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My leap into the unknown almost forced me to relocate to Amsterdam days before my 24th birthday, now despite what many might believe this was not an exile or an escape. A major lesson I learned was that even if you clipped a caged bird’s wings they will still yearn to fly. Soon I was getting restless so I gave in my two weeks’ notice and booked a flight to London to start my first ever road trip. My wings demanded I jump out of my nest of ‘adulthood’ and into the uncertain yet exciting world. As the departure date grew near the traveling jitters filled my body, a mixture of anxiety, excitement and restless energy, anyone who has traveled would understand the feeling. Soon I was on my night flight to Heathrow with a whole row just to myself…the signs of good things to come. I didn’t know at the time but that trip would bring me a lot of firsts. I landed in London Heathrow on cloudy morning and tried to figure out how to get to the hotel, luckily I’m a New Yorker so I had master the biggest and most elaborate underground subway system so the tube was nothing compare to that. By the time I arrived to the city center rush hour was in full effect and I was desperately trying not to be one of those people with big luggage in the way while some are trying to get to work, it was my second time in London. A few days in London and then I met the group of strangers that would become my companions on my first European road trip. We drove to Dover to take a ferry to France getting a view of the white cliffs of Dover and the very industrial shoreline of Calais, France. After that we continued to drive through the French country side towards my second visit to Paris getting to view the actually airport like gas stations that the country had to offer as an America I felt it was too much for a gas station but as a traveler I loved it. Paris was great, the sun was bright and sunny and for November it was perfect and warm day eating Nutella crepes in front of the river Seine. By night I splurged on a show in the Moulin Rouge which led my first wild night ever. After Paris we drove to Lucerne, Switzerland getting a brief view of snow which was nothing to a girl from New York. The mountain lodge high above the city had the most magnificent views; the sun was a combination of yellows and oranges painting the city like a work of Art. From the natural beauty of Lucerne we drove to the extravagance of the French Riviera. Nice brought us another beautiful day by the French shoreline and Monaco was all bright lights and lavish style. Unfortunately much like many people I don’t watch my spending when traveling so when we went to Florence I did not hesitate to accept an invitation to a very expensive diner and night club after. Venice was flooded and I got extremely sick from being out in the rain so my pockets took a break. After Italy I returned to my first love Vienna and it felt like home. After Vienna we did a brief stop in Munich and then stopped to view some windmills in the Holland country side. In Amsterdam I ran into the issue of an empty bank account luckily I had pay for my hotel beforehand but my flight home was leaving from Barcelona so I had to find a way to get there is I wanted to go home. I had two options read palms like my uncle once did hoping I was convincing or turn to the bank that is always willing and ready to help…mom. It was an adventure to get to Barcelona and spend four days including my birthday without a penny to my name. It was definitely my most memorable trip to date, filled with first times and unknowns that now I realize were important to making be who I am.