cover the cost of our trip. We used Marriott points to pay for our hotel in Paris.
PRE-TRIP
Were you solely responsible for planning the trip, or did you share the responsibility with someone? How did you approach seeking input from your travel companions? I did all of the planning. Andy and I agreed I would be in charge of the pre-trip work (booking flights, trains, accommodations, activities, etc.), and he would be in charge of navigation and getting our SIM cards set up. I asked Andy’s input on a few things, but felt like I had a good idea of things he would and wouldn’t want to do. His main request was that we have a low-key itinerary.
How long did it take to plan? I started planning two months before our trip. I wasn’t just booking flights/accommodations/activities—I was also planning out our packing, how to set my parents up for success while they watched our daughter, putting a will together for the first time…it was a lot to think about!
What was the most enjoyable part about planning, and what was the least enjoyable part? I created a list on Google Maps for each city and spent hours clicking around on different parks and restaurants. I love maps, and it was fun to have a visual of how close our Airbnbs and hotel were to various attractions.
I hate to say it, but planning was more stressful than enjoyable. I’m not typically an anxious person, and I had intense anxiety for weeks leading up to the trip. Things I’ve never worried about before a trip kept running through my mind—what if my phone doesn’t work, what if I get separated from Andy, what if our plane crashes, what if our daughter gets injured while we’re away…add about thirty more “what ifs” and you’ll get a peek into my pre-trip mind. It was confusing and sad to be so anxious, because I love traveling. Two of my friends told me my anxiety would lift once I got to the airport, and it did!
What were you most nervous about? You’ve read some of my extreme what-ifs…a more realistic thing that made me nervous was anticipating losing sleep due to Andy’s snoring. And I wondered if he would look at his phone more often than I would like.
ON THE TRIP
Using the five senses, how would you describe your vacation? You’ve already heard me say Bruges smelled like chocolate and waffles and sounded like the clip-clopping of horse-drawn carriages. Amsterdam sounded like bicycle bells and looked like a movie set. Paris smelled of flowers and cigarettes (lol), tasted like chewy baguette and crisp white wine, and felt like a soft robe inviting you to relax.
Tell us about a challenging moment. How did you handle it? When I woke up on our first day in Amsterdam, my eyes were so dry and gritty that I could barely see in the mirror, but I could tell my eyes were bright red. I was in terrible pain. I had flashbacks to a very upsetting time when I had severe dry eye in 2019 and couldn’t drive, work, or even read a book. Thankfully, after having a hot washcloth over my eyes for a while, the pain subsided, and I could see. I bought eye drops from a grocery store (they’re called oogdruppels in Dutch!) and wore glasses for most of the trip, since cigarette smoke clings to contact lenses, and people in Europe be smoking!
Were you happy with how you packed? I spent a lot of time thinking through my outfits, and I love what I packed! Funny story—in Paris, I walked past a woman wearing the same outfit as me: an oversized white linen shirt with wide-leg jeans, a navy sweater draped around our shoulders, white sneakers, and gold hoops. We caught each other’s eyes and shared a smile.
I mostly packed things I already owned, but I did buy this super popular $20 bag. It’s as great as everyone says it is!
Did the thing you were nervous about happen? No! We bought a SnoreRx right before we left. Andy didn’t snore once! And the only times I had to nudge him to get off his phone were when he would use his phone to research where we should eat next while we were in the middle of a meal.
What do you think you’ll remember most about the trip 20-30 years from now? Walking through the secret annex where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis. Our picnics and afternoon robe-and-croissant time in Paris. How I felt adventurous and lighthearted and in love.
I think Andy will remember our Paris picnics and watching a few hours of The Masters together at an Irish pub in Amsterdam.
POST-TRIP
What’s the hardest thing for you to face when you get home? Doing laundry is one thing. Putting away the laundry is another…
Do you have any routines in place for easing back into “normal life”? I always put fresh sheets on our bed, tidy the house, and make sure there’s at least one easy dinner in the freezer before we leave for a trip. I love this post on planning for re-entry!
What did you learn about yourself through this trip? This trip confirmed something I’ve always known about myself: nothing energizes and inspires me quite like traveling.
Andy jokes that I’ve gone “full European” since we’ve returned. 😂
So there you have—the first installment of Trip Talks! You’ll hear from my friend Alyssa next week. Want to join in on the fun? Shoot me a DM!
Because I’m also fascinated by how people spend their money
More like 1.5 days in Bruges and 2.5 in Paris because of travel time between cities.
I love this! Can you plan my trip to Europe? (Whenever I go.) Haha.
"How did you pay for your trip?" HONESTLY. No judgement, just sheer curiosity. Also, did you fight with your husband on the way to the airport? These are the real questions that need answers.