paris

I almost bought a ticket to Paris a little earlier today. It took a lot of willpower not to hit the purchase button on cheaptickets.com. Last year, right around tax refund time, I planned to take a trip to Paris sometime in the fall. Earlier this summer I thought I'd shelve that idea and use those funds to pay down some bills.

But I'm tired of waiting.

Years ago I had the opportunity to travel around Europe, and came pretty close to doing that until I had an epiphany: I can't experience Europe (Paris, Vienna, Rome, Venice) in a week. I can't enjoy the cities when I'm spending, at most, a day and a half in those cities. I need to spend at least a long weekend in each city. Especially Paris.

So I didn't go. And I don't regret not going. Because I know when I can stroll leisurely through the Left Bank and visit maybe one museum a day and spend the afternoons drinking espresso near the Seine and reading Hemingway or Voltaire that it'll be worth it.

But I'm tired of waiting.

25 is a good year, I think, to off and go to Paris. And I have a several months before I even turn 25. And if it gets to be towards the end of 2008, well...then I can impulse buy a trip to Paris. As it is, the idea of going isn't completely shot for this year. It's going to be highly tempting and I'll have to work to see what I can work on and see if I can convince a friend of mine to meet me there, but we'll see.

In the meantime, I satiated the need to impulse shop with buying a pair of shoes. In my defense, I do need them. I have a wedding to go to in two weeks and the best summer sandals I have are a little scuffed since they're my most comfortable and I've gone out dancing numerous times.

I needed these.