It was afternoon and I remember sitting by the River Wear, staring at the Durham Cathedral and wishing time would stand still. The water was flowing under Prebends bridge and to say the whole scene was picture-perfect is an understatement. I found my corner, a small bench farther up the riverside footpath. If I could I would go back and stay there.

I was on the last stretch of my European adventure so that morning I took off to explore the city of Durham on my own. With hand-written instructions in hand I took the bus and the train (which I loved doing there) and walked to the Durham cathedral. I strolled down the cobblestone streets, checked the food stalls, and vowed to go back later. I bought myself a cup of coffee and I was all set.

When I got to the cathedral, the wonderful lines of the interior just took my breath away. The past few days of my vacation I saw beautiful architecture but this church still didn't fail to amaze me. Giving myself just a few minutes to get a first impression, I decided to take on the challenge of climbing the stairs up to the tower and enjoying the view. Two charming old women by the tower entrance asked me if I was physically fit to climb up the 325 steps and I told them proudly, 'I just did Notre Dame last week,' forgetting to mention that I huffed and puffed with what seemed like a French Herculean task.

So I made my way and started what seemed like a relatively easy job. But halfway up I started to feel the sharp, cool, piercing air enter my chest with every breath. It didn't help that the stairs got narrower with every step. I held on to the cold metal railing for dear life because my boot could just slip anytime. I know I was so happy with my vacation I thought I could die right there, but I didn't want to take things too literally.

When I finally got to the top, wind brushing over my face, a magnificent view greeted me. It washed away my exhaustion. From the tower I could see the river flowing through the numerous beautiful storybook bridges, quaint shops and buildings. Everything seemed so peaceful. I took in all of the beauty around me and then started the journey 325 steps down. The sticker that says I went up all of the steps at Durham was the cherry on top.

Before I got out of the cathedral, I sat down on one of the benches and said a little prayer. I thanked the Lord for giving me the chance to see another side of the beautiful world I'm in. I was brimming with joy that I got to see these all places and people. Every waking day of my trip I was filled with excitement and I realized it has been a long time since I felt that jolt. The thought almost brought a tear out of my eye. That moment, I was genuinely happy.

I took a quick lunch al fresco. A French guy who called me mademoiselle was selling prawnies and taters and by that time I thought I could use a huge serving from him. Funny, when I looked around that market square I saw pieces of my trip brought altogether in one place – French bread and pastries, Spanish Paella, British fish and chips. I've come full circle.

As my trip to Durham came to an end, I sat on that bench by the Prebends bridge. Thinking about my last few days in Newcastle and in Europe, I was sad that my adventure was close to done. But with the beauty that was surrounding me, I could only smile. The sun even glimpsed out of the usually cloudy British sky. It's as if the warm rays were telling me to cheer up and be happy. I took everything in, put my hands in my warm pockets, and made my way down the footpath. Like my hands, I was all warm and fuzzy inside too.