--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 18 years old, in a more…" description: "\"When I was 18 years old, in a more innocent time, my first backpacking trip through Europe, I sneaked into the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum afte..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/guy-gavriel-kay-2769_avoiding_when-i-was-18-years-old-in-a-more-innoce_2956965.png" --- # When I was 18 years old, in a more innocent time, my first… ![“When I was 18 years old, in a more innocent time, my first backpacking trip through Europe, I sneaked into the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum after nightfall and spent several hours in there avoiding the guards patrolling.” quote by Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/guy-gavriel-kay-2769_avoiding_when-i-was-18-years-old-in-a-more-innoce_2956965.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/guy-gavriel-kay-2769_avoiding_when-i-was-18-years-old-in-a-more-innoce_2956965.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/guy-gavriel-kay-2769_avoiding_when-i-was-18-years-old-in-a-more-innoce_2956965.png) > “When I was 18 years old, in a more innocent time, my first backpacking trip through Europe, I sneaked into the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum after nightfall and spent several hours in there avoiding the guards patrolling.” [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He recounts a youthful, daring adventure exploring an ancient site, highlighting curiosity and risk‑taking in travel. **In simple terms:** He sneaked into a historic temple as a teen, showing youthful curiosity. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity but respect boundaries. Themes adventure curiosity risk history travel Mood reflective cautious Type narrative adventurous When to use this quote - backpacking trips - urban exploration - historical tours - personal growth Key Concepts exploration youthful rebellion cultural immersion Questions to Reflect On - What responsible ways can you satisfy curiosity about historic sites? - How can you balance adventure with respect for cultural heritage? A Different Perspective Such reckless acts can lead to legal trouble or safety hazards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backpacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backpacking/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Saturn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturn/) [Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temple/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [My first time to Rome was when I was backpacking with my best friend around Europe for a month at 18 years old, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/my-first-time-to-rome-was-when-i-was-backpacking-with-my-best-friend/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [I was a little hippie on a world backpacking adventure, and suddenly I became a vampire princess. I still find it hard to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-fry/i-was-a-little-hippie-on-a-world-backpacking-adventure-and-suddenly-i/) [Lucy Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-fry/) > [I am very spoilt and want my travel to be smooth and peaceful. I don't like to rough it out, and I certainly do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/i-am-very-spoilt-and-want-my-travel-to-be-smooth-and-peaceful-i-don-t/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [Suppose to be backpacking 50 miles this weekend...I'm to weak for this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/suppose-to-be-backpacking-50-miles-this-weekend-i-m-to-weak-for-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Returning home is the most difficult part of long-distance hiking; You have grown outside the puzzle and your piece no longer fits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-ross/returning-home-is-the-most-difficult-part-of-long-distance-hiking-you/) Cindy Ross > [“It's not "jalan-jalan" nor "liburan". It's just something we do naturally. Like breathing and eating. It's basically living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riana-ambarsari/it-s-not-jalan-jalan-nor-liburan-it-s-just-something-we-do-naturally/) Riana Ambarsari > [I really wished I had done the backpacking-through-Europe thing when I was younger, but I was busy doing musical theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-wersching/i-really-wished-i-had-done-the-backpacking-through-europe-thing-when/) [Annie Wersching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-wersching/) > [Although the vast majority of walkers never even think of using a walking staff, I unhesitatingly include it among the foundations of the house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-fletcher/although-the-vast-majority-of-walkers-never-even-think-of-using-a/) [Colin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-fletcher/) > [Under most conditions, the best roof for your bedroom is the sky. This commonsense arrangement saves weight, time, energy, and money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-fletcher/under-most-conditions-the-best-roof-for-your-bedroom-is-the-sky-this/) [Colin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-fletcher/) > [The man with the knapsack is never lost. No matter whither he may stray, his food and shelter are right with him, and home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-kephart/the-man-with-the-knapsack-is-never-lost-no-matter-whither-he-may/) [Horace Kephart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-kephart/) > [I couldn't afford a trip to Europe after college so I went backpacking through an IKEA to find myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-couldn-t-afford-a-trip-to-europe-after-college-so-i-went/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The old school of thought would have you believe that you'd be a fool to take on nature without arming yourself with every conceivable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryel-kestenbaum/the-old-school-of-thought-would-have-you-believe-that-you-d-be-a-fool/) Ryel Kestenbaum > [In ultralight backpacking, modified gear pieces come into play, like a tent you hoist with your trekking poles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/in-ultralight-backpacking-modified-gear-pieces-come-into-play-like-a/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [I'd really like to get on a Greyhound bus and go backpacking across America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrissey/i-d-really-like-to-get-on-a-greyhound-bus-and-go-backpacking-across/) [David Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrissey/) > [Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/traveling-is-a-brutality-it-forces-you-to-trust-strangers-and-to-lose/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) ## More by Guy Gavriel Kay > [“For all his frustrations and his chronic sense of being overburdened. He was proud of that; he’d always felt that it was worth doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/for-all-his-frustrations-and-his-chronic-sense-of-being-overburdened/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“Branching paths. The turning of days and seasons and years. Life offered you love sometimes, sorrow often. If you were very fortunate, true friendship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/branching-paths-the-turning-of-days-and-seasons-and-years-life/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [I never talk about books in progress. I could decide to change it to a series of seafood recipes, after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/i-never-talk-about-books-in-progress-i-could-decide-to-change-it-to-a/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“He’d stopped permitting himself to be unhappy about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/he-d-stopped-permitting-himself-to-be-unhappy-about-it/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“The privacy of pride.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/the-privacy-of-pride/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“It had taken skill, tact, an ability to choose friends well, and a great deal of luck”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/it-had-taken-skill-tact-an-ability-to-choose-friends-well-and-a-great/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“The soul must bend to endure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/the-soul-must-bend-to-endure/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“He sang one whole verse directly to her, then, in fidelity to the song, he sent his vision inward to where his purest music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/he-sang-one-whole-verse-directly-to-her-then-in-fidelity-to-the-song/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“Ambitions and dreams put you at a drinking table with unexpected companions. Cups were filled and refilled, making you drunk with the illusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/ambitions-and-dreams-put-you-at-a-drinking-table-with-unexpected/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“We regard our own memories as truths, when they are often just the stories we have told ourselves over time. They become the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/we-regard-our-own-memories-as-truths-when-they-are-often-just-the/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [ “\[We let\] the universality of fantasy, of once upon a time, allow escapist fiction to be more than just that - to also bring… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/we-let-the-universality-of-fantasy-of-once-upon-a-time-allow-escapist/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“Battles are won en route, Shalhassan of Cathal though. A worthy thought: he raised his hand in a certain way, and a moment later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/battles-are-won-en-route-shalhassan-of-cathal-though-a-worthy-thought/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [After a while, you start to realize that you should write a book you would want to read. I try to write a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/after-a-while-you-start-to-realize-that-you-should-write-a-book-you/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“Daylight was coming outside, but it was not only that: courage cast its own light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/daylight-was-coming-outside-but-it-was-not-only-that-courage-cast-its/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“But when a place has been an island the memory of water lingers, and of water magic, no matter how far away the sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/but-when-a-place-has-been-an-island-the-memory-of-water-lingers-and/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) [Explore all 150 Guy Gavriel Kay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) ## More Avoiding quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [ I can hardly believe what these 12 caricatures \[about Prophet Muhammad\] have caused in the world. We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [I know a bit about taxation and the remarkable effort that goes in to avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-know-a-bit-about-taxation-and-the-remarkable-effort-that-goes-in-to/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) Raymond Briggs > [Resisting and avoiding pain sucks energy-and time. The more you let yourself feel those minute-and-a-half hells, the quicker you'll start feeling those minute-and-a-half happinesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-newman/resisting-and-avoiding-pain-sucks-energy-and-time-the-more-you-let/) [Leigh Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-newman/) > [Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/reading-is-sometimes-an-ingenious-device-for-avoiding-thought/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-day-can-really-slip-by-when-you-re-deliberately-avoiding-what-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When someone starts Ignoring you, just back off without staying there with them Just to know the reason for avoiding..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishak/when-someone-starts-ignoring-you-just-back-off-without-staying-there/) [Vishak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishak/) > [You know what takes effort? 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