You have been drifting for so long

One of my favorite things about traveling within Europe was the convenience of traveling by train or bus. The simplicity of being able to purchase a train ticket on a whim, just because you felt like going somewhere new. This simplicity and convenience allowed me to see a large part of Spain while I was abroad.

After a few of these quick trips, I started to look forward to the bus or train journeys just as much as actually seeing the locations themselves. I would find myself planning out not only the details of my trip - hotels, restaurants, clubs - but also my relaxing hours aboard the train. There is something refreshing about traveling by train. I think that I needed those hours with my thoughts to process everything that I had seen and all the changes that had gone around around (and within) me.

Or maybe it was just the novelty of it - here in the US taking a leisurely train ride is pretty much unheard of. We are so focused on getting to our destination as quickly as possible that we overlook the fact that half of the enjoyment is actually getting there.

Is it strange that to this day, riding on any form of public transportation throws me into such nostalgia that it practically makes me cry? One of my fondest memories of traveling in Spain - resting my head against the warm glass of the train window as we rode through the country on the way to Salamanca. I had my walkman on (as always) and I was watching the sights roll by. Numerous "Toro" billboards, rolling hills, and crumbling buildings. I loved every second of it. It's funny how a seemingly insignificant memory like that made such a mark on me. I can remember that train trip more clearly than anything that I actually did in Salamanca.

I think that one of the joys of travel is having the ability to detach yourself for a moment and spend sometime alone to reflect on your experiences. Whether it be sitting down in a cafe with a journal or by daydreaming while you ride on to your next destination.