My First Solo Travel Experience as a Female
Hi guys. Welcome back. I know, I know, it's been a quite a while since I have last posted anything new to the blog. We are in what you call the dog days of summer here in Kentucky and it feel like the life has been zapped out of me. The temps have reached triple digits here and all the bugs that are usually not present during the cooler months have ascended from hell onto earth. Okay, I am probably being a little dramatic, but we have spiders the size of the palm of my hand trying to sleep in my bedroom and mosquitos that are being contracted out by the Red Cross to get our blood. They are coming in for the kill this year with the bites. So, here we are. I am going to push through this summer daze (literal summer daze y'all) and continue to deliver the stories of my life.
Now that I have given you all a very good explanation of my absence, why don't we jump right into it. Today I will be talking about my first time traveling solo out of the country as a female. Trust me, it's not as scary as you might think. As most of you all know by now, I have always been compelled to travel far and wide and to go and do and see all of things, all over the world. Travel is one of the few things that I am passionate about. If I had my way, I would travel way more than what I do now. I try to get out of here several times a year, but sometimes life happens and travels have to be pushed back. But, such is life, right? I have a dog that I love like the air that I breathe so I can't be gone for too long. Rudi needs me and I need him just as much, if not, even more!
In true Kellee fashion, I was up late one night catching up on emails while binge watching some series on Netflix, not even thinking about anything travel related during that time. I scroll endlessly through what seems like a never-ending list of "trash" emails. As I get to the very bottom I see an email form The Flight Deal pop up in my inbox. I click on that email, and to my surprise, there's a flight deal for a flight leaving out of Dulles, Washington D.C. going to Frankfurt Germany for under $500 for travel dates during the month of November. This was perfect. I booked the flight instantly. I did it without even thinking. I saw there was an opportunity to fly for super cheap and I jumped. For me, it was like all the stars had aligned perfectly that night. My friend Irina lived in Germany and she had been inviting me to come visit her since the day we meet. This was the perfect time to make good on my word and finally go see her.
Because of the way the flight deal was set up, I was able to spend almost the entire month of November in Europe. Once my flight was booked I went into full planing mode. It was like my mind had taken off like a high-speed freight train with plans of where I wanted to go, things I wanted to do, and foods that I wanted to eat. I was excited. I could barely sleep that night. After looking at a map and deciding on which route I wanted to take, I decided on Germany/Berlin, Paris, Brugge, Amsterdam, and back to Germany for the flight home. I wanted to fit in as much as I could but still take my time.
The lead up to my first solo trip out of the county, I was filled with an extreme amount of excitement and a fairly equal amount of anxiety all at the same time. I was taken over with thoughts of, "dude, you are finally going to do what you love, you get to travel the world". But for every one of those cool thoughts I would also be thinking, "what if some one kidnaps and kills you for your organs" or, "you're going to get human trafficked and end up living as a sex slave in the Ukraine". Oh the horrors. I had every kind of crazy thought imaginable cycling through my brain. The mind can be a slippery slope y'all. I was like Alice from Alice in Wonderland when she went down the rabbit hole. But never the less, I pushed all those crazy thoughts aside and reminded myself that while yes, all of those scary things are possible, I am also very smart and very good about situational awareness and following my gut instincts. And my instincts are ALWAYS spot on. It's a blessing for sure.
As a key of precaution, anytime I travel outside the United States I always register with The Department of State. They have a program called STEP that allows you to put in the specific countries, dates, addresses, and phone numbers of all the places you plan on going while out of the country. It also gives you a list of all the American Embassy's in your location, along with ways to contact them and get to them in the event of an emergency. I highly recommend checking it out if you travel anywhere outside the U.S.
The day that I was due to fly out, we were living in Virginia Beach, Virginia so we would have to drive about two and a half hours to get to Washington D.C. Dulles is a main hub so it's always cheaper to fly out from there. I had an evening flight so we took our time getting to the airport, but still arrived very early because I like to give myself a lot of time to check in and get through security. The worst thing to deal with while traveling is arriving to an airport and you have massive lines with little time. I get all checked in and get through security and make my way to my gate.
I find my gate and take one of the few empty seats. I happened to sit next to two Irish women who have come to D.C. as tourist. They end up being a chatty pair of ladies, which I don't mind because I love a good chat every now and then. We exchange pleasantries and they tell me that they loved their visit here in the city and would come again. Things suddenly get interesting when a gentlemen about my age takes a seat next to me. The one Irish lady winks at me and looks at her girlfriend and then at the young gentlemen sitting next to me and starts grinning. I am thinking, oh dear, I hope they don't try and engage him and bring him into our conversation, leave the poor fella alone. And what happens next, yep, they start chatting him up and asking him if his final destination is Iceland. The first leg of the flight was to Iceland and then I would go forward on a connecting flight to Frankfurt Germany. Iceland was the young mans final destination and he too was traveling solo for the first time. He hinted at maybe exchanging contact information but I was erring on the side of caution and brushed it off in a round about way.
We board the flight and begin our trip over the Atlantic and up to Iceland. I didn't sleep a wink on the flight over. I flew with WOW airlines and the seats were not that comfy; it was full flight. We make it to Iceland and the cold literally hits you and snatches every ounce of warmth from your soul. It is cold to the bone. And that was just the little bit of air that was seeping though the small walkway from the plane to the terminal. I wasn't ready! I go through border control, get my passport stamped and I make my way to my connecting flight. There wasn't much of a layover in Iceland. It all flowed very quickly and I was on my connecting flight headed to Frankfurt in no time.
I arrive in Frankfurt and I am taken aback by how freezing the weather is. I packed for the cold, but I wasn't packed for that level of cold. My friend Irina greets me at the airport and we head to her town of Pirmasens. We arrive just as the sun is going down. We get all settled into her apartment and catch up a bit, then we're off to get dinner. We stop at a little Kebab shop around the way of her neighborhood. A little Turkish man fixed our meals and brought it to our table. I remember being so dehydrated from flying and I asked the guy who brought us our food if he had any ice for my water. He responded and said there wasn't any ice. I told him that it was okay and thanked him anyway. Me and Irina begin to eat and all of a sudden the little Turkish man comes over to our table with a huge cup of ice that he got from the shop next door. That was a huge act of kindness to me. The shop owner went out of his way to make sure that I had ice for my water. My heart was touched. Not a bad way to start my trip in Europe.
I didn't spent too much time with Irina because I was going to be going forward to visit other countries soon and Irina had to work. However, during my visit, I had the privilege to meet her family. Guy's, when I tell you that it was privilege, there aren't any words to describe that experience. Irina and I had been out most of the day and the sun had already gone down and we had already eaten. Irina tells me that her brothers family wants to meet me. I am thinking, me, little ole me, okay. We head over to her brothers house and he, his wife, and children greet us with such a beautiful warm welcome. There are slippers for out feet at the entrance and after we say hello and exchange hugs and kisses, we are whisked away into the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen I am greeted with several trays with assortments of meat, cheese, chocolate, you name it. There is also a bottle of Absolute Vodka with tiny glasses made of pure crystal sitting on a silver platter. Irina's brother opens the bottle and pours everyone a shot and he gives me the first drink. Everyone follows suite afterwards. We talk about everything, nothing is off limits. We eat. There is a steady flow of meats and cheeses and other delicacies that are brought out on platters. We talk and eat in a rhythm that renders me stuffed and full, but still wanting more. We manage to drink the entire bottle of vodka in small increments of shots. Just when I think I'll burst wide open from the steady flow of food and drink, Irina's brother suggest we all have coffee and cheesecake. I think, where am I. Why are they doing all of this for little ole me? Irina tell's me that I'm luck it's a work night and that this is nothing compared to what is usually prepared for guest. My jaw literally dropped! How could they even think to do any more than what they've already done? As we head back to Irina's house for the night my heart is happy and full. I have never experienced anything like it. That night was perfect. An experience I will never forget. Russian hospitality has nothing on American hospitality. I am forever grateful for the warm welcome that I received from Irina's family. They are beautiful people.
The next day we decide to take a trip to Berlin with her cousin who's name is very similar to Irina's. Her cousin's name is Irene. I thought that was pretty cool. We travel from Pirmasens to Berlin by car that evening. It took us around six hours to get there. We arrived in Berlin at 3 a.m. Irina's friend Ela hosted us in her apartment while we were there. The next day we woke up at 8 a.m. to get the day started. Guys, just when you think the weather can't possibly get any colder. It was freezing and raining when we got to Berlin. I remember still being jet lagged like crazy during those first few days. So not only was I jet lagged, I was frozen. I couldn't stay warm to save my life. A tired, cold, and frozen Kellee makes for an extremely cranky girl. I was running on fumes, but I pushed through because I knew that a girl doesn't travel to Berlin every day. We were only there for a day but we got to explore a little. I shall return one day to explore even more of the city.
A street market in Berlin. This market was filled with every type of fresh produce, meat, and cheese imaginable. It's a fresh foodies heaven.
Hot Chocolate while visiting a Christmas Market at Potsdam Platz in Berlin
Me and Irina's sweet cousin Irene.
Standing in front of Checkpoint Charlie. Checkpoint Charlie was a Berlin Wall crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War from 1947-1991.
Hanging from the wall of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum.
Another view of the outside of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. We didn't get a chance to go inside because of out tight time schedule. When I return to Berlin, it's a must do for sure.
I am not sure which building this is, but I found it intresting because of the eagle like statue sitting on top of the building. This building is in the same area as Checkpoint Charlie.
These are not American Soldiers. They are just there as props for photos.
Me, Irina, and Ela.
This guy in the photo had a death grip on my arm. He kept asking me if I was married and if I would marry him. He spoke very good English. He also kept asking me if I was American. Asking if I liked Trump (I was there in Nov of 16 during the election). All I could do was smile and laugh. I do that when I tend to get nervous. My friend Irina had to peel him off of me. His nose was touching my face!
The Berlin Wall
Ela, Irina, and I standing infront of a remaining segment of the Berlin Wall that has a massive hole missing from it.
A concert/orchestra hall in the Mitte District of Berlin.
Standing in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on a cold and rainy afternoon.
A night view of the Fernsehturn Tower in Berlin.
A view from the top of the tower. Not the best quality.
After a full day of exploring Berlin we head back to Ela's apartment and spend the night to rest up and drive back to Pirmasens the next day. I leave for Paris the very next day after arriving back at Pirmasens. My time in Germany was very short, but so worth it. I finally made good on my word and visited Irina like I had promised and got a chance to see a little of Berlin. Parting with Irina was bitter-sweet. I was sad to be leaving her so soon, but excited to go onward to Paris.
Paris, I'm coming for you.
Views from my train ride from Pirmasens Germany to Paris, France.
I traveled by train my entire time in Europe. The train system is very easy to navigate for the most part with a few exceptions, and I will talk about that shortly. The train ride from Pirmasens to Paris was a three hour ride. There ride was uneventful and very relaxing. Before long, the train arrived in Paris and it was time for a new adventure in new country. At this point I am completely solo. I leave the train station and catch a taxi to my Airbnb. On the taxi ride to the Airbnb I take in all the sights and I am in awe of the city. Such beautiful buildings and architecture. A charming city indeed. The taxi drops me in front of the building that I'll be staying in and I find my way to the apartment. I am greeted by a kind gentlemen who introduced himself as Gino, my host. He was a very handsome gentleman, maybe a few years my senior. He had a lovely apartment with several nice touches through out, and it smelled amazing in there. The place had a very welcoming vibe. I felt at home and very safe with him. We exchanged information and he showed me around, gave me a key, and told me not to hesitate to ask for anything that I might need during my stay. My stay with Gino was nothing short of amazing. He was kind enough to cook dinner for me one night, assisted with my laundry needs, and even sent me off with a specialty Parisian cake on my last day in Paris. He went above and beyond as host. Gino is not a host but a good friend indeed. He set a high standard for future Airbnb stays for me.
My time in Paris was definitely my favorite for several reasons. The city is absolutely beautiful and full of lovers charm. If you are an art lover there are tons of museums to explore that will fill any artistic heart. The café's. There is a strong café culture in Paris. You can find Parisians in their local café at almost any given hour of the day chatting it up with fiends, having a café noisette, eating a warm pastry. It is a way of life. I am not too fond of French food, however, you can find the most immaculately fresh produce on the street markets. I've never been anywhere else where the produce is so beautiful and fresh. On many days I would shop at the local produce stands around the city picking up fresh vegetables, avocados, garlic, and fruits. I would also shop for fresh rotisserie style chicken and freshly baked breads form the local boulangerie. The deserts. I am convinced that no where on earth does dessert like France. I ate my fill of the most amazing pastries, cinnamon glazed nut filled croissants, macrons, and crème brûlée. It was divine! Paris was everything that I thought it would be and more. It did not disappoint. I went during the off season in November so there were barely any tourist around and there were no lines at any of the big sites. It was perfect. Perfect, but really cold. Paris is very walkable but since it was my first time int he city I used Uber quite a bit. I felt completely safe the entire time. There are police patrolling everywhere so it's hard to feel unsafe in the city.
Republique in the third arrondissement in Paris.
In the sleepy hours of the morning before the café's and shops open for the day. You can see the street lined with Vespa's. Vespa's are a huge mode of transportation in Paris.
Trocadero. The train stop to get off for a grand view of the Eiffel Tower.
A view of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadéro on a very gray and rainy day. This spot is usually loaded with tourist. You'd be hard pressed to find a spot to take a picture with out other tourist being in the picture. Getting this shot with out other people in it was a perk of going in November.
A view of the city in front of The Sacré-Coeur Bsilica.
Place de la Concorde. A once popular execution place for thousands of people, including King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette.
The outside of the Louvre Museum. You can easily spend the entire day inside. There are so many beautiful works of art housed inside.
Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. It is roped off behind glass and is very tiny. Even thought the museum wasn't crowded on this particular day, there were massive crowds at this exhibit. You have to push your way to the front to even see her. It was very underwhelming for me, but pretty awesome none the less.
A view of the famous Musee d'Orsay clock. On a clear day you can see the Louvre and The Sacre-Coeur Basilica
My final night in Paris. I saved the best for last. It was breath taking. Amazing. Something I will never forget. I have been to Paris many times since then and seeing the Eiffel Tower light up at night never gets old.
The cake that my host sent me off with on my last day. It was most delicious.
As I leave my Airbnb, I take one last look at the city on my taxi ride to the train station and I know that I will return again one day. I must! It was amazing. Paris is one of my favorite cities in the entire world so far. I still have many places that I have yet to explore in the world, but something about this city keeps drawing me back time and time again. Each time a new experience.
I arrive at the train station in Paris and make my way to Belgium stopping in Brussels first and connecting onward to Brugge. This is where things get a little crazy guys. Not crazy in the sence of safety, but crazy as in complete chaos at the train station in Brussels connecting to Brugge. The train ride from Paris to Brussels was horrible. I enter the coach only to find that my seat reservation had been "taken". Now, one would think that if you pay for a seat reservation then the seat is yours. True, that's usually how it always works. But for some reason on that particular day, the train was overbooked. Never knew that was a thing with the rail system in Europe. Usually the trains are never overbooked and your seat reservation is yours. The rule of thumb in Europe while traveling by train is to ALWAYS check to see if you require a seat reservation because if there is a seat reservation requirement, you have to pre book it or won't have a seat on the train even if you paid for a ticket.
The train station in Belgium
The conductor comes through, well, maybe he wasn't the actual conductor, but he was the ticket checker on the train. He asks where my ticket is and I show him and he says, "uff, the train is overbooked today, you can find an empty seat but not in first class". So I get a little peeved, but quickly remember that I am far away from home and having a sour attitude will not help the situation. I go up and down the train going in and out of train carts. I find an empty seat, but guess where the seat is. Yep, it's in first class. I think, surely there's no one else going to sit here, there are several seats available in first class. No. The conductor comes back around and firmly tells me to exit the cabin. At this point I am thinking, where am I to sit. So I end up taking a seat in-between the coaches where the train carts connect. I was also very shocked to see other passengers in the same predicament as me sitting in-between the train coaches. It was hands down the craziest experience I have had while traveling thus far.
The train ride wasn't too long so I was okay. We arrive in Brussels in what seemed like no time at all. Everyone disembarked the train and I was off to catch another train to Brugge. This is where it gets even crazier. In Belgium their train station is chaotic. The signs telling you which platform your train will arriving and departing from are all in Dutch. There aren't many English signs, if any at all. When asking someone that works at the station, they are all very quick with their information and not vey helpful. I went from platform to platform with a carry-on roller luggage going up and down the stairs. One platform will say one thing and it will be all wrong, causing mass confusion for everyone, locals included. I have no idea why this train station is like this, but you just have to roll with the punches sometimes. Thankfully, I manage to get on the correct train heading to Brugge and I didn't need a seat reservation.
Once I arrived at Brugge I was exhausted from the days shenanigans with the trains. I gathered my luggage and headed out of the train station and hailed a taxi to take me to my hostel. The weather was pretty bad that day. It was freezing temperatures and it had just started to snow/sleet. I hop in the taxi and the taxi driver tells me in broken English, "I drop you here. The road is closed. It's weekend. Not far from here". I am thinking, oh no, please don't just dump me here. I have no idea where I am and my goggle maps aren't working. I get out of the taxi and grab my luggage and I am standing there wondering where do I go from here. I see the visitors center across the street and walk over to it with hopes of having someone to help me find my hostel. Brugge is not a big city and you can walk almost all of it, however, I didn't know that at the time. I am sitting in the visitors center and I manage to get my goggle maps working and decide to go back out and try to walk to my hostel. But here's the thing, Brugge is nothing but cobblestone streets and I have a roller carry-on size luggage so that was no fun dragging that through the cobblestone streets. When my maps notified me that I had arrived, I was no where near anything that resembled a hostel. I walk up to a few locals that were walking by and asked them if they knew where Lybeer's Hostel was and each time I was greeted with sharp looks of disapproval and a hand motion as if I was approaching them with a sales pitch. Not a friendly bunch! I was lost. At this point it is beyond freezing outside and its snowing pretty hard. I have had enough. I may have even shed a tear or two. I backtrack my steps to the visitors center and at that point you can see the frustration all over my face. An Indian man (also a tourist) with a very slender frame walks over to me and asks me if everything is okay. I immediately break down sobbing telling him that I am lost and trying to find my hostel and that no one will help me or even point me int he right direction. He immediately offers to take me there insisting that it is just a few block away. Talk about an angel in human form. This kind gentleman walked me to my hostel, which was literally around the corner, but on a small narrow side street. You'd miss it if you blinked too fast. I thanked the kind man and asked him if I could hug him, which he replied, yes. I gave him a hug and thanked him again and watched him disappear into the snowy haze. That man was a angel in disguise and you can't tell me any different. I never even got a chance to get his name, but I'll never forget his kindness.
Outside of the Lybeerman's Hostel. The owner standing in the door having a quick smoke. A very friendly fellow.
I check into my hostel for the evening and take my things up what seemed like 100 flights of narrow winding stairs. The hostel is very dark with dim lighting. I never felt unsafe, but this was my first time staying in a hostel so surely I thought there would be more lighting in places like this. I had done tons of research and felt comfortable booking, however when I finally realized that I would sharing space with actual strangers, my anxiety reared its ugly head. I would be lying if I said I wasn't freaking out just a little bit. I start to gather my belongings to take a shower before the evening crowd comes in. As I was gathering my things for the shower, the other female that would be sharing the room with me walks in and introduces herself. She is a Chinese girl from Shanghai that lives and works in Paris. She turned out to be a really sweet girl. Just when I was thinking of getting out of there at the last minute, I decide to at least stay the night and get some rest so that I could be fresh to tackle the next day. Although we were on the very top floor, the hostel was quite noisy and we barley slept. I decided that night that I would book an Airbnb for the rest of my stay. The hostels through out Europe are super cheap so I didn't take a huge loss with the money I had already paid. I think altogether I paid under 50 bucks, so I wasn't worried and I ended up getting back the money for the days I didn't stay.
Here it is folks, the stairwell of doom. I carried my back pack and my small carry-on size rolling luggage up these stairs in the hostel. Never ending!
The two person female room inside of the hostel.
The next morning Shaojun and I went out and explored a little bit of Brugge. We had breakfast at really good local café. I had a killer migraine so I wasn't out too long. I headed back to the hostel around 2 p.m. and gathered my things to check out so I could make my way to my Airbnb. Shaojun was also checking out that day because she was heading back to Paris. The cool thing about traveling solo is that you always end up meeting really cool people and you make friends from all over the world. It was pleasure to meet her. Her presence helped me make it through my first night in a hostel. We exchanged contact information and I am still in touch with her to this day.
Banana crepe with a scoop of ice cream and whipped cream. Just what I needed to start the day off.
After I get all checked out of Lybeer's Hostel it is time for me to make my way to my new Airbnb where I will be staying for the duration of my stay in Brugge. When I arrive I am greeted by the host who introduce themselves as Ann and Hein. They help me with my things and show me inside of their home and help me to get all settled in. By this time it was evening and I still hadn't had any diner. I asked them if they had any local recommendations of good food spots for dinner. I ended up going to a local pub and eating some of the best soup I've had in while, and I am not a huge fan of soup, so that's saying a lot. I walk back home and I am ready for sleep. Ann greets me when I come back in for the evening and asks me if I want breakfast in the morning for an extra 8 euros. I say sure, why not. I opt in for the breakfast.
Ann and Hein's home is just absolutely beautiful. This is my bedroom with an ensuite bathroom that is not pictured. I got the best sleep in that bed. Nice and cozy. It was hard for me to get up the next morning.
The next morning I awake and get dressed and head down stairs for breakfast. I had no idea what kind of treat I was in for. Ann had set the table for what could have been a royal queen. I felt like a magical fairy princess when I sat down. There was a candle lit breakfast laid out on the table with soft classical music playing in the back round. It was beautiful. I couldn't believe that all of it was for me. I had never quite experienced anything like it. I never imagined that breakfast could be so beautiful. I took my time to enjoy and savored it. I spent at least an hour sitting there taking it all in while enjoying my meal.
When I stepped into the dinning room I was amazed. Look how lovely.
Another view of the breakfast that Ann had set out for me. I had already dug in before I remembered to take a better photo. I definitely felt like a queen that morning.
A beautiful view of the back yard while having breakfast. How gorgeous are the fall leaves, even on a gray day.
I finished up my breakfast and headed out to do more exploring of Brugge. I would be there a few more days so I tried to do as much exploring as I could without freezing to death. Brugge is a beautiful little medieval city. The streets are still lined with cobblestones, there are windmills all over and small little cottage like houses. The main city center is filled with horse down carriages and the buildings that still have the charm from days of old. And lets not forget the best reason of them all; Belgium chocolate! There are tons. of fancy chocolate shops around the city to fulfill any chocolate lovers heart. Brugge is certainly a safe place. I walked all over the city alone and had no problems what so ever. The locals can be either hit or miss. There isn't really an in-between. They're either syrupy sweet or stone cold. I ran into a number of people who seemed very cold and standoffish, but I also meet an equal amount of people who were quite charming and very sweet. But again, that was okay with me, I realize that when you leave your home and familiar surroundings there are bound to be differences. I love that. I love to get the authentic experience with the culture, the food, the atmosphere, everything. It's what draws me into traveling. I never take anything personal. I am in their territory.
A panoramic view of the City Center in Brugge
A horse drawn carriage. Not the best view, but they were moving pretty fast.
Another building with beautiful architecture.
There's medieval charm at every turn.
The Chocolate Line store. Some of the best Belgium chocolate is sold here.
Brugge has tons of natural canals flowing through out the city. I imagine it to be stunning during the spring.
A castle like building with a opening structure that let's cars pass through.
A cozy little quaint restaurant to warm yourself during the brisk fall days.
One of the many windmills along the city.
A beautiful path that lead me back to my Airbnb
Brugge was so good to me. It was absolutely beautiful. My host Ann and Hein, I will never forget them. Their accommodations for travelers are top notch. I recommend them a hundred times over. I wish I could have stayed just a little longer but I vow to return during the spring season soon. A beautiful place not to be missed.
So long Belgium and hello Amsterdam. The train ride to Amsterdam was uneventful, just the way I like it. I actually had a first class ticket this time. Our cabin was closed off from the rest of the other coaches for privacy and it was a "quiet zone". I slept the entire time. It was heavenly. The train arrived in Ansterdamn on schedule and I set out to check into my hostel.
The canals that flow through Amsterdam. Amsterdam is said to have more canals than Venice, Italy. There is also a HUGE biking culture throughout Amsterdam. There are even dedicated biking lanes for bikers. Pedestrians are warned not to walk through the bike paths, they will run you over.
I arrive at the hostel and the women at the counter seemed to be very confused about how to check me in, so I ended up waiting a very long time before someone came to help her check me in. Once I am checked in, I find my way down a dark pair of stairs that leads to the dorm room I will be staying in. I would just like to mention that this place had excellent reviews online, hence, the reason why I booked it. When I checked in it was still day light out side. But as the night came in I started to feel a little uncomfortable. I was downstairs in what felt like the basement part of the building and there was no one in the dorm part except for myself. Usually I wouldn't mind that, but there was no way to lock the door and no one could hear me scream down there if anything happened to me. The vibe was off.
Ecomama Hostel.
A nice sitting area, but it was night time and the place was completely empty. A little weird for me.
Art work hanging in the hostel
Stairs leading to the downstairs part of the hostel.
I was given the bed by the door. Nope, not happening. It looks nice during the day but once the sun went under it was actually quite scary down there.
Now, right around this time I suddenly start to feel sick like I coming down with a flu. It was probably because I had been trekking all over Europe in the cold and rain for days on end, tired, and not getting proper nourishment as I would back home. I made the rookie mistake of not traveling with travel insurance so I decided to cut my time short and bump my flight up a few days early. That meant that I had about 24 hours in Amsterdam before heading back to Frankfurt and onward home to the States. But I knew I couldn't stay in the hostel that I was in. I booked a hotel instead of an Airbnb because I knew I was sick. I wanted to be as comfortable as possible until I reached back to the States.
I was a little bummed out because my time was cut short at the end, but I managed to at least see the Ann Frank House while there. That alone was worth the trip to Amsterdam. I waited outside in the line for the Ann Frank House in the cold and rain for about an hour. The line moved along fairly quickly. Once we entered the house there was a strict no pictures policy. There aren't words to describe the space that Anne Frank's family had to live in while hiding during Hitler's regime. I almost got claustrophobic the more we went up into the small space. There were several people snapping photos, but I thought it was just rude and disrespectful. The tour of the house was quick. We were in and out in less that 30 minutes. Another memory that will stick with me forever.
These photos were taken after the tour was over and we were in the book shop.
Ann Frank
After visiting the Ann Frank House I found a spot to eat dinner and went back to the hostel and checked out and checked into my hotel. I was actually feeling quite ill by that time. Luckily, I had brought some meds from back home. They were my saving grace. I slept like the dead in the hotel. My train heading back to Frankfurt left the next day and I made it just in time to catch my flight home that night. Whew. That was a tumultuous 24 hours of traveling. I was happy to be going home. When you are traveling and end up getting sick, there is no place you'd rather be than in your own home inside of your own bed.
A night view of Frankfurt before heading to the airport to return home.
My flight home was from Frankfurt to Iceland and from Iceland to Washington D.C. Dulles. We made it to Iceland only to find that all fights have been grounded due to weather conditions. We were stuck in Iceland for another 24 hours. That was the biggest blow of the entire trip. The WOW air staff arranged for all passengers to have billeting in an old army barracks not far from the airport. We boarded a bus with all our luggage and off we went. It was freezing in Iceland. Below zero temps. I was dying-do you hear me, dying! I couldn't breath and I was cold all the way down to my bones. There wasn't enough warmth in hell that could have warmed me up. The roads were slick with ice, even the sidewalks. We get off the bus and wait outside of the building until they can arrange keys to our rooms. At this point I am LIVID. We are standing outside and most of us are teetering word becoming hyperthermic at this point. I couldn't feel my fingers or toes. I had already been predisposed to a cold weather injury from basic training back in 2001. I've had enough. Finally, they let us in because people were complaining and becoming irate. We each get keys and are told which building we would be staying in. I arrive at building and immediately cut the heat on hell and try to unthaw the best way possible. But at this point my skin was so frozen that it hurts to have heat or any hot water on my body. I wrap up in the blanket and go to sleep with hopes of being on the flight that is leaving in the morning.
I push both of the beds together and stack both heavy blankets on top of each other and wrap up tightly in them to keep warm through the night.
The next morning I get up and get dressed and head down stairs to eat breakfast. At breakfast they announce which flights will be leaving Iceland and the times of departures. My flight was leaving at 3 p.m. I was stoked. Happy to be leaving. I go upstairs, shower, and re-pack my carry-on bag. By the time I get done and turn the key in to the main building, it is time to board the bus and go back to the airport. I was praying the entire time for things to go smoothly. Our flight ended up getting delayed by an hour, but we managed to take off and before you know it we arrived back on U.S. soil. I ended up getting home the day before Thanksgiving. I had not been that excited in a while. I was elated to be back in the comfort of my own home and with my Rudi pup.
Driving back to the airport in Iceland.
We will meet agin Iceland, but never during the winter season.
I will wrap this up with my final thoughts on traveling solo as female for the first time. I had THE BEST time exploring different parts of Europe. I never felt unsafe while out in public in any of the countries that I visited. I did have a few issues with the hostels but that was more of my own issues of worry and concern. I always go with my gut and instinct. I am usually very good in discerning when things are a little off. I don't even give a situation a chance if I feel like something is off. That's how I stay safe and alive. Would I recommend it, ABSOLUTELY 100 percent! When you travel solo you're never really alone because you meet so many people along the way. It truly is an amazing experience. You learn things about yourself. You learn more of who you are and it teaches you that you are capable of handling situations that you never imagined you could. It grows you and completely changes you each time you leave your own bubble. Solo travel is also great for going at your own pace and not accommodating other people's plans. All you have to worry about is yourself.
For you guys that hung in there and made it to the end of this blogpost. I appreciate it. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed sharing it. Until next time, my friends.
