“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain

There are those who say we are crazy to plan a trip to Europe this summer. The dollar is weak against the Euro. The airlines are merging, bankrupting, canceling flights. And who goes to Europe any more?

The responsible thing to do would be to stay at my job through the end of July, scrimping and saving and putting money away for all the days that might be rainy over the next six years that I will be in graduate school. The grown-up thing to do would be to spend the rest of the summer settling into my new home in Florida and maintaining a physical mailing address for the entire summer.

However, rather then listen to reason or logic or perhaps even common sense, I am giving into my wanderlust, putting a few things into a backpack and wandering across the continent, in search of castles, art, culture, and new experiences. Luckily for me, Lindsay has agreed to come along, carrying half the load of the research, homework, and gear and I am hoping her fantastic photography will capture as much of the trip as possible. Stay tuned for more on our preparations, journey and reflections.