After more than 40 hours of travel, three flights and 14 hours in layovers in Heathrow and Changi respectively, we arrived at our Airbnb in an inner-east suburb of Melbourne at 11:00 am local time on Saturday and slept for 20 of the 24 hours to follow.
This was much needed, given the enormous amount of travel Dave and I took on, not only in the last few days, but throughout the entire month of August. Since leaving Toronto on August 1st Dave and I did not sleep in the same place for more than two consecutive nights. We lived out of backpacks, wore clothes that were closer to dirty than clean, and barely enjoyed any home cooked meals.
And it was fabulous.
Not every second, mind you. There was a lot of suck in between the spectacular views, foreign dining and touring of world class cities. But for the most part, we made it through in one piece. I also want to add that I'm rather proud of us for not getting off track at any point: we never missed a flight, train, bus or otherwise. All of our accommodation bookings were spot on. No lost passports, or stolen currencies or cell phones. I'll take it as a win.
After awaking from our marathon slumber this morning in Melbourne, we took to the city for the usual "I just moved to this continent with barely any possessions" chores. We activated cell phone on Australia's cell network. Shopped for shampoo, dish soap, and other incidentals. We tackled Melbourne's transit system, bought ourselves a pair of Myki cards, and road the train into the CBD.
During all this, I had some time to reflect on our month spent in Europe, and I was able to narrow down our experiences to the following top ten list. This by know mean captures all of our experience, but these are some moments that stand out.
10. Stavanger, Norway
We stopped in Stavanger for one night, as part of our drive to Pulpit Rock in Norway. Although our visit was brief, this little city stole my heart. We sat on the pier as the sun set behind a row of wooded houses lining the docks. The North Sea was still beneath the sky as the stars began to reveal themselves above (just tiny dots, washed out by the city lights). On a pub patio nearby, a guitarist played a cover of Piano Man by Billy Joel and the entire crowd sang along.
9. Frequency Festival
Sofie and I had a blast at Frequency Festival, just outside of Vienna, as part of my birthday celebration. It was so much fun to dance around and soak up the sunshine with my best friend (reunited!) To top it all off, Chris Emray and the Antics serenaded me with a round of "Happy Birthday" from the stage as part of their set.
8. Canyoning in Salzburg, Austria
Talk about a wet and wild time. Sofie. Dave and I didn't know when we were in for when we slide into our wet suites and followed our guide into the wilderness just west of Saltzburg in Austria (and it was probably better that way!) A day spent repelling down waterfalls and along rock walls is one I don't expect to forget anytime soon.
7. Gondola's to the top of Breuil-Cervina, Italy
Although the ride to the top may have instilled a permanent fear of gondolas in me, the view from the top of Plateau Rosa in Breuil-Cervina, Italy was worth every heart-stopping second.
6. Chinesischer Turm Beergarden, Munich
The beer gardens in Munich, Germany really are everywhere. But the Chinesischer Turm in the English Gardens was my favourite by far, because of the sprawling green picnic tables and relaxed park setting. Bonus points: Munich was the location of my best friend reunion with Christina and Sofie — we could have spent all weekend in a McDonalds and it still would have been a highlight due to the company alone!
5. Hiking Grande Chenalette, Switzerland
The hike up Grande Chenalette to the Swiss-Italian border in the sky is a memory I'll hold onto for a long time: The panoramic view of the Swiss Alps, coupled with the terrified look on Dave's face as he ascended the metal ladders on the way up, made the two hour hike up more than worth it.
4. Neuswenstein Castle, Germany
While standing on a narrow wooded bridge overlooking Neuswenstein Castle in rural Germany, it's not hard to believe that this piece of history inspired the infamous Sleeping Beauty castle, as depicted by Disney.
3. Prague, Czech Republic
Our trip to Prague was not planned, which, all things told, made me love the city even more. As one of the only European cities left untouched during the bombings of the second world war, it felt like everywhere we turned there was a little piece of history. From the Charles Bridge to the Astronomical Clock and the Prague Zoo, I loved every bit of the city we explored.
2. Flåm and the tour of the Fjords, Norway
It turns our, by boat is the only way to really see Norway's fjords. The epic green landscape and narrow rock valleys were home to ancient viking kings, thousands of years ago. As our guide ferried us through narrow passages and under fresh water waterfalls I felt like I'd stepped back in time, or maybe sideways, to a fantasy land populated by trolls and dragons.
1. Hike to Pulpit Rock, Norway
That's right, Norway steals the show with #1 and #2 on my personal top ten list. The hike to Pulpit Rock may have been overcrowded with tourists, but when you reach the summit you understand why. The surrounding view is incomparable, and the natural rock formation is beautiful in a totally unique way. Geologist say one day Pulpit Rock will fall: get there and see it before this happens.
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