There's No Price Tag for Travel

 Queenstown, New Zealand circa 2010.

This weekend was a big graduation weekend, and once again I am reminded that I'm not getting any younger.  It still feels like yesterday, that I was partying four nights a week in college.

When I graduated I treated myself to a trip to visit an old roommate in New Zealand, which while ridiculously indulgent and silly, was equally flawless and rewarding.

Every year I would work my ass off, to save as much $$$ as I could, to blow a whole year of savings on (what was usually a European) summer vacation.

Germany December 2010- yes I ate that WHOLE thing!!

Though some might argue it would have been wiser (I suppose the proper word would be more wise) to save or invest the money, I but to that I say, 'whatever'.

Of all the money I spent on traveling, and trust me it's A LOT, was worth every dollar,
pound, euro,  peso, and forint.

Also if I hadn't spent that money I wouldn't have stories like losing my front tooth in Spain, hailing a Police car as a taxi cab in Florence, and being kicked out of the Vatican, and being naked in a castle.

I'm not quite sure what serious life lessons I learned traveling, based on the list above, they'd be far and few between, but if I had to list some they'd include:
 ...
 try the food,

take public transit, 
talk to the locals,
make friends in hostels,
walk the city 'til you can't walk any more, 

embrace the culture,
never (okay maybe not never, but you get the point) say no to something you've never done,

and always, always drink the beer!

 Dublin, circa 2011 - pre weight watchers