Superlative Awards to European Cities, Part I

It would be impossible to recount every experience I've had in the past month, so I decided to just give each city I've been to a superlative award and let you use your imagination to fill in the gaps. Most Likely to Disappoint Me with Its Primary Language: Barcelona, Spain Yes, I knew there were…

A First Taste of Europe: Expectation vs. Reality

I guess I had associated travel with reevaluation of self and life and humanity. Maybe Europe is too much like what I know, but with enough differences to be interesting. Or maybe the paths are so often trod that I feel like just another drop in a sea of backpackers rather than like I’m forging a new path for myself.

You’re Not in Costa Rica Anymore; The Thing About Eurotrip Planning

Even as we were still fighting off the jet lag, sister and I came to realize that we did not do the right amount of planning. It was either too much or too little, depending on your perspective. Because here's the deal: for a month (más o menos) in mostly western Europe, it's probably best to either build the skeleton of your trip by reserving train seats and hostels before you go, or to go in with the attitude of letting the wind blow you wherever it will, as long as you don't stray too far from your return flight.