Seven nights. Five guys. Four countries. Ages range from thirty three through thirty eight. What am I talking about? A subject previously covered on Final Fridays with Cousin Mars: Bachelor Parties. Now I’m able to elaborate and give true accounts of what takes place during some bachelor parties. I recognize age and marital status of participants can play a major role on the planned activities of a bachelor day/night/weekend/trip. Common interests of the participants also drastically impact the agenda. Financial flexibility of all involved is the other obvious contributor to planning the festivities. From New York City, I flew to Iceland, then The Netherlands. By way of the Autobahn, I then drove to Germany. The final of the four countries visited during my trip was Belgium. One night wasn’t going to be enough to recognize one of the last two guys in the crew tying the knot. In fact, it was also decided that one location wouldn’t suffice either.

As I attempted to detail in my first post discussing bachelor parties, fake boobies and big booties aren’t a must for all STAG parties. With that being said, my quick stop at a well-known Red Light District gentlemen’s (used loosely) club was interesting. Yes…I saw several fake boobies and big booties – but I didn’t look long (laugh now).

The trip highlights were bike riding through the unfamiliar streets of Europe, experiencing the Autobahn, mountain climbing, and finally the realization that Belgium waffles taste better in Brooklyn than the three I tried in Antwerp. Surprised I didn’t mention any of the debauchery that has become traditional? To be honest, strip clubs don’t tickle my fancy. Possibly due to having several nieces and god daughters, touring the most famous Red Light District in the world was more depressing than entertaining – but it is an experience that isn’t regretted. Learning as much as I can about as many cultures and countries as I can has always been and will always be a passion of mine.

The wisdom I gained during my bachelor trip, from the already married participants, is priceless. The stories shared about the transition from super bachelor to great husband gave me plenty of inspiration as well as awareness of some potential hurdles. My weeklong experience included reminiscing, teasing, advice sessions, and bonding in a way that I hadn’t witnessed prior to the trip. As encouraging as my friends were about my upcoming wedding, they were as honest about the work required in maintaining a healthy marriage.

I can say that I went out with a bang (figuratively speaking only). When my trip was nearing its conclusion, I thought of two things. One thought was how fortunate I am to have developed such long lasting friendships with individuals that continue to inspire and motivate me. The other thought was how much I am actually looking forward to beginning this new chapter in my life. Throughout my life I have heard so much about bachelor parties and now I have my very own stories to tell. Growth is wonderful. As Kanye tried to tell us – Ain’t Nobody F*ck*ng with My Clique! Don’t believe me? Check out this Rising Virgo Studio Production video montage my dude John (we’ve been friends since college) put together:

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 By the way: The title of this post references the movie The Hangover. If you haven’t seen this movie, you probably won’t think the title is funny. Sorry.