Leaving On A Jet Plane

Sometimes the simplest pleasures and the seemingly insignificant moments in time are some of the most rewarding, life-changing experiences. I first heard about Contiki in a line at a concert. We were piled up to see headliners My Chemical Romance in the summer of 2005 at the House of Blues on Sunset in Hollywood. I was at the concert alone, covering the show for The Daily Trojan, the University of Southern California's student-run newspaper. I began chatting and joking with two people in front of me in line. We chilled at the concert all night and had a lot of fun rocking out, so at the end of the night I received their business cards and they told me a little bit about Contiki, the travel and touring company they were working for. I immediately fell in love with the company's mission and their ideas about traveling for young people. It seemed like Contiki allowed hassle-free travel and the opportunity to enjoy and discover the world with young, ambitious travelers from around the world. We shot some emails back and forth through out the next week or so, and I checked out the Contiki website too. I bookmarked Contiki.com so that I could turn to Contiki sometime in the future when I had time to check out the world.

So that takes me to tomorrow, where over 43 other young students from across the nation and I will be heading overseas to enjoy the Contiki experience on a European excursion. We will be visiting six countries and doing lots of sightseeing, trying authentic traditional meals, going gondola riding in Venice and white water rafting in the Austrian Alps, viewing culture shows in Prauge and Munich, sightseeing, and making new friends! The best part is that Contiki takes care of the transportation, breakfasts and most dinners, as well as offers a tour guide to point out the best spots to see. I can barely contain my excitement!

I truly think that travel not only broadens the mind but also the soul. I can't wait to meet my fellow travelers. Anyway I should probably start packing :) Here's to kicking off my Contiki experience!!

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - Quote from my Contiki information handbook