European Summer
Alexa Singer

I have always been a bit of an American gal, always wanting to take my holidays there. But with recent developments in that part of the world, I decided to change things up a bit, and spend two months exploring more of Europe.

I started in Paris, went south to Marseille, hit Amsterdam, London, and spent two glorious weeks in Ibiza and Formentera.

Nothing beats the Mediterranean, that warm crystal blue water, long sultry lazy days that merge quietly into night which comes hours after it normally should. 

The produce sold at local markets is fresh and enticing, and you really get the sense that between the good food, and long summer swims you are recharging-living healthily.

The other great thing about Europe is that you walk everywhere. I was clocking over 6-10kms a day, and definitely whittled away some belly fat, and developed a waistline for the first time in a long time!

The joie de vivre that is summer in Europe, is evident wherever you go-whether it’s teenagers dancing on the canals in Amsterdam, or the Italian boys, escaping the heat dome in Milan, jumping off the stone walls in Formentera, flexing their muscles, doing pushups and daring each other on the next jump.

It feels light, it feels safe to walk at 5am in daylight, it feels free and joyous. One morphs into the heat, life is for the living and is short as their summer.

Europe is not without its problems. All the locals say it's getting hotter and more humid, it's overcrowded. I decided to flee the Louvre despite having waited for two hours to get in. Ibiza has no water, it's expensive and hotel rooms are overpriced.

But in essence, despite the above, it's glorious. I arrived in London looking ten years younger, and slimmer from all the walking, also just being relaxed enough to take a look at my life. It gives me time and space to assess my life. 

Travel takes one closer to oneself, it’s about stepping out of your comfort zone and routine, and an invitation to see new things, meet different people, and taste food you'd never heard of. Travel broadens you and though you are far away from what is familiar, you get to know yourself in a clearer, more defined way. Each trip is different and the rewards are never the same. 

This trip showed me I'm more resilient and adaptable than I had previously believed. For example, I had always felt intimidated by London. This trip showed me I could  deal with it on my own  terms. The cement ceiling that was hanging over my head when I was there before had lifted. Maybe as it was summer, but nevertheless a new experience. 

Our lives are short, we have to live each day, and for me that means I'll be planning the next adventure, and there are always new peeps lurking around each corner. New roads to cross.

All photographs by Alexa Singer

@alexasingerphotography

www.alexasinger.com