Sharing Travel with Friends

My dear friend Tai and I shared our first trip to Europe about seven years ago. We backpacked through England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales together. I don't think it's any exaggeration to say that those few weeks were among the most memorable and meaningful in my life. We were footsore and weary sometimes, poor all the time, and cranky at least once, but I think travelling together was an amazing way to strengthen a friendship that was already strong.

Even if I rustled around WAY too early in the morning for Tai's liking. :)

Tai has posted a few pictures on her blog from a trip to Italy a few years ago. She says there are some places you wish you were ...right NOW.

I've been to Italy too and remember that country as fondly as she does. We're going to travel there again in 2007 with another amazingly dear friend.Pol has never travelled far from home before and Tai and I are looking forward so much to sharing her first impressions.

I can hardly wait.

Alas, I didn't own a digital camera when I went to Italy (I did not realize how bereft I was), but in the spirit of sharing travel memories I am going to post a few happy travel memories from my trip to France last year. I wish my friends could have shared that experience too, because although you can share pictures it's hard to capture the feeling of being....there.

For instance, the surreal feel of a cafe at the foot of an ancient colisseum in Nimes....



These pictures are from a warm spring morning in the garden of a fairytale chateau in the Loire Valley. I am a contented soul among the tulips.





And there is just something about the stone alleyways and courtyards of Europe that seem so romantic to me. I photographed these in St. Paul-de-Vence.