KL467

1. At what age did you first go to Europe?

2. Where did you visit?

3. What circumstances took you to Europe?

I was 38 years old the first time I went to Europe. I really wanted to go to France, but circumstances took me to Italy and Greece instead. I went with a group from my daughter's school.

As a teenager from Kentucky, I mostly traveled in areas like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida and had very little interest in anything else besides boys. When I was in my 20's, I traveled quite a bit in the United States but no had no interest in Europe. At age 33, the Europe bug hit. I now have a super strong interest in Europe, history, and most everything else that goes on in our world.

I have been to Europe twice now, and I did make it to France (age 40). Although I am a single mom and going to Europe takes up a great deal of my vacation time, I hope to go once a year for the next 40 years.

I look forward to reading the variety of answers. Some may have first gone to Europe at age 5, some at 20, some at 40, and some at 80! I started late, so I plan to make up for lost time.

Kim,
New York State

jamikins

First made it to Europe at 24, went on a Contiki tour. Visited London, France, Spain, Italy, Austira, Switzerland, Netherlands and Germany. Would not do a tour again, but it certainly gave me the bug. Have been back every year since and now live in London so I can travel more!

cherrybomb

I'll Play

1. age 24

2. Italy: Rome to Florence to Lucca to Sienna back to Rome.

3. My boyfriend, now husband, prompted the vacation in order to propose to me. He had been to Europe prior on the post-college 4 month backpack trek and choose Italy but let me choose all the destinations outside of Rome and Florence. He waited until the last night to propose leading me to constantly worry that he had changed his mind (it was an unspoken that we would get engaged there) as we had never traveled together prior.

We were too poor to go back again as we live(d) in NYC until we were able to do a trip to France for my 29th birthday. We made do with yearly trips to Kauaii as his parents have a condo there and it was free to stay.

Now we travel abroad 2-3 times a year with a goal of trying to go everywhere--or as many places as possible by the time I am 40--that leaves me 6 1/2 years.

Right now we are planning for May in either Berlin, Vienna or Krakow. Last night we started leaning toward Berlin. But hard to decide.

Also, we go where our FF miles will take us, luckily, being in a hub city helps as we have had no problems cashing them in.

travel2live2

Age: 24.
Where: Iceland (a week) and Scotland (3 weeks).
Circumstance: My sister and her husband were living in Glasgow at the time so obviously I had to go and visit! Although I had always wanted to travel (and planned to that end) that got me totally hooked - have not stopped since.

hetismij

1. At birth
2. My home
3. My Mum was there at the time.

Jane196

I was 58 when I first went to Europe and loved it. I studied English literature in high school with a teacher that had a passion for Europe. She talked of her travels and gave us all that same passion too. But unfortunately the lack of funds put that on hold for decades. But now I am going to Paris, Brussels and Troyes this March. It will be my fourth trip to Europe.

quokka

1. 1966, age 0

2. Where? Braunschweig, Germany

3. "What circumstances took you to Europe?" I was born ;-)

mebe

My first trip to Europe was at 15. I still remember that overwhelming excitement as I looked out the airplane window and saw British lisence plates.

I walked through Heathrow with my eyes wide absorbing all the "new" things, including the toilets -- LOL!

My Mom and I spent two weeks in Scotland. One week in Edinburgh visiting friends and the other week traveling by train to Inverness and then on to the Isle of Sky.

Every travel decision was spontaneous. We went to Inverness to see Loch Ness. While there we discovered our clan came from Kyle of Lochalsh (sp?) next to Isle of Sky, so we took off to find our "homeland."

I've been addicted to travel ever since. In May, I leave for my fifth trip (in 15 years - can't believe it!) for a second visit to Italy.

bozama

First trip back to Europe was when I was 10. My mother ,younger sister and I went and spent the summer with my grandmother( dads mom) . I was born in France but we had moved to back to Canada ( mom was Canadian a "praire girl&quotwhen I was still an infant , so this was our first time back to meet assorted family members. since I was travelling with my mom and sister I didn't need to speak french and just remember how big my grandmothers house was, how it had a wine cave in the basement, how weird the milk tasted, and they had no ketchup!!
At 13 I was sent back to France to spend the summer with granny again. By myself this time, and my granny spoke no english, and I , still no french. My granny wrote my parents complaining all I would eat was soup, ham and ice cream. I wrote home saying all I could understand on a menu was potage, jambon, and peche melba, LOL . I made friends with french kids who wanted to practice english with me. I learned very little french, LOl. My granny spent the whole 3 months taking me all around europe, showing me a great time, she even scheduled private all day tours for places like the Lourve.I was a lucky girl.

I then returned at 23 with a friend, we spent 2.5 months touring around, included Greece and loved it.. had so much fun. Since then have about 5-6 times since. With my teen, with my friend, with my dad, on my own.
Going with my 12 yr old this July.
Plan is to get there at least every 2 years now. I like to go for at least 3 weeks at a time, but have also gone for 9 days once, and that was way too short.

ekscrunchy

1. Age 17

2. Valencia, Spain with weekend sidetrips within Spain

3. Summer school (after high school)

lvktravel

1.34, 1992

2. Spain

3. My mother and three sisters all wanted to go somewhere together, so I came up with Spain. One by one my sisters backed out, but 1 great Aunt and her friend, and 2 Aunts all wanted to go. We had the best time, and really enjoyed the tour we took.
I haven't been able to go back to europe alot since then, but in 06 one of my sisters and myself went to Germany for two weeks, on our own. This April we are going to Greece for two weeks, but this time it is with a tour.

AAFrequentFlyer

At the age of 13 with my 17 yo sister to visit grandma.

My first independent trip to Europe happened few years later. My best buddy and I, both 18, flew across the big pond for 6 weeks of fun and discovery...

Been back more times than I can count.

My gf and I are going back this Tuesday. Actually we're going to Egypt first, but afterwards we will stop in Croatia, to visit with our friends

highflyer

1. Born in Europe
2. Wales
3. Outside my control

Pinchme_iam_dreaming

First trip to Europe was when I was 42 Sept 2005
We drove from Amsterdam to,
Paris,France
Hornberg,Germany
Zurich,Switzerland
Innsbruck,Austria
Salzburg,Austria
Munich,Germany

Then sept 2007
Paris
Munich
Mittenwald
Wurzburg
Frankfurt

Next Sept 2008
Amsterdam
Brussels
Paris

pja1

Hi,

I was 30 years old in 1990.
Our very first trip was 1 night in Liechtenstein (our first night in Europe) and 10 nights in Switzerland.

Paul

suze

40
Vevey Switzerland
to celebrate my birthday and visit a dear friend who lives there

Jean

1. Five in 1957
2. London
3. My mom's first trip back to visit family since she'd left as a war bride in 1946. I can remember how black the London buildings were and the rubble piles remaining from the Blitz. (Some of those piles were still there on our next trip to London in 1963.)

DAX

At 16 flying Pan Am from SFO to explore London on my own, visiting siblings in Mainz & Geneva, then to Paris, and eventually visiting cousins in Amsterdam & Zwolle. It was my first and longest (10 week) independent travel ever.

cls2paris

I was 35 and flew into Munich and out of Paris. My friend and I had backpacks and a Eurail pass and a loose plan. We went to Rothenberg, Vienna, Salzburg, Fussen, Lucerne, Florence, Rome and Paris. It was a fantastic trip! I learned so much about myself and many times felt very ignorant - of world history, art history, language, and much more. But, I have taken some classes, done a lot of reading and have been back about 8 more times. The first trip infected me with a huge European travel bug, and fortunately I have been able to take advantage of all of these learning opportunities.

StCirq

I was 23 and I auditioned for and won a spot on a USO Tour, performing for US military bases in Europe at Christmastime.

We performed all over Germany, Italy, and Belgium, and I took day trips to France on my days off.

I went back the next year on my own, then started chaperoning school groups for 8 years in Paris and the Loire, then got into the habit of spending every summer, all summer, in Europe....eventually bought a second home in France and ended up spending a couple or more months there every year.

Plan to retire there in the not so ditant future.