I find that a top travel destination is anywhere that pushes you past your boundaries and allows you to simply explore and see things in different ways.
Living in London as a supply teacher has opened up many travel opportunities. Living so close to a vast majority of different countries gives you the flexibility to travel to certain destinations at certain times. My goal was to finally venture to the beautiful city of Paris, France during their Christmas season, without the restrictions of a tour guide and a tight schedule. My roommates and I walked that entire city by foot, with only the help of the map and the few attempts of the locals.
This may not sound like the greatest accomplishment, but for me, that was the first time I went to a place without extreme planning and allowed myself to truly explore while enjoying the simple pleasures of a hostel stay. You really cannot truly get to know a city until you’ve walked its perimeters, mapped out its every corner and intersection, chatted hopelessly with locals for help, and stumbled into local restaurants and bars kept hidden from the frenzy of tourists.
When we would finally reach our destinations, the sights were always worth the walk and hustle to get there. The Christmas decorations on all the major attractions were as beautiful and stunning as I knew they would be. They gave every attraction an extra glamour, and there was so much more excitement in the crowds.
On the days we were fortunate enough, we would get to our destinations just in time to see the transition from sunlight to nightfall, when all the major attractions would turn on their twinkling lights and Paris would be completely lit up and ready for all to take in. Paris is a popular destination for a reason, and I highly recommend you give it a visit as soon as you can.
My next goal was to travel to Dublin, Ireland for their much anticipated holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. When my roommates and I finally made this happen, it was a weekend so worth the stomach turning ride of the ferry we took to get there. This time we had to book a tour in order to secure a spot in a hostel, as the entire city becomes completely booked up on this holiday.
This was with no regrets because the tour introduced us to so many new friends from all over the world. Dublin was a city of great beer, so much pride, and to my surprise it turned out to be a very modern and interesting city. The entire city was in celebration! There was live Irish music all over the streets, parades of the most interesting things you will ever see, a sea of creative green costumes, Irish dancing entertainment, and beer and more beer. I have a new appreciation for the Irish because they sure know how to enjoy themselves, and you can’t help but to enjoy yourself in the process.
