The best dreams happen when you're awake.

London, England; 

London has a special place in my heart. It was my first trip abroad where I wasn't tied down during the week at work. I had nearly 2 weeks to explore and do whatever I pleased (so bear with me here on this lengthy post.) This was pure freedom for me. 

Me and one of my closest friends Bri had been talking about going to London for nearly a year, and the day finally came on a Friday night when I left from the Philadelphia International Airport. We had scheduled our flights at different times because we both function on different work schedules. Bri was to arrive the day after me and she was also going home 4 days before me too. I slept the whole flight there and by the time the plane had landed in England, it was morning.

From the Heathrow Airport I went right to Paddington Station. This is where I met with my good friend who we were going to stay with for the whole duration Bri was there. Then afterwards I would be by myself where I decided to do some couchsurfing (couchsurfing.org) my last 4 days—but i'll get to that later. So I met my friend at the station—and it was such a good feeling to see him as it was nearly a year since the last time I saw him in Switzerland. We had a lot of catching up to do! We walked through this small section of London called "Little Venice" to get to his flat. It was a quaint and welcoming sight to enjoy on a Saturday morning as my excitement level grew by the second. After settling down in his flat, we went to a little pub nearby for some food and drinks to kick off the trip, which then led to more drinks and meeting a lot of his friends in central London. It was a steady but wonderful evening as I let the fact settle in that I was finally in London.

So the day finally came the following morning when Bri stepped foot into another country for the first time. London was in for a rude awakening. Or maybe it was Bri who was, considering she misplaced her debit card at the Philadelphia International Airport and had no means of accessing her money when she landed in London. Luckily, my friend (let's call him Rob for private reasons) was nice enough to buy her a train ticket online and email it to her so she could at least get to Paddington Station. This is where it all began. When I first saw her sitting and waiting at the station, with her bright pink Converse shoes, she looked nervous and a little culture-shocked. I ran right up to her and gave her the biggest hug. It was so good to see a face from home, and in London of all the places in the world! We geeked out as typical Americans would in the given situation. 

That night we went out downtown. We met with some of Rob's friends who I had met the night before, and we all went to Zoo Bar where there was a "language exchange." Essentially, everyone who goes wears a name tag with their name and where they're from, this way it's really easy to go up to people and just start a conversation. We met people from all over the world and made so many friends in just our first night there. We even met a girl from Maryland who we kept in touch with during our stay in London. The night carried on until I lost Bri and had no way of contacting her. I had her wallet, money, I.D., everything besides her phone, which didn't help either because we couldn't call each other anyway. The mother in me surfaced and the panic started to set in. It was still a reasonable hour into the night, so I tried not to get too worked up just yet. I enjoyed my time with a few people that I had met there. However, the thought of Bri missing and possibility of her getting lost in the whirling abyss of London horrified me. I thought the night was going to end up being a scene out of the movie "Taken." At that point there was nothing I could do but go back to Rob's flat. She had her phone and his address so I knew it was possible for her to get back.

I woke up early the next morning to Bri stumbling into the room—she lives! I was so relieved. Not only for her well-being but the fact we were to fly to Amsterdam that day too became an issue alone. Although, that is another blog post within itself. So let me fast-forward to when we come back from our Amsterdam madness...

We got back to London later in the night. We were so exhausted and burnt out from Amsterdam that we just wanted to relax and get a good nights rest for the last three full days that Bri had left. The following day we set out to do some sightseeing since we really hadn't seen anything in London yet besides the Picadillly Circus area, which mainly consisted of bars. So Friday came, Rob hung back as me and Bri made our own adventure. We took the Victoria Line and made our descent towards Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the London Eye, among other little stops and excursions along the way. It was an overcast day but the rain managed to hold off. We strolled through a long park until we decided it was time to hit our first pub. We went to a couple different places, and one in particular called the Shakespeare which was really cool. They had a portion of the bar downstairs that had tables sectioned into the walls almost like little private rooms. Some of them were marked "montague" and "capulet" — loved it! After the Shakespeare, we went back to the Picadilly Circus area to meet with Katie. We hung out with her and some people she met through the language exchange. We all grabbed some beers at the market and just hung around a section in town that looked exactly like a scene out of the Harry Potter series — Platform 9 3/4. It was charming. We hung out for an hour or two and then Katie took us to a party in the Soho area of London. Me and Bri didn't realize until we were there that it was a party that consisted of 90% gay men. It was pretty hilarious given the situation. That ended up becoming our night. 

The following day me and Bri were on a mission to go to Abbey Road. It was on our list of must-see things while we were in London. That being said, we of course made Rob navigate us through the streets to find this musically historic road. It became quite a walk, but eventually we made it! It was a pretty cool feeling to stand and cross the same road that the Beatles did back in the late 60's. Music history at its finest! After this mini adventure we went back to Rob's flat, re-grouped, then started getting ready for a night out in the town. This was our last 'going out' night so we wanted to check out a club called Rumba, where we also agreed to meet with Katie. When we got there it was a little slow warming up, but once the music started playing and drinks flowing, it turned into a really fun night. Funny story, too – while we were waiting at the bar for drinks, we noticed a group next to us who had American accents. After striking a conversation we asked where they were from, and of course, low and behold they were students from Temple University in Philadelphia. Small world, huh? So we spent the rest of the time there with the Temple group, until our poor feet could stand no more. Therefore, we retired and took a bus back home. 

The following morning was a rough one for Bri. Her hangover level was at an all-time high. I guess that's what happens on your last full day in London. We went about our day in a casual manner. We took the tube to Camden Town, which is kind of like a European South Street. It was essentially one long street, with shops and places to eat. It had that punk/grunge vibe to it too. Towards the end they had some open markets with really cheap clothing and souvenirs, which was also right near this little canal where a lot of people would sit outside in the nice weather, enjoy a beer and converse in good conversation. Me and Bri made our way down under the canal, as we heard a guy playing his guitar and singing underneath the small bridge. We sat there for what felt like an hour, just chatting and listening to the sound of this guys guitar and voice as it amplified beneath the bridge. It was honestly one of my favorite moments in London. This is where I also discovered a Chilean artist who does some graffiti art – Otto Schade. One of his art pieces was graffitied onto this black wooden door down near the bridge. We sat directly across from it as we enjoyed the music. I was in awe at my surroundings. The art piece consisted of the silhouette of a soldier, walking off into the sunset as he was holding a little boys hand. What was most interesting about it was that the soldier was holding a teddy bear, and the child was holding a rifle as he glances up at the soldier. This moment really stuck with me, and it's moments like that which really makes me enjoy traveling as much as I do. 

I will end this post on that note and sum up my last 4 days as being more relaxed, touristy and just an overall joy. I couchsurfed my last 3 nights in a town called Kew Gardens, which is located near Wimbledon. It was a beautiful area and am so grateful I had the opportunity to experience a more suburban part of London. My host was amazing and he had a beautiful condo right by the Thames River, where I enjoyed a nice run one morning before I headed out to the airport. I also got to spend one day exploring the Tower of London, which was just breathtaking and surreal. London has so much history buried within it, and the mix of cultures makes it even more enjoyable than I had ever imagined. 

Thank you London for your warm memories and endless amounts of pubs. 

Sardinia, Italy; 

Oh, what a beautiful beautiful island! This was definitely a memorable trip. 

It all came to happen through a discounted airline in Europe called Ryanair. They provide really cheap flights through smaller airports all throughout Europe. We saw this deal and jumped right on it—considering we had a long weekend coming our way because of a Swiss National Holiday. We weren't going to let that long weekend go to waste! 

We flew out of Memmingen, Germany—myself and my two lovely roommates at the time. That alone was an adventure itself. We left work on a Thursday night and commuted via train straight to Memmingen. We refused to spend the extra money to stay in a hostel that night, so we decided to be dingy American travelers and sleep in a park like homeless people. Not the best idea considering it got a little cold, but a stray cat befriended us and tried to keep us warm. Once the sun started to come up we instantly tried to find the closest (and open) cafe. After a much needed coffee and pastry, we started to walk towards the bus station where it would take us to the airport. The wait was dreadful—considering we had barely any sleep (at least I know I didn't.) However, once we got to the airport the excitement started to kick in, and we met a group of 4 guys at the airport who just-so-happen to be going to Sardinia as well! But wait, it gets even weirder—they were all from St. Gallen! (This is the area where we were staying in Switzerland.) They were from all over the place: 1 from Germany, 1 from Poland, 1 from France and another from Armenia. They were all in their mid-20's/early 30's and were currently working in St. Gallen as scientists. Who would have thought 3 American girls would end up meeting 4 scientists from St. Gallen who spoke very fluent English? Things were bound to get interesting. 

Immediately upon meeting them in the airport and discovering our whereabouts, the pre-vacation drinking had begun prior to boarding our flight. Before boarding, we exchanged numbers and decided to meet up when we were in Sardinia. It was a relatively short flight, probably close to two hours, and we were all insanely tired from the lack-of or no sleep the night before. When we got off the plane, we jumped in our shuttle cab and off to our hostel we went! The hostel was a little different, but definitely a cool experience! It was essentially a campground but they also had 'bungalows' that gave more shelter and also had a bathroom/shower and mini-fridge. It was perfect for the 3 of us. When we got there all we wanted to do was get our bathing suits on and hit the beach. So, that's exactly what we did. The beach never felt so good and looked so beautiful in my entire life.

The water was crystal clear, the sky blue as ever with minimal clouds, and the sun shining down on us as we basked in the glory of what had become our lives.

I honestly never thought I would visit such a gorgeous and rustic city, with all its history and natural beauty. In this moment, I only felt pure bliss and gratitude for the life I was given and the cards I was dealt. After getting enough sun and a short nap in, our bellies started to growl at us for not feeding them. So naturally, being in Italy, we went out to get pizza and gelato. Wait, let me rephrase that — we went out to get the best pizza and best gelato. Ever.

Our first day there was exhausting so we wanted to wash up, relax and get to sleep early so we would be more than ready for what the next few days had in store for us. We got up pretty early the next day and got right into the swing of soaking in Sardinia. The bus system was pretty easy to figure out, but when we had to ask a local a question, the language barrier was very difficult in this area. Locals on this island are not so fluent in English, so there was a lot of hand gesturing. But, we managed! Well, kind of. We attempted to see some of the ruins on our first day, but with the language barrier it was really difficult to find out exactly where we had to go. We followed directions to where we thought we had to go, but in the end we just basically circled around and ended back up in Alghero, where our hostel/bungalow was. So, what do three girls do when your plans fail? Plan B: to the beach! We got changed and hopped on the bus to take us to one of the more downtown/local beaches. On the way, the guys that we had met in the airport had called and wanted to meet up on the beach, which worked out perfectly. We got off the bus and miraculously found them pretty quickly—considering the amount of people and different beach locations that ran along this main street. So our day of soaking up the sun, swimming, drinking and conversing had begun. It was a scorching hot day, so the frequent dip in the water and italian beers were all too perfect. At one point a bunch of us ran for the water and made a haul out into the sea where a group of rocks spanned the horizon. We would climb up on the rocks and dive into the water. At one point I think I just laid flat on a rock and took in all of my surroundings. I never wanted to leave this moment in time that had become my life. 

After having my moment, the day continued on with lots of laughing and enjoyment. The guys let us go to the place they were staying to shower before we were all going to go out to eat. Their place was much closer to the central downtown area, so it was just more convenient. Dinner was amazing, which came to no surprise considering it was authentic italian. Although, the sudden spur of drama had dawned and had left me furious. Needless to say, our group which was once 7 had dwindled down to 4, but nothing was going to stop me from enjoying the rest of the night. So we carried on with our shenanigans, which involved several bars and ended in skinny dipping. When in Rome? (Not Rome, but close enough!) Besides, when will I ever be able to say I skinny dipped in the Mediterranean Sea?

The following day was set aside for some downtown exploring, gift shopping and just really doing everything and nothing on our last full day. We bussed through and around the city. There were tons of sidewalk vendors that we would casually stroll through and occasionally buy something here and there. This was a girls paradise. After weening through big stone buildings and narrow alleys, we decided we had to hit the beach one last time. We ventured to the closest beach, went in the water, did the usual people-watching until we decided we had to get one last epic italian meal in before we called it a day. Me and my dearest room mate Sarah wanted to eat like Queens, so we picked a place right on the beach that overlooked the Mediterranean. The food was phenomenal—swordfish steak, fried calamari, lasagna and a liter of wine. We were all set! It didn't get more italian than that. After we ate, we walked onto the beach right by the water and sat there for about half an hour and watched as the sun went down. I don't think the trip could have ended more perfectly. 

The next morning we flew out of Sardinia, back to Memmingen. Reality was beginning to sink in for me, for this was my last big Euro-trip before I was to head back home to the states within the following weeks to come. It was bittersweet. After spending almost 6 months in Switzerland and being able to travel all over Europe, it felt like home to me.

Munich, Germany;

It happens every year—a 16-day festival running from late September to the first weekend in October. 6 million people from around the world come to celebrate this Bavarian tradition that consists mostly of beer, traditional german food, beer, lederhosens and dirndls, more beer...and did I mention beer? 

Coming from German heritage, I've always been involved in any German related festivals and traditions throughout my childhood and growing up. My fathers side of the family is 100% German with ancestors from Stuttgart, so you could imagine my excitement when the realization hit me that I had the opportunity to go to the Oktoberfest, in Munich, Germany. It was too good to be true.

Me and my 3 room mates at the time left early on a Saturday morning. It was a beautiful sunny day. We started our commute that involved several train connections and a lot of time in between those connections. I remember specifically stopping in Memmingen, Germany. We had an hour or two to kill so we walked around the quiet little town until we had to hop on our next connecting train—but first made sure to grab beers for the ride to start our Oktoberfest pre-game extravaganza.

The whole journey to Munich took about 8 hours. When we got to the central station, we all bought lederhosen (for the men) and dirndls (for the ladies). We had to do this the right way if it was possibly the only time to attend such an event. When we got off the last train, we had to somehow get from the train station to our campsite. I don't remember how it happened, but we somehow hitched a ride with a total stranger and boom! We had arrived. We stayed with an organization called Stoke Travel. It was a campsite about 20 minutes from Oktoberfest that had frequent shuttle rides to take you there. When we got there, we threw our bags in our tents, which smelled like piss from the weeks of partying. You can only image how many people slept in those tents, drunk out of their minds. It didn't help that we went on the last weekend of the festival. From there, we scurried over to the outdoor bar to start our shenanigans.  

5 euros got you a plastic cup. That plastic cup got you unlimited beer and beer/wine bongs. Enough said.

We decided to hang out there and drink as much as we could before going to the actual Oktoberfest. We met a group of Australians, along with the bartender who resembled a sexier version of Heath Ledger with tattoos. We nicknamed him Hotty Toddy because his name was Todd. We were peer pressured (not really) by the group into doing wine bongs, beer bongs, umbrella bongs and playing edward-40-hands. I remember having a conversation to them about 'Murica and they taught us how Australians will sometimes refer to Australia as 'Straya. It became a continuous joke throughout the day—and now whenever I think of Australia I automatically get taken back to whole scenario. I can still remember the distinct smell from that campsite. I'm not sure how to explain it—Beer, mixed with sweat and people that haven't showered for days. Something like that. Regardless of the smell, it sure as hell didn't stop us from having the best time of our lives. 

After our campsite pre-game party we hopped on a shuttle bus and off to Oktoberfest we went! The walk from the shuttle to the event was surreal. I never in my life thought I would be attending the world's largest drinking party. We hurried to where everything was happening, and of course by that time it was nearly impossible to get inside one of the beer tents. Apparently you have to get there as early at 9am if you want to get in. Whatever the case, it didn't stop us from at least trying. As the crowd stood out front of the Hofbräuhaus tent, we pushed our way towards the front. We noticed a guy pushing through and being let in because he was a dirndl designer or something crazy. So we all linked hands and tried (emphasis on tried) to follow behind him as close as possible. One or two of us managed to get through past the guards but obviously we wouldn't separate our group over beer. After our epic fail we just decided to walk around, and by that point a few of us had to use the restroom, bad. I think I waited in line for over 20 minutes before I got in. The guys of course had it easy and could walk a little ways away behind a building and have no problem.

After taking in all the excitement and festivities—naked drunk people, the huge laughenbrezels, meeting random people from all over the world—we decided to make our way back to camp to continue the night. When we got back, one of us had a little too much wine bong action and got sick. So he burrowed into his tent as the three of us carried on with the party. All I remember was good music, good company and good beer! It was amazing how many people were there from all over the world. When we would run into Americans, it was like running into an old friend. As the night carried on, the one who passed out and got sick earlier, was once again re-summoned and joined us in what was one of the best parties I've ever been to.

Zürich, Switzerland;

This was always a place to go to whether it's a casual day trip of exploring the city with an afternoon picnic, or a wild city festival and parade party that goes until 4 in the morning. Despite how fun the festivals and parties can be, this day was probably the most memorable visit I had in Zürich where I really embraced what beautiful surroundings I had the privilege to explore.

It was my second time coming back to Switzerland for another 3 months to work and live. This time I was fortunate to be there during the Summer season. It was really interesting to experience the difference in the seasons and how it factors into traveling. It was my first weekend back, and we had planned for a Sunday day trip to Zürich, which was only about an hour from St.Gallen. 3 out of the 5 of us at that time were leaving that day to go back home. It was sad knowing they had to go—but this made us enjoy the day that much more. 

We spent most of the day just exploring the city and enjoying the nice weather. If we happen to pass an alleyway or side street that looked charming or like it had potential, then we would just walk in the direction. This was the best way to really discover a city and the small treasures it holds. If you have the time to do it, why not?

From there we began to walk towards the park by the water. On the way we stopped in a market to grab some fruit, cheese, crackers and wine. When we got to the park we laid out a blanket and all sat down for our "last supper" before 1 of our room mates had to head back to catch his train to the airport. This was one of my favorite parts of really taking in the reality of where I am and what i'm doing. Food, wine and good company while people swam in the water, smoked hookah in the grass, played sports, and just enjoyed their surroundings. On a Sunday, this was the place to be!

After our one room mate had left, we packed up our picnic and went about the city exploring more. We headed up toward the University that sat up on a hill that overlooked the whole city. I remember the four of us just laying on the pavement in the sun, as students from the University were hanging out nearby, smoking their hookah (which I'm positive wasn't just sheesha) and playing the guitar. I could have laid there for hours. We also made our way to another rooftop area where there was a park with older men playing jumbo chess, a set of swings and other small playground type things. This rooftop also overlooked the whole city right by the water. You could see where the river divided the city and how the light reflected off the water and onto all the buildings. We sat along the edge for quite some time. I just remember thinking how lucky I was (and still am) to be given such an opportunity and meet the most amazing people along the way. 

I guess you could say Zürich plays a special roll in my journey. It was where it all began, from the time I left the States for the first time—stepping off the airplane, the smell of another country, all the way up until the time I left. 

Despite the fact I had to leave, I wouldn't say that that was the end. I know one day I'll travel back to the lovely city of Zürich and create more memories. Until next time Zürich, zumwohl! *

Paris, France; 

When I went to Switzerland, I never thought I would get the chance to visit Paris, let alone all the other amazing places I went. But Paris always just seemed like something in a fairytale. To be honest, I never had intensions to travel so much when I left the States for the first time. I was a little intimidated by the whole concept, but I just wanted to get out of my comfort zone for once and see what the world had in store for me—I do not regret one thing about this decision!

It sounds so cliché when you hear someone say, "traveling broadens your mind, blah blah blah." Well, they say it for a reason! 

We left on a Friday night. Right from work we took the train to the Zürich airport and flew into Paris. The flight was only 1-2 hours, and when you're already in Europe the airport security is a breeze compared to the States! It was a nice change. Of course we got into Paris a little late into the night. So it was a hustle to get the quickest subway line into downtown Paris. We really lucked out here. The security guard told us the last train was leaving in 5 minutes and we still had to buy our tickets and run down there. It was really a stretch, so we scrambled for our money and bought the tickets and ran down to the train (which we were pretty used to running for trains at this point.) We get down and pile on and as the last one of us (Simson) is getting on, the doors begin to beep and close (and these doors won't stop and open back up for nothing). We pull Simson in fast as he nearly gets squished by the doors. We were all relieved as we sat down and just realized we could have been easily separated. From here, we made our way to the youth hostel, where we also met up with a former co-worker who was currently studying/living in Italy. We called it a night after our little reunion.

The following day consisted of a lot of exploring, shopping, sightseeing, eating and drinking. It's really exhausting and almost impossible to see everything with only 1 full day in Paris. I was still lucky and thankful for the things I was able to see and experience during my stay. We explored the city streets as we made our way to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Being the classy ladies we are (there were 4 girls on this trip and 2 guys), we all had a bottle of wine to ourselves as we played a makeshift drinking game with dice out front of the Cathedral as we waited in the long line. Yes, we got some strange looks. Sorry Jesus, no disrespect! 

After this I believe we walked to the Seine where they had a bunch of little vendor shops along the water, and where we also got some hot mulled wine (yum!) We then walked towards the Louvre and other small sightseeing-worthy things along the way. It's hard to remember exactly what order we did things considering it was so much for one day, but I believe from here we walked towards the Arc de Triomphe which was towards the Eiffel Tower. On the way we stopped in a grocery store to grab some snacks, which consisted of wine, cheese and crackers. Our big plan was to sit in the grass by the Eiffel Tower, eat cheese and drink wine until the lights came on. Well, that didn't go as planned. After passing through the Arc de Triomphe and making our way toward the Eiffel Tower, it started pouring rain. We basically ran the rest of the way until we finally got under the Eiffel Tower. Our plan remained the same, only we didn't have the view we had hoped for. However, it still added it's own flare to the story and made it fun.

5 dingy Americans and 1 Chinese girl sitting under the Eiffel Tower, drinking and being loud as we are stereotyped to be. 

Appenzell Innerrhoden, Switzerland;

Seealpsee is a lake in the Alps of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Switzerland. It's at an elevation of 1,143.2 meters and connects through to a network of routes including Ebenalp and Säntis. 

Seealpsee was a typical Sunday excursion (along with Ebenalp) for me and my roommates when the weather was nice and there was no big travel plans or festivals happening that weekend. Hiking was also a go-to Sunday activity since all businesses are typically closed on Sundays in Europe. AKA... No shopping! This always killed us. 

The first time I hiked this Alp range was in 2012. It was a really foggy and damp Sunday and I was hesitant to even go because I was just getting over being sick. Despite that, I still went because it was better than being stuck in Gais. Throughout the hike everything was so foggy, so there was no real view from above and you couldn't tell where exactly you were in relation to things below. Regardless of that, the fog still added it's own experience.

When I hiked this again in 2013, it was like a whole different experience! Where there was fog, there was now nothing but green grass and mountainous terrain. The mountain air made hikes more bearable, and knowing there was a lift at the top of Ebenalp to take you back down was even more reassuring. Anyway, Seealpsee was a little valley tucked between a range of mountains—it was probably half the way until you reached Ebenalp's peak, so we would always stop here to take a break and just enjoy complete bliss. There were little cottage farms scattered around the lake, cows grazing, people swimming, sunbathing and barbecuing, and even a little restaurant overlooking the lake that had the best beer I've ever tasted. When the sun was shining, this was the best place to be in the Appenzell region. 

On this particular day when this photo was taken, I was feeling a little adventurous and decided I wanted to hike up to Säntis—alone. At 2,502.9 meters above sea level, Säntis is the highest mountain in the Alpstein massif of northeastern Switzerland. I'll save the suspense and say right now I did not make it to the peak due to lack of proper gear, but it was breathtaking to say the least. While my roommate Sarah was laying out lakeside down in the Seealpsee, I began the climb as I frequently looked down to the lake and thought, "why did I decide to do this?" Not more than 10 minutes later I had an unexpected nosebleed. Luckily I had some tissues in my bag. As people were descending from above, they were passing and looking at me like "damn, that girl cray." The nosebleed stopped and I continued. Along the way I met three Austrian women who were super friendly. We chatted a bit as we hiked up, and all I remember is their surprising reaction when they discovered I was from America. They didn't think Americans could be adventurous and fit. That made me laugh. As I ascended further up with the three women, you could see more and more patches of snow. I knew then that there was too much snow at the peak to even attempt to make the full trip (I was wearing shorts and sneakers, duh me!) So I just continued until I could continue no more. Eventually, after having to walk across two very narrow streams of mini waterfalls as I looked down to my possible death, I decided it was probably best to start walking down.

Budapest, Hungary; 

This town is rich in history... and goulash! I will admit that I was a little ignorant to Hungary and the beauty that it holds. There was so much to see in such little time—and believe me I wanted to see it all. Bars built within ruins, beautiful architecture, cave baths, pastries, VIP wine cellar parties, Hungarian beer—the list goes on and on. 

I had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful city with my room mate/co-worker/best travel companion at that time, Simson. We were working in Switzerland and had the weekends to travel. This is when I did most of my traveling, or when you could say I "caught the travel bug." We had a former room mate (who also worked with us) that was from Hungary. So we decided it would be a great opportunity to go stay with him and his girlfriend (Marty & Laura) for a weekend. They were such great hosts and tour guides! We first stayed 1 night in Budapest in a youth hostel. We explored the city, ate amazing food, drank plenty of beer in old ruin bars and just enjoyed each other's company. There really never was a dull moment.

The following day we spent in Miskolc, Hungary. It's about an hour or so outside of Budapest, where Marty and Laura lived. They showed us a little of their hometown and then took us to a cave bath, where we got to swim and basically watch people make out—a lot. That night, after a belly full of homemade Hungarian goulash, we all did a little pre-game then walked to Marty and Laura's friends house. A few of their friends are in a band and were playing a show in their parents' wine cellar. This was really the highlight of my stay in Hungary. It was so personal and everyone was friendly and just there to have a good time. We drank the night away and listened to this band rock out to some great music—No, not just Hungarian music. They played a lot of universal/mainstream songs which was really awesome. It's interesting how music can connect a group of people who don't even speak the same language.

Although, there is always one word you should learn while drinking with a group that's foreign to you—Cheers. In this case, egészségedre!

A small group taught me this before taking a shot of Hungarian spirit. I had no idea how to say it back correctly, but to my surprise I got it right on the first try and haven't forgotten it since. To put it straight, this night was nothing but laughing, singing and loving life. Everyone was so welcoming and happy to have us there. It was my favorite moment of our stay in Hungary. 

The following day was our last day before we hopped on a train back to Switzerland. To end our stay, Marty's father drove us to this old area of castle and ruins surrounding it. It was like a scene out of Game of Thrones and the Khaleesi unleashed her dragons on the kingdom. We walked through the area and gawked over the view from the top. I never wanted to leave. After this, we then drove up into this little mountain area where there was a fish farm. It was raining but it seemed appropriate. They had a restaurant area where you could order beer and fresh fried fish (say that 10 times fast!) And yes, the head was still attached, but it was DELICIOUS. This moment was bittersweet since it was almost time for us to head out. It was also very funny to watch Laura overcome her hangover. 

That concluded our Hungarian adventure and it was time to make our way back to Switzerland. Little did we know that we would get stuck in a terrible storm where massive flooding shut down roads and train railways, causing us to spend a night on a train stuck in Vienna, Austria. However, it was a blessing in disguise. We met a Swiss couple who was on their way back home after traveling for 9 months. They were the inspiration for me starting this travel blog. They had no idea how long they were going to travel for and they had no idea when or where they would be next. They planned as they went, until they had no more money to continue. It was so amazing to hear their stories and experiences from each country. They were our travel buddies while we were stuck in Vienna for hours, trying to figure out a way to get back to Switzerland. We played Egyptian rat-screw on the train while drinking some wine, and talked about how good a shower will feel once we returned. After many train connections having to detour through Germany, we finally made it "home" to Switzerland.