Nikki Yeager

Him: "You're going to Spain? That's awesome." 

Me: "Yea, I've never done Europe before." 

Him: "You and Daniel will have a great time. Perfect place for couples"

Me: Bursting with giggles "I'm not taking Daniel! This is MY vacation." 

Him: Drawn back in something resembling horror, "But... you can't go alone"

To which I could only chuckle and ignore the remark. Why is it that boys always find it inconceivable that a girl should travel on her own? 

Is it only boys who are supposed to embody a traveler's spirit? Well I think that's just silly. Poo poo on the ingrained idea of a vulnerable female. No, I'm ready to take on Spain and do it alone. I'm ready to visit the Dali museum and spend just as many hours as I like staring at the very pieces of art I respect more than Monet or Rembrant. And after the museum I'll attempt to decipher signs and maps, trying to figure out public transportation in a country I know nothing about. I'm ready to laugh out loud at my inability to read, speak or write even beginner's Spanish and am already preparing for the misunderstandings that will follow. Hopefully some good natured hilarity will ensue. 

Please bring on the delicious food in Barcelona and the interesting travelers who are offering their couches for a night here, a night there. Bring on the culture and the night long bus ride to Madrid. This is what I live for- experiencing. Experiencing the taste of another country's food. The pace of another country's life. The language, the sights, the wine. 

Bring it on world. I can't imagine a better way to spend 9 days without a companion. 9 days with no one to rely on but me. 

Nobody to lean on except a little short-haired American girl.