The last week has flown by! I feel like I just got to California and I’m so sad to leave all the pretty places and pretty faces I’ve met — it’s been full of amazing memories that I’d never take back. I’m so thankful that photography has brought so many amazing friendships into my life and given me the chance to go places I probably otherwise would never go. California will forever be one of my favorite states and although this trip was mostly a work trip, I am SO glad I got to spend some time with my sweet friends here and explore while location scouting. It was well worth the 900 miles I drove in less than a week! 🙂

I’m currently on a plane back home but getting to this point wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. I left Ventura this morning at about 9 to head to LAX for my 1:00PM flight. Ventura is about 2 hours from LA and although I didn’t need quite that much time, I knew I needed to put gas in the rental car and take a shuttle from the rental car drop-off to the airport so I didn’t want to risk anything. My GPS took me on the most beautiful, mountainous road through Malibu and I even stopped a couple times on the way because it was too pretty not to capture. As I got closer to LAX, I took an exit near Beverly Hills to get gas and use the bathroom since I was about to pee my pants from all the coffee I had that morning. Haha. TMI?

I was in the right turn lane after I exited the interstate and before I know it, someone in the straight lane on the left of me ran right into my driver side door. Ah!! There was a whole lot running through my head in that moment. Not only did I have to use the bathroom REALLY BAD but I couldn’t stop thinking about damaging a rental car and missing my flight. Thankfully I’m usually able to stay pretty calm in situations like this so I pulled off the road and the couple in the car that hit me pulled behind me. I ended up calling the police and they came right away, exchanged all our insurance info, and we were done in under thirty minutes. Those LA police really know what they’re doing. Haha! I immediately left to return the car at Hertz and after explaining what happened to them and writing a report, I managed to get on the shuttle to the airport, get to my gate, and make my flight. Cue celebratory dance. If there was ever a time I just wanted to be home, it was this moment.

Traveling is SUCH an adventure. People are always saying to me, “You’re so lucky you get to travel all the time! I want your life.” And yes, I am BEYOND grateful. I love that I get to see the world. But it’s funny to me because traveling is everything but glamorous. I’ve slept on floors, I’ve stayed at homes that were so cold I had to wear a hat to bed, I’ve gotten my car stuck in a garage in LA, I’ve had to sprint through airports, I’ve had flights cancelled, I’ve gotten parking tickets, I’ve had a car break down in the middle of a highway, and now I can add getting into an accident to the list. It’s definitely not as perfect as those world traveling Instagrammers make it seem. But I have to remind myself that I’d much rather be traveling the world and have a few crazy stories to share along the way than living out a perfect problem-free life at home. It’s worth it every time. So there you have it. My California adventure has officially come to an end.

Now I’m curious — what’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you while traveling?!