The following post was written as a part of our Explorica Student Ambassador program. Our student ambassadors documented and shared their Explorica travel experiences and had the chance to reflect on their journeys after they returned. To see more of their time abroad, visit the #ExploricaStudentAmbassador hashtag on Instagram.
Leslie and her group traveled on our European Highlights tour. Click here to view a detailed itinerary of their adventures!
Day 2: Amsterdam
We finally arrived in Amsterdam, where we met our tour guide and dropped our luggage at the hotel. We took a trolley to Dam Square, where we had to be extremely careful not to walk on the bike lanes or in front of the trolley cars. The locals looked, spoke, and behaved differently than what I was used to. Listening in on their expressions was very cool!
Day 3: Amsterdam
After visiting the diamond factory (every girl’s dream!), we took an hour-long cruise. The boat traveled through the canal, in between the tall houses and under bridges. Riding in the back of the boat was the best part, with open fresh air and the busy city around us.
Later, we walked to the Anne Frank house. The tour was very sad, yet uplifting and motivating. It helped us reflect on what it was like for the Franks, with their obstacles, hardships, and happier moments before the war. I signed my name in the guest book hoping to leave my mark on the place.
Day 4: Cologne and Heidelberg
We settled ourselves in a ginormous (very comfy) bus and reached Cologne after two hours. The middle of the city was filled with music, restaurants, and shops. The tallest cathedral I’ve ever seen stood right in the center, nearly taking my breath away. It had dark patches, which our tour guide Sergio told us came from coal. After our free time was over, we headed back to the bus to drive to Heidelberg.
Day 5: Munich
We arrived at the Dachau concentration camp where many Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others were sent during WWII. Seeing the camp in person gave me a much deeper emotional connection to the war. I walked to where the living quarters used to be, and the whole time I was imagining the huge numbers of people who were there years ago and the suffering they had been through. Reading their stories in the museum exhibit and seeing the camp right in front of me allowed me to sympathize with those who suffered more than just reading facts out of a textbook. Before I left, I placed a pebble on one of the memorials.
A couple more hours on the bus and we reach Munich, where I absolutely fell in love with our bike tour. Our guide took the lead and cycled us around Bavaria, which is indeed beautiful! He shows us some famous monuments and a giant cathedral. In the cathedral we encountered many paintings on the walls, long rows of chairs, candles, and memorials.
Day 9: Lucerne
We stopped to see the famous dying lion of Lucerne, which is made out of erodible rock. To preserve it, they use thin slices of metal to brush rainwater away. It’s pretty cool and well kept.
Afterward, we boarded our ferry to Mount Pilatus. It took over an hour, and then we took a sky lift up for another thirty minutes to finally reach the top. It was chilly but the view was amazing! We took many pictures at the peak, and it was the first time I ever saw snow in person. It was beyond incredible.
Day 11: Paris
We make it to our hotel first where we leave our luggage and head straight for the Eiffel Tower. It was way bigger than I anticipated. From the second floor I could see all of Paris — it was gorgeous!
Day 14: London
We reached Buckingham Palace just in time to see the changing of the guards. We were all waiting patiently on the rails of the road for the British soldiers to come marching our way. As we heard the drums, sure enough, the soldiers came. There was a horse on either end, and the music kept everyone in sync. Seeing the famous redcoats in person made me feel completely fulfilled. I couldn’t have left London without seeing them!
If you know me, you know about my fear of heights. I didn’t feel as nervous as I thought I would buying a ticket for the London Eye. Once I was close enough to the front of the line, my fear started taking over but I remained calm. On the Eye, I felt surprisingly at ease. It’s rather slow, so you can enjoy the view much better — and that I did. The view was thrilling and definitely a one of a kind feeling. I could see all of London!
On the way to dinner, we stopped by the gorgeous Globe Theatre that I’ve read so much about in my senior year Theatre class. We also got a good view of Tower Bridge, often mistaken for the London Bridge. It was beyond beautiful and far from what I imagined.
I am so happy I was given the opportunity to travel to all these places. I give all thanks and appreciation to my Mom and Dad for helping me get here and being super supportive. I also would like to give thanks to my sister, who came along with me!
