After backpacking through Europe for 3 weeks, I can say that it was the most revitalizing vacation I have ever taken. I came back with a passion to travel more, to see every corner of the world, to go to fascinating little known countries and to experience as many cultures as I can. After living out of a suitcase for 9 weeks (I was doing an internship in New York for 6 weeks prior to Europe), I realized that life was much simpler when I didn't have a whole wardrobe of clothes to choose from and that material things weren't really necessary to have a good time.
Germany - Netherlands - Belgium - France - Spain : 5 countries in 21 days seemed crazy and unrealistic at first, but boy were we wrong. From sleeping on different beds almost every alternate day to always running late to get on buses and trains, every day was an exciting adventure. I've had several eye-opening moments and although there's more I'd like to say than I can even put into words, I've compiled a short list on how to make the most out of a trip.
1. Be Spontaneous. Traveling is all about pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone. Instead of doing the typical touristy day-to-day planned agenda of historic monuments and iconic restaurant reservations, choose to wander around the city. There is something scarily exhilarating (oxymoron much?) not knowing where you are headed and not knowing what you will be doing in the next hour that makes it so much more rewarding.
{In Brussels, after doing some basic exploring in the city, we decided to check out a nearby garden that our hostel roommate had suggested. And it turns out that they had several concerts lined up for that day in that very garden. We had nothing else to do that day so we bought ourselves tickets to a random Indie-Pop-Electronica group of artists we had never even heard of. That private concert was one of the richest experiences in my life to say the least!} *Check out "Noa Moon", "Aliocha" and "Pale Grey" if you are into that kind of music.*
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| Nuits 17, Botanique, Brussells. |
2. Live Like A Local. No matter where you decide to go, try to fit into the culture instead of expecting it to accommodate you. Find off-the-tourist-path and cosy coffee shops and ethnic restaurants that don't show up in any popular guidebook. Check out farmer's markets and always be on the lookout for food trucks. Engage with the locals more than the tourists. Find a popular spot and do nothing. Just sit there and watch the world go by. The pace of traveling via rail or water or even by foot can be incredibly pleasing when compared to a taxi. Try and learn a little bit of the language of each country you visit.
{In Amsterdam, we found this coffee shop that we instantly fell in love with and had frequent visits to.}
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| Look at those cute little flags. |
3. Give It Time. If you absolutely love a city, stay for an extra night. Live on the go, adjust quickly and work out your plans according to how you feel. With Paris, I fell in love as soon as I first stepped foot. With Marseille, I thought it was ghetto at first but after going to my room, I never wanted to lose sight of the Mediterranean sea. You can love some parts of a city and hate other parts, you'll never really know until you explore it all. Immerse yourself in the fact that you're in a completely new place. All the unplanned events may end up being the happiest part of your trip!
{We had this epic view and were super lucky to stay at the NH Marseille Palm Beach Hotel which was all types of fancy.}
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| Kathrin is enjoying the wifi more than the view. ( She's the best travel buddy!) |
4. Talk to strangers. You are exposed to people from all around the world especially when you travel solo. You can have the most interesting encounters even while trying to get from point A to point B. You can relate to anyone in the world if you look past the superficial things that separate you.
Have you ever spent an evening in a lively conversation with a random stranger or even with people who didn't speak your language? I have. Do it. Trust me, you'll look back on those times happily for your whole life.
{ It happened in almost every city. Thinking about experiences like this brings a huge smile to my face. Maybe I will elaborate on this in the next blog post.}
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| Reunited with a friend in Marseille. We met him while traveling in Nepal last year. |
5. Don't Be Afraid. The world is not nearly as dangerous as you think it is. This goes out to all the young women everywhere. Sure, travel can be scary. I understand where the fear comes from. But most of the things you are afraid of can easily be overcome and none of them should put a halt to your plans and keep you at home. And don't drop the idea of travelling alone because your friends have dropped out. You may be alone when you board that flight but once you hit the ground, you are never actually alone. That's how it works. Meeting new people is one of the easiest things to do and should be the least of your worries. You may meet someone at the hostel where you're staying or in a shop, at a cafe, on the subway, on a bus or just in the street. And you might end up spending that day with them or even travel together for a few days, weeks or even months.
{ I've ended up hanging out with people I randomly met at Starbucks or even on the road multiple times when travelling solo.}
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| With a fellow football fan in Rotterdam, Netherlands. |
In the end, travel stories are the best part of the people, places and things you encounter. Selfies are great too, but what does it even mean if you don't have words that go along with them. As you travel, you start to see how we are all connected. In every place you go to, you can learn endless amounts of information about the people and their culture and this will help you to broaden your horizons in life. Why don't you surprise yourself with a little unplanned adventure and see where it could take you?
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