It’s only 4 AM when my eyes fly open. It’s way too early to be getting up. But my mind is racing, already wide awake, and I know I won’t be going back to sleep. Today, I’m headed to Paris. It’s already afternoon in Europe anyway. I may as well get up and get used to the time difference.
You’d think that I’d be overcome with excitement at the thought of the City of Lights and travel to France. And I am — sort of. I’m looking forward to exploring a new place, seeing a different culture and experiencing another land. What travel junkie wouldn’t be?
Yet there’s also a small hesitation, like the kind you feel when you’re not quite sure what to expect. My last memories of Paris involved getting robbed, a police station, wondering where to stay when I had no money.
But then there was the Parisian woman who went out of her way to help me, to ensure I had a safe place to stay. She was a lifeline to me when I needed one. (See The Parisian Angel.)
The beautiful and the ugly. Both can be found at every location, even in a romantic city like Paris. This time, I’m hoping to see the city in a new light with fresh eyes. To discover parts of her I’ve never seen, and to learn more about her people.
That’s the beauty of travel. It’s a new experience every time. I’m ready for another adventure.
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