“Dogs On Top” of the Indiana State Capitol

On this day out in downtown Indianapolis I carried my DSLR, and it was a very different experience than the previous day when I walked around with my iPhone. While I enjoyed being an invisible tourist, I have to admit that being a photographer opened more doors, and I met some great people who totally enriched my day.

The highlight was meeting four college students from the University of Georgia–from left, Erin, Brittany, Lauren and Rachel–on their spring break. They’re taking an impressive road trip they’ve titled 10 Cities in 10 Days.

They noticed my camera and asked if I would take a group photo of them with their camera on the steps of the Indiana State Capitol. From there, we struck up a conversation, and they told me about their travels, which started out in Athens and includes Knoxville, Tennessee, Lexington, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Ohio, Greensburg, Indiana, Indianapolis, Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Unlike many college students who choose to bake on the beach for spring break, this quartet decided to further their cultural education by visiting a variety of cities, meeting new people and seeing other parts of the country.

I was truly impressed with their ambitious goal and with their enthusiasm. Speaking with them brought back fond memories of my own days in college and the adventures that I had when there were few responsibilities in my life.

This weekend was a huge reminder for me of why we should always live each day to the fullest. And I’m so glad to have met these girls who are doing just that, and at the same time making those memories that they will forever cherish.