When we first planned this trip, I had a very different picture in my mind. European Summer Adventure: Slowing Down became the story of how we adapted along the way. Seven months before we left, I fell and tore my quad tendon. I spent the next six months in physical therapy strengthening my leg. One of my goals was being ready for this trip.

The North Sea Jazz Festival had already been planned long before my fall. As my recovery continued, I knew the entire trip would need a different pace. This was not just about Paris. Every stop would require flexibility. We still had plans, but we left room to adjust as we went.

The North Sea Jazz Festival was the starting point for this adventure. From there, the trip grew into London, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Belgium, and Paris. Before my fall, I probably would have filled more of the schedule. I would have planned more museums, more sightseeing, and more long days.

That had to change. However,  I still wanted to experience the places we planned to visit, but slowing down became part of the plan. I needed to be realistic about the walking, stairs, and long days. That dictated how the days unfolded.

In London, we made the most of our layover without trying to do too much. In Rotterdam, the jazz festival took most of our energy. That meant we kept sightseeing limited and enjoyed the time we had in the city.

In Amsterdam, we left room to decide how I felt each day. Because of that, we booked the Rijksmuseum after we arrived because I felt comfortable adding it. Belgium naturally gave us a slower pace. We spent meaningful time with family and friends while still enjoying Brussels and Leuven. That slower pace gave us more time to notice the small moments. We enjoyed neighborhood walks, lingered over meals, and watched daily life around us.

By the time we reached Paris, we had found a pace that worked for us. Some days we did more. Other days we slowed down, rested, and simply enjoyed where we were.

We still had several experiences I really wanted to enjoy during our trip. Luxembourg Garden, La Galerie Dior, Musée Jacquemart-André, and Giverny all became special parts of our time in Paris.

Some activities had been planned before we left. Others came together after we arrived. If I felt good, we added something. If I needed a break, we changed the plan. That flexibility made the trip easier and much more enjoyable.

We never felt like we were missing out. We were still seeing beautiful places and enjoying wonderful experiences. We were simply doing it in a way that worked for us.

Raun made this way of traveling much easier for me. He always watched for when I needed a break and never rushed me. He made sure I rested when I needed to and did not overdo it.

At times, that meant stopping for lunch or sitting in a park along the Seine. On other days, it simply meant slowing our pace. He never made those pauses feel like a problem, and that meant a lot to me.

Traveling at a slower pace gave us something I did not expect. We had more time to notice the small moments.

We enjoyed neighborhood walks, lingered over meals, and watched daily life around us. Along the way, we found places we might have missed on a faster trip. Most importantly, we were traveling in a way that worked for us.

This entire adventure also became part of my birthday celebration. What started with the North Sea Jazz Festival eventually brought us to Paris. We ended my birthday celebration with dinner at Madame Brasserie inside the Eiffel Tower.

It was a wonderful way to close out our final days in Europe. Sitting there, I thought about everything we had experienced. London, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Belgium, and Paris had each given us something different. The trip did not look exactly like the one I imagined before my fall, but it turned out beautifully anyway.

This trip reminded me that travel does not have to look one certain way to be meaningful. Plans can change, and slowing down may become part of the journey. The best part of the day may be sitting at a café and watching the world go by.

Did this adventure look exactly like the one I imagined before my fall? No. Did we have an amazing time? Absolutely. We adjusted, listened to what I needed, and enjoyed the moments in front of us.

Our European Summer Adventure gave us nearly three weeks of wonderful memories. We experienced music, museums, gardens, food, history, family, friends, and plenty of surprises.

Most importantly,we learned that a good trip does not depend on doing everything. Sometimes the best thing you can do is change the plan and enjoy where you are.

We may have traveled differently than we first imagined, but we still made memories we will carry for years. And maybe that is what savoring the adventure is really about.

Check out Our European Summer Adventure: Claude Monet’s Garden in Giverny. Click HERE.