If you've been a victim of the travel-contagious bug, you likely know about the fevers. The fever-dreams that is. Having to endure that strange, disorienting feeling as reality creeps in and you start questioning if the incredible experiences you've just lived were ever truly real...
My husband and I had been planning a 3 week holiday in 2023, travelling through France, Czech Republic, Italy & Austria.
Unfortunately life threw a curve ball - dressed as a meteor - at us this same year, as I was struck by Guillian Barre Syndrome (GBS) in February. That remains a story for another day, but after months of recovery I finally returned to work in November of 2023. We tried our luck for two months of leave to travel through Europe come September 2024 - adding Scotland, England, Switzerland, Croatia and Montenegro to the original list.
Fingers crossed.
Jackpot!
Now that we’ve returned, I'm raring to delve into each country we travelled - where we explored, what we ate and what made each day the new "favourite".
However, this post is not that. I've been wrestling through the fever dreams of the experiences we shared, the people we met and the album of memories we created. This is my attempt to sweat it out into words. Because besides the physical 17 magnets now decorating the fridge, what I've brought "home" with me isn't tangible. After 7 weeks, 8 countries, 19 stops, 10 flights (above all other forms of transport except a submarine and rocket) my best souvenirs are living rent-free in my head and heart.
Fever-Dream Lessons from Our European Adventure
Go deeper than the cities. It’s easy to appreciate why some people choose the well-structured plans of organised tours or group travel, where each day and location is mapped out for you. But if it's possible - try travel further than where you land. Of course the cities have their own charm and offer plenty of experiences - I'm certainly not suggesting to bypass them. I just realise now, how much "life" of that country you miss out on experiencing, without seeing the suburbs, journeying inland or mingling among true locals. Even if it's just a day trip - try to journey off the beaten path beyond the tourist attractions.
Take time to take time off (when you're taking time off). Maybe it's my post-GBS perspective, or maybe turning 30 shifts your understanding of time, but I cannot recommend enough, not succumbing to the pressure of having to "see it all". When you’re traveling, it’s a delicate balance between checking things off your to-do list and being fully present - I know that. But being fully present requires slowing down - intentionally absorbing the sights, soaking in the sun, smelling the breeze. Some days where my watch celebrated me closing activity rings by 10am - I struggled to remember how we even spent the day. But the moments we got to sit, absorb, feel - those moments are still unforgettable.
Buy the art! It's so easy to believe you'll see a piece, place or person again when travelling - it's just simply not true. Buy the art, take an extra hour in the museum, or get on the train to see someone you love now living abroad. It only costs time, and that time spent is always priceless.
Check transport methods beforehand. Specifically, Google: "does ___ have Uber". If not - save the taxi numbers in your phone. If not, research the accessibility, incline or number of steps involved. When you're sleep-deprived, hungry or bursting for a toilet that has an actual seat - the frustration of trying to find a ride, while pushing, pulling and carrying 35kgs of luggage, can feel like the last straw to a physical and/or mental breakdown. This I can confirm.
Reflect often. Again - easier said than done. I bought a specific journal for this trip to do so and how far did it get me? Nowhere. I left it in Australia. On the same tightrope of seeing everything and taking time to rest, reflection often gets left behind. Before the days blur into weeks, or before you have to scroll your photos for dates and times of where you were, jot down or speak aloud the best parts of your day. Your favourite meal, the music you heard, the word you learnt or the inside joke you're still laughing at together. Reflecting often by writing these down as you go, will help fossilise the small details that tend to get lost in the larger narrative of your trip
Embed your new experiences into who you are. My #1 antidote to the fever (dreams). Search your favourite meals and make them at home. Join an app or program to continue learning that language. Buy a fondue and play that music. It's too easy to fall back into a familiar routine that sees these wonderful new experiences settle to dust. Making a conscious effort to incorporate these new lessons into your life and share these with others will allow you to keep re-living the magic.
Connect with others. I suppose this holds hands with the lesson of being present, but I look back on our trip so impressed by the interesting people we met along the way. Luckily for me, I married an extrovert of a social butterfly. I was embracing afternoon siestas in Tuscany, and reading my book in Florence, while he was having drinks with local wine makers and shouting cocktails at the villa. Don't get me wrong, I regret nothing - I just realise how lucky we are that he made these connections, because those people we shared our time with added such value to our holiday. We learnt about new places, cultures, and perspectives of others, who have inspired new reasons to travel to different places just to cross paths again. There's now a handful of new people in the world, who we would never have crossed paths with otherwise, now a part of the stories we will we share. How wonderful is that.
Pack supplements. In addition to your toiletries, consider a bag of first aid essentials and supplements. Magnesium, vitamin D, probiotics, decongestant - pack'em! Rather have them and not need them, than have to search in a foreign country, in a different language, using a different alphabet on different brands.
Pre-arrange your laundry. It might sound trivial, but it's worth packing a few laundry pods if you're staying at Airbnb's. Otherwise, consider how, when and where to have your laundry done along your route. Forgive me for being so westernised - but we expected the laundromats to be a "click & collect" kind of transaction and it's not the case. Allow at least 24 hours to have your laundry done, and have a translation tool accessible to explain your needs.
Appreciate clean public toilets. Okay, Europe. Tell us - Where is the seat? Where’s the button for the flush? Why is there hardly ever any toilet paper? Where is my 1 Euro actually going? I have been reminded to appreciate the luxury that is clean, stocked, seated and ventilated public toilets. May you travel with the same adoration and appreciation for them as I do - otherwise, pack TP!
I've been lucky enough to have experienced travelling abroad alone, and with my husband. There's magic in both experiences. Travel has a unique way of expanding our perspectives, teaching us lessons, and leaving us with memories that continue to shape who we are long after we return home. Even "home" feels different. Changed. The more places that consume space in your heart, the less room your heart has for only one place to feel like home. Travel highlights that "Home" is made by who you're with, the photos on the wall, the souvenirs on the fridge.
So, while the fever dreams of our journey may eventually fade, the magic of our holiday lives on in the stories we share, the meals on the table, the art on our home walls.
I wouldn't wish illness upon anyone - but I do hope you're never immune to the travel bug.
The fever dreams are worth it.
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