I didn’t expect to cry when I saw my best friend for the first time after nearly 6 months apart. I’m not really an emotional person, almost everyone whom I’m close to hates that about me. (“Too closed off.” It’s been something I have been working on.)

Charles de Gualle is huge. I was wandering around for about an hour before I saw her, and then it was like she materialized in front of me from thin air. I can’t say I hugged her – it was more of a lunge. And my hands were shaking and I got teary and I have no idea where any of it came from. It’s hard for me to write about it because emotions are personal to me, but, there it is.

These photos are from our first full (and fortunately sunny) day in Paris, which we spent drinking rosé by the Seine, sightseeing, eating (escargot!), and then with friends at the bar. It was great, and the 10 days after that were even more unforgettable. We took every mode of transportation, train, plane, boat, taxi, gondola. We slept in hostels and busses and we met great strangers who became friends. We walked miles and miles and on broken feet and we laughed and we lashed out. We saw things and went places people only ever dream of seeing. We’ll never forget.