Do you ever find yourself on a really great drive, or maybe not even a great drive, but just one in which your thoughts have clearly taken you far from the road in front of you? You arrive at your destination and wonder, “how in the world did I make it here?” “I don’t recall driving at all.” As I sit on my balcony in Athens, Greece, I’m having a similar thought. Looking at my view, one would think I was in China- or at least that’s what Jessica has said. Each individual boxed balcony has it’s own collection of randomness. CD’s hung from string twirl and sparkle while the greatest breeze blows the hanging laundry and tattered sheets. An array of satellite dishes and antennas cover the rooftops, while soft lights flicker on an off, silhouetting the people inside. The sounds are that of any typical city, Air conditioners kick on and off, trucks shift gears, and the couple on the balcony across the way talks softly, quickly reminding me that I am far from home.

How did I get here? How is it that I am able to describe the final sweet moments of a city being put to bed, and not just any city, but one of the oldest most historic cities in the world?
I guess the short answer would be, a few months of intense planning and one reeeeeeeeally long plane ride across the Atlantic.

For a more meaningful answer you’d have to go back two years, back to a time where life wasn’t really the best, where life seemed stress filled, tiring, overwhelming, and not really much fun. It was during that time that a few friends got together to plan a trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world….you might have heard me mention it before….Hawaii. The trip wasn’t necessarily meant to be life changing, and I guess I dramatize it when I say that, but somehow it was. It was refreshing, and renewing, and all those cliché things that people say when something is just so incredibly fantastic. The Hawaii trip sparked an interest in not just going through the motions of life, but really living it up so to speak. That initial trip made me realize my love for traveling, the beauty of sharing adventures with friends, and the importance of really resting. Needless to say after that trip I was hooked, and soon began thinking about the next trip. A few options were thrown out on the table, but in the end Greece took the prize.

Already Greece has turned out to be quite different than our Hawaii trip (it is a little unfair to have to compete with the trip that has been called, “the one with all the upgrades.”) Things haven’t gone 100% great these last 30 hours, (in our future post, look forward to hearing about a strike, an attempted purse snatch, and a near bachelorette viewing disaster), but there have been things we’ve thoroughly enjoyed and so much more to look forward to.

Jessica and I, along with part time traveling companion Susan, can’t wait to share all of our amazing experiences…and maybe a few not so good ones…with you. We will give our best shot at writing a blog that is factual (at least mostly), witty, informative, and inspiring. We feel like it’s such a gift to be traveling through a new part of God’s creation and would love for you to catch glimpses of our journey as you check in with our blog.