As an American, exploring countries like France, the UK, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic for six months was an absolute dream.
However, looking back, there are some things I could have done differently to minimize stressful travel days and make the most of my experience.
Here are five things I’d do differently next time as an American traveling around Europe.
Next time, I’ll use my voice notes to document the experience.
You might think that because I’m a writer, I’d be pretty good at journaling. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. I typically find myself journaling at the beginning of a trip, but then I drop off as the exhaustion starts to hit.
However, near the end of my trip around Europe, I discovered the beauty of voice notes. Instead of journaling in my room after a long day, I could pull out my phone and record a recap while walking back to my hotel.
This would have been helpful on particularly eventful days, like when I was in Paris attending the Summer Olympics.
The details are what keep memories alive, and on my next trip, I’m excited to document my travels even more precisely.
If I visit Europe again in the summer, I’ll account for train delays.
As an American, I’m in awe of the European rail system. Pay $40 to read on a train for a few hours and end up in another country? You can’t beat it.
However, my previous European train experiences have always been in the offseason. Riding the trains in the summer was a whole different experience.
Of the 20+ long-distance trains I rode throughout the summer, almost all were delayed to some degree. To say this made for some headaches is an understatement.
For example, my travel day from Switzerland to Amsterdam went from a simple two-train excursion to a nightmarish six different trains, ultimately adding five hours to an already long travel day.
This happened because my connection was 20 minutes long and my train was 25 minutes late. Next time, I’ll try to give myself at least half an hour between trains.
Next time, I’ll seek out more concerts and musical festivals.
When I was in England, it was prime music-festival time — and the Brits sure know how to host a festival. However, it wasn’t until some locals started listing the festivals they were attending that I even started to look into the details.
It turns out Hozier was playing down the street from where I was staying — on the day I was leaving. My travel arrangements weren’t flexible, so I had to miss out on seeing one of my favorite artists (for a fraction of what his tickets cost in the States).
Next time I head across the pond, I’ll be sure to do some research ahead of time about who is playing nearby.
I’ll definitely make it a point to eat more local treats on my next trip.
Having a considerable sweet tooth, I knew I was in trouble when I was heading to England and France. From Victoria sponge cake and scones to macarons and eclairs, the temptations were everywhere.
And the other countries I visited didn’t disappoint in their pastry offerings either.
Although I did indulge in the occasional sweet treat (particularly the kolaches in the Czech Republic), I convinced myself that I didn’t need to splurge too often.
Now that I’m back in the States, I’m kicking myself for not sampling more of the local desserts. Food is a vital part of a country’s culture, and desserts are a fairly inexpensive way to experience the locals’ favorite recipes.
On future trips, I’ll wake up early to explore a city while it’s quiet.
I’m not naturally a morning person, and I typically need a specific reason to get up early. On days I didn’t have one, I often wouldn’t be out and about until 10 or 11 a.m.
However, the morning I left Prague, I woke up before dawn to watch the sunrise on the iconic Charles Bridge. I was used to the bridge being packed with tourists, but at 7 a.m., I had the place to myself.
Although it’s not my natural tendency, getting out on the streets in the early morning offers a completely different perspective of a city.
The post I spent 6 months traveling around Europe. The experience was great, but a few simple things would’ve made the trip even better. appeared first on Business Insider.
