Unveiling the Answers You’ve Been Seeking
For those readers who asked valuable questions
Michael Rhodes asked, “What location was the least expensive and the most expensive?”
The cheapest accommodation of the entire trip, believe it or not, was the Adagio Hostel Basilica, Budapest which was $17.50AUD ($11.90USD) per night. That surprised me. I booked it because it had a washing machine (and dryer) but you could not get a better location. On the corner of Andrassy and Bajcsy-Zsilinzky, across the street from St Stephen’s Basilica, diagonally across from the Ritz-Carlton and down Andrassy to Heroes’ Square, it was the centre of the city. I had a bunk bed in a dorm that had its own showers and toilets.
The only problem was I got kicked out after 3 nights. My cough was keeping people awake.
I had little choice but to book the hotel next door in the same building on the same floor. But my private room there costs $69.80 a night.
Even so, it wasn’t the most expensive room I stayed in. The Hotel Folen in Milano took out that title at $206.89 per night. Fortunately, I shared that room (and cost) with Erilyn. The hotel itself was lovely inside and a delicious buffet breakfast was included but was in a sketchy neighbourhood across the road from the main station. It was on the fifth floor accessible by a lift. (thank goodness)
Milano also took the honour of having the most unsatisfying expensive meal at 25 euro. It was a small plate of spaghetti with truffles which was cold by the time I got to it. We didn’t eat there again even though it was just across the road from our hotel. It was a huge food court with separate kitchens spread out along the side of the station named the Mercato Centrale Milano.
It was busy and noisy and the only vacant table we could find was way down at the far end. I was told my spaghetti would take 25 minutes to prepare so I bought a bottle of prosecco (26 euro) on the way back to my table, prepared to wait. After finishing my first glass, I thought I’d better go check on the spaghetti. They told me it has been sitting waiting for 20 minutes and they’d shouted my number several times. What an inefficient system. I was seated at least 100 metres away!
The cheapest, most delicious meals in the most beautiful restaurants were all found in Eastern Europe: Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Croatia.
Nancy Oglesby is also interested in what I ate — not just the amazing restaurant meals. That varied greatly, country to country. I mostly ate twice a day — a late breakfast and an early dinner. Breakfast more often than not was a yoghurt with a granola on top, a banana or an orange and an iced coffee. Occasionally a freshly squeezed orange juice was a real treat. When breakfast was provided, I ate whatever was on offer and lots of it. Stashed some fruit or a boiled egg in my bag for later in the day.
One of the few restaurant meals I ate in Western Europe was in Gent, Belgium at a pizza restaurant. Pizza and beer was €20. Not cheap but compared to the waffle and milk shake (€20) from the previous day it was a bargain especially since I had half a pizza leftover for another meal.
Rin Huff wants to know, “if it’s your last solo trip to Europe… is it your last solo trip? (and if not, where to next?)”
I found I really loved travelling solo and not making any plans until the day before. I’ve never travelled like this and it was very freeing. I had no timetable to adhere to, so I relaxed and explored as long as I liked. I did struggle physically although I tried hard not to focus on what I couldn’t do but rather on what I could do! I may never travel solo again so I will always have this last trip to look back on. My future trips will most likely be with my daughter and her family to New Zealand or Tasmania.
Julia A. Keirns asks, “Did you meet any handsome men?” And Rosa No Mundo wants a story on the man I met who is my soulmate.
My trip was filled with handsome men: some of whom there was a fleeting interaction. Many young strong men helped me on and off trains with my heavy suitcase. And even some older strong women. Some kept me company until I was safely at my hostel or in a Bolt (a cheaper Uber alternative).
Many of these were locals who told me information I would not have otherwise known. For example, on Sundays, the trams are all free and the city centre is pedestrian-only. On other days it’s a shared zone.
Many of the men I shared a dorm room with were drop-dead gorgeous and some of them were friendly. (They probably felt sorry for me.)
There are a few with whom I have continued a friendship. Jesús (my soulmate) who just turned 33 on Christmas Eve. Nothing will ever happen between us apart from friendship but I’m flattered that he can be bothered texting me at all. Jesús is a sailor (with a girl in every port.)
Here’s the unlikely story of how we met.
And of course, I asked him to dinner!
I have another lovely gentleman from India who’s living in Sweden north of the Arctic Circle doing scientific research. We have intelligent conversations via text. He’s a very interesting man and a traveller like me. He’s a wonderful photographer too. We met in our hostel in Paris.
Monica Ray, M.Ed, MS asks, “Are you planning to write a book about your travels, to inspire other solo travelers?”
Isn’t she lovely? I haven’t thought of writing a book but I might pull all of my stories into a collection on Medium. Katie Michaelson and Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages have confidence in me too. I did have some amazing adventures some of which I’m yet to write about.
Brandon Ellrich wants to know, “What’s something you’d do differently next time?”
There’s not going to be a next time, Brandon. I won’t be going to Europe again unless I win lotto and can fly business class but I would travel exactly the same way as I did. Not having anything booked and just booking the day before. I got so many “last minute deals”. I’ll admit many young people don’t book at all — they just rock up and ask for a bed for the night. I would never do this. Apart from the fact that I wanted to stay a few nights, I wouldn’t take a chance there’s be a vacancy even though I was the sole traveller in some of the hostels I stayed in. If I ever travel again, I’m going to pack light!
Erie Astin asks “Would you go to Europe again if you went with someone else?”
The only person I would consider going with is my youngest daughter. We travelled Europe for 5 weeks together in 2014 and it was the best 5 weeks of my life. Here are a couple of stories from that trip.
Here’s Keeley’s version.
Cris has hit me with a trainload of questions. “1. So, what food did you try and was an absolute delight? 2. What’s that dessert with figs in your picture?… 3. Would you like to have spent more time in one place in particular? 4. What travel superpower do you wish you had when visiting (except not having to handle luggage on stairs or jetlag)?”
- So many foods I’ve never eaten before. Pierogi for one. Pasticada for another. And also Papanasi — yum!
And this was the most delicious (and the cheapest) meals of my entire trip. This was at 44 Restaurant in Dubrovnik. Highly recommend. It doesn’t look much, but let me tell you, that I didn’t even have to chew that meat!
The drink that I discovered was the hot gin toddy which I first tasted in Zagreb at a posh restaurant and then drank multiple times every day at the Christmas market stall outside my apartment in Ljubljana at half the price!
2. The dessert with the figs is a homemade Aussie Pavlova which was at one of the Christmas parties when I arrived home.
3. There are so many places I would like to have spent more time in…Kraków, Timisoara, Plovdiv, Ohrid, Dubrovnik, Split, and Zagreb.
4. What travel superpower you wish you had? It won’t seem like much of a superpower to some but I wish I could convert 24 hour time to 12 hour time quickly and accurately. And I wish I could know instinctively how far ahead of me Brisbane was.
Darren Weir is often asked which was his favourite place. Like Darren, I loved all of them except Milano. I didn’t like the crowds, the unhelpfulness of the people and the exorbitant prices. I think I’d been spoiled by Eastern Europe’s friendly, helpful strangers and the prices and quality of the food and accommodation.
This was my welcome to Milano.
Alan AJ asks, “Did you wish it was longer or shorter?” I think it was just about the right length for me so I was home for Christmas with my grandson. It would have been good to have been slightly longer so I could spend more than 2 nights in all of the Balkan countries. That was too fast!
Alan AJ also wants to know, “What was the funniest moment?” Funny strange things are always happening to me but this was the funniest moment. Maybe because we were all so drunk. By we, I mean me. You’ll understand if you’ve read this story.
Alan AJ has another good question. Who was the most memorable person you met and will you keep in touch? I met many wonderful people from all over the world, but I only made friends with seven with whom I correspond regularly. The most memorable one is Danuta who is the star of this story.
We wound up being “besties” and she made my time in Poland even more enjoyable.
Jacqueline Jannotta asks, “ If you had to pick one place to return to for three months, where would it be and why? And if that’s not a fun one to answer, how about three places to return to, one month each? (But no hopping around, just really embedding yourself in that town/place .)”
Mmmm…tough one, Jacqueline. I think I’d spend three months in Wroclaw. Firstly, I’d learn to pronounce Wroclaw properly, and then I’d learn Polish, and search for every dwarf and learn more of their history. And I’d find the gaslighting man at dusk and get up early to find him dousing the gas lamps at sunrise. And I’d attend concerts at the music centre. And eat out at those wonderful restaurants at least once a week.
Here are my stories from Wroclaw:
Lady Luck Is Looking After Me,
I Didn’t Go Looking for Dwarves,
Dwarves and Dinner with Danuta in Wroclaw
Rosa No Mundo asks, “Did you feel a culture shock in any of the places you visited? If so, where did you feel it more and why?”
No, I didn’t feel culture shock anywhere I visited. Maybe because I’m an adaptable person. I do feel reverse culture shock when I arrive back home in Australia. The first time I was confronted with unisex showers I was a little intimidated but soon became accustomed to being naked in front of men (and women.)
And where did you find people the most hospitable? I found people were all very friendly and helpful all over Europe, especially in Romania. I was shocked at how unhelpful Italians and travellers were in Milano.
Sara Burdick asks, “What country had the strangest foods, and what country would you go back to ... just to eat?” Scotland with haggis would have to be on the strangest list but I love haggis. I would go back to Romania (Brasov) just for the food! Check out the papanasi!
Joe Guay - Dispatches From the Guay Life! asks “How was Albania, and is it still relatively affordable and less discovered, or has it already become the new Croatia?”
We were only in Tirana for less than a day. It seemed to be affordable for food and hasn’t become a tourist hub like Dubrovnik or Split.
Nella DiCarlo asks, “Do you think you would still embark on solo travel for shorter trips ?”
The answer is a resounding YES! I loved travelling on my own at my own pace not knowing where my next destination would be! But I’ll most likely be travelling with my family.
And last but not least, Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages wants to know if and when you were scared.
I try not to let fear rule my life. I used to fear flying (actually it was crashing I was afraid of) but I taught myself to love it. (flying, not crashing)
I had a few times when I was a little frightened… when a stranger came into my attic apartment, how I wasn’t comfortable sleeping in a hostel with old Polish drunk men and walking on a country road in the pitch black. I was lucky Erilyn was with me. Being stuck in an elevator between floors in Bucharest would have been terrifying if I’d been alone.
I spooked myself this night. He was probably just a helpful stranger. I found him a little too helpful. And it was Halloween!
But this one was the most terrifying!
I enjoyed answering your questions. I hope you enjoy reading my answers. I’ve linked relevant stories you may have missed, but don’t worry — I’m going to try to make a chronological album of my stories.
