Road Trip Revisited

I was on the road for 39 days and completed 35 posts of my blog. The road trip became a possibility when I found out unexpectedly in August I would be taking a year off from teaching. The blog began at Jon's suggestion the day before we left. Both the road trip and the blog became both enjoyable learning experiences.
Choosing the title, "Eat, Laugh and Learn", came easily, as three activities that come easily to my traveling companions, DC and Mo. Eating was featured more in the beginning of the blog than the end. This could be that eating out was a fresher experience in the beginning, the portions were bigger, and excellent value for money.

There were times when I didn't laugh. My car broke down twice on the road. Both times they were costly and time consuming fixes. I nearly gave up. I missed my family and wondered whether I was doing the right thing. However, there were plenty of times to see the funny side, and laugh despite our less than ideal accommodations. DC always laughed, and documented the tragedy with photographs. Even without pictures we will never forget our colorful mechanic in Blagoevgrad, Madame Mensura's flighty eye makeup, Herr Bruner's disco shower, and Mo's friendship with young Luca.
Learning happened throughout, not just because we were visiting new places, but because we were willing to try something new. I have over 1000 pictures to remind me of what I saw, but the blog will remind me of what I learned.
Without the blog, I would remember the best and the worst. I will remember, and try to avoid, the places I didn't like, the tourist traps. I have never liked visiting places where the only activity to do is spend money along with lots of other people.
I will also remember the places so beautiful they take your breath away. These places are even more special when they come as a surprise, like a pleasant discovery.

I will easily remember the places where the weather was beautiful, or very wet and rainy. But I need help remembering the in between times, the times when the weather didn't matter, when there was no beautiful view, when on the road to somewhere else, or a needed stop on the way. My blog will remind me of the smaller lessons I learned along the way, that seemed insignificant at the time, but with later reflection, helped me to put things in perspective and get the whole picture.
Two things I learned from my traveling companions: From DC, take pictures of the good and the bad, the strange and the ordinary, document and notice everything. From Mo, always travel with a phone, there is no substitute.