I’m back! Coincidentally, today happens to be exactly 2 months since I landed back in NZ. The ideas for this post sitting have been sitting in my notes app for so long, but it hasn’t felt like the right time to compile them into a coherent post until now. If you’d rather not read what I’m sure are about to be a ramble about my experiences and thoughts, the summary is: I LOVED solo travelling + the backpacking style of travel, and miss it so much. It has been a surprisingly challenging shift back into day-to-day life at home.
Let’s start with some highlights. This is probably the top question I receive when people ask about my trip, and I still stumble and give different answers every single time. I had so many great experiences and it’s hard to compare them to one another.
- Hiking
I was fortunate enough to go hiking in many incredible places but Switzerland takes the top spot here, followed closely by the Dolomites in Italy. If the weather had been better when I was in the Dolomites then I think it might have surpassed Switzerland. Special mentions also have to go to Cinque Terre in Italy and Montserrat National Park in Spain. Both were stunning. Montserrat definitely felt like a hidden gem! I think a lot of the enjoyment I found hiking in all these places came from the peace and quiet, being out of the cities and just hanging out in nature.
2. Partying
Obviously I didn’t spend 4 months travelling around Europe without some pretty crazy and fun nights out! Attending Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany was an unplanned but unforgettable experience that I highly recommend! For me, Budapest was party central. My time here included a boat party, a river cruise with unlimited Prosecco (not the same as the boat party), and nights out in the ruin bars (bars established in the ruins of old derelict buildings). Once again I have to give special mention to a couple of other places; Lisbon, had an unexpectedly great party vibe, and London’s clubbing scene (if you ignore how ridiculously expensive it is).
3. The People
I will touch on this again shortly, but the people you meet, both other travellers and locals really make your experiences. Without them, my trip would’ve been good, but it wouldn’t have been great.
To follow up with these highlights, it’s time for a few low points.
- Bed Bugs
I knew that it was likely I would encounter these during my travels but it was a grim experience. It didn’t help that I was sick, and the weather was horrendous, so I had no choice to hang out in bed with the bugs all day. The bites took weeks to fully heal and the hostel owner tried arguing that there were no bugs. This experience led to a level of paranoia heading into all future hostels, I would triple check my beds, and always felt like I had bugs crawling over me regardless of how many times I had washed my belongings.
2. Paris Metro Encounter
As a female solo traveller I had heard the horror stories, but whilst my safety was always a priority for me, I tried not to let it stop me from doing things I wanted to do. If you’ve read my other posts, specifically my Paris blog, you’d know I had a negative encounter on the metro where a random man was following me and trying to grab & kick me. Thankfully, some other people stepped in and security removed this man from the metro, so I was very fortunate that the situation wasn’t worse. This occurred about 3 months into my trip and in all honesty I had expected something like this to happen much earlier. While I was completely fine, it was one of those things that rattles you a little bit.
Trip Stats
Over 16 weeks, 113 days, I travelled to 15 different countries visiting over 30 different towns/cities. I used an Eurail Pass to get around by train and I spent the equivalent of almost 6 entire days on trains! I loved the ease and accessibility of train travel (except in Germany).
🏴 🇵🇹 🇪🇸 🇫🇷 🇲🇨 🇮🇹 🇻🇦 🇩🇪 🇦🇹 🇨🇭 🇭🇺 🇸🇮 🇳🇱 🇮🇪 🇺🇸
As a whole, the trip was hands down a better experience than I could’ve imagined. I had been planning this trip for over a year prior to leaving, and so for it to finally come to an end was the strangest feeling. I no longer had something to plan for or work towards, so it was time to come up with some new travel goals.
Thoughts and Reflections
Solo travel is often considered too intimidating and dangerous, especially for young females, however I have become the biggest advocate. It is not for everyone, I do acknowledge that, but it gives you the freedom to do everything you want. You no longer have to compromise because you don’t have someone to go with, or because your travel companion wants to do something else. It also challenges you in a way that nothing else does. You quickly learn how to trust yourself and your instincts because you only have yourself to rely on, you learn to enjoy your own company, and you start to build real confidence in yourself and your abilities. Every single day you are challenged, because almost every experience is outside of your comfort zone. It took me a while but eventually I started to thrive in these unknown and uncomfortable environments. If you go about it the right way, do your research, have enough money, and prioritise your safety, there is nothing to lose, only memories to be made. In this context I love the quote “Take the chance. Take the risk. There’s always a flight home”.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; the people you meet are INCREDIBLE. You forge connections based on shared experiences with people from all over the world, and regardless of whether or not you see them again, you will remember them. I found hostels to be the best, they’re full of likeminded individuals who all want to experience new things and have a great time. Sometimes you spend a day together, a week together, or meet back up later in your travels. Normal friendships take months to grow, but travel friendships develop so quickly due to the ever changing environment you’re in. All it takes is a willingness to meet people and have conversations, you never know where it’ll lead. There are so many connections I have with people all around the world now, it makes you truly realise how small earth is. However, the reality of these relationships mean you’re constantly saying goodbye, and watching people return to their normal, everyday lives over social media. A lot of people I met returned home a month or so before I did, and it was so strange watching them all settle back in to their ordinary lives. To anyone reading this whom I met overseas, thanks for the memories, and I hope you flick me a message if you’re ever in NZ!
With that all being said, I did not realise that coming home would be harder than leaving. Towards the end of my trip I knew I was ready to come home, I was feeling pretty run down and tired, the weather was turning wintery (in the Northern Hemisphere), and my funds were running pretty low. However, arriving back in NZ was so disconcerting. Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing to be able to catch up with all my family and friends, indulge in familiar foods and lounge in the summer sun but I felt out of place. Prior to my trip I had seen other travellers talk about the struggle of coming home, but I didn’t realise what they were really talking about until I experienced it. Everything was so comfortable, it was all the same as it was when I left 4 months ago. But I was not the same. I’d experienced all these new things, met new people, and changed. So suddenly the comfort I had once enjoyed was more uncomfortable than the new changing environments I had grown accustomed to. While I loved telling stories and sharing memories from my trip, it became clear that others couldn’t relate to these experiences, so to them my stories were just exactly that. And then it hit that everyone else was moving forward, starting careers, getting engaged, and saving for houses. Meanwhile I was back in my childhood bedroom, working in hospitality, and with my degree quite literally just a piece of paper on the wall. Anyway, after thinking about all these things, I discovered just how common these thoughts and feelings are post long-term travel. It’s definitely something that isn’t spoken about enough. Spending some time at home, working and saving is a necessary step to being able to continue my travels which is my priority at this stage in life. Travelling has always been a dream of mine, and this trip was such an incredible way to experience so many new things. Two months on, I am more motivated and determined to travel than ever, I’d leave tomorrow if I had the money haha.
Opportunity and accessibility to travel is such a privilege and I am forever grateful for the experiences I have had, and continue to have. That being said, I do also believe in working hard to play hard. Here’s to ticking off some more bucket list goals in 2024, and a move to Canada before the years up 🇨🇦🍻
~ Nikita’s Nomadic Notes
Nikita’s Nomadic Notes 