We planned this trip around baseball.
At least, that’s what we thought.
In June 2023, my son and I traveled to London to watch the Chicago Cubs play the St. Louis Cardinals in the London Series.
For him, it was a chance to see his favorite team in an extraordinary setting.
For me, it was something else too.
It was his first international trip.
And if you’ve ever watched someone experience a new part of the world for the first time, you know that the destination quickly becomes only part of the story.
Seeing the World Through Fresh Eyes
As a parent, there’s something special about watching your child experience another part of the world for the first time.
My son was a young adult when we took this trip, but that sense of discovery was still there.
The first ride on the Tube.
Hearing different accents everywhere.
Figuring out a new city together.
Things I might take for granted suddenly become interesting again.
We stayed near Tower Bridge, giving us a comfortable home base while we explored the city.
There wasn’t a minute-by-minute itinerary.
No pressure to see everything.
Just enough structure to help us experience London while leaving room for discovery.
Looking back, that was exactly what this trip needed.
Cubs Baseball, London Style
Of course, the games were a highlight.
There’s something uniquely memorable about seeing a familiar team in an unfamiliar place.
Sitting in a stadium in London, surrounded by fans from around the world, made the game feel bigger than baseball.
American traditions look a little different when they’re transplanted halfway across the world.
The crowd was a mix of longtime baseball fans, curious locals, and travelers who had made the journey for the same reason we had.
The energy was unlike anything I’d experienced at a game before.
But what I remember most isn’t a particular inning or final score.
It’s sharing the experience with my son.
The Trip Changes Shape
After London, we continued our journey by train toward Hamburg.
The plan was straightforward enough.
Travel through Brussels.
Pass through Cologne.
Continue on to Hamburg.
Simple.
Until it wasn’t.
Somewhere along the way, rail disruptions turned our carefully planned route into something much more adventurous.
Schedules changed.
Connections shifted.
And before long, we found ourselves navigating unexpected detours through the Belgian countryside.
Cologne disappeared from the itinerary entirely.
At the time, it felt chaotic.
Now it’s one of the first parts of the trip we talk about.
Funny how that happens.
Hamburg and the Part That Mattered Most
Eventually, we arrived in Hamburg.
That was the destination.
But what happened there was the real reason the trip became memorable.
We were visiting our former exchange student Max and meeting his family for the first time.
What could have been a simple stop on an itinerary became something much more meaningful.
We shared a meal.
Caught up on life.
Spent time with people who had become part of our extended family.
In that moment, the trip stopped being about London or baseball or train schedules.
It became about connection.
Those are the experiences that stay with you.
What This Trip Reminded Me
As a travel advisor, I spend a lot of time helping people choose destinations, hotels, cruises, and experiences.
Those things matter.
But this trip reminded me that the most meaningful travel memories often come from something else entirely.
A shared interest.
A family milestone.
A reunion.
A conversation around a dinner table.
The things that don’t always show up on an itinerary.
The Bigger Picture
We went to London to watch baseball.
Along the way, we navigated unexpected train disruptions, crossed multiple countries, and spent time with people who mean a great deal to us.
When I think about that trip now, I don’t think first about where we stayed.
I think about watching my son experience another part of the world for the first time.
I think about the train ride that didn’t go as planned.
And I think about reconnecting with people who reminded us that travel is ultimately about relationships.
The baseball games gave us a reason to go.
Everything else is what made the trip unforgettable.
