It’s hard to imagine it’s been 3 months since I arrived in Europe. Sometimes it seems like it’s gone by so fast, and other times it feels as though I’ve been over here forever. It’s almost as if my mind has separated the different parts of my trip into completely different periods of time. I forget that it was only in July when I was running with bulls in Spain, that I even did that to begin with, and that it was actually on this trip.
Talking to fellow travelers, I always get the question:
What has been your favorite place?
For some reason, I’m never able to give a true answer as my focus always seems to go to a portion of the trip, or a certain country in general. The answer is always different, and I think I like it that way. Certain situations, environments, people, scenery, smells, and even accents bring me back to places I’ve been along the way, and the memories that come with. Another reason I believe it’s hard to pin down a favorite place is that everything has been so different. From beautiful coastlines, to massive glaciers, to deep fjords, to turquoise lakes, the natural beauty of my destinations has been unreal. Then I think about the character contained within every city. From the traditional attitude of Bavaria, to the enthusiasm of the Italians, to proper English folk, every culture offers something different.
While I can’t answer the most obvious question, I CAN tell you some things:
1) Norway is an unknown gem, and incredibly beautiful 2) Swiss and Belgian chocolate IS all it’s cracked up to be 3) Spanish people don’t sleep 4) German beer is delicious, but Belgium offers more variety 5) English people actually do drive on the correct side of the road 6) Scandinavia is expensive. Very expensive 7) Europe has the train system figured out (Maybe not Croatia) 8) You can live off pasta, pizza, and gelato. And Nutella 9) A baguette, cheese, and the Eiffel Tower make for a good afternoon 10) A trip is what you make of it. The more willing you are to embrace a culture, the better experience you will have.
So that’s my 2¢
After 3 months, 18 countries, 10 currencies, and an innumerable amount of perspective, my country hopping days are through. What a ride it’s been…
P.S. R.I.P. Eurail pass, you’ve been so good to me