Tá an saol go maith.

Trinity College

How I have missed sleeping in airports. Just kidding, but I saved 26 euros! Feeling an all nighter ahead of me, but my 9 hour flight will allow me to catch up on some sleep (in reality I'll be watching an unhealthy amount of How I Met Your Mother). It has been a relaxing, unwinding past few days in lovely ole Dublin. Over the last 3 days, I've done my usual exploring, the free tour where I met a fellow American, Marc from Illinois, & toured the Guinness Brewery which has solidified my distaste for beer. But we had a fantastic panoramic view of the city at the end & watched a storm sweep through.

The new man in my life

This is it...the last one. Looking back at the person I was before I started my journey 2 months ago, I never would have dreamed of the changes that would soon take place. I went into this trip hoping to focus on myself, learning to be ok alone, & to perfect my flaws. It’s funny because I was reading another friend’s blog, & he summed it up perfectly. All this trip was was a distraction. The changes in myself I expected to happen never did. And that’s ok. The experiences that I’ve had over the past 8 weeks are some of the greatest in my life. I’ve changed in ways that I never would have thought & learned quite a few things about myself, especially what I’m capable of.

My Goodness, My Guinness!

The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was the loneliness. I’m a very shy person & knew going into this trip that I would have to reach out to others to meet new people. The first 2 weeks sucked…I was still grasping how the hostel life worked, how to travel to the different cities, & spent money like I didn't have student loans to pay off. One of the greatest things I did was say yes. If someone wanted to go out or do something but I felt like staying in & being a bum, I still said yes & always had a great time in the end. I met some fantastic people this way. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the alone time I have, in fact I need it, but there's something great about having experiences with other people that make it better or more memorable.

Made my day...how did he not know?

I’m a pretty stubborn person (my family can vouch for this) & even though I couldn’t get anyone to join me like I wanted, I was still going through with this trip & to figure it out alone. The confidence that I’ve gained by my experiences has been tremendous…I feel like a healthier, new person, mentally, physically, & spiritually. There were some stressful times, but in the end, everything always worked out, always does. It was for the best that I traveled alone because I met so many great people who have helped me realize what's really important in my life. Since I was 16, I’ve held 2 jobs & gone to school…I love that kind of life. I thrive on staying busy, being productive, but I’ve missed out on many great opportunities & had it affect my relationships (friends & romantic) as well. There are so many things I’ve wanted to do, hobbies to take up, but have always put them on the backburner because I can start on them the next year. But now there is this raging passion to start living my life fully & doing the things I've always wanted. Even though I’ll be going back home to my routine of 2 jobs & school, I’ll be going home with new goals & motivation.

Top o' the brewery tower

Another huge obstacle I triumphed (& never realized was an issue of mine) was living for other people. I base most of my actions on what other people will think because doing this or not doing that may cause someone to get upset instead of living the life I want. A couple of weeks into my trip, it hit me like a brick wall. I remember the exact moment that I was asking myself why should I feel bad for living the life I want, living for myself? I wasn’t making bad decisions, but I wasn’t worried about what other people would think. As long as it wasn’t against my morals or didn't hurt anyone, I was living for myself. This is when I finally started enjoying my trip the way I should have.

Dublin Castle

Something else I’ve learned is every city is pretty much the same. They’ve got the famous landmarks, tourists, nightlife, all of that. It’s what you make of it that differentiates it from all the others. Two & a half years ago I moved from the small city life in Columbia, SC to the busy city life in Boston, MA because I needed some kind of change. I didn’t feel like I was living the life I should have back home & of course changing cities would fix all of my problems. Dead wrong. Although I’m happy in Boston, this trip showed me that the reason why Boston has been such a success is because I’ve made things happen that I never tried back home.

Irish Wall of Fame

I may be in debt for the next 2 years, but I’d do this trip all over again a thousand times. It probably would have been smarter to wait longer & save up more money (which then gets put off to never!), but I would have missed out on amazing opportunities & incredible people…plus I want to do this AGAIN next year so we’ll see how that works out. Although there are many things for me to work on, I feel rejuvenated, high on life, & know myself more than ever. One of the greatest parts is I'm ok alone. Even though I didn’t have my phone for 2 months, I’ve become closer to many people than I was when I could text them anytime of the day. Like a friend recently told me, life is a beautiful & valuable gift.

In less than 8 hours, I’ll be on a plane flying back home to the States. It has been a fantastic, life changing 2 months, but I’m ready to see my family & friends. I’m also excited to do the following (but not limited to): eat chocolate chip waffles & grits at Waffle House, have a Cool Beans date with Stephanie, watch movies at the drive-in with Mom & Dad, eat boiled peanuts & drink a Dr. Pepper, sleep naked, & DRIVE...it's the little things. Europe, it’s been fun. Although it’s a bittersweet departure, I’ll be back very soon (& better prepared). Life is good.

THE OFFICIAL UNOFFICIAL BACKPACKER’S GUIDE (for my next trip)

Clothes

*Lots of dresses-They’re lightweight, don’t take up too much room, & can be worn multiple times before being washed

*Shoes (optional)-I used my shoes 3 times my entire trip. Sandals FTW!

*Socks (see shoes)
*Everything else

Toiletries

*Shampoo…Lots & lots of shampoo (don't even think about doing laundry in the sink)

*Bar soap (lasts longer)

*Shower sandals-To prevent the funk on your feet

*Conditioner (bring it!)-Happy hair=happy you
*Everything else

Misc

*Electrical converter (a must)
*Book-Most hostels have a book exchange so you can keep refreshing on your way.
*Daypack-I was surprised to see many websites against this, but I carried almost my entire life in mine (not the safest way, but I'd rather have it with me).

*Sleeping bag-I would have been fine without mine since most hostels provide the linen.
LEAVE YOUR PHONE AT HOME!! Or on a chair in Ireland before you get ready to leave on a ferry for France only to never see it again. RIP.

My 2 cents

1. Hostels can make or break a place.

            I absolutely hated my visit to Berlin because my hostel was more of a hotel. Part of the time I was staying with an older man who smelled like cigarette smoke. Hostels are one of the main gateways to meeting people & enjoying the city (also my own responsibility to create my own happiness, but this helps). Check the reviews & ratings, & weed out the hostels based on what you’re looking for.

2. A travel day is usually a lost day.

            Very rarely have I been able to travel to another city & still have plenty of time to sightsee. Once you pack up, check out of your hostel, board the train, get off the train, find your hostel, check in, & unpack, it’s already time to go to sleep. It’s relaxing, but tiring at the same time.

3. In the end, every city is just like the other. It’s what you make it out to be that makes it stick out.

            Even though hostels played a huge role in my enjoyment of the city (example, bedbugs vs no bedbugs), you have to make the best of the situation that you’re in. Take advantage of the opportunities you have, the places the city has to offer, & meet the locals.

4. Say yes.

            Ok, there are plenty of times when this is not the best thing to do, but if someone invites you to go out & you feel comfortable with it but want to stay in, SAY YES. Every single time I did, I never regretted it because I met new people & had great experiences. For example, when Mathias & James asked me to go out as soon as I walked in the door in Marseille, I made an excuse that I was smelly & needed a shower which was true. They said they needed one too, so I figured what the hell, might as well go out smelly together. One of the best nights I’ve had. I probably wouldn’t have spent the next day with them if I said no.

5. If you travel with people, you’re going to spend more money than you think.

            EVERY single time I traveled with someone whether it was for the day or for 2 weeks, I spent way more than my budget allowed thus making my last month a frugal one. If you have your trip planned out to the cent, add another grand just in case. I had many unexpected things come up too that caused me to spend such as taking taxis, booking a hotel instead of a hostel, going out to eat for a fancy meal, & reserving & paying for train tickets even though I already had a Eurail pass. It happens.

6. Walk everywhere. Don’t take the metro or taxis if you can help it.

            I realized traveling with Will that there really is no need to take the metro, even in the larger cities unless you don’t feel safe. Personally, I love riding the trains because people watching is extremely amusing & trains are cool. But when you’re sightseeing, that’s exactly what you should do. See the city, explore, get lost. Some of the places I found were by accident because I put up my map & took to the streets not knowing where I was headed. The adventure is the best part. Plus you save TONS of money.

7. Starbucks & McDonalds are a "safe" place.

            They both have free wifi & are familiar, or atleast they were to me. In every single country I went to, these were my go to places if I was lost, needed a reminder of home, or wanted free wifi (many places require you to pay for it). The only problem I ever had was in Italy because McDonalds requires a non US phone number to register to use their free wifi. Also, there are no Starbucks in Italy which makes sense. That’s why I booked hostels with free wifi.

8. Scam artists & pickpockets...

            Luckily, I wasn’t a victim to either of these or that I know of at least (they are professionals at this, right?). The lady with the gold ring in Paris was a dead giveaway, but I heard stories from other travelers when I was in Barcelona about them feeling the person behind them explore their baggage. ZIP UP YOUR PURSES LADIES!! I had a drawstring bag & always held it on one shoulder resting on my right boob. This way I knew that my bag was always closed & could keep an easy death grip on it, especially because my life was in there (passport, laptop, camera, money <--not smart, don't do that). There was another instance in Barcelona when Hugo & I were gallivanting around at 5 am. I bought him a 2 euro bottle of water with a 10 euro bill, but the man gave me 4 euro back in change & walked off (the 1 & 2 euro coins look exactly alike). We caught up to the old man, & he tried to say "have mercy!" because he was old. He actually pointed to his balding white hair & then put his hands together in prayer form. Nope. I also saw a lady get pickpocketed on the metro in Barcelona, but the train doors had already closed before she could go after him.

9. Hostels let you check in your luggage.

The entire first week of my trip, I was so stupid. I carried my huge backpack everywhere I went, not realizing I could keep my luggage in the room if I was staying more than one night or in their checkin/checkout closet (when you checkout by a certain time, say 10 am, but want to explore, they let you keep your luggage there until you can check in to your next hostel which is usually 2 pm or later). Unless you want to look like a bodybuilder, enjoy not sweating all day & your back thanking you.

10. If you think you’ve made a huge mistake because you’re trip sucks at first, it will get better.

            The first 2 weeks of my trip sucked. I wasn’t really enjoying myself because I was still learning all of these things & what being a backpacker meant. The loneliness wasn’t fun either. I would have been ok to go home & save the money. Once I got the hang of it, it was phenomenal. I met more people, I became ok with being alone (actually enjoyed & needed it sometimes), & had great experiences.

11. If you get bedbugs, tell the hostel immediately & wash your stuff a tribillion times!

            It’s one of the risks of backpacking, but trust me. Unless you want a polka dotted scarred body like mine, take care of it ASAP. I wouldn’t wish these little demons on my worst enemy.

12. Eurail Pass…there’s more to it than you think.

            I bought the $1,200 2-month unlimited train pass that covers 24-ish countries all across Europe thinking I wouldn’t have to shell out a dime (or euro) on travel expenses. Plus the convenience to hop on, hop off trains whenever I pleased was comforting. Italy, Spain, & France usually requite a reservation or supplement fee on top of your Eurail pass because many of the trains are privately owned. The fees were never that much, but that was money I didn’t plan for. For example, to go from Barcelona to Paris in a day was 30 euros with the pass. The good thing about the private trains is that they’re MUCH faster & more comfortable. Take a look at these 2 websites below…they helped me out tremendously while I was getting the hang of the train life.

Individual Country’s National Train System (halfway down)

http://www.seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm#supplements%20cost

All Train Schedules

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e?dbkanal_003=L01_S01_D001_KAF0001_affilinet-2894-Reiseauskunft-UK-277984_LZ03

Lessons Learned Along the Way

Lesson #1: Make plans before you arrive in a city.

The first day I arrived in Ireland, I was high on the idea that I would be backpacking to places on a whim! As much fun as this sounded, it ended up being stressful trying to look for a place to stay last minute, and I spent way too much money unexpectedly from cabs & hotels the next 2 days.

Lesson #2: If you’re going on an overnight ferry, spend the money for a cabin!

You get what you pay for. I purchased a ticket for a reclining chair to sleep in because it was the cheapest & cabins were all full (lesson #1). My reclining chair was in a small room with a bunch of other scary men included in a loud part of the ship on my 18-hour journey.
EDIT: Suck it up & save the money. =)

Lesson #3: If you’re traveling to different cities frequently, you probably won’t take a shower but every 2 days.

It happens. Unless you’re staying in hostels in the city for a while, showers become hard to find when you’re on the train or ferry.

Lesson #4: Wear sunscreen.

Or you will get burned (this includes cloudy days!).

Lesson #5: Even if you have the Eurail Pass, plan to pay for traveling (cabs, local metro, & trains included).

The Eurail Pass allows you to hop on an unlimited amount of trains within a certain time period in 24 European countries (England not included). Depending on the country, many trains have required reservation and cabin fees if you’re traveling over country lines which can range from 10-100 euros per trip. This website saved my life à http://www.seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm#quick%20guide%20to%20railpasses. The man in seat 61 is THE man.

Lesson #6: Plan your trip in that country’s currency, not yours.

The US dollar is roughly $1.35 per 1 euro. Planning according to the US currency gave me the luxurious life of a backpacker…until I came to Europe & realized things are much more expensive. My bank account started to drain pretty fast.

Lesson #7: Look at the train stop name before you get off.

This isn’t the first time this has happened to me. In my excitement to explore the new city, I heard the German announcer say "Munchen" & got off, only for Will to realize we were not even remotely close to our destination. Some cities have more than one train station, so it’s VERY IMPORTANT to look at the actual station name plus the city.

Lesson #8: Do not book the cheapest hostel available.

You get what you pay for. In my case, it was bedbugs, no toilet paper, & kneeling when taking a shower. No me gusta.

Lesson #9: Have backup money.

Thankfully I never lost my bank card, but I had 2 scares when my account was frozen (on a weekend too) & it wouldn’t work in an ATM even though my bank was told 3 times the dates I would be gone & places I was going. If you do go with just one way to pay, have enough cash to cover shelter & food until you are able to access more. That night in Dublin when it didn't work at the ATM, I actually thought I was going to be outside for the night.

If you've wanted to travel but can't make up your mind or have reasons why you shouldn't, go to this website here, www.priceline.com, make bad decisions, book a ticket quickly, & only possibly regret it later. Then you'll have to go.

THE END.

Wait, & a shout out to Manny!

Ok, now THE END.