Memories

I don't know that I have ever had a traveling experience that I didn't like. No, I have enjoyed every trip that I have ever taken. But I have definitely enjoyed some more than others.
Its not just the trip itself that I enjoy either, its the anticipation, the means of travel and the gathering of information and the arrival.
In the end, though, I often just have random memories of each trip. Something wonderful taken from each place. Crossing the mile-high swinging bridge at Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina when I was roughly 5. Climbing up the steps of the Statue of Liberty- I was 3, I think, and I climbed up every one of those stairs I remember this vividly because we taunted my brother saying "your little 3 year old sister is doing this, and you arent" (he's 11 years older than me). Helicopter ride the first time we went to Hawaii. My dad and brother riding the roller coaster that went underground when we were at Busch Gardens in Florida. Walking on the roads when we went to South Carolina the first time and watching turtle nests. The epic house that we stayed in when we went to South Carolina the second time- it had bathrooms that were reminiscent of public restrooms- there was a men's and a women's, we also watched a lot of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" it was the fun new, primetime show of the year. The wildfires of Colorado and Utah during our rafting trip, but also falling out of the "duckie" while going through a rapid- and losing a bottle cap and maybe my sunglasses. The Riverwalk of San Antonio. Being sick in Germany and having the strangest nightmares, but also walking through the Brandenburg gate. The windmills and tulips and Red Light District of Amsterdam, but the Anne Frank house, the canals and the train station too, of and the Van Gogh museum. The major square in Brussels and the Pissing Boy. Going up the Eiffel tower at night and sitting on the lawn in front of the Louvre watching Michael show-off his acrobatics. Watching Charmed in London on TNT, but also being in charge of getting half of our group home- because I was a master navigator. Watching the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, and visiting the Tower of London. Staying with really wealthy relatives in Seattle, and then with mom's roommate who she realized she no longer had anything in common with, the ferry and space needle and the famous fish market. The second trip to Hawaii- this time with my brother- some woman being harassed, Waikiki, unintentional bargaining with the street vendors and then the Big Island where the Volcano was kind of a bust. Getting car sick in Costa Rica- trip 1- while traveling on the horrible roads, but being woo-ed by Carlos who worked at the hotel, the hot springs. Riding horses and 4-wheelers in Costa Rica when we went with Brandon and Desi, not to mention getting scared out of our minds in the dark and riding in a 4 seater plane for the first time ever. Another Costa Rica trip- with Grandma and Bobby- my only memories are that I played cards with grandma at the little airport, I brought home a "green taco" for Wes and that Timmy was gone by the time I got home. I think there was one more trip with just me, mom and dad- but I am not certain. I remember going on a zip-line tour, it must have been our first trip, because it was before dad had the heart attack. Oh, going on a bike ride in Costa Rica but having to stop half way through because dad got sick- and this was after the heart attack, and maybe the first time we found out he had low potassium. The third trip to Hawaii we went to Maui, drove on roads that werent really meant for rental cars, stayed in an awesome 2 bed 1 bath house for $85 dollars a night, drove to Hana- where gas was over $4 a gallon and this was in 2006, and played in downtown Lahaina. The elderhostel in Canada where we saw a bald eagle on the 4th of July, kayaked in a glacier fed lake, climbed an actual rock wall and where I sprained my ankle. There is the elderhostel in Idaho where we also went to Yellowstone- which means we ventured into Wyoming and Montana. The Idaho trip also included "Craters of the Moon" park and getting $14 out of an abandoned vending machine at an abandoned rest area. Epic homesickness at soccer camp in Knoxville. Going to the St. Louis arch with Girl Scouts, and being in St. Louis with my Payton as we visited a friend who had just gotten a double lung transplant- we ate breakfast at a Waffle House before we said our farewells. Driving to Minneapolis for the vet conference with Payton- her first big trip. But we stopped in Champagne, IL and at the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin. We also drove through the Wisconsin Dells. Driving to Chicago with ILEAP in elementary school and eating at the Rainforest Cafe and doing the tourist-y things. Driving to Chicago on the Monday before election day so as to see a special exhibit. Going to a 4H thing in New Jersey. Visiting the Titanic exhibit and something having to do with Ben Franklin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Stopping by  Pennsylvania Dutch area and Hershey. I took my first steps in Washington D.C. and then visited my over my birthday in 1999, again my first year of high school, the summer after I graduated and over a weekend just last year. Of the 1999 trip I remember going to the holocaust museum on my birthday, but having a surprise birthday party later. That first year of high school we were visiting friends of my mom's and we took a train from Cincinnati to DC I remember doing the touristy things but then staying up late watching strange movies. After high school, we visited those same friends and I got lost in the woods with the kid who is my age, we went to Harry Potter and visited mom while she was at the vet conference. Last year it was just an overnight trip, and I went with my grandma to visit my great-aunt, who has since passed.
Wow, that took longer than I expected- both in time and space, and I didnt cover all of my trips I am missing a trip to Upstate New York, 2 to Maine which includes one to New Hampshire and Vermont too. I am missing Virginia Beach, anything in Indiana or Ohio. A trip to California, Nashville, Alabama and 2 to Georgia- well really 3- are missing. I didnt talk about Arizona, or Israel. And I think there are even a couple that I just cant recall at the drop of a hat.
But the reason I started this post was not to reminisce on ALL of my past trips but rather to comment and talk about how out of all the trips that I have taken, none of them resonate with me as much as my trip to Italy does.
I think about something from my Italy trip almost daily. Whether it be a memory of Venice, Florence or Rome, and sometimes I even think of Padova or Pisa. These memories flood me in the middle of the mundane parts of my life. They come to me randomly, and I always relish in the memories. I think about Venice, Florence and Rome far more often than I think about any of my other travels- combined. Now, I dont know why Italy resonates with me so much, but I love it. And I hope that maybe some day I can go back- perhaps share some memories and/or make new ones with loved ones.
Here's my last thought of the day: If you have a trip that you get to live often, dont squeeze those memories so tight that you lose them, but cherish them, handle them like a luxury, a newborn, something that has to be treated well.
Goodnight everyone, I'm off to dreams of Italy!