My first solo trip to Europe : Brussels, Ghent, Bruges and Amsterdam
Hello fellow solo-travellers,
I wanted to share with you some cliff notes from my first trip to Europe. I've travelled solo in the past but always to cheaper and much warmer destinations. This was my first trip during "fall season" amd trying to pack accordingly.
Left for an overnight flight from Montreal to Brussels. Left my luggage there at the train station. It was pissing rain. I went through all the things and places I wanted to see and I was drenched and exhausted on top of the jet-lagged. Late at night I took a train to Ghent and walked the whole way from Sint-Pieter to the gorgeous Uppelink Hostel.
I walked in Ghent until late into the middle of the night. I was gorgeous and warm outside. It was my first hostel experience so I didn't sleep in late. Started the day early and seeing how it was so nice out I walked to the station and took a train to Bruges. I wanted to do a walking tour, but it was so beautiful I simply decided to get lost for hours and hours. I came back to Ghent feeling all relaxed and peaceful. Discovered the Trappist Rochefort 8 beer at night. I slept very well on that 2nd night ;)
Walking tour in Ghent and spent the rest of the day with someone I met on the tour. Terrible delays for a bus to go to Amsterdam in the evening - my plan was to originally take the train but the bus was 65€ cheaper.
Spent 2 amazing and comfortable nights at CityHub in Amsterdam. You have to check it out - it's worth it and the experie ce was quite splendid.
I visited and walked and biked. I did one walking tour, I also walked some more with Rick Steves' podcasts. I kept getting lost in Amsterdam haha. I visited Noord and I biked for 8 hours on one day. There was rain on one occasion and it was perfect to visit the Rijksmuseum. With the app, I spent hours there (and I'm not normally a museum person).
Met some strangers off Tinder just to hang out. Had amazing thai and i donesian food in Amsterdam. Spent my last 3 days in an airBnB. I think this trip was more about exploring what kind of traveller I am as an "adult" not that much on a budget (but still conscious about it especially with the CAD - € conversion). I spent 5 days in Amsterdam.
Details : - Travelled with Osprey porter 46 and Timbuk2 small messenger bag - Had an old cellphone for music and podcast so I didn't drain my main phone for maps and pictures - Never used my tablet. Didn't wear 1/3 of my clothes. - Had a pair of flipflops, Gazelle and Vans slip-ons. Perfect choices. - Things I wouldn't do without : 10' USB cord, portable battery pack (anker), hoodie+goretex North face rain jacket.
Fun facts : - My phone clocked in an average of 39 000 steps per day while on this trip - I also stayed active with morning jogs and free yoga in Vondelpark which made me meet different people ! - Bring € in Amsterdam. My cards were almost always refused. - I must look like a local because people kept asking me questions ;) - Spent 3 hours with an ex sex worker from the Red Light and we talked and walked and she told me about her previous occupation.
Only thing I collect when I travel are stickers that I put on my water bottle and pictures with law enforcement personnel. So far, I wasn't successful for the picture in Cuba - that's it.
I put my budget in pictures. It includes my flights. My budget was 2000$ CAD.
Thank you for reading this post. I hope it can help some of you as those posts usually help and inspire me as well.
Submitted September 26, 2017 at 01:01AM by daY86 http://ift.tt/2hv4Nbv
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