It is a firm belief of mine that everyone should have a chance to travel. Travelling allows people to see and experience other cultures and learn more about the world we live in. I am fortunate enough to have travelled at a young age; however, because I was young at the time I did not soak up all the information and experiences that I wish I could have. I grew up in a family of travellers. My father was born in America and travelled for downhill ski racing, and my mother travelled from Canada to Japan and China on multiple occasions for modelling. However, after my mother gave birth to me and my brother she acquired a phobia of flying and it seemed like the dream of my mother to travel Europe had crashed. In the summer before I started my seventh grade of school we decided the three of us would take a thirteen month trip across Europe. Just like that, we were off to discover Europe with the challenge of not taking one flight for the entire time we were away. Of all the places we visited I would not be able to choose a favourite; however, very precious memories are tied to a few, including London, San Sebastian, and Kitzbühel. Our first stop after we disembarked the boat from New York was England. We stayed in England for quite a while but my favourite city by far was London. Maybe it was just my personal bias because of my love for popular T.V. Shows like Sherlock and Dr Who, but it is a truly amazing city. I am sure most of the world knows London as the rainy city and not much more about it; however, this city is extraordinarily rich in history from the very moment it was first inhabited by Romans before it was even known as London. While we were there we connected with distant relatives and had a personalized tour of the city, starting with a trip to the giant M&M Store in the heart of downtown, but there was no way we could pack all that we wanted to see into the little amount of time that we were there. There are over one-hundred and seventy museums, including a Dr Who and Sherlock Holmes museum and there are other iconic sites like Big Ben, The tower of London, the London Eye, and my personal favourite, The Globe Theatre. My favourite highlights of London were seeing a Ballet and taking a Dr Who tour, where we saw the last standing Police Public Call Box. The second most memorable stop on our trip was Spain. Since most of our transportation throughout Europe was via Train or car we saw a lot of the gorgeous mountainous in the Basque Country of Spain. One of my favourite cities was San Sebastian, and not only because it is the food capital of the world with its very own style of tapas. Even though we were there in October, the weather was warm enough to visit the beaches on the Bay of Biscay and walk about the city late in the evening. While we were in town my grandmother and brother joined us, making our trip feel like a vacation once again. It was also my fathers birthday and we got to experience the Michelin Star restaurant Rekondo that has very well prepared traditional food of San Sebastian. Although this city may seem superficial in beauty, it holds just as much history as London or anywhere else. The Basque Country is one of the very few regions of Spain that the Romans and the Moors never conquered, hence the fact that it has a very unique culture that is unaffected by conquerors influence, and Basque is still a very commonly spoken language. The last location I will mention also holds a special place in my heart, but for a different reason. Kitzbühel in Austria. Even though the city of Kitzbühel is very different from the other places I mentioned it is its very own gem of Europe. Kitzbühel was a mining town before it was engulfed by the Romans and may not be as big or populated as other cities. In Kitzbühel we were able to spend less time in search of historical sites and more time taking up the modern culture. This is also where we spent Christmas, and it was my first Christmas I was unable to spend with my entire family. Exploring the town was like a dream for my young self because of the old buildings lined with fluffy white snow all light up in the evening. If you have not already been to Kitzbühel, just imagine Santa's North Pole with more history and less Christmas Elves. On Christmas Eve we went with the locals to their Church to celebrate mass. Despite having to stand at the back and being unable understand what was being said it was another beautiful experience that helped us to drive deep into their culture. Travelling across Europe with my family was the best experience of my life, and I know for a fact I have matured greatly because of it. Experiencing all the other cultures at such a young age helped me to understand my heritage and even helped to create the passion I have for writing. A year-long trip across Europe may not be the right fit for everyone, and it defiantly had its ups and downs, but what I learned from the experience is worth more to me than anything.