Backpacking Europe

Backpacking Europe is fucking weird.

I have been using everything I have learned to try to get into the groove of traveling solo out here but I can’t and it boils down to one thing: the people backpacking Europe suck.

Yes, I know that’s a very broad statement and there are of course always exceptions.

Let me explain….

I got spoiled in Asia: most of the travelers were solo, mature, and European. They were all out to meet new people and have new adventures. They cared more about where you were going next than what you did back home. They said hello in the hallways. They liked to talk about something other than themselves.

I assumed this is what traveling the entire world would be like, but so far I am wrong with Europe.

The people that I’ve met have been American, rude, wealthy, uncultured, and wholly uninterested in making new friends in a new country. They rove in packs of 3-8, fresh out of college, and love talking about how much money they spent at the bars last night, making heil Hitler jokes, and being rude to whatever culture they are in.

Needless to say, I struggle with these types of people. Struggle is an understatement. I fucking hate these type of people.

Here’s a PSA - the world is bigger than you, or me, or money, or any of your bullshit problems.

I’ve been to 6 cities now and I can count the number of solo travelers I’ve met on one hand. It’s literally a worlds difference from SE Asia.

I have spent every single day (other than when I’m with Simon) alone. I have read two books. I have visited countless parks. I have been sleeping 11 hours a day (I think it’s a combination of stress, sadness, and my body compensating by helping me sleep more so I have to be awake less. Yes I’m aware this is a sign of depression. No I’m not depressed.) I eat every meal alone. On the Myers-Briggs scale, I’ve had enough introvert re-energizing alone time to last me for months.

In spite of the fact I’ve been virtually alone since I left the states, I am more at peace and happy with my decision to travel full time than I ever have been. Being alone with your thoughts almost constantly leads to some pretty quality thinking time.

Enough depressing shit. More life updates.

Since I’ve been here I have visited Frankfurt, Würzburg, Nürnberg (aka Nuremberg), Munich, Berlin, and I arrived in Prague yesterday.

Frankfurt has a Russian and Chinese embassy.
Würzburg contains my boyfriend.
Nürnberg has a zoo.
Munich has beer.
Berlin is cool as fuck.
Prague (so far) is romantic and adorable and utterly lonely).

Simon and I are in the process of planning our next few months of travel together including taking the Trans Siberian railroad from Moscow to Beijing with stopovers in Yekaterinberg, Nowosibirsk, Irkutsk, and Ulan Bator. Trying to get a Russian and Chinese visa while in Germany as an American citizen is a paperwork and logistical nightmare. I’ll write a blog post if (when? hopefully) I get it all figured out. Then we are headed (as quickly as possible) back to SE Asia to do Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Bali, and Indonesia. Have I mentioned how much I loved SE Asia?

I’ve spent a few weekends in Würzburg with Simon doing really normal life things: cooking dinner for his family, watching Willy Wonka, and going to his soccer games. While I enjoy my weekly “real life” escapes, it makes me extremely homesick for the way I lived a regular life in Denver/Breck.

I am going to spend the next couple of weeks hanging around Germany to get my visas figured out, then likely head down to Croatia to meet up with my Australian friend Chris or Portugal/Spain/Morocco for the warm weather.

Traveling is still the best decision I’ve ever made.