I Am Not A City Girl: Figuring Out What I Like When I Travel

November 2, 2017…

I have a motto (one of many)… “Wake up excited to start each day.” Today, I didn’t abide by that motto because we were headed to Barcelona. I know what you are thinking, who wouldn’t be excited to see Barcelona?

Well, me.

One of the best things about traveling so much is that you get really good at knowing what you like and what you don’t like.

We’ve been to a lot of different places in the last few years– Canada, Washington, Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Utah, Oregon, Nicaragua, New Zealand, 13 countries in Europe, and Idaho…I’m starting to know exactly what I want in my travel…nature, sports, open spaces, amazing foods from good sources, a nice kitchen to prepare big meals, good affordable wine, and what I don’t want… crowds, tourist attractions, shopping.

In my head, I wasn’t going to get any of what I wanted in Barcelona. But I also believe in living outside your comfort zone, and going into a big city does exactly that for me. Not that I’m scared or overwhelmed per se in a city, it’s just too claustrophobic for me, and usually doesn’t have my adrenaline-filled activities.

So why go into cities at all? Well, I’m still curious.

I want the experience even if it’s not fun. And I really do want to see cool historic buildings like Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, Parc Guel, Casa Batllo, and Arc de Triunfo.  I also want to know what those cities look, feel, and smell like. (I’d be lying if I told you it doesn’t smell like pee!)

I can’t exactly remember why I booked us four nights in Barcelona because usually, my idea of stepping out of my comfort zone and into a city is a one-day affair, not three days.

Even when I’m out of the cities, I find myself getting pickier and pickier about what I’m looking for out of my travels.

My expectations are rising, and in the end, that can set me up for frustration.

In the many books and blogs I’ve written, I talk (extensively) about how Victor has no expectations about travel, and in doing so, he is never disappointed. However, he’s not exactly excited to jump out of bed either. Not that I’m saying it’s wrong, it just is.

Gabi and I have always been the driving force behind our lifestyle. That’s not to say the others don’t love it. They just don’t want to step up and choose where to go and what to do.

This trip was a huge experiment for us. We wanted to feel out a lot of scenarios. For these 6 weeks, we had 9 different Airbnbs along the way. Each one was an opportunity to test out what makes us happy. 

After all, what if you spend your entire life getting straight A’s and a full college scholarship only to realize you’d rather spend your days on a rock wall or trail and need very little stuff to be happy?! (Yep, that’s me.)

If you don’t know, we’ve been living in our RV for 3 years, except for the 6 months in Europe last year, where we lived out of a tent for 52 days.

This last six-week road trip through Spain, France, and Catalunya really opened the eyes of all our family to what we want from our travels and how we can achieve a little bit of what everyone wants/needs. 

Even though I’m not a city girl, we had a great time in Barcelona, but the trip we are planning for next year will be spent in the Pyrenees and Hossegor, not in Barcelona. 

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to Barcelona. Most of my friends and family should visit Barcelona, it’s amazing! 

The point here is to know what makes you excited to jump out of bed and own what you like.

With a family as large as ours, you can’t make everyone happy. I ask my kids every day what they want, what makes them happy, and what they want to work towards. I really want to give them the ability to chase their dreams, but I want their dream to be original. To be theirs. Not to be the status quo. 

I want them to fully understand the ramifications of their decisions and be willing to stand behind them because they can see a result that others may not.

Sitting in a small apartment in Barcelona, happy that we found really good food, with the desire to return to Europe and go to the places that bring us the most joy, we revel in the journey we are on.

The first world problems of a digital nomad. The things many people never stop to question. The stupid things we’ve done and the unrewarding places we’ve been. 

Barcelona gave me the opportunity to know exactly what I don’t want from my travels.

If cities are your thing, great! There are plenty of them to visit, and getting to them is fairly easy. But if you have a two-week vacation and aren’t sure where to go, don’t just book a ticket to Paris or Rome just because that’s what everyone else does.

Try new off-the-beaten-path places and discover where your soul will feel free and rejuvenated. Where your lungs expand, and your shoulders drop. Where life just makes sense to you.

Related blogs:

• 15 Epic Adventures in Northern Spain
• Finding Your Bhavana: How to Create Desire When You Don’t Know What You Want
• Best Places To Go Rock Climbing In Europe With Beginner Friendly Routes
• The Things You Do For Love: Finding Compromise When Your Spouse Doesn’t Love To Travel

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