Jen, Sandy, Robin at the entrance to the Grand Bazaar.

Previously, I mentioned a “grown up” vacation, my first in a while. The trip itself was two weeks (16 days if we’re being technical). Being a fan of naming things, I dubbed it Gallivanting Europe: Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.

Sadly, there were no polkas on this trip, although I still think we should count all the lederhosen. More about that later.

But first, the trip: Istanbul, Budapest, Bucharest, Vienna, Prague. By train. I sqwee’d before, and I’ll sqwee again. Sandy promised me sketch border crossings (delivered), castles (Transylvania!), pastries (I can’t even), trip treasures…all good great things.

I had fabulous intentions of posting from each city, like I did about our arrival in Istanbul, here. But after that first night, well, writing wasn’t super high on my priority list.

But now to the point: the people I gallivanted with. (Isn’t that a great word? Gallivant. Grown ups don’t gallivant enough. I’m determined to go gallivanting more often.)

Some people are easy to travel with. Others…aren’t. I cop to a little early trepidation–would we all get along? would they regret letting me tag along? But my nervousness was unfounded. Sandy, Aubrie, and Robin were fantastically easy to travel with. Utterly. After about the first 36 hours, I think we’d figured it all out, and definitely by day 4 we’d developed our collective rhythm for the trip.

Aubrie, Sandy, Jen on the Eminönü ferry.

I’ve always felt this way, but after this trip I’m more convinced than ever: the people you travel with, and the relationships you nurture as a result, are as important, if not more so, than the itinerary. Oh! I had so much fun with these people!!

Sandy, aside from being fabulous in general, is a teacher. She works with student entrepreneurs, pushing them beyond their self-imposed limitations to accomplish amazingly incredible things. In life, she embraces every experience as a potential learning lab and is perpetually on the lookout for the lesson, for the teaching moment.

Aubrie and Robin run Actuality Media, giving film students practical experience in working with nonprofit organizations–change makers, they call them–creating documentaries to tell their stories. It was fascinating to experience them absorb our adventure(s) and provide a running commentary translated through their respective perspectives. And equally fascinating to myself start seeing through their view finders. The best equivalent analogy I can draw is in learning a new language…at first, you actively translate in your head what you read or hear, what you want to say. Over time you become proficient and eventually begin actually thinking in that language.

I’m certain I don’t have adequate words to express my gratitude to these three amazing people. The entire adventure was pure joy.