It took me awhile to sit down and do this, but I wanted to give an "End of Journey Report" summarizing my experience. Below, you will find my personalized stats, award recipients, useful items to pack, and general advice for taking a trip like this. I learned a lot; namely, how to take the perfect selfie, how to get along without makeup or styling my curly hair, and how to use a squatty potty. Brace yourself for a long entry...
Well, it was a wild ride. I hiked, swam, rock climbed, ice climbed, walked a shit ton, partied, gave an interview to a Thai middle school student, ate shark, explored, discovered, learned, watched, listened, breathed. Even despite being scolded by a Dutch woman, groped by a drunk Barcelona lesbian, nearly mugged by a crazy Hungarian dude, found lost in the Bulgarian wilderness, and almost tossed to my death while free climbing to a Thai lagoon, I highly, highly recommend traveling solo to anyone and everyone. I am exaggerating, of course. Any pickles I found myself in were quickly resolved by the kindness of complete strangers. This trip has restored my faith in humanity. As my scuba instructor once said to me, "As long as you can breathe, you're fine." Amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday 21st century life, it's easy to forget that when it comes down to it, we are all just animals trying to survive. All we really need to survive is oxygen, food, water, and preferably sturdy shelter. The little things in life, the everyday anxieties and fears, are but momentary distractions from what is actually essential to existing as a living organism: BEING.
With that being said, I hope you all find the following useful in gathering the courage and strength to take a break from everyday life and actually LIVE.
Onward,
Chris
THE STATS:
*I literally went around the planet Earth: New York to Iceland to Western Europe to Eastern Europe to Thailand to California to New York again.
*The Final List:
1. Reykjavik, Iceland
2. Paris, France
3. Lourmarin, France
4. Strasbourg, France
5. Berlin, Germany
6. Prague, Czech Republic
7. Budapest, Hungary
8. Vienna, Austria
9. Barcelona, Spain
10. Lisbon, Portugal
11. Porto, Portugal
12. Amsterdam, Netherlands
13. Sofia, Bulgaria
14. Istanbul, Turkey
[Layover in Dubai, U.A.E.]
15. Chiang Mai, Thailand
16. Krabi Town/Ao Nang/Railay Beach, Thailand
17. Bangkok, Thailand
[Layover in Manila, Philippines]
*Cities/Towns: 17
*Countries: 12
*Hours on a plane: 55
*Hours on a train: 3
*Hours on a bus: 34
*Hours in a car: 17.5
*Minutes on a longtail boat: 40
*Time zone changes: 8
*Currencies: 7
*Amount of RAW GoPro footage: 170.9 GB (~13 hours)
*Amount of photo footage: 13.71 GB (3,000+ photos)
THE AWARD GOES TO...
*Favorite cities: Berlin, Barcelona, Budapest
*Least favorite cities: Lisbon and Sofia
*Most overrated: Vienna
*Most underrated: Budapest
*Most friendly: Istanbul and Reykjavik
*Least friendly: Paris
*Best food: Thailand and France
*Worst food: Berlin
*Best biking cities: Paris and Reykjavik
*Worst biking cities: Lisbon (I feared for my life because of the shitty rental bike, but also the shitty drivers, no traffic signals, and people don't look because they're not used to bikers) and Amsterdam (because of the traffic; you have to look out for other bikes, trams, buses, cars, pedestrians)
*Best public transportation: Paris, Berlin, Barcelona
*Worst public transportation: Lisbon and Budapest
*I wish I had more time in: Prague and Barcelona
*I had too much time in: Lisbon and Sofia
*Most expensive location: Vienna
*Least expensive locations: Thailand in general; In Europe: Sofia
*Most expats encountered in other countries: Australians, French, Germans
*Best looking people: French and Germans
*Best walking tours: Barcelona (Gaudi tour), Berlin (street art tour), Prague
*Best lesbian scene: Vienna
*Most mosquito bites acquired in: Thailand and Sofia
*Most language trouble: Sofia
*Best airline: Emirates
*Worst airline: EasyJet
*Worst airport: Manila
*Nicest hostel: Vienna (Meininger Vienna Downtown Franz)
*Most chill hostels: Lisbon (Inn Possible Lisbon Hostel), Budapest (Minoo House), Istanbul (Metropolis Hostel)
*Most unique hostel: Porto (Rivoli Cinema Hostel)
*Worst hostel: Prague (Old Prague Hostel)
USEFUL TRAVEL ITEMS:
*Napkins and/or Tissues: I have this rule living in NYC too. To be used as toilet paper or for spills or explosions in your bag.
*Plastic Bags: This is another essential I carry in NYC as well. They don't take up much space and yet come in super handy for groceries, wrapping up leftover food, containing a leaky bottle of liquid, or touching something you don't want to touch.
*Tote Bag: Again, it doesn't take up much room and is perfect for carrying heavier shopping items, especially groceries, since most supermarkets in Europe charge extra for grocery bags. Also can be used for carry-on overflow or boots.
*Plastic Water Bottle: I started my trip using a reusable water bottle, but it quickly started to smell and was also a little too big to be carrying around. So my new strategy was to buy a bottle of water in each new city and then reuse the bottle for the time I was there. This way, if I really had to, I could just toss the plastic bottle. Additionally, don't forget that most airports have drinking fountains near the restrooms where you can fill up a water bottle so you don't have to pay exorbitant amounts of money for airport bottled water.
*Hand Sanitizer: This is a given for anyone raised by a germaphobe. Between airplanes, buses, subways, and restrooms with no soap, this is a godsend. Also, I really can't stand having sticky hands and this solves that.
*Combination Lock: Although a lot of hostels have lockers with there own locking system, I did encounter a few where you had to provide the lock. Some people used their luggage lock in this case, but I find that less than reassuring.
*Google Offline Maps: This has helped me out of some predicaments. Sometimes it says that it's not offered in a certain location, but I've found that it can still generally save and track where you are. Just for safety, I sometimes would look up a route ahead of time and then save screenshots of the map onto my phone. I recommend using Google Maps over the TripAdvisor app (see below).
*Light Jacket: Traveling during the winter is a different story, but for the summer, I carried my light-weight windbreaker with me everywhere. I got it years ago for my trip to Peru and it still proves to be the perfect accessory. Because it is so light, I can roll it up to take up only about a 6" x 3" space in my bag, eliminating the need for an umbrella (also, I just hate umbrellas). It has a tuck-away pouch for the hood and two big zipper pockets that can hold a small water bottle. I wore it a few times just to prevent sunburn because it is so ventilated, and yet I never needed anything heavier when it got cold. It's magical. Purchase Something Like It Here
*TripAdvisor App = Shit: As I mentioned above, the TripAdvisor app is pretty horrible. It's an admirable idea (an app where you can download maps for major cities around the world to be used offline), but it's just not intuitive nor designed well. The maps are not thorough enough, the list of cities is less than abundant, and there's no way to download just the maps, instead of the entire "city guide." Furthermore, there were a few times when the app quit abruptly and somehow deleted the maps I had downloaded, leaving me lost and frustrated. Do not trust this app!
TRAVEL TIPS:
*Hostels vs. Couchsurfing: I know there was a time not too long ago (3 years or so ago) when Couchsurfing.org was an awesome network of honorable people from around the world who loved meeting expats and thus opened their homes to them for free. Sadly, I believe this is no longer the case. I whole-heartedly wanted to and tried to find Couchsurfers to stay with in the cities I went to, but it proved to be too difficult and frustrating. The network is way too big now, which increases the numbers of dishonorable members, statistically speaking. There are also a lot of members who have profiles but are not actually active in hosting. I got some creepy responses from men on there too. So I gave up and resorted to having peace of mind by booking a hostel ahead of time. I did stay with one Couchsurfing host in Iceland, but that was because I knew someone who had stayed with him before and I was able to contact him directly via e-mail. Here's how I break down the Hostels vs. Couchsurfing debate:
The Benefits of Couchsurfing:
- It's free!
- Having a local person to give you advice and to get to know
- Staying in a real home with a kitchen and decent bathroom
The Benefits of Hostels:
- No small talk with hosts
- No feeling invasive or like you owe the host something
- Flexible access and sleeping hours
- You can meet other travelers from around the world
- Free maps and site-seeing suggestions
*Before arriving to a new location, I always looked up three things:
1. Exchange rate
2. Tipping policy
3. If the tap water is drinkable
4. Basic phrases in the local language ("hello," "goodbye," "please," "thank you," "sorry," "excuse me," "bathroom," "yes," "no")
This will start you off on the right track. I wrote my findings in a pocket-sized notebook that I carried with me at all times.
*Have at least one person who knows where you're supposed to be and when. The first thing I did when I arrived at a hostel was get connected to the wi-fi and tell my D.P.P. (Designated Point Person) that I was safe and approximately when I would be back at the hostel. Before every flight, bus ride, and train, I told her an estimated time of when I would be at a wi-fi access point again. My D.P.P. had the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of my entire family and relevant contacts.
*Be smart and trust your intuition. There's a shortcut that goes through a dark financial district street at night? It's probably better to stick to the main streets where there are bars still open and people walking about. Take a cab instead of walking alone. Carry a pocket knife or pepper spray. If you feel unsafe on the street, find a group of other pedestrians and stay a couple paces behind them. Look around and behind you every couple of minutes. Be aware. If someone tries to block your way, keep walking and ignore them (it's better to seem rude than to be scammed). Don't accept drinks or drugs from strangers (even in hostels). Don't get too drunk. Don't do anything you don't want to do. Wear a broad-strapped bag that goes across your chest and hold it in front of you in crowded areas. Only carry small amounts of cash at a time. Keep a bill in your sock. Only stay at hostels that have lockers. Leave your passport, valuables, larger amounts of money, and one credit card in the locker at your hostel. Have copies of your passport in every piece of luggage. Have a list of emergency phone numbers on your person. Memorize emergency phone numbers. Look up how much things should cost ahead of time. Always count your change. Just be smart.
*Know when to be cheap. Traveling can be expensive, but don't be so stingy that you can't have any fun. Know your priorities ahead of time. I ate a lot of sandwiches. I would go to the nearest supermarket and buy the basics, and then pack lunches to take with me during the day. This also cuts out time wasted on finding an affordable place to eat. For one meal in every location, I treated myself to something local and yummy. When picking hostels, alternate between a 5-star place in the center of town and a 3-star place just outside of town (but consider transportation costs and ease). Plan this out so you can treat yourself to the nice hostels in countries with a weaker currency. I stayed in a resort in Thailand because it was so goddamn cheap. I stayed in the cheapest hostel I could find in Vienna because it's such an expensive (yet clean) city; but you know what, it ended up being the nicest hostel I've ever stayed at. Nowadays, even the cheapest, lowest-rated hostels are still habitable because of globalized standards and internet reviews.
My top priorities for spending money were on attractions and experiences. But look out for tourist traps! Just because everyone says to go inside the Parc Güell in Barcelona, it doesn't mean it's economical or even in line with your interests (I skipped it and walked around the rest of the park instead). When going out at night, set a limit for how much you want to spend on drinks that night and then order based on that. Beer is generally cheaper in Europe than the U.S. Pick the ones with higher alcohol content (more bang for your buck).
*It's perfectly fine to stay in and be antisocial. Traveling is exhausting, especially when doing it alone. There are some days when you just need a siesta or to stay in and watch a movie in the hostel. Don't feel obligated to make friends with your hostel roommates. Everyone takes their own path on their personal journey.
*Rent a bike for a day or just a few hours. Almost every city has someplace where you can rent a bike. It's faster than walking, so you can explore more. It's also good exercise. And you can't get mugged while in motion. Just be safe!
*Be humble and respectful. Americans are brainwashed from an early age to be overly patriotic. We think that we are the world's super power, when in reality, most non-Americans hate us or make fun of us (eg French people think all Americans are fat). Respect other cultures and lifestyles, and adapt to them. Don't be that obnoxious visitor guffawing and constantly comparing everything to their home country.
*Have a general plan. It's exciting to be spontaneous, but you can waste a hell of a lot of time if you don't work out the logistics ahead of time. This also helps to avoid panicking. For example, I took an overnight bus to Istanbul. I planned to take a nap and then explore the Fatih area on day one, explore the Taksim side on day two, and explore the Asia side on day three. What specific sites to see in those areas I did not know. But I woke up each day knowing where I was headed and how to get there. It's also useful to plan out things like when you can charge your phone/camera/laptop, where you can do laundry, when you'll have enough privacy to cut your toenails. This shit comes up.
*Be flexible. It's okay to break from the itinerary if an unexpected opportunity presents itself. There were times when I felt too tired to go out, but I forced myself to, and every single time, I either met some cool people or saw something I didn't even know about. Every single time. If someone invited me somewhere, I went. Also, be open to learning and trying new things.
*Have a sense of humor. Yes, I got lost a few times. Yes, I wasted some time being lost or not thinking of something ahead of time. Be able to laugh at yourself. Besides, you're traveling alone, so no one will ever know to make fun of you for it. Don't get down on yourself.
*It's okay to ask for help. In this day and age, most people speak English and are willing to help a foreigner. In fact, if you tell them that you are from New York (or the U.S. in general), they will immediately ask to Facebook friend you. Everyone needs a little help sometimes. Just be visibly and verbally appreciative.
*"Do one thing every day that scares you." Eleanor Roosevelt said that. It makes it all worthwhile.
*Trust in the Universe!