@roamingmaddie

Author: Maddie Kramer

  • 10 day winter europe itinerary

    10 day winter europe itinerary

    In January of 2024, my friend Kate and I embarked on our first trip abroad together around Europe! This was my first time staying in a hostel, backpacking, and hitting multiple countries in one trip. We did Hungary, Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic

    Braving the cold of January in Europe was not for the faint of heart. We found just enough things to do to stay warm and moving! I highly recommend finding the space in your luggage for WARM shoes. My toes were freezing 100% of the trip.

    Girl posing in front of the Danube River

    days 1-3: budapest, hungary

    On day one, you’ll fly into Budapest and try your best to ward off jet lag by walking around to see the Budapest Opera House, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the Chain Bridge. Call it a night early because we have an early morning tomorrow!

    Day two will start bright and early heading to the Szechenyi thermal baths. They are heated outdoor pools and so fun to paddle around in. Make sure you bring a way to store your wet bathing suits! Also be sure to explore the building to find the salt rooms and saunas.

    After the baths, seek out a traditional hungarian lunch (hearty!) and then make your way to Heroes’ Square and Vajdahunyad for the afternoon. By the time you’re done there, you’ll need to refuel with a pre-dinner chimney cake.

    To round out night 2, make your way to Szimpla Kert and Instant Fogas for iconic Budapest clubbing experiences. Szimpla Kert is more artsy/alternative with cool cocktails whereas the latter is a true club party vibe. Each floor of the club is a different music genre and scene.

    Day 3 starts a little later so you can recuperate from the long night prior. Head to Buda Castle for the view and vibe. Then walk towards Matthias Church and Fishermen’s Bastion. Take the afternoon to see the National Hungarian Museum (but hopefully the staff are nicer to you than they were to us…)

    Take it easy that night by finding a good restaurant. We opted for the BEST Vietnamese we just randomly stumbled upon. Close out the night with a beautiful nighttime walk along the Danube.

    Austrian National Library ceiling paintings and sculpture

    days 4-5: vienna, austria

    Begin day 4 with a quick breakfast before the train ride to Vienna. Be sure to reserve a seat with your train ticket (we didn’t, had to sit on our bags on the floor </3). Keep an eye out for moose throughout the ride!

    Austria is open described as the love child of Italy and Germany, so we searched for Italian food as soon as we settled into our hostel. After that, spend the afternoon at Belvedere Palace and around the gardens.

    In the evening, we opted to find cheap tickets to the Vienna Ballet for a classy change of pace. After our classy moment, we found Vienna sausages for dinner and then explored the techno clubbing vibe this city is known for.

    Day 5 will begin by visiting the Austrian National Library. We added in a quick stop at Cafe Sperl for lunch (made famous by the movie Before Sunrise). Finally, we rounded out our day at the Kunst Historisches Museum and the Parliament Building. Head to bed early before the early train tomorrow to the next stop!

    overhead view of Munich from St. Peter's Church

    days 6-8: munich, germany

    Once again, start the day bright and early on another train ride (this time you definitely remembered to book seats on the train… right?) When you arrive, head to the old city to rub a lion’s face, meaning you will return to the city one day!

    The Vienna to Munich train ride is a long one, so there wont be too much to do the rest of your day. If you plan the timing right, some of the evening Christmas markets might still be around and you can grab dinner and warm drinks there before bed.

    Day 7 starts with Nymphenburg Palace and the 1972 Olympic Park. It is COOOOOLD so bundle up!!! Head back to the Old City after this for shopping and climb to the top of St. Peter’s Chapel for insane views. For dinner, experience an authentic beer garden at Augistiner Keller Beer Garden. We loved trying curling here!

    Spend day 8 more pensively at the Dachau Concentration Camp. Don’t skip this incredibly heartbreaking experience, especially in the chilling winter. We unwinded after this by walking along the English Gardens and meeting many characters in our hostel bar that evening.

    memorial and castle in Prague in Europe

    days 9-10: prague, czech republic

    Catch your last train (this time you DEFINITELY booked the seats with the ticket.) Start your explorations in Old Town, being sure to hit the Astronomical Clock and Dog Bar for drinks. Unfortunately I was sick in Prague, so I didn’t get to do as much as I was hoping to.

    Day 10 is for Prague Castle and the National Museum and reminiscing on all of the amazing fun you’ve had in Europe!!! Don’t forget that beer is cheaper than water in Prague, so be budget-friendly!

  • photo challenge in the louvre

    photo challenge in the louvre

    During our 2018 French class trip to France, we had the best tour guide ever. Rania was the sweetest Italian woman with whom I shared my deep love for ice cream and chic sunglasses. Part of what made her so amazing (among countless other things) was that she planned out daily photo challenges for us students.

    These challenges ranged from “best Eiffel Tower pic” to “re-enact pirate activity on the shores of the English Channel”. The winners of each day got a special treat hand-picked by her. My best friend on this trip (Hailey) and I always gave it our best attempt, but only had one winning submission during the entire trip.

    The day when we went to the Louvre, our challenge was to bring artwork to life. We BODIED this challenge, and would stop at nothing to nab this win. Honestly, I don’t really remember much of anything else from the Louvre other than this challenge.

    Enjoy our collection of submissions below, ranging from least to most chaotic.

    Girl posing in front of a statue in the Louvre
    2 girls posing in front of a statue in the Louvre
    2 girls posing in front of a statue in the Louvre
    2 girls posing in front of a statue in the Louvre
    2 girls posing in front of a painting in the Louvre
    2 girls posing in front of a statue in the Louvre

    Soooo anyways we won by a landslide. Nobody came close to our creativity and willingness to lay on the floor. We won some fancy lilac candies in Honfleur for our efforts. Although, I have 0 recollection of how they tasted or if we even liked them. Upon texting Hailey, she states “I feel like they definitely tasted like air freshener”.

    Lilac candied from Honfleur
  • the france trip that started it all

    the france trip that started it all

    In 2018, I had the amazing opportunity to travel abroad for the first time to France with my high school French class. I attribute this trip to my quick and dramatic fall into love with traveling. Our trip took us to Paris, North to Normandy, and South to Nice.

    Girl standing in front of eiffel tower

    paris

    Our first stop on our excursion was Paris. As a 16-year-old girl, this was truly a dream come true. Looking back at my photos, I was also having exceptionally good hair at this time of my life (thank god).

    Highlights of this leg of the trip included visiting the Eiffel Tower, getting portraits in Montmartre, shopping on Champs-Elysees with the Arc de Triomphe in view, cruising down the Siene and exploring the Louvre.

    Girl posing in front of the triangle outdoor artwork at the Louvre

    Our first day we were supposed to see the Eiffel Tower, there was a left bag nearby, so the entire area had to be evacuated due to bomb concerns before we could go up to the top.

    We were bummed at the time, but our tour guide was able to have us come back later on in the trip. We went at sunset and I watched the sun go down from the very top! Then, we stayed close enough nearby to see the tower sparkle later that night.

    Sunset from the top of the Eiffel Tower

    Randomly, they were also promoting the 2024 Summer Olympics at a massive event while we were there. We got to play volleyball and soccer with French Olympic athletes! (you can imagine about how well that went for me).

    Also in Paris, I discovered my hatred for smoked salmon and love for a French breakfast (as long as it did not involve smoked salmon). Teenage me was obsessed with the macarons and probably spent most of my money buying those for the aesthetic photos.

    Macarons from Paris

    normandy

    Our second destination was north to the shores of the English Channel and Normandy. On the way there, we stopped in Honfleur and Rouen. Honfleur ended up being my most favorite spot in all of France (and at the top of my list of places to return to as an adult!)

    I didn’t know much about D-Day before going here and remember feeling overwhelmed with grief the day we explored the museum, the graveyard, and could see the remnants of sunk ships when looking out into the water.

    Memorial cemetery in Normandy of D-Day

    An interesting fact we learned is that not all of the landmines from that day have been fully located, so the put sheep out on pasture in the areas they think may have some active bombs. Once a sheep finds a bomb…. they call that barbecue day…. LOL.

    Our final destination in this part of France was Mont Saint Michael. This was a really cool castle and town built in the middle of a channel that becomes surrounded by water at high tide. I liked this area a lot and remember we had really yummy pizza that came out of a basement on a pizza elevator.

    Girl sitting in front of beach on English channel in France

    Another fun fact about Normandy is we accidentally left one of the students on the trip there after one of the chaperones thought she was just in the bathroom on the bus. We went back for her eventually.

    nice

    Once done in Northern France, we took a bullet train all the way south to Cannes and Nice. If Paris was a 16-year-old’s dream, Nice was heaven. I was in love with the pastel buildings, clear blue water, and moviestar vibes.

    Little kid popping bubbles in Nice

    It was my first experience at a nude beach where my french teacher warned us that nipples aren’t used to the sun and will need more sunscreen than you’d expect. I personally stayed clothed, but saw MANY elderly nips.

    Nice was where I tried my first frogs legs and escargot. Additionally, we realized only at the final leg of our trip that we were of drinking age in France. I felt like the most chic, elegant, celebrity girl ever ordering “I would like one wine please” with my dinner hahaha.

    Frogs legs prepared French style
    Frog’s Legs (“Cuisses de Grenouille”)

    Some of my favorite memories included sitting on the beach after the sun set snacking on caramel chocolate chip cookies and reminiscing on our incredible trip together. It was in those final moments on the beach that I knew my future would hold countless more trips of this nature. If only little me could see me now!!

  • erewhon smoothie dupe

    erewhon smoothie dupe

    If I am headed to Los Angeles, I 100% every single time will be stopping at Erewhon for that damn Hailey Bieber strawberries and cream smoothie. Not only does it taste fire, but I feel like just maybeeee my skin looks clearer for a week or so after I have one. And I just feel so clean girl heathy chic.

    I have combined a few recipes I find online to make the most similar dupe possible. It probably (definitely) doesn’t have the same health benefits without the expensive supplements and whatever, but it works!

    This recipe yields two servings. I will drink one right away and freeze one to have later.

    the recipe

    • 2 frozen bananas
    • 3 cups frozen strawberries
    • 2 cups vanilla almond milk
    • 1/4 cup coconut water
    • 6 pitted dates
    • 1 small avocado
    • 4 tbsp collagen powder
    • 2 tbsp coconut cream
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 scoop of sea moss if you’re glamorous (not required)

    Once everything is in the blender I blend until smooth. The dates will be the hardest part to get broken down. I also usually freeze fresh fruit versus buying frozen. I had a bad experience finding rocks in my frozen strawberries once and am traumatized LOL.

    Try it out and let me know what you think! Perfect for a hot girl walk around the neighborhood as the weather warms up.

  • bars in los angeles worth visiting

    bars in los angeles worth visiting

    Let me be very clear, I have only been to los angeles a total of 3 times in my life. However, every time I have gone, I have had the best nights out ever! Luckily, I have amazing friends that know the best spots to go for a memorable night. TY in advance Abby for being my LA tour guide always!

    desert 5 spot

    I celebrated Abby’s birthday with her here in 2025 and it was not a miss! Desert 5 Spot is a western-themed bar but with chic flair. I loved the cowboy boots mirror ball as pictured below.

    disco ball cowboy boots in los angeles

    My favorite part of this bar was the live music with intermittent line dance breaks. Of course I don’t know a single line dance, but it is REALLY entertaining to watch those who give it their 100% .

    If you’re not into line dancing, there is still plenty of room for normal shimmying. We liked hanging out on the rooftop wraparound patio with beautiful views and good ambience!

    two girls with drinks at a rooftop bar

    bar lubitsch

    For my 24th birthday, we started our crawl here at the Russian-themed Bar Lubitch. You enter into a very non-assuming bar area with GREAT cocktails (get the cucumber gimlet) and the most perfect photo booth.

    Once you make your way past the photo booth, the real party is in the back room. We were busting down song after song on the dance floor. The management was also nice enough to let me know that my phone in my back pocket was probably a bad idea and to keep it in my purse, LOL.

    girl posing in front of a painting of a bear in a bar

    Loved this place, definitely would like to go back.

    no vacancy

    To be so honest, this was one of our last stops and is a bit woozy, but what I remember was awesome. The outdoor section of No Vacancy was super moody and good vibes. The stage out back had a few occasional performers come out that danced? I think? Honestly, Abby and I couldn’t really remember….

    We got super lucky as I chatted up an engagement party who had a table and offered us their bottles as they were leaving. So maybe just linger around the tables and chat people up to try your luck!

    I do not have any images from this bar so you will just have to imagine it. Rumor has it I may or may not have been giving a friend a foot massage at this bar when her shoes started hurting her. Be sure to add that into your mental imagery of this cool vibe place <3

  • i cried over cheese in florence

    i cried over cheese in florence

    There are very few things I would change about my trip to Italy in December of 2024. Specifically, Florence was nearly 100% perfect from start to finish.

    However, there is one moment that stands out as potentially not being my finest. The night prior, we had the best experience EVER at our wine tasting and brought a bottle home. Obviously, this needed to be finished by the time we left Italy in just 3 nights (light work).

    The time is early afternoon and the vibe I was looking for was wine cheese cracker grape if you know what I mean. The person I was traveling with had the bad habit of leaning into the jet lag, so she wanted to take a nap. No problem! I would just run out and grab the snacks while she slept.

    I set out on my little walk with no set destination other than to find a block of cheese to gnaw on. Everything else I imagined this vibe with we had already, but I just needed the cheese. We are literally in Italy, this definitely would not be hard.

    I begin walking around the blocks and am casually window shopping as I go. After about 30 mins, I am starting to be a little confused about how I have yet to pass a single grocery or cheese store on this trek. After an hour, my concern turns into frustration.

    I texted my two friends who had studied abroad here asking about where I could find cheese and they jokingly responded along the lines of “anywhere”… Finally I was given the name of a grocery store. I maps-ed it and the closest was conveniently a full hour in the opposite direction of where I had walked 🙂

    I was honestly giving up on my dream of wine and cheese. I walked into LUSH to calm down and rubbed free lotion samples all over my body to try to distract from my failed cheese mission. Am I just stupid to think that walking around Florence for an hour that I would just stumble across cheese?

    I moped back to the hotel a different path from the one I had taken originally and, you guessed it, still did not come across a single vendor selling cheese. I did find this outdoor leather market which was cool, I guess…

    Outdoor leather market in Florence

    When I got to the hotel room I laid down on the bed with my glass of wine, cheese-less, and cried. I wasn’t actually that torn up, but I just REALLY wanted a piece of cheese </3 You just wouldn’t understand unless you craved parm reg as much as I do. The person I was traveling with certainly didn’t, LOL.

    Finally I got over myself and we made our way to dinner and everything was fine. But I will never forget my failed cheese mission and feeling so humiliated over a block of parm.

    p.s. I DID get my cheese when I made it to Venice and had my moment, so this is a life lesson that good things come to those who wait.

    Girl eating cheese in Florence
  • 3 florence must-do’s

    3 florence must-do’s

    Of the three cities I experienced on my 2024 Italy trip, Florence was by far my favorite. I loved the food, culture, shopping, and entire experience of this city. We got extremely lucky with the reservations we made in advance and places we stumbled upon.

    If you or anyone you know is going to Florence soon, you MUST include these 3 stops on your itinerary!!!

    wine, meats, and cheeses

    le volpi e l’uva wine tasting

    I will shout from the rooftops for the rest of my life that you HAVE to go to this exact place to do your Florence wine tasting experience. I found Le volpi e ‘uva from a different travel blog and this was genuinely perfect in every way.

    To book, call the number on their website in advance. For the excellent price of 35 Euro per person (2 person minimum), you get 4 generous wine tastings and a beautiful smattering of meats, cheeses, and accoutrement. If you are pleasant with the staff, they may even add on a slice on panettone to finish with 🙂

    You’ll know this place is the real deal when you walk in and everyone gives you side-eye glares of American tourists. However, once you let them know you’re there for your pre-booked tasting, the vibe quickly turns warm and friendly. The staff are super knowledgeable, engaging, and love to chat!

    I genuinely cannot reiterate enough that you will be missing out by doing a wine tasting anywhere else but here!

    2 plates of pasta in florence

    dinner at acqua al 2

    Our best dinner on our entire Italy trip took place at Acqua Al 2, per the recommendation of my dear friend Tyler who studied abroad here. Make your reservation ahead of time, as it fills up quickly every night.

    The ambience is beautiful with decorated plates covering the walls. Be forewarned, the menu is entirely in Italian and there is no wifi/service to use Google translate. We picked our entrees from the few words we recognized and hit gold with both meals.

    They garnish each plate with their famous blueberry compote and just YUMMMM. I am dreaming of this meal as I write this.

    aperol sprtiz with different appetizer bites

    drinks and bites at la menagere

    This restaurant x cocktail bar x home good store x floral shop was a little gem we stumbled upon while looking for a happy hour bev to hold us over until dinner. La Menagere is great ambience for pretty much anything you are looking for any time of day.

    We got aperol spritz’s and a little appetizer and it was perfect. It was busy but not packed at around the time we got there, so I’m not sure if you would 100% need a reservation. I would definitely come back here again for a full meal the next time I am in Florence!

    I’m not surprised that my 3 favorite experiences in Florence surrounded food and drink LOL. Italy is just like that. I hope you’ll be able to make these stops on your trip and can agree with me on how awesome these places are.

  • the longest guatemala travel day ever

    the longest guatemala travel day ever

    In December of 2026, I booked a yoga retreat on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala with Eagles Nest Atitlan. I was looking for a retreat that was more or less all inclusive in Central America and this checked all of my boxes. I booked the reservation, my flights, and closed my computer.

    I got an email later asking if I would like to book a shuttle from the airport to the retreat for $150 one way. Do I look like I am made of money??? I would figure it out one way or another how to get there. Thankfully, I did my research ahead of time and came prepared for what was in store.

    step 1: guatemala city to panajachel

    I booked my shuttle ticket through Guatego ahead of time to pick me up from the airport at 1:45pm. My flight was landing at 1, so I figured that was probably enough time to get through customs and find my driver.

    They sent a very stern “we will only wait 5 minutes for you” message and if I missed it I would definitely be SOL because the next shuttle wasn’t until around 6pm.

    Customs took a smidge longer than expected, and I found myself running out the door. The Guatemala City airport exit is a lot more overstimulating than one might expect! There are many taxi drivers offering to drive you wherever, family members greeting their loved ones with big, flashy balloons, and a lot of people in not a lot of space.

    I made it through the crowed and exited the airport to be sure I knew where my shuttle driver was picking me up. I figured I would get my eyes on this spot, then go back into the airport vestibule to find an ATM to take out some Guatemalan Quetzal (cash). Unfortunately, once you exit the only way back in was through security again.

    I wasn’t super stressed about not having cash at this point. I knew I would eventually need cash for the ferry and tuk tuks, but we had a stopover in Antigua and there must be an ATM there, right?

    I connected with my shuttle driver and took the back seat. I notice that there are no outlets, so I am immediately mindful of how much I am using my phone. I knew I had a long trip ahead of me. Our shuttle ended up leaving with 3 less passengers as they had not been as lucky as me to make it through customs in time.

    We were off to Antigua! I spent my time napping, reading, and journaling during this trip. I was especially obsessed with the Chicken Busses which are reclaimed school busses decorated beautifully and used as public transport for the locals.

    Guatemala chicken bus

    After about 3 hours, we made our stop in Antigua. My plan to find an ATM here was quickly lost after our “stopover” consisted of me stepping from one shuttle into another and immediately leaving the city. I’m still not stressed though!

    By the time I got on the second shuttle, the sun was setting so reading and journaling were off the table. I used this shuttle to continue catching up on sleep. About an hour before our destination I made a bit of an alarming realization.

    The last ferry to get from Panajachel to San Marcos leaves at 8pm, and it looked like we were going to get to Panajachel at 7:45 pm. Which left very little time for me to find an ATM and the docks, lol. I’m still not really stressed, honestly. One way or the other, I am making it to this damn yoga retreat.

    step 2: panajachel to san marcos

    As we arrived to the docks in the shuttle, our driver’s accomplice met us. He, in broken English, explained that the last ferries have left and our only option is to pay for him to take us on his private boat. But don’t worry, he takes card!

    The crew he was telling this to included me, 2 British girls, and a Mexican man (A). A came in clutch here because he was the only one of us that spoke Spanish. He was offering us the discounted price of $13 per person if the 4 of us went with him (the ferry is typically $3 per person).

    Personally, I am completely down for this option. $13 is not ridiculous to me and I don’t have cash! Once we walk down to the docks, the other public ferry operators are yelling “last call” and the 2 girls take off. Apparently to them $13 WAS ridiculous….

    This left me and A. The private boat operator now was saying that because they bailed, the price would be raised to $26 per person. Honestly, I’m still ok with this LOL. This seems to be my only option at this point and I still don’t have cash. A and I chat and A thinks he can get him lower on the price.

    I watch like a damsel in distress as they have a bartering match in Spanish over the price. Finally, they settle on $19, which- you guessed it- I’m fine with! We boarded this boat in the dark and set sail across Lake Atitlan to San Marcos.

    ferry on lake atitlan

    A offered to put his card down and then I could give him back cash once I found an ATM. The ferry ride was about 20 minutes and we pondered if there was a Loch Ness Monster-adjacent entity living in this lake (or anything else that could kill us)

    step 3: downtown san marcos to eagle’s nest

    Once we landed at the dock, there is a narrow street of vendors leading from the water to the main downtown of San Marcos. I figured A was just going to accompany me to find the ATM, but he decided to part ways towards his hostel. This left me wandering the streets alone at 9pm for an ATM.

    To get to the retreat, I could either hike up a very steep volcano in the dark or hire a tuk tuk to drive me up. I figured the latter was slightly safer at this time. The downtown wasn’t super massive, so I figured I could just wander around and come across an ATM.

    While I found many beautiful Christmas lights, dogs, and locals cooking delicious-smelling food, I did not find any cash. Let me just remind you that I have not had access to a bathroom or any food since the airplane approximately 10 hours prior 🙂

    tuk tuks and christmas lights in san marcos

    I eventually decided wandering around aimlessly was probably a bad idea. I approached one of the tuk tuk’s and was surprised to find the driver to be a boy who couldn’t have been older than 8 years old. I held up my phone at 10% with “Where do I get cash” in google translate to Spanish. He pointed me to a little bodega and finally I had my quetzals.

    I came back and found the same little boys and they offered me the ride for $2. I honestly loved this random little ride with these boys and felt like I was funding the livelihood of Guatemalan youth. Even if at the end he told me it was actually going to be $2.50… Sneaky little boys.

    Finally, I had made it to the entrance of the retreat. Any by entrance, the beginning of the 10 minute hike through the jungle to the retreat. Of course my phone was dead by this point, so I was just vibing with my moonlit hike and made it there in one piece!

    The most clutch part of this experience was having a super light backpack so it was easy for me to quickly transition from transport to transport. At no point did I ever feel truly unsafe or stuck. I guess that is just the magic energy of Guatemala!

    soup and pizza at a picnic table

    At the end of the trip, I was greeted with a bowl of warm soup and super great vibes at the retreat! And THANKFULLY a bathroom. I had officially made it in once piece and was excited to finally able to relax! The end.

  • everything i packed to backpack guatemala

    everything i packed to backpack guatemala

    In December of 2026, I made my first trip to Central America in Guatemala (and did it all by myself). Being the cheap girl I am, I was not going to spend the extra $30 to bring a checked bag, so all I had was a personal item sized backpack. Continue reading to find out what was in my bag!

    backpack

    I borrowed (stole) the Outdoor Adventures Mist Hydration Backpack from my parent’s house. This was the perfect bag for me that had plenty of different pockets to keep things separated and safe. The water holding portion was long gone so I had extra space to put my things.

    It counts as a personal item on flights, is very light, and super cheap. This isn’t sponsored but I wish it was lol. I am looking forward to bringing this along for many more trips!

    clothes

    I was headed on a yoga retreat, so I prioritized packing items I could move in but were also comfortable for long travel days. I also was going to be in warm, potentially rainy Guatemala weather.

    My most-used items ended up being my thin long sleeve shirt that was just enough for nippy mornings without being too hot. I also never travel without my birkenstock-dupe sandals that are so comfortable for long walking!

    Girl posing in front of mirror in Guatemala

    toiletries

    I was lucky that my backpack had multiple pockets so I could store my travel-sized toiletries for easy access. 3 things I will never travel without are my makeup eraser washcloth, my solid shampoo/conditioner bars, and my carmex lip balm!!!

    miscellaneous

    I had to be very careful about everything else I brought as my space was quickly weaning and I had to make sure I had everything I absolutely needed. My journal and a book were non-negotiable! FYI, Guatemala has the same outlets as the US, so no need to buy an adapter.

    what i brought home

    I am typically not much of a souvenir girl, but I was going right before Christmas and of course waited until the last second to buy gifts for family. I had just the tiniest bit of space left in my luggage for a few gifts and treats for myself!

    • Handmade crossbody bag
    • Handmade headband
    • 6 postcards
    • 2 handmade shot glasses (gifts)
    • Jade necklace and bracelet (gifts)
    Girl taking mirror selfie
    featuring my new headband and bag

    All-in-all, I felt very accomplished with my backpacking game and felt like I had everything I needed. If I had a smidge more space, I would’ve added a windbreaker/rainjacket and a hairbrush, but I was just fine without both! An additional consideration is a towel, but I checked that my accommodations would provide them for free ahead of time.

  • an aussie, an american, and a norwegian walk into a bar

    an aussie, an american, and a norwegian walk into a bar

    This is a story about how me and two hostel mates ended up in a fancy rooftop bar in Athens.Typically, I would not condone lying. But if it means you get to sip a frilly little cocktail with a perfect view of the Acropolis…. go right ahead.

    This day in Athens started with a booking for a walking food tour by myself. When I got back to the hostel, I was full and happy and ready for a nap. To the left of me on the bottom bunk was M, a pilot from Norway. Across the room on a top bunk was G, a student living in England from Australia.

    As much as I just wanted to nap, I was drawn to their chatty personalities and excitement to explore. They invited me to meet up for happy hour, so I joined. We sat outside at some random pub and for hours drank beers and shared stories of our lives. There was not a single topic we left uncovered!

    We moved our party to dinner where G had found the cheapest authentic Greek food. The bonus was the kitty that joined us for dinner and we may or may not have slipped a few bites of fish to. I cannot undermine how easily the conversation flowed, partially because G and I had about a million questions for M about being a pilot.

    girl petting cat

    After our meal, we were not ready to be done with the night. We had big dreams: a rooftop bar and a fancy cocktail. The problem was that we looked exactly like 3 hostel-goers. Fancy attire did not quite make it into the backpack for any of us this time around.

    The first challenge was making it TO the bar. There was a bouncer at the elevator at the bottom of the building who was our first barrier. G made the excellent observation that the rest of this building was apartments, not offices. We nonchalantly walked by the bouncer towards the stairs to the apartments, luckily unlocked.

    Now I do not ever recommend going up 16 flights of stairs, but we were 3 people with a plan. We took MANY breaks along the way. Finally, we made it to the bar. A beautiful hostess in a gorgeous dress looked us up and down immediately.

    G, as her Australian bubbly self, explained that we are living in the apartment building a few floors down and wanted to check out the rooftop just for a drink or two. The hostess was skeptical and asked which room we were in. G made a guess and it must have been good enough because the next thing I knew we had been sat at a table.

    We looked out of place and got many glares, but we didn’t care! We ordered spritz after spritz and begged our server to let us go out onto the balcony for an even better view. Our conversation continued to flow. From G and I attempting to pronounce Norwegian words, to me trying to convince them to come to Mykonos with me tomorrow, to our plot to get a discount on our bill (unsuccessful, we think they actually made it higher after we asked… lol).

    rooftop bar with view of acropolis

    Once we closed out the place and got the dirtiest looks from staff ever on our way out, we giggled our way back to our hostel and settled in for the night. I was out early the next morning to head to my next destination, but I left them each a little note wishing them the best of luck on their next adventures.

    I look back on this day with the biggest smile on my face. People often ask me if solo traveling gets lonely. Maybe if I was staying in a hotel by myself yes. But, I always feel like the luckiest girl with the people I end up meeting along the way. My luck continued into Mykonos, which is a story for a different day….

    Anyhow, the moral of this story is to say yes to everything, lie when it won’t hurt anyone’s feelings, and you can never have too many aperol spritz’s when you’re in Europe.