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Dreams + Coffee

North Carolina Healthy Living + Style Blogger

I’m Supposed To Fit My Life In One Bag?

April 19, 2011 Leave a Comment

So, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m planning a backpacking trip through Europe this summer: 2 months, 2 people, 8 countries. It shall be a blast. I have a lot to learn though…like how to fit my life into a backpack for 60 days. I mean, seriously, I’m not that high-maintenance…but 60 days is a LONG time to only have one bag full of necessities.

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Ah, yes, necessities. That’s a word that I am going to have to comprehend. To me, necessities are my Chi flat iron, a variety of handbags to choose from, multiple pairs of shoes, and a nice bathroom to get ready in every morning. Clearly, none of these things are going to be possible in Europe…haha 🙂 I will not be taking a flat iron (I took one a few years ago, and it literally blew up as soon as I plugged it into the power converter…fail.), there will only be ONE handbag (a cross-body purse so it won’t be an easy target to get snatched), maybe 2 or 3 pairs of shoes (2 would be better, but 3 would be more me), and the bathroom will be shared and probably not-so-posh.

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So why am I subjecting myself to this living style? Well, backpacking Europe is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, there will be plenty of amazing experiences, there is so much history to learn about in Europe, and I plan to take LOTS of pictures! I think all of these things obviously outweigh my oh-so-vain complaints 😉

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In the midst of planning my trip, I realized I have list after list of travel plans piling up. I figured, why not one more…

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Things I’ll Miss While I’m Traveling the World (or just the continent of Europe…)
*In no particular order…but you see I thought of Starbucks first. Priorities.*

  • Starbucks, anytime, anyday — Yeah, I know that most large European cities have them, but I bet it won’t taste quite the same…and I won’t have the $ to shell out for a drink regardless. haha.
  • Salads — Again, I know that people eat salads in Europe, but in most restaurants, the toppings are somewhat different and the salad dressing is not.the.same. Trust me on this one.
  • Waking up at the same time each day and eating the same breakfast every day (Nonfat Greek Yogurt + Cinnamon Cheerios + Banana)
  • Country music concerts in the summertime — I WILL be back in time for Kenny Chesney, though 😉
  • Summer cookouts & cheap American beer (not that I ever really drink much beer…but I bet I’ll have one as soon as I get back to the good ol’ U.S.!)
  • Going to the beach whenever I choose
  • Hair dryer and Flat Iron — Well, not really…do you know how much work it is to dry & straighten my hair?!
  • My walk-in closet full of clothes
  • My family, of course. The only way this trip would be even better is if they were packing up and going with us.
  • My dog…yes, even though she’s EVIL. And will hate me even more after I leave for 2 months.
  • Teaching Spin Classes!
  • Running every day — Well, I might not miss it everyday…especially when I’m lugging a 50lb. backpack down the street to catch a train…

Clearly, if I wanted to, I could continue. But honestly, all of those things that I listed will be waiting for me when I get home…so in the meantime, I think I’ll go to Europe and have the time of my life. I’m talking pure EPICness 😉

These things will make up for almost all of the things I’m going to miss:

  • Local coffee shops….Café au lait à Paris? Oui.
  • New, adventurous foods…I am definitely not afraid to try new things.
  • Embracing a lack of “routines” … may as well enjoy that while it lasts!
  • Live music in pubs and bars. Helloooo, Ireland 😉
  • Cheap wine and picnics
  • Beaches? Umm, how about Nice, Valencia, and in Greece?
  • Not having to dry & straighten my hair (see above)…
  • Ehh, there’s really no positive to not having a variety of clothes…haha less to wash? (In a sink…fail.)
  • They say absence makes the heart fonder, right? If nothing else, I’ll realize how much I miss my family and why they’re so important. Aww…
  • No comment about my evil dog. Pretty sure she’ll hate me even more than now, if that’s possible.
  • Walking a LOT. And carrying a heavy backpack. And not eating much, to save money. Backpacking Diet, anyone?

See, you can turn anything positive! Now I just need to get back to planning….



-xoxo

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Hi y'all! I'm Brittany, a wife, mama to three little ladies and the creator behind Dreams + Coffee, a North Carolina lifestyle blog. Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on my latest family, food, health and lifestyle posts.

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