The times are a changing...

It has been a long time since I have updated this blog. It is not because I have been lazy and unmotivated, but because I have had the most travel heavy four days of my life - and until I invent a way to give free wifi to the world 24/7, sometimes it can be tough to find.

I do not know where to begin because things have taken a 180 degree turn, a turn for the safer. Going into this trip I was certain that I had the skills and gusto to travel alone wherever the wind blew me. I assumed wrong. And this is where my story begins...

It was Monday morning and I was on a 3 hour train to Amsterdam from Brussels. I was feeling good and ready to go experience the hype of the city. When I arrived I was pretty surprised at what I saw. TOURISTS and bikes. Loads of bikes.



I go strait to my hostel, which seems to be in a central part of the city. I give the man at the front desk my name and he immediately is interested in getting to know me. We talk for a few minutes, and he soon becomes even more interested in my "line of work." I had only been in Amsterdam for maybe 30 minutes, and it did not even cross my mind that being a solo girl traveler, with the name London, who is a dancer, could be misinterpreted easily in a city where prostitution runs wild. Still, not realizing that I had given off the wrong, very wrong, impression, he tells me that he has moved me into a different room that is easier for me to get to if I decide to bring guests back with me. I am in room 001 on the first floor. NOW - a spark goes off.

Because I had already paid, I decide to check out the room anyways. It was filled with creepy older men, and I knew at that moment that I was not going to be staying there. Luckily I was meeting up with friends that were going to be in the city, so now I was on a mission to find wifi and meet up with them ASAP. The only place that I could get online was the bar of the hostel, of course. So I went into the bar to try and connect with them, but because I was sitting alone, men kept coming up to me assuming that I was for sale. It was disgusting. Men are disgusting. Sorry. I left the bar after only a few minutes, made up a terrible excuse, and checked out of the hostel. Luckily my friends gave me a call right at that moment.

I meet my friends at the Dam.






















I was so happy to see them! I was with a group of friends and I immediately felt comfortable and ready to see the city! We walked around and enjoyed the beautiful weather. I began to realize that I was able to enjoy the city ONLY because I was with people I could trust. Throughout the whole time I have been traveling the only times I have actually felt safe, have been while I was with people that I knew. In London I was able to get around just fine and enjoyed my time there, however when traveling in places that are foreign and new, it is difficult to be 100% on top of your shit all of the time. And because I am a girl, it makes it even more necessary...

Amsterdam made me realize that it is not safe for me to be doing this by myself. So, I left the city with my friends on a train going back to where they are spending the summer - Salzburg, Germany!

Well, that was short lived. The trains split in the middle of the night, and I woke up in Zurich, Switzerland.


It was 8:25 AM when I arrived...and it was sunny and warm and I loved it! I was now using Franks, and the paper money is beautiful and colorful. It is for sure my favorite currency system out of the three that I have been using. I vote Franks over US Dollars. (I still like US quarters though, the only other change that has come close is the British Pound...it is AMAZING.)



This is a tough picture to see, but there is a "Like" sign on the trash can with a thumbs up resembling facebook's ever so popular, "Like" button. The question is which came first, Zurich's trashcans and then the facebook feature, or the other way around.



Moving on, I was in Switzerland now and did not know where to go from there. I did not ever want to feel that same way I did in Amsterdam, so I knew I needed to go somewhere that I could take some time to plan out the next leg of the adventure. So I looked for flights back to London because I knew I would be safe there. Tickets were expensive, and trains cost even more. So, I checked for a flight to the other place I knew I would be safe. New York City. And to my surprise, it was cheaper to fly to NYC than London. I spent the night in the Zurich airport, boarded the plane the next morning, and now I am currently I am in NY. I will be here until Sunday.

I have had time to reevaluate this trip. I have spread over 500 smiles overseas, and made everyone smile in the process! I had 25 days of travel by myself and it has made me realize that in order to do this right, I am in need of a travel buddy/crew. Until I find some people to travel the world with, I am now going to be safe and begin my next portion of the trip in the USA! A road trip around the whole county. I still would like to find someone to go with me, so let me know. Wink.

I will be going back to California to gather the necessary goods needed:
#1 Car
#2 A plan of Action
#3 The new iphone

I do not know how long I will be in CA, however I will taking some time to create a more profitable business plan and a more professional looking website. I want to get more of the USA involved in the project, and I know exactly what changes I need to make to do so. I will be submitting an application to the Pepsi Refresh Challenge next month, and I will need everyone's vote so that Sponsor a Smile can become everything that I know it can be!

All of these changes are for the better, but more importantly, for the safer. I care about myself too much to constantly be in places that no lady should be alone. It feels good to be back.