My amazing moments backpacking!!

I have found some time to collect my thoughts. I have now arrived in Switzerland and taking some time to relax.

My last two weeks backpacking has been amazing and unforgettable. I wouldn’t trade a single moment for anything in the world. Every day has been different. Every day has led me to something unexpected. And I think I have learned something in life or about myself every day as well.
It was my intention to blog about every place either while I was there or right after I left, but time doesn’t work like that when you are backpacking. You are constantly thrown into new situations, new countries, new currencies, and new languages. The journal of course holds it all. But I would love to share the highlights with you.

Ireland – I almost didn’t make it to Ireland because of the volcano, but I got lucky. Once I got there I saw my friend Sara for one night. It’s always nice when your travels overlap with a friend’s. I traveled Ireland with my friend Woj (Mike). We spent a night in Dublin, and then went to Galway for the majority of the trip. Dublin is a city, not much countryside to it. We enjoyed it, but Galway was awesome. There were pubs with Irish music everywhere. The people were incredibly friendly, I felt instantly at home. We went out to the countryside and took a tour to go see the Cliffs of Moher. It was such a beautiful place! Breathtaking. The photos, when posted, won’t do it justice. And though the Irish do speak English, there were multiple occasions when I didn’t understand a word. But the people definitely make Ireland a great place. Walking the streets of Galway and Dublin and hearing the Irish music was like I was in a movie. We both had a great time there.

Krakow – Jumping from Ireland to Poland in one day is quite the change. Krakow was one of my most anticipated cities. My days there are some I know I will not forget. On my first day, I stumbled upon a free walking tour and joined in. Soon, I recognized someone in the group – a girl who was in my program in Rome. Once she, Jacque, saw me, she was just as surprised. We went on both of the free tours that day together and ended up getting some food with our tour guides afterwards. They were the nicest Polish guys ever. It was very cool to spend time with locals, especially ones that spoke English so well. The outcome of the day was totally unexpected, but so delightful.

Poland was flooded when I arrived there. Actually it was going down a bit, but there had been a ton of rain in Krakow, the water level on the river was extremely high. They haven’t had that amount of rain in 13 years. Well with that being said, it created a few problems. The day I arrived in Krakow Auschwitz, the concentration camp, was closed. Auschwitz was one of the main reasons I went to Krakow in the first place and I was very worried I was going to be unable to go. The camp had been flooded as well and the roads to the camp were also flooded. However, Friday, the camps were open, so I decided to try and go. Once I got to the bus station, I saw all the buses going to Auschwitz had been cancelled. Standing in the tourist information line with me were two women, a mother and a daughter from Liverpool and another woman from Turkey. They were all trying to get to Auschwitz and we all made the same decision, which was to hop on the next train, which left in nine minutes. Luckily the bus station and the train station are right next door to each other.

I sat next to these women on the train to Auschwitz and ended up spending the whole day with them.They were Tracey, daughter from Liverpool, Carol, mother, and Handan from Turkey.(I think it may have been more fitting to take the train to Auschwitz anyway.)

The following few paragraphs are all going to be about Auschwitz. Some of the things I will mention may be hard to read. Just a forewarning if you want to skip ahead. Look for the title Vienna.

I’ve never been more interested in any subject more than the Holocaust. Obviously it interests a lot of people, but the opportunity to go to Auschwitz was one that I feel very lucky to have had. It’s very important to me. I had tried to mentally prepare myself for the camps, though I know it’s rather impossible to do that. Once we arrived, me and my three new friends, or possibly my moms for the day, started our tour. Just seeing the camp was an overwhelming experience. It was pouring outside as well, which made the day drearier.

I saw two camps, Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II Birkenau. They were both used as death camps, but Auschwitz II Birkenau was the largest concentration camp during the Holocaust and the main death camp. We saw the buildings, the barracks, the bathrooms, and the crematoriums. We saw the death wall where they would shoot prisoners. Just seeing the barbed wire electric fences was enough to make me sick to my stomach.

There were things I saw there that I don’t even know if I should write about, but I will. There were a series of rooms we went in on the tour that are the most vivid in my memory. When the Jews, Gypsies (basically everyone not of the Arian race) would arrive at these camps all of their belongings would be taken from them. Everything. We saw many of these things. Behind glass cases down long hallways we saw thousands of pairs of shoes. We saw thousands of toothbrushes and hairbrushes, pots, pans, and we saw all of the suitcases they originally brought their items in. This one in particular was hard for me to look at. Written on all of the outsides of the suitcases were the people’s names, how old they were and where they were from. It was so sad to look at it. Knowing they had traveled so far in those horrible train cars, to either be put into a camp or immediately killed.

But the one that made me the most sick to my stomach and just cry was when we walked into a room where it was filled with human hair. The Nazis would shave the heads of the prisoners and then keep the hair to stuff in mattresses. There was over 50,000 heads of hair in that room. It was so overwhelming I don’t even know how to describe it.

Auschwitz II Birkenau was even more depressing. Auschwitz I is by no means nice. But there are a bunch of buildings built together so it’s like a little village. Not a nice village, but the buildings itself aren’t the scariest thing you’ve seen in your life. Birkenau on the other hand might be. The camp is massive. I can’t describe how big or empty it felt. We saw the main train track where the people would get dumped off, divided into men and women and then divided into the people who would stay and the people who were going straight to the gas chambers. We walked down the road they would have walked to the gas chambers. The actual crematoriums had been burned down, the Nazis tried to destroy them to hide the evidence when the Allies arrived. There’s nothing too much more I can say other than it was extremely eerie and very real. But I still consider myself so fortunate to have had the opportunity to see it in person. It’s something I never want to forget; I doubt I will.

The next day in Krakow I went to the Salt Mines. That was also really cool. They have a whole church made out of salt. The ceilings, alter, chandeliers, and a reproduction of DaVinci’s “Last Supper” all out of salt.

Vienna – Took the overnight train to Vienna from Krakow. I was nervous about this, but I got a couchette, which is a private compartment and it was very nice. I shared it with this other older German woman. She didn’t speak any English and I don’t speak German so it was a quiet ride, but she was extremely nice. It was interesting to see how we communicated with just body language and smiles.

I got to Vienna really early at about 6:30 a.m. Though I wasn’t expecting it, my friend Diego was waiting for me at the train station. It was so nice to see him. I haven’t seen him in a year and a half. He lives in Vienna full time and is going to the university there. And is practically fluent in German, I was so impressed! After sleeping, he showed me the city. Over the next three days I saw a lot, went to some of the museums, saw Mozart’s apartment and Freud’s office. I even got to the Opera for three euro! It was a great few days. I really enjoyed my time there because I got to do stuff on my own, but then got to hang out with Diego as well. It’s always cool to see a city with a local. Vienna is so charming though and absolutely beautiful. It’s definitely one of my favorite cities in all of Europe. I really loved it there.

Berlin – Berlin is huge! I’m sure it’s just as big as Rome or Paris or London, but Berlin felt so massive to me. My hostel in Berlin was really nice and in a very central part of town. After visiting Krakow and Berlin I definitely got my fill on WWII. It’s so great to see history up close like that though; in the places that it all actually happened in. I went on another free tour and got to see a ton of iconic places. Seeing the Berlin Wall was awesome. I got to touch history; that happened while I was alive.

I ended up meeting these two really nice girls who were staying in my hostel, Sandy and Jenny. I went to dinner with them on my second night and went to a few museums because they were free. Then the next day, I ran into them, and we went to the Wall and then went on a tour of a bunker. It was so cool! Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to take photos, but it was very cool. We went to the Jewish museum as well together. It was really nice actually doing multiple things with other girl travelers my age. They were very cool. It once again proved to me that you never know where the day will take you, what you will do, or who you will meet. But I had a great time with them in Berlin.

Now it’s Switzerland. I’m sitting in Scotti’s apartment as I write this all down. Home in one week – oh it’s strange how the time passes. I’m going to go in to France soon. But I’m very content to be here, relaxing. Geneva is very cool from what I have seen so far. They speak French here, so thankful it’s a language I can communicate in. German and Polish were fun, but difficult. I’m very much looking forward to spending good quality time with Scotti as well. Then it’s back to Rome to see a few more friends and of course to see my number one city. I’ve missed it. I need my gelato fix. I’m going to have to find some good gelato places in KC.

The life of a backpacker is quite thrililng though, very tiring, but I can't express how much I am loving this experience. I feel more alive in ways I never thought possible. Every thing I do I feel like it's something else I've accomplished. There is a thrill to only having your backpack, moving from one place to the other and relying on you and your map. Best thing I ever did? Yes.

Reenergized in Tuscany

The internet in Tuscany isn’t entirely reliable, but I am in the middle of a valley, so it’s amazing Wi-Fi is even present.

I’ve been staying in Pienza this past week. It has truly been amazing. We still have the rest of the day and tomorrow, but it is quickly coming to an end and I am sad. But there is still so much to look forward to.

The last two weeks have been full of exploring, eating, and great conversation. The trip started in Venice. As I mentioned in my last post, Venice was very difficult to navigate. Part of that was also because I was so sleep deprived and missing my friends, those curvy streets felt much more overwhelming. Venice really is great, a totally different experience of Italy.

My parents arriving, was the best. Seeing them come out of the airport and being with them in person, was so special. It felt surreal for a moment, but once that wore off, it was so nice to be able to catch up in person. My Italian skills have also been helpful to us and I'm surprised by myself, I'm better than I thought I was. I guess when you are put in situations when you need to speak it, I can do it. It's a great feeling.

After Venice, we went to Cinque Terre. It was beautiful and wonderful. However, it rained almost the entire time we were there. I don’t mean it rained, I mean poured. So that was a downer, but it created much family time in a lot of cafes and restaurants, playing cards, and talking.

I got to go to Florence again and Dad saw The David for the first time. It was just as amazing the second time as it was the first. I have no doubt that it is one of the greatest works of art in the world. I will never get tired of seeing it.

We were so lucky because Scotti (our family friend) came down for the weekend from Switzerland. It was so nice to see her and catch up. She and Julie have been friends for 16 years. It also made me even more excited for my trip to Switzerland, as I will be staying with her. It will make my trip that much better!

In Pienza we are staying at the Agriturismo Cretaiole. Go look it up. www.cretaiole.it. And you will see how amazing of a place we are staying in. Not only is it a gorgeous location but the activities we have been doing all week are incredible.  They have ranged from hikes, cooking classes, a watercolor class, wine tastings, and olive oil tastings. Not to mention that the other people staying here are so cool! They are mainly all couples, from the United States, Australia, and Japan. I’ve had such a delightful time getting to know all of them. It's one of those situations where I feel, these people were supposed to meet each other on this weekend, for a reason.

It’s funny how quickly you become attached to experiences. I haven’t even been here a week yet and I’m sad to say goodbye to this place and these people. But it makes you appreciate the present moment more.

We have a really cute, nice apartment and I have my own bedroom, which I haven’t had since January; it's so nice. I’m enjoying it now, because for the next three weeks I will have many roommates in all of my hostels.

Dad and Julie have had a wonderful time, as have I. We have a few more wonderful days together and then they are going back home. And I will go on Part III of the adventure, the big trip!

It’s still strange to think the semester in Rome is over. I know I have greatly been changed by that experience, however I also already feel another change from this one. And I have a feeling that the next phase may be the most life changing for me.

I’m nervous and excited. I can’t predict what’s going to happen. Apparently neither can the volcano (hopefully it won’t bother my travel.) But I’ve realized you never know where travel will take you and you don’t know how it will change yo, but that's the best part about it. I'm so thrilled I've had all of these opportunities.

People told me that I would come back feeling like a different person and I had no idea what they meant. Since I haven’t returned yet, I’m still not quite sure, but I’m suspecting that it will feel different. In a good way; for the better.

Overall, this time in Tuscany has been reenergizing, in more ways than one. It’s been a good place to gain perspective on my life and the world around me. I guess I had to get to the countryside to maybe see the big picture clearer. But it's all coming into focus now. I like to think I’ve learned some life philosophies while being here – a lot from the other people present actually.