I had always wanted to go to London. Something was calling me there, and I couldn’t ignore it. I did everything I could to get myself there, and it ultimately paid off. I spent the effort adding extra passport pages, exchanging dollars for pounds, and researching power converters, and although it took a lot of planning, the memories and experiences I walked away with made it more than worth it.

A lot of people don’t travel because of all the preparation that it involves. When I was waiting to get additional passport pages, my mom and I were talking about all the things that I still needed to do. I wasn’t worried. My mom said she dreaded traveling for that very reason. Don’t let the preparation of traveling keep you from going on the vacation of your dreams. I didn’t let it stop me, and now I have what seems like a lifetime of amazing memories.

If you love art, London is the place for you. Walking through London is like walking through a real life museum. The monuments, the huge buildings, and the atmosphere create such an immersing environment. Even the street art is beautiful. I spent a whole day walking around the Victoria and Albert Museum, or just the V and A Museum. Huge rooms packed with artifacts from every civilization were everywhere, and that was only one wing of the museum. Standing beside a huge, ancient artifact left me feeling so small and insignificant in the scheme of things, and it was such a cool learning experience. Huge halls filled with everything from fashion exhibits to fine art wove through the Museum, and I left feeling like I had walked though ten different museums.

I also got to explore the Tate Modern Museum. Before I had explored it, I was generally disillusioned by the modern art I had previously experienced. However, stepping into this huge hangar-like building, I was instantly amazed by the variety of art that I saw in front of me. I spent hours not only looking at but also interacting with all the modern art, some laced with such powerful messages that left me feeling inspired.

The best part of my trip was getting to go to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. William Shakespeare and all his works are the object of my undying love, and getting the opportunity to see plays at their birthplace was unbelievable. I chose to see the play as a “groundling,” and although my feet hurt a little by the end, getting to stand at the edge of the stage was amazing. I felt like I was in the play, and I’ll admit, I got so wrapped up that I cried at the end of Othello.

If there is somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, whether it’s London, Paris, or Tokyo, just go. Something is calling you there, and probably for good reason. So get yourself a new U S passport or add new passport pages, pack your bags, and be ready for the trip of a lifetime.

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