Mackenzie Grell is a student at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She studied abroad with ISA in Barcelona, Spain.
Before I left for Europe, my best friend and I were planning our first two weeks of traveling. We made a list of places we could go and things we could do. We decided to fly into Dublin, Ireland, then go to Reykjavik, Iceland, then head to Berlin, Germany to take a train to Munich. We looked at guide books and made some places to stop, then we started looking at some hikes outside of the cities. Eventually, we made the decision to hike in every country we visit.
So far, we’ve hiked the cliffs outside of Dublin in Howth.
Then, in Reykjavik, we went to Esjan.
We tried to go hike outside of Munich, but didn’t make it. So, when I made a trip to the German island my great grandparents were born, I did a little hike there.
I’ve also hiked Mt. Vesuvius in Italy, Montserrat in Spain, along the Mediterranean in the south of France, to a beach in Tarragona, and some other places.
These hikes are some of my favorite things I’ve done while here. In my opinion, you can learned just as much about culture in nature as in the city. You can talk to those hiking, or keep to yourself, you learn about how much value nature has to a city or country, and it gives you a minute to reflect on what you’ve seen. Setting that goal was one of the best things I’ve done for myself on this trip, and I plan to continue it after I return home. The photos you see here are the ones that bring me the most joy, the ones I love sharing with my friends and family back home, and the ones I’m most proud to share with you guys.
The world awaits…..discover it!