Contiki may have the reputation as "the drinking tour," or maybe that's just my Mom's perception of it, but that gives Contiki a bad name. Sure they don't discourage your use of alcohol, but they encourage it in a safe environment with a group of people who you learn to know and learn to love. With that being said, there's more to the tour than just having fun and seeing the world, it's about meeting people from around the world and creating long-lasting connections with them.
Maybe it took my recent trip to Melbourne to really appreciate what Contiki has given me, but I can't imagine what it would be like to not have been on that tour. Going to Melbourne this past weekend allowed me to catch up with some friends, Ben and Matt, two people who I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know and who I loved spending time with on the tour. It felt like no time had passed between the tour and now. They went out of their way to show me what their city had to offer when all I was hoping for was to spend time with those guys once again.
So here's to Ben and Matt, for being more than accommodating in Melbourne. Here's to Chessie, Rob, Jack and Christina, my English friends who adopted me as one of their own. I miss you guys. I miss sitting at the back of the bus, somewhere between sleep and conscious (and hungover), I miss playing Heads-Up in the room; I miss going for Sushi with the French Girls; I miss taking group photos and having group dances and playing group drinking games and going for group dinners. I guess I just miss my Contiki family. I hope I can see more of you guys again in the future. It's awesome that I could see Ben and Matt in Melbourne, and Jack when he came to Sydney, and Mac who lives across the street from my campus! Here's to another Contiki tour and here's to seeing you guys again.