Note: I started this post back at the beginning of December but I've been exceptionally slack in finishing it up and for that I apologize. It was substantially complete by the end of the year with the exception of revisions and edits. Thus, I will post it as the last entry of a great great 2012. Thanks again!
I've been stateside for a couple weeks now and the magnitude of Wanderlust Stints 1 and 2 has finally begun to set in. I thought I would take this opportunity to do a bit of a recap now that I'm done with the first 2/3 of my transient retirement world tour.
I've been stateside for a couple weeks now and the magnitude of Wanderlust Stints 1 and 2 has finally begun to set in. I thought I would take this opportunity to do a bit of a recap now that I'm done with the first 2/3 of my transient retirement world tour.
As I noted in the last post of Stint 2, my European adventure covered 28 countries. Here is a list of everywhere I went in order (not counting doubling back or return trips) with a brief recap (and finally an overall a grade!) of each.
1. Spain: A great country overall. The people are friendly for the most part, there are plenty of places to go and things to see, and the prices are relatively cheap compared to the rest of Europe. The food is fantastic, the beer and wine are passable, and the nightlife is generally phenomenal. There are more than enough museums and you've got a wide range of outdoor options including mountains, forests, plains, and beaches. The negatives are that the public transportation has much to be desired (especially if you are a train person) and with the exception of the coast, the weather is generally either very cold or very hot. Overall: B+
2. Portugal: Simply outstanding. The best part of Portugal is the people- they are incredibly warm and friendly and can't wait to get you into the Portuguese lifestyle. There are tons of awesome things to see for a country of that size and it's one of the cheapest countries I went to. Beyond that, the food is great, the beer and wine are both excellent, and the nightlife was solid. There is plenty of stuff to do outdoors as well and I didn't even make it down to Lagos and the Portuguese coast. As Portugal is relatively compact, you can catch a train to pretty much everywhere you need so the public transportation is very good. The only negatives I could come up with are that it compared to some of the other major European destinations it is a bit lacking in the museum/cultural event department, it suffers from the same weather conditions as Spain, and it is one of the most isolated and distant countries within Europe. But that's a trifle. Overall: A
3. Morocco: A cultural experience. Morocco is eye opening. The people are generally friendly although you have to be comfortable with being harassed to buy stuff or stay somewhere or occasionally scammed/shaken down for small sums. If you are a woman, I would advise not traveling solo. From a sightseeing perspective, it is a gold mine, and you can't get any cheaper than Morocco (at least I never came close). The food in Morocco is outstanding and it's so cheap it's almost fee, and as for things outdoors- Morocco has it all. From mountains to beaches to camel treks through the desert. The biggest drawbacks to Morocco perhaps aside from the comfort level for women is the lack of drinks, nightlife, and public transportation. While there are buses and trains they are generally fairly few and far between. Not the worst I experienced but sometimes a challenge- especially with no A/C on 105 degree days. And yes, it's hot. But the ocean is freezing. Overall: C+
3. Morocco: A cultural experience. Morocco is eye opening. The people are generally friendly although you have to be comfortable with being harassed to buy stuff or stay somewhere or occasionally scammed/shaken down for small sums. If you are a woman, I would advise not traveling solo. From a sightseeing perspective, it is a gold mine, and you can't get any cheaper than Morocco (at least I never came close). The food in Morocco is outstanding and it's so cheap it's almost fee, and as for things outdoors- Morocco has it all. From mountains to beaches to camel treks through the desert. The biggest drawbacks to Morocco perhaps aside from the comfort level for women is the lack of drinks, nightlife, and public transportation. While there are buses and trains they are generally fairly few and far between. Not the worst I experienced but sometimes a challenge- especially with no A/C on 105 degree days. And yes, it's hot. But the ocean is freezing. Overall: C+
4. Gibraltar: Although this is technically a territory of the UK, it's identified in most mapping services as an independently governed state so it gets separate consideration. I actually loved Gibraltar although the vibe is predominantly British tourist and there isn't a ton of stuff to do other than climb the Rock and drink beer at one of the many great cafes/bars. The folks of Gibraltar are outstanding. You would be surprised how cheery British people can be when you get them out of the confines of the cold, rainy, dreary UK. As mentioned there isn't a ton to see, and aside from the Rock there isn't that much in the way of outdoor activities. But the food is typical British (so either great or terrible depending on if you like pub food), the beer was GREAT and much welcomed, the wine was... well no one drinks wine there, and the nightlife was nonexistent (despite a great day-drinking scene). There are some cool museums about the Rock's history but the transportation is so-so (although walking across a live runway to get to Gibraltar is awesome!). Gibraltar is home to my second favorite bar in the world (Star Bar) and my favorite barkeep (Ray). Biggest drawback is that it's on the pound and is thereby expensive. Despite its limitations, Gibraltar is a real cool place. Overall: B
5. France: This is like two countries: Paris and the rest of France. To combine them creates a bit of a contradictory recap but I'll give it a go. First, there are a nearly unlimited amount of things to see and museums to visit (especially in Paris). There's even plenty to do outdoors- mountains, forests, plains, vineyards galore, and of course the French Riviera. The public transit is some of the best in Europe and the food is world renown- even the cheap food like a baguette and cheese are super good! The negatives: Paris is crazy expensive and the rest of France isn't cheap (especially the trains). The people range from very friendly (south and west of France) to downright ass-hole-ish (Paris) which makes it hard to gauge how to act (your best bet is to start by saying 'bonjour' and then attempting French). Finally, the beer is generally terrible and the nightlife is very hit or miss- most French people stick to themselves at bars/clubs so it's hard to meet people. Overall: B
6. Monaco: Ah the old principality. Where to begin... well the transportation is top notch (especially to and from with the train station stretching almost the entire city). That's pretty much the end of Monaco's charms unless you have tons of cash. Assuming you do, any food, drink, or nightlife you want is right at your fingertips (including the infamous Monte Carlo casino). There is plenty of stuff to see... aboard your yacht, as well as great things to do outdoors... aboard your yacht. If you have dough, the people will bend over backward for you, and since you're on the French Riviera the weather is usually good and if it's not... just sail your yacht somewhere warmer! The negative: $$$$$$. Overall: A (if you're rich), D+ (if you're me).
7. Italy: I love Italy. It's one of my favorite countries in Europe. But since I only went to Naples on this trip, I have to judge based on ONLY Naples... so, pros: FOOD. Naples is so great. It's not just pizza, they really know how to make incredible food- even the most simple dishes are so dern tasty. Great wine and excellent beer (I happen to love Italian beer), and the prices are reasonable. From an outdoors perspective, you have Pompeii only 30 minutes from the city center which is more than a day's worth of exploring. The cons: there really isn't much to see in the city proper (aside from graffiti and garbage), the people can be a bit gruff and standoffish (think NYC), and the public transit is crazy (only half of what's on the map is completed!). Personally, I like Naples because it reminds me so much of New York except warmer, cheaper, with better (Italian) food, and more people speak Italian. Overall: B-
8. Poland: Similar to Italy my experience here was limited to one city, Krakow. The best parts of Krakow are easy enough: good beer, decent wine, other-worldly nightlife, good amount of things to see and do, and everything is exceptionally cheap. The cons: it's not the best city to explore outside (except for river cruises during the summer and even then it was still chilly), very confusing public transit (the airport doesn't even have gates), and the people can range from friendly to downright intimidating (the trick is you never know which you are getting until it's too late). For a summertime visit it was really interesting but I can't imagine sticking out a winter there... unless I was shacked up with a Polish girl (who, on the whole, are very very very [very] attractive). Overall: C+
9. Czech Republic: I love love love Prague (see the rankings below), and the other city I visited in the CR was pretty cool as well. The best parts of the Czech Republic are the great food, beer, wine, and nightlife that all come at cheap prices. But it's not just a good country to cut loose; there are a ton of historic sights as well as national parks, lakes, mountains, and other outdoor destinations to keep you busy. The Czechs are generally very friendly and, as a bonus, there are a seemingly equal number of exceptionally attractive women as there are unattractive men- meaning if you're at least a decent looking guy you have a great chance of finding yourself a very beautiful wife... you know... should you be so inclined... ahem. The only real negatives are that the public transit is good but could be better and that it gets pretty cold in the winter months. Overall: A-
10. England: As an American, it is the penultimate country which bore us all. I found the people exceptionally friendly and the beer (ale) of course is tremendous. There is plenty to see both indoors (especially if you make your way to London) and outdoors (the English countryside is lovely). The transportation is excellent from the tube in London (make sure to get your Oyster card) or the easy and relatively cheap intercity trains. The nightlife is a bit confusing however. Most of the pubs close by midnight or 2am at the latest so you have to seek out an after-hours club. Not a problem in London but some of the smaller towns it can become quite the task. The food is infamous for being terrible, however, in my experience it really wasn't so much that it was bad, rather it was unhealthy. If you like traditional pub fare you'll like the English food but be prepared to pack on a fistful of pounds. Also, speaking of pounds, as the pound (currency) is quite high, be equally prepared to spend some serious coin in the UK. Finally the weather is crap most of the year. Like, really really crap. Overall: B
11. Scotland: In Scotland you're going to want to focus on three main things: (1) getting outside and seeing the breathtaking sights of the Scottish countryside (Isle of Skye was tremendous but I only scratched the surface); (2) spending the cold evenings in local pubs drinking ales and single malt whisky, both of which are fantastic; and (3) making your way to Edinburgh to soak up some history, culture, and fun. Aside from those three highlights, the transportation is good albeit not quite as comprehensive or frequent as in England. Additionally, you'll find the Scots are an exceptionally warm, friendly, and helpful people. That combination makes it a good country to do some serious hitchhiking. Most people are afraid of Scottish food (especially the infamous haggis) but I found it tasty albeit, again, a very hearty fare. The only real things holding Scotland back (and in no way reasons for not visiting) are limited nightlife problems similar to England and the downright dreadful weather. Prepare to be awed by Scotland... but be prepared to be cold and wet. Overall: B
12. Ireland: Due to time constraints my Ireland adventure was sadly limited to Dublin and Howth, so keep in mind that this is from a very limited perspective. The two best things about Ireland as I experienced them were the Irish (a tremendously fun lot and my kind of crazy) and the beer (oh how I love Guinness and oh how good does it taste at the source). This naturally makes a great combo for nightlife and, in fact, aside from visiting the spectacular Irish cliffs, I would advise spending a week in Ireland just combing pubs, drinking great beer, and mixing it up with the locals (don't forget to take in some traditional folk music & dancing). But as you know there is a ton of history in Dublin (notwithstanding the rest of Ireland) so don't feel you have to be either scaling cliffs or in a pub. Ireland fare seems to follow the same trends as English and Scottish, however, because Dublin has such a high influx of American expats, there is a tremendous host of familiar things to munch on. Downside? Weather and price. Surprise surprise. Overall: B+
13. Slovenia: Slovenia was probably the most beautiful country I visited in Europe and it took me completely by surprise. From the charming Ljubljana to the jaw-dropping Lake Bled to the castle in Predjama to the gorgeous little town of Piran on the Adriatic. As you can imagine there are tons of things to do outside (you could spend a week at Lake Bled alone) and there is a resurgence of cultural activities especially in Lj. I loved the food- you could find a healthy amount of Slavic and German-oriented dishes as well as a the strong Italian influence. Really something for everyone. The beer and wine were both very good, but unfortunately I didn't get much chance to really dig into the nightlife. Public transit is a bit tricky but generally better and more flexible than the rest of the Balkans. The people I met were friendly and helpful and you can get around fine speaking English and everything is very affordable. I really don't have anything negative to say about Slovenia, it's awesome. Overall: A
14. Croatia: Another impressively beautiful country. I may have never seen bluer water or more spectacular cliffs than along the Croatian coast. There is also a great deal of history to be absorbed from the Roman settlement at Zadar to the Diocletian Palace in Split to the fortified walls of Dubrovnik. Croatian food is outstanding, especially if you love seafood, and both the beer and wine served there passable. It goes without saying it's a great place for enjoying the outdoors- boating around the islands, biking the cliffs, or hiking the mountains, there is plenty to do. And as you likely noticed from the posts, Croatia is one hell of a place to party. Dare I say nearly too much partying. The only downside is that you'll find the mainstays of Croatia significantly more touristy than the rest of the Balkans. This means the people are a bit gruffer, the prices are higher, and you're guaranteed to bump into the dreaded "casual American tourist." But if you can fortify yourself against those things, Croatia is awesome (and it's right next to Slovenia). Overall: A-
15. Bosnia and Herzegovina: If you're into history you won't do much better than B&H. From the Slavic to Turk to Austro-Hugarian to the Bosnian War of Independence, the country has been through one historic era of conquest after the next, each leaving distinct impressions on the country. The people you find there are exceptionally friendly and helpful and there's just as much to do outdoors as there is history to absorb. Perhaps my favorite thing about B&H apart from the historic atmosphere is the food. Bosnian food is incredible. I was also able to sample some of the tasty Bosnian beer but was, alas, unable to delve into either the wine scene or the nightlife. I was simply too busy soaking up everything else. Also, it's cheap but be sure to spend all your Lek as they are hard to exchange. The biggest drawback to B&H is its public transit system- the train ride to Mostar was atrocious and the buses are few and far between (not to mention the Sarajevo bus shakedown I was nearly a part of). B&H is definitely worth a visit and only a few years (and some infrastructure improvements) away from truly exceptional. Overall: B+
16. Montenegro: From what I could tell, Montenegro seemed somewhat divisive in terms of lifestyle- the north more closely resembling Croatia and the south exhibiting a more Albanian feel. I spent my time in Budva in the north so bear that in mind. The best way I could describe it is like a cheaper less touristy Dubrovnik that operates on the Euro. The people were friendly, prices very cheap, libations and nightlife good (although I've heard it's great during the busy season- I was there just after the beach-side clubs closed), and the food was excellent. The drawbacks are that apart from the sea there really isn't much else to do there, and despite the friendliness of the people, there is a permeating aura of Russian mafioso. Not enough to feel unsafe but just enough to make you think twice before joking around with or mouthing off to strangers. If you get burned out on the tourists and prices of Croatia, give northern Montenegro a try. Overall: B+
17. Albania: Because of its political past, Albania is about 25-30 years behind its neighboring countries in terms of development. So keep in mind that, similar to Morocco, visiting Albania is a bit like traveling back in time. The people I met were warm and friendly and provided me with simple yet comfortable lodging. Similarly the food and homemade wine were simple and tasty. The pleasures of the day- riding a bike up to the castle or down to the lake echo this theme as well, and if you are lucky enough to take the Lake Koman ferry, you are in for one of the most spectacular boat rides of your life. The prices are exceptional although public transit is the worst among the Balkan countries (the 'bus station' in many cities simply being a stop along the side of the road). Also, although it is very pro-American, the country as a whole is very slow in adapting to the era politically. Overall: C-
18. Kosovo: My experience with Kosovo was great although too short. The locals went out of their way to be friendly and helpful, the food was great, the beer good, and there are plenty of things to see. I can only imagine what the capital of Pristina must be like closer to the Serbian border as I only made it to the smaller town of Prizren. Similar to B&H, Kosovo has a ton of history, the most predominant of which occurring within the last decade or so. Kosovo is still in the process of establishing itself so in some ways it lags behind its contemporaries including B&H and Serbia. For example, the public transit is less developed, the historic sites less preserved, the nightlife less evident. But it is a fascinating place to visit, especially with the very pro-US feelings of the vast majority of people there. I would love to go back and explore more beyond Prizren. Overall: B
19. Macedonia (FYROM): I visited the capital of Macedonia which I would rate highly for sights except for the fact that they are all currently being constructed. It's a very odd place to visit- I'm exceptionally curious about what it will look like once the 'monumentalization' is complete. That said, I thought the people were nice, the wine, beer, and food excellent (the grocery store nearby the hostel had an entire aisle of feta cheese O_O). The hostel was very nice, public transportation at least on par with the rest of the Balkans (and rapidly improving), and the bit of nightlife I saw in Skopje was pretty cool (old bazaar area). There seemed to be a good deal of outdoor things to do even around Skopje and it was just as cheap as I could have hoped for. Macedonia probably left me more confused than anything else, but I enjoyed my time and would recommend it even if just to compare notes with how it has developed since my visit. Overall: B-
20. Serbia: This was a bit of an odd-ball because I refused to go to the relentlessly lauded Belgrade for the reasons covered in the post and I instead went to Nis so keep that in mind. To be honest, I really wasn't that impressed with what I found in Serbia. I thought the food was similar to Bosnian but much less tasty, the beer ranged from OK to undrinkable (although I love that you can buy a 2.5-liter beer at a newstand), and the nightlife pretty dead within Nis. The people were nice enough (with the exception of being moderately terrified on the train to Bulgaria- well more intimidated than afraid I suppose), and public transit was so-so (station far out of the city and, of course, the train ride). The best part was the immense amount of history in and around Nis- well more than you can absorb in a day. Overall: C
21. Bulgaria: Keeping with the theme of the unfortunate limited exposure as my Balkans tour came up against a tight deadline, I was only able to visit Sophia in Bulgaria. Frankly, I didn't find it that great. The hostel was one of the best I stayed at in all of Europe and the food was fantastic. Even the beer and the brief nightlife was good. There's also quite a bit of history in Sophia and there are plenty of things to see and do (especially when they reopen the legendary public baths). That said, the public transit was lacking and I thought the attitude of the people was more often prickly than not, although I did meet a select few who were outstandingly warm and accommodating. Mostly it was just the general vibe of the place that struck me wrong. I felt the city was menacing- stray dogs roaming everywhere threatening to attack, the drab-grey leftovers from the communist era, the oppressing and befuddling Plaza of the Soviets... I just couldn't get it. Plus the people live so hard, it seemed as if they were trying to drink, smoke, etc. their way out of some horrible reality which encompassed them. I couldn't put my finger on it exactly but Bulgaria made me uneasy... very uneasy. Overall: C-
22. Romania: In Romania I was able to visit a few places so this can be a more comprehensive review than some of the other Balkan destinations. I really liked Romania- the people were nice, there was a ton of stuff to see (and I feel like I only scratched the surface with Brasov, Sinaia, Bran, and Bucharest), and the Romanians know how to have a good time. Plus the food and drinks were better than most of what I experienced around the Balkans and the transportation was among the best (even despite some train delays). Romania is also pretty cheap albeit not as cheap as some of the other countries in the Balkans. The only thing I can think of that I didn't like about Romania was the prevalence of the gypsies. I didn't run into any problems I couldn't handle but I heard horror stories about such instances experienced by others. Romania is definitely worth a visit, oh, and the women are very easy on the eyes. Overall: B+
23. Germany: Oh, Germany. Let's be honest, I love Germany. It was the first country in Europe I visited extensively and the first I visited extensively a second time. And, you guessed it, this marked the third extensive visit as I was able to hit another 5 cities across the northern part of the country. Everything about Germany is pretty much great- beer & wine (incredible), food (great), nightlife (nearly second to none), people (very friendly- despite common misconception), public transit (among the best), culture (plenty, especially in Berlin), price (reasonably cheap considering the rest of western Europe), and history (one struggles to find many others with more readily apparent history). Even all of the Germans I've met, both those known to me and strangers, have been great. It's hard to find a negative... the best I can come up with are that the German women are sometimes a bit hard to talk to (which some view as standoffish) and I can't stand either sauerkraut or German football. Overall: A
24. Austria: I like to think of Austria as Germany-lite. But that's not really fair. Austria is a great country in its own, filled with beautiful people. I've been to western Austria before and I had intended to hit Salzburg on this trip but I was only able to make it to Vienna due to hostel availability, or lack thereof. That said, Austria was just as great as I had remembered. I would say everything I wrote about Germany holds true with the exception that I found the nightlife less crazy but the culture and arts much better. And Vienna itself is an absolutely beautiful city- nearly too beautiful. Perhaps the only downside I could come up with was that it was more expensive than Germany. Everything else was great. Overall: A-
25. Slovakia: I took a short jaunt to Bratislava (where even the tourist board doesn't know where they are) and gained a memorable, albeit too brief, taste of Slovakia. Similar to the Czech Republic, the food is excellent, the beer is outstanding, the people are friendly, and there are plenty of historic sites to absorb. The hostel I stayed in was good and the public transit was excellent in and out and so-so within the city limits. My favorite part was that Bratislava seemed very laid back- a place where you could let your guard down and relax a bit. Also, they had the crazy McCheese sandwich. The only real downside to Slovakia is that even in the capital, after you've done the obligatory 2-3hr walk around, there really isn't much else to do. I think because it's so nondescript, it gets a bit of a bad rep. Overall its a cool place, but it might leave you with a "ho-hum" impression. As the tourist board says, "where the f*ck is Bratislava?" Overall: B-
26. Netherlands: The only previous experience I had with the Netherlands was a brief stay in Amsterdam at the end of my first Europe-romp back in 2009. Much like NYC would be a terrible representation for the rest of America (for better or worse), Amsterdam is a terrible representation for the Netherlands as a whole. In visiting the aforementioned as well as Haarlem, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Kinderdjik, and The Hague, I got a truly great taste of the Dutch. The recap goes as follows: art & culture (excellent- Van Gogh obviously plus many others and a great music scene), sights (windmills, architecture, interplay between new and old... awesome), beer (decent- fan of Amstel, hate Heineken), nightlife (incredible even apart from Amsterdam), and public transit (perhaps the best in Europe). The downsides? One, there's very little in the way of Dutch food (aside from the stroopwaffel). Most of what you find as "Dutch" (other than various forms of bland seafood stew) are imports from the many Dutch colonies around the world. I had an Indonesian meal which was phenomenal but, again, that's not really "Dutch." Second, the Netherlands isn't that cheap. It might be slightly better than Belgium but it's fairly expensive. Finally, the weather. Just downright terrible. Overall: B
27. Belgium: This was a long long long time coming. I have wanted to visit Belgium for ages and the fact that I planned it as one of my last destinations made it that much harder. But it was absolutely worth the wait. First and most importantly, the beer. It. Is. Incredible. Downright amazing. Beyond that, the people are exceptionally friendly, the food is great (if you love mussels and fries you are in for a treat), the nightlife is excellent, and despite all the fun you'll be having around the bar scene there's a great amount of historic things to see and outdoorsy activities to occupy you, much to my great surprise! The only thing I can say against Belgium is that it is a bit more pricey than I would have liked and it suffers from the same dilemma as the Netherlands... perpetually bad weather. Overall: B+
28. Luxembourg: Finally, Luxembourg. The last stop on my great European tour and a city. As I posted, I didn't think much of Luxembourg before I went there. But what I found was a great European outpost of kind and friendly people, great food and drinks, and a breathtaking landscape and abundance of history. The only negatives about Luxembourg are that it's a bit expensive and the nightlife was nonexistent (although perhaps that was because of the nights I was there). As a whole though, if I had a bit more coin it would be on a very short list of places in which I might one day disappear. And I really mean that. Overall: B+
Country recap complete, it's time for some Wanderlust Stints 1 & 2 statistics...
As far as the cities within the countries I can't tell you the exact number of cities I visited, however, there is roughly one set on flickr for every city visited. Stint 1 contains 36 sets and Stint 2 contains 60 sets. So it's safe to assume I visited 96 cities with a +/- 4 margin of error considering returns trips and consolidations. I'm not going to attempt to list them but feel free to check out the collections and sets on flickr with the links above.
I left the United States on April 4, 2012 and returned on November 19, 2012. Counting days from door to door I was on the road for 230 days which is 1 day shy of 33 weeks and just over 8 months. If you exclude the days I returned for my buddies Jonathan and Mark's weddings, I was abroad for 202 days, just over 7 months.
According to Facebook I added 179 friends this year. Given that at least 90% of those were friends I've made abroad, we can say I added at least 161 Facebook friends met overseas. Given that I probably added 2/3 of the friends I made abroad on Facebook, a conservative estimate is that I met and became friends with 241 truly fantastic people.
I am grateful to each and every one of you for the time we had together and the impact you have had on my life.
Finally, as I came to discover, extended periods of traveling become a war of attrition. Along the way you lose things, items become broken or stolen, and you simply have to rid yourself of certain belongings. Here is the final tally of things that didn't make it back stateside. A moment of silence for my fallen gear.
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 pair of cargo shorts
- 1 black polo shirt
- 1 white dress shirt
- 2 white singlet tees
- 1 pair of sandals acquired in Lisbon
- 1 pair of New Balance sneakers
- 1 pair of sneakers acquired in Hamburg
- 2 pairs of underwear
- 3 pairs of socks
- 2 pairs of aviator sunglasses
- 1 iphone charger
- 2 EU plug adapters
- 1 Canon digital ELPH 100 HS
- 1 Canon digital ELPH 110 HS
- 1 pair Bose MEi2 headphones
- 1 French SFR cell phone
- 1 lighter acquired in Madrid
I'm sure I've left some items out but these are the main things I can remember.
Considering I went to more or less 96 cities, and some of those required round trips or connections, I think it's safe to assume that in the past 8 months I've taken somewhere around 160 trips in planes, trains, buses, boats, and cars. I'm not going to go back and try and count them all so we'll just give that a +/- 20 margin of error.
The most common question I've gotten since I've been home apart from "when are you going to stop traveling and what will you do then?" is "what is your favorite place you have been?" I hate that question. First of all, I have trouble answering that when I'm only abroad for two weeks. So to answer that for an international trip of 202 days is impossible.
Second, it's an extremely subjective question. The answer to that really depends on the context in which it's being asked. For example is it, "what is your favorite place from a sightseeing perspective?" or "what is your favorite place from a partying perspective?" Those would both garner completely different answers.
Third, how do you define "place"? Does that mean city, country, or region? Furthermore, I sometimes get "what is your favorite place in Europe?" and I have to ask to clarify if they mean just for this trip on in all my trips to Europe. Some have advised me to just make up an answer- that it really doesn't matter what the answer is. But I don't like that because if the answer doesn't matter, why ask the question.
So, to settle this out once and for all, here is a list of my favorite (and least favorite) places from a variety of different angles. Hopefully this should cover 95% of these inquiries. Until noted at the end, these will all refer to my favorites and least favorites from this trip only. For many of these I'll list a top three to give you a more in depth idea while some may even have more. And in true European spirit, yes there are some ties.
Best of the Best:
Favorite cities for seeing historic sights: (1) Sarajevo; (2) Prague; (3) Paris
Favorite cities for nightlife: (1) Prague; (2) Madrid; (3) Hvar & Berlin
Favorite cities/areas for outdoorsy activities: (1) Lake Bled; (2) Sierra de Guadarrama; (3) Isle of Skye
Most charming cities: (1) Ljubljana; (2) Chefchaouen; (3) Sintra, Piran, & Porto
Most local cities/areas: (1) Almeria; (2) Wakefield; (3) Ledesma
Best cities/areas for cultural immersion: (1) Fes; (2) Shkoder; (3) Porto
Most beautiful cities: (1) Vienna; (2) Dubrovnik; (3) Luxembourg & Barcelona
Favorite cities for walking around: (1) Prague; (2) Sarajevo; (3) Berlin & Vienna
Best public transportation: (1) Paris; (2) Madrid; (3) London
Best cities for spending outdoors: (1) Valencia; (2) Essaouria; (3) Hvar, Budva, & Vienna
Best cities for spending indoors: (1) Newcastle; (2) Edinburgh; (3) Brussels
Friendliest locals: (1) Porto; (2) Bordeaux; (3) Prizren
Best beaches: (1) Valencia; (2) Essaouria; (3) Hvar
Best cities to make friends: (1) Madrid; (2) Paris; (3) Porto & Lisbon
Best food: (1) Naples; (2) Sarajevo; (3) Valencia
Best beer: (1) Brussels; (2) Prague & Munich
My favorite bars: (1) Star Bar (Gibraltar); (2) Delirium Cafe (Brussels); (3) Absinthe Time!/U Fleku (Prague); (4) Cafe den Turk/Trollekelder (Ghent); (5) Unnamed 2 Euro Champagne Bar (Barcelona); (6) Cross Club (Prague); (7) Bar Loco (Newcastle); (8) "The Pub" (Isle of Skye); (9) Nautica (Hvar); (10) Gravity Bar (Dublin); (11) James Dean (Prague); (12) Punch & Judy (London); (13) Pegas (Brno); (14) American Bar (Benidorm); (15) Belushi's at St. Chris (Paris).
Cheapest places: (1) Morocco; (2) Southern Balkans; (3) Portugal
Best overall cities (I consider both visiting as well as living traits): (1) Prague; (2) Valencia; (3) Vienna; (4) Berlin; (5) Sarajevo
Best overall countries (these are my favorite countries from a visiting perspective only): (1) Portugal; (2) Slovenia/Croatia; (3) Bosnia & Herzegovina; (4) Germany; (5) Spain
Most meaningful overall experiences (in chronological order): hiking to Segovia (Sierra de Guadarrama); volunteering in western Spain (Ledesma); finding my artistic and philosophic side (Lisbon); sunshine and chanting on the 1st of May (Chefchaouen); Dinner at Rick's (Casablanca); climbing the Rock (Gibraltar); strolling the Grand Prix Course (Monaco); wandering in Pompeii (Naples); 24 Hours of Le Mans (Le Mans); writing in a Montmartre cafe (Paris); seeing old friends (Krakow & Prague); 2012 Olympics (London); climbing Storr (Isle of Skye); walking the Irish cliffs (Howth); being awestricken (Lake Bled); hitching to the hidden castle (Predjama); boating the Adriatic (Hvar); turbopop and whiplash tour (Mostar); ferry adventure to Kosovo (Lake Koman); Transylvanian mega-tour (Brasov); Oktoberfest (Munich); rediscovering myself (Vienna); becoming a music scene insider (Berlin); reuniting with old friends (Hamburg, Amsterdam, & Haarlem); finding my inner Don Quixote (Kinderdjik); beer tasting experience of a lifetime (Brussels & Ghent); and finally seeing the Eiffel Tower at night (Paris).
Worst of the Rest:
Worst cities for historic sites: (1) Benidorm (city of skyscrapers of retired British); Skopje (everything old looking is new!); (3) Rotterdam (since everything was leveled you go to see new architecture not old)
Worst cities for nightlife: (1) Fes (no alcohol, bars, or anything after dark); (2) Luxembourg (ghost town at night) (3) Ledesma (not enough people in the city to keep anything open);
Most Touristy (by perceived ratio of tourists to locals): (1) Barcelona; (2) Dubrovnik; (3) Bruges
Worst places for walking around: (1) Marrakech (hot, smelly, confusing, and your are constantly harassed); (2) Predjama (there are no buses and it's an 8 mile hike up a mountain to the castle along dangerous roads); (3) Sofia (fine if you don't mind being attacked by stray dogs or gypsies)
Worst public transportation: Albania (not terrible just most confusing and least accessible)
Unfriendliest locals: (1) Marrakech & Fes; (2) Naples; (3) Paris
Sad food: Le Mans (other than the kebab pizza which I'm sure is the worst thing you can eat, the food options at Le Mans were sad to very sad).
Sad beer: Nis (the 2 liter beers I got there were undrinkable, unlike similar versions around the Balkans)
Most Expensive: (1) Paris; (2) Monaco; (3) London
And finally, my favorite overall from all of my trips to Europe:
Favorite cities: (1) Prague; (2) Istanbul; (3) Valencia; (4) Vienna; (5) Berlin
Favorite countries: (1) Italy, (2) Germany, (3) Portugal,
Thanks for sticking with me these past 8 months. If I've been able to convey even 1/10th of the excitement and wonder I've felt to you then I feel immensely happy. Again, thank you for sharing this European adventure with me. Stay tuned for Part III: Asia. O_O
As far as the cities within the countries I can't tell you the exact number of cities I visited, however, there is roughly one set on flickr for every city visited. Stint 1 contains 36 sets and Stint 2 contains 60 sets. So it's safe to assume I visited 96 cities with a +/- 4 margin of error considering returns trips and consolidations. I'm not going to attempt to list them but feel free to check out the collections and sets on flickr with the links above.
I left the United States on April 4, 2012 and returned on November 19, 2012. Counting days from door to door I was on the road for 230 days which is 1 day shy of 33 weeks and just over 8 months. If you exclude the days I returned for my buddies Jonathan and Mark's weddings, I was abroad for 202 days, just over 7 months.
According to Facebook I added 179 friends this year. Given that at least 90% of those were friends I've made abroad, we can say I added at least 161 Facebook friends met overseas. Given that I probably added 2/3 of the friends I made abroad on Facebook, a conservative estimate is that I met and became friends with 241 truly fantastic people.
I am grateful to each and every one of you for the time we had together and the impact you have had on my life.
Finally, as I came to discover, extended periods of traveling become a war of attrition. Along the way you lose things, items become broken or stolen, and you simply have to rid yourself of certain belongings. Here is the final tally of things that didn't make it back stateside. A moment of silence for my fallen gear.
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 pair of cargo shorts
- 1 black polo shirt
- 1 white dress shirt
- 2 white singlet tees
- 1 pair of sandals acquired in Lisbon
- 1 pair of New Balance sneakers
- 1 pair of sneakers acquired in Hamburg
- 2 pairs of underwear
- 3 pairs of socks
- 2 pairs of aviator sunglasses
- 1 iphone charger
- 2 EU plug adapters
- 1 Canon digital ELPH 100 HS
- 1 Canon digital ELPH 110 HS
- 1 pair Bose MEi2 headphones
- 1 French SFR cell phone
- 1 lighter acquired in Madrid
I'm sure I've left some items out but these are the main things I can remember.
Considering I went to more or less 96 cities, and some of those required round trips or connections, I think it's safe to assume that in the past 8 months I've taken somewhere around 160 trips in planes, trains, buses, boats, and cars. I'm not going to go back and try and count them all so we'll just give that a +/- 20 margin of error.
The most common question I've gotten since I've been home apart from "when are you going to stop traveling and what will you do then?" is "what is your favorite place you have been?" I hate that question. First of all, I have trouble answering that when I'm only abroad for two weeks. So to answer that for an international trip of 202 days is impossible.
Second, it's an extremely subjective question. The answer to that really depends on the context in which it's being asked. For example is it, "what is your favorite place from a sightseeing perspective?" or "what is your favorite place from a partying perspective?" Those would both garner completely different answers.
Third, how do you define "place"? Does that mean city, country, or region? Furthermore, I sometimes get "what is your favorite place in Europe?" and I have to ask to clarify if they mean just for this trip on in all my trips to Europe. Some have advised me to just make up an answer- that it really doesn't matter what the answer is. But I don't like that because if the answer doesn't matter, why ask the question.
So, to settle this out once and for all, here is a list of my favorite (and least favorite) places from a variety of different angles. Hopefully this should cover 95% of these inquiries. Until noted at the end, these will all refer to my favorites and least favorites from this trip only. For many of these I'll list a top three to give you a more in depth idea while some may even have more. And in true European spirit, yes there are some ties.
Best of the Best:
Favorite cities for seeing historic sights: (1) Sarajevo; (2) Prague; (3) Paris
Favorite cities for nightlife: (1) Prague; (2) Madrid; (3) Hvar & Berlin
Favorite cities/areas for outdoorsy activities: (1) Lake Bled; (2) Sierra de Guadarrama; (3) Isle of Skye
Most charming cities: (1) Ljubljana; (2) Chefchaouen; (3) Sintra, Piran, & Porto
Most local cities/areas: (1) Almeria; (2) Wakefield; (3) Ledesma
Best cities/areas for cultural immersion: (1) Fes; (2) Shkoder; (3) Porto
Most beautiful cities: (1) Vienna; (2) Dubrovnik; (3) Luxembourg & Barcelona
Favorite cities for walking around: (1) Prague; (2) Sarajevo; (3) Berlin & Vienna
Best public transportation: (1) Paris; (2) Madrid; (3) London
Best cities for spending outdoors: (1) Valencia; (2) Essaouria; (3) Hvar, Budva, & Vienna
Best cities for spending indoors: (1) Newcastle; (2) Edinburgh; (3) Brussels
Friendliest locals: (1) Porto; (2) Bordeaux; (3) Prizren
Best beaches: (1) Valencia; (2) Essaouria; (3) Hvar
Best cities to make friends: (1) Madrid; (2) Paris; (3) Porto & Lisbon
Best food: (1) Naples; (2) Sarajevo; (3) Valencia
Best beer: (1) Brussels; (2) Prague & Munich
My favorite bars: (1) Star Bar (Gibraltar); (2) Delirium Cafe (Brussels); (3) Absinthe Time!/U Fleku (Prague); (4) Cafe den Turk/Trollekelder (Ghent); (5) Unnamed 2 Euro Champagne Bar (Barcelona); (6) Cross Club (Prague); (7) Bar Loco (Newcastle); (8) "The Pub" (Isle of Skye); (9) Nautica (Hvar); (10) Gravity Bar (Dublin); (11) James Dean (Prague); (12) Punch & Judy (London); (13) Pegas (Brno); (14) American Bar (Benidorm); (15) Belushi's at St. Chris (Paris).
Cheapest places: (1) Morocco; (2) Southern Balkans; (3) Portugal
Best overall cities (I consider both visiting as well as living traits): (1) Prague; (2) Valencia; (3) Vienna; (4) Berlin; (5) Sarajevo
Best overall countries (these are my favorite countries from a visiting perspective only): (1) Portugal; (2) Slovenia/Croatia; (3) Bosnia & Herzegovina; (4) Germany; (5) Spain
Most meaningful overall experiences (in chronological order): hiking to Segovia (Sierra de Guadarrama); volunteering in western Spain (Ledesma); finding my artistic and philosophic side (Lisbon); sunshine and chanting on the 1st of May (Chefchaouen); Dinner at Rick's (Casablanca); climbing the Rock (Gibraltar); strolling the Grand Prix Course (Monaco); wandering in Pompeii (Naples); 24 Hours of Le Mans (Le Mans); writing in a Montmartre cafe (Paris); seeing old friends (Krakow & Prague); 2012 Olympics (London); climbing Storr (Isle of Skye); walking the Irish cliffs (Howth); being awestricken (Lake Bled); hitching to the hidden castle (Predjama); boating the Adriatic (Hvar); turbopop and whiplash tour (Mostar); ferry adventure to Kosovo (Lake Koman); Transylvanian mega-tour (Brasov); Oktoberfest (Munich); rediscovering myself (Vienna); becoming a music scene insider (Berlin); reuniting with old friends (Hamburg, Amsterdam, & Haarlem); finding my inner Don Quixote (Kinderdjik); beer tasting experience of a lifetime (Brussels & Ghent); and finally seeing the Eiffel Tower at night (Paris).
Worst of the Rest:
Worst cities for historic sites: (1) Benidorm (city of skyscrapers of retired British); Skopje (everything old looking is new!); (3) Rotterdam (since everything was leveled you go to see new architecture not old)
Worst cities for nightlife: (1) Fes (no alcohol, bars, or anything after dark); (2) Luxembourg (ghost town at night) (3) Ledesma (not enough people in the city to keep anything open);
Most Touristy (by perceived ratio of tourists to locals): (1) Barcelona; (2) Dubrovnik; (3) Bruges
Worst places for walking around: (1) Marrakech (hot, smelly, confusing, and your are constantly harassed); (2) Predjama (there are no buses and it's an 8 mile hike up a mountain to the castle along dangerous roads); (3) Sofia (fine if you don't mind being attacked by stray dogs or gypsies)
Worst public transportation: Albania (not terrible just most confusing and least accessible)
Unfriendliest locals: (1) Marrakech & Fes; (2) Naples; (3) Paris
Sad food: Le Mans (other than the kebab pizza which I'm sure is the worst thing you can eat, the food options at Le Mans were sad to very sad).
Sad beer: Nis (the 2 liter beers I got there were undrinkable, unlike similar versions around the Balkans)
Most Expensive: (1) Paris; (2) Monaco; (3) London
And finally, my favorite overall from all of my trips to Europe:
Favorite cities: (1) Prague; (2) Istanbul; (3) Valencia; (4) Vienna; (5) Berlin
Favorite countries: (1) Italy, (2) Germany, (3) Portugal,
Thanks for sticking with me these past 8 months. If I've been able to convey even 1/10th of the excitement and wonder I've felt to you then I feel immensely happy. Again, thank you for sharing this European adventure with me. Stay tuned for Part III: Asia. O_O
