Eurotrip in Review: So Worth It
Last night Jules, Isabelle and I strategically stayed up all night long at our hostel in order to be tired enough to sleep on the plane. We wanted to get on track with Seattle time.
Jules and Isabelle bought baklava. They used it as a motivational tool for staying awake. For each hour they managed to stay up, they would eat one square of baklava. (I didn't join in because I don't like baklava quite that much.)
A taxi picked us up at four in the morning. We flew from Istanbul to Amsterdam and now we are en route to Seattle. This will be my final and concluding blog entry.
I have been away from home now for exactly one month (even though this blog has stretched out for longer). Jules and I kicked off our Eurotrip in Amsterdam, where we spent three days marveling at a culture much less censored and regulated than our own. We took the train to Paris, where we spent five days zipping about the city by Metro, absorbing as much Impressionist art as we could. Then we trained to Nice for two laid-back days of Chagall and beach. We jumped on the train to Vernazza in Cinque Terre, where we soaked in more sun and consumed as much pesto pasta and pistachio gelato as our stomachs would allow. We had two rest days in Padua for laundry and such. We then took the train to Venice, where we savored our last two days of Italian culture (especially the cuisine!). We flew to Prague and learned about its history of Communism and Art Nouveau. And of course, what would five days in Prague be without four nights of going out on the town? The finale of our Eurotrip was six days in Istanbul. Indulging in a Turkish bath and taking the Bosphorus cruise “to Asia” are two Turkish highlights I will never forget.
What really made our trip great was meeting friends from back home who were on their respective Eurotrips. We met up with Alex and Alex in Paris, Erin and Galen in Nice, Alexia and Eva in Vernazza, and Annie and Isabelle in Prague.
Our biggest glitch was probably missing our train from Paris to Nice, but even that ended up resolving itself for the better. Overall, we were very fortunate.
All in all, our trip went splendidly. One month was the perfect length. I felt like we spent just the right amount of time in each city (although I would have skipped Padua.) I appreciated a balance between budgeting and indulging, cheap food and good food, hotels and hostels, museums and going out at night, sightseeing days and beach days, Western Europe and Eastern Europe, the familiar and the unfamiliar.
I've really enjoyed reading people's thoughtful comments in response to this blog. I've had fun sharing my travels with you. Thank you.
Since I had such a blast this time around — and since I come from a family who just can't seem to get enough of it — I'm sure I'll be traveling sometime again soon. People ask me if I plan to work for my Dad or become a travel writer. I would really like to be an assistant tour guide during my college summers like my brother, but besides that, I don't plan to. I'm proud that my Dad didn't just choose the easy route of going into his dad's piano business. I hope to be my own innovator as well.
Besides, I have an appetite for travel in parts of the world outside of Europe. A year ago I asked my parents if I could travel in Southeast Asia for my high school graduation trip. They said no, that Europe would be adventure enough. I agree with them and I feel that this trip is an essential, beginning-independent-traveler's experience. It's amazing how confident and comfortable we grew, orchestrating our trip along the way, managing all responsibility for ourselves and then being able to let go, sit back, relax and just enjoy.
I realize that I am incredibly blessed with supportive parents and the resources that made it possible for me to go on this trip. It's difficult for many parents to let go of their kids and let them travel independently. It's also difficult for kids to come up with and spend the cash required.
But let me tell you — it's so worth it. I really do feel like I've gained so much from this trip and that it has made me a slightly more interesting and worldly person. So here's to all you young, aspiring travelers out there and your parents. Make it happen. Traveling is the stuff that life was made for.
About This Entry
You are reading "Eurotrip in Review: So Worth It", an entry posted on 27 August 2008 by Jackie Steves.
26 replies to this entry. Add your comment below.