• 

People have asked how much we walked around Europe on our 54 day trip.  Here is the answer, according to Fitbit:  We each took 969,051 steps.  Two more days, and we would have walked a million steps.  We each walked over 443 miles.  We each walked up 1,561 flights of stairs.  With all that work, though, we didn’t lose ANY weight.  Why?  I blame the street food, fish and chips, lack of vegetables, and an overabundance of dessert.  We had to try everything, right? It was all worth it!  Since we got home, we’ve cut carbs WAY down, continued to walk, and we’ve already lost six pounds each.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

As for other modes of transportation, we traveled approximately 11,319 miles by plane,  2,082 miles by train, 310 miles by bus, and 497 miles by car.  Altogether, including walking, we traveled 14,651 miles.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

People have also asked what we missed while we were gone.  We missed our family and friends.  We missed being recognized, at least occasionally. We missed worship services in our language with people we love.  We’ve already attended a Sunday morning AND Tuesday night service since we got back.  We missed the forest and mountains around our home, and we missed seeing stars at night.  We missed cool nights, our recliners, and our bed.  We missed sitting out on our three beautiful decks and our porch for meals, conversations, and relaxation.  We missed being able to go somewhere WITHOUT having to pack.  We missed opening a drawer and finding our toothbrushes. We missed being able to do laundry without all the coins, sweat, and Google translate.  We missed driving our convertible through the mountains and canyons around our home.  We missed vegetables and salad.  We missed unlimited drink refills and water that doesn’t come from a hotel bathroom sink.  We missed washcloths and top sheets, which are rarely provided in European hotels.  We missed clean, slick floors over which we can slide in our socks.  We missed driving on the right side of the road, salt and pepper on the table, and wearing all the clothes we DIDN’T pack in our backpacks.

• 

• 

• 

We saw more pathways, roadways, stairways, doorways, gateways, runways, subways, and waterways than we’ve ever seen in our lives. We saw inclines and declines. We sailed on smooth water and bounced over rough tracks. We hurried, and we lingered. We strode purposely to destinations and ambled blindly into discoveries.

Our trip was truly a trip of a lifetime. We were sorry it was over, but we were ready for some rest after all those miles! We didn’t see everything we wanted to see, but our journey, as all journeys should, eventually led us home.