52 Things I Learned About Travel, Life and Relationships (In no particular order)

1. European parents seem far less stressed, results in children much better behaved and having fun. 2. Just when you thought you had the best food of your life, it gets better except in Scotland and Ireland. 3. Everyone has a story…the world is full of fascinating people who will share their story with you. 4. It’s normal to find beer bottles everywhere, somehow they never quite make it to a recycling box, if only they could tell a story. 5. Travel is a privilege, I totally appreciate that I am able to do this and so grateful. 6. You can travel for almost 2 months with just a carry-on and still have things you don’t use. 7. I loved taking trains more than flying, much more relaxing, less hectic and if you use promo codes super cheap. 8.London is really expensive, you can’t think too much about the exchange rate or it might make you a little crazy. 9. Water shoes are always a good investment, do your research and check to see if the beaches are rock or sand. 10. Walking is the key to being able to eat and drink all you want and not gain weight. 11. Wine is life…we never had a bad wine in 52 days, some were just better than others. 12. Wearing a bra is optional in many places in Europe, but maybe it shouldn’t be for some. 13. Malta really surprised me, the people, the food, the history and the views are definitely more than I imagined. 14. You can go away for long periods of time because your kids and family don’t really need you as much as you think. 15. Experiences are priceless but someone has to pay, glad we started planning and saving for this 6 years ago. 16. It’s actually fun to navigate using apps to get you to where you want to go … thank goodness for technology. How did we ever do it before? 17. Pistachio everything is definitely the way to go (ice cream, pasta, pizza, arancini)! 18. People watching is a very inexpensive way to spend an afternoon and learn so much about people. 19. In France, the bill is called l’addition and not la facture like we were taught in school. 20. Marseille requires lots of leg muscles be able to walk the city. It only goes uphill from the waterfront! 21. Monopoli was definitely one of the less touristy places in Puglia, if you like that then stay there as your base and travel to all the tourist spots from there! 22. Definitely prefer having an AirBnB to a hotel, cheaper and more convenient for us. 23. So glad I did my research, it was a full time 2 week job to plan this trip but it was worth it. All the flights (9 of them), stays (16 of them) were great and perfectly coordinated. 24. Figure out how you are going to get somewhere the night before, makes life easier and reduces the panic and frustration of trying to figure it out as you are trying to get out the door. 25. Make sure you buy paper sheets of laundry detergent, takes up less room, it’s not a liquid and it was great for even doing hand laundry when we didn’t have a washing machine. 26. Look for fixed menus, they often have great selections of local foods and it lowers your bill too. 27. In Belfast you can’t find any food by 7:30 but that is probably why everyone is drunk by 8. But it was definitely way nicer than I expected. 28. Always ask the locals where they go for coffee or a quick bite, it’s often better and cheaper then ones you find. 29. Most cities had fresh food markets, these were a great option if you wanted some fresh fruit or to purchase items to make a meal at your AirBnB. Also great to watch the locals do their shopping. Some of the markets also had ready made food, super yummy and very reasonably priced. 30. Running shoes are a must, trust me when I say everyone is wearing them, even with dresses. 31. I took too many shoes (5 pairs), I really only wore 3. 32. Marriages actually get better with time (or at least mine has) 33. Speaking more that one language is extremely helpful, even just knowing some basic phrases works. Often even if they know English, they won’t speak it. 34. Meeting so many young people who are travelling on this trip and taking advantage of opportunities abroad made me smile. Life is made of experiences and travelling is so important to gain perspective on how people live outside of your bubble. 35. I’ve seen more Roman Ruins than I ever could have imagined…. these people were everywhere we went. 36. If you see a hidden door or passage way, check it out, some of the most beautiful places we saw were by accident. 37. Tik Tok making is a real thing and serious business, we got moved and pushed out of places so that they could get the perfect video. Poor Rob was losing his mind with the tik tok influencers. 38. Sometimes it’s just as important to be present and enjoy the moment. It’s okay if you didn’t get a picture or video. You still have the memory. 39. Aperol Spritz just like coffee, tastes good any time of the day! 40. The South of France is nothing like Paris, the people are lovely and they really do live “La vie en rose”! 41. Taking a shower in most locations was an event. Shower curtains are not a thing and neither are enclosed shower stalls. There is usually one small piece of glass but unless you shower in the corner, water is going everywhere. 42. Sometimes it’s just better to eat something and not ask what it is… like horse meat, interior organs of animals ect. 43. Smile at strangers, it sometimes leads to very interesting conversations and helps you to add more stories to your adventure. 44. Don’t over pack your schedule, you won’t see everything and that’s okay. Prioritize and then take some time to just go with the flow for the day. 45. Italians are a little crazy but somehow they make disorganized chaos work for them. 46. The French really believe their food and wine is really the BEST. 47. Every German we met on our travels were super friendly (this hasn’t always been our experience in the past). 48. If you have never tried a Maltese Ftira (Maltese sandwich), you are missing out. Even if you don’t like tuna you will in this! 49. You can’t build houses on the Scottish Islands because the houses will sink. 50. The Cliffs of Moher in Ireland are a risky adventure, you can easily get blown away by the strong winds.But the Irish are so friendly it’s worth it! 51. My husband really wants to move away from Canada. 52. Take everyday as a blessing, never let opportunities pass you by and always light a candle when you visit a church!