By this time tomorrow, I'll be well on my way to Madrid, and the start of my second trip to Europe. To say I'm excited would certainly be an understatement, but I can't help feel this trip will be a profoundly different experience than the last. On my 2007 trip, I was younger, on a more limited budget, and traveling with a large guided group. This was great at the time- I was able to see a ton without much of the stress associated with travel in foreign countries. That said, I definitely didn't get as much freedom as I'd have liked. 

This time around, while I'll be traveling with others (Ali and Patrick), we will have much more control over what we see and do each day. With only a few days in each city, it will still be a rush to see it all, but its my hope that this trip will allow for a bit more "immersion". 

I'll do my best to keep this blog updated with my travels, though its unclear what my internet access will be like in some of the cities. So long for now- I've got a long flight ahead of me.