Where the idea came from
Got hit with that classic post-lockdown travel bug last winter while binge-watching Netflix documentaries about Italian beaches. Suddenly felt this crazy urge to finally do my big Europe summer trip after saving for years.
Step 1: Budget freakout session
Started by panicking about costs at 3 AM. Scribbled numbers on pizza-stained napkins comparing hostels vs Airbnb steals. Realized I needed:
- Flight alerts immediately (signed up for three apps)
- A strict daily spending cap of $50 after hotels/flights
- Emergency credit card backup for pasta overdoses
The epic destination debate
Went full detective mode analyzing Instagram pics from friends who backpacked last summer. Made spreadsheet comparing:
- Coastal Croatia vs Sicily crowd levels
- Train routes connecting Germany and Czechia
- Which cities had killer free walking tours
Finally picked a crazy route mixing Berlin’s techno scene with Slovenian lakes after abandoning my terrible first plan to hit 15 countries in 2 weeks.
Booking disasters turned wins
Flights first: Tried booking through three different browsers simultaneously during a midnight sale. Wound up with Budapest return tickets cheaper than my monthly car payment.
Hostel mess: Thought private rooms meant privacy till I found one with see-through bathroom doors in Amsterdam. Cancelled and stalked reviews religiously after that horror.
Transport headaches
Downloaded every European bus/train app known to humans. Eurorail pass almost broke my brain with all the rules so I ditched it. Instead pre-booked budget buses for half the routes and splurged on ONE scenic train through the Austrian mountains.
The final countdown frenzy
Week before leaving, chaos mode activated:
- Realized my adapter plug was missing after tearing apart the junk drawer
- Fought my ancient backpack’s zipper for 45 minutes
- Printed backup visa docs when paranoid about phone dying
How it actually played out
Got tricked by currency exchange kiosks twice before switching to ATM withdrawals. Burnt my mouth on Croatian hot peppers after ignoring warnings. Made friends with Finnish backpackers who saved me when my navigation app crashed in Budapest’s ruin bars. Still ate way too much pizza.
Was it perfect?
Nah. Got stranded overnight near Munich when my bus broke down. Spent 20 minutes crying in Lisbon after credit card froze suspicious transactions. But would I trade that Swiss Alps picnic moment or Prague sunrise? Hell no. Already planning next year’s Balkan adventure now that I know hostels shouldn’t have bathroom fishbowls.