This little adventure didn't end up being so little. But with little money I made no plans in between my entry and exit. I bought a flight to Paris from Brisbane on 10 January and a flight to Brisbane from Paris on 15 February. That is all. Landing in a new culture, city, country and continent with only a bag of clothes was something I have never done. It was cold, no one spoke English and I had not booked a bed for the night. I am hopeless at organising. So I just didn't.
From the Airport I took a bus. From the bus I walked into a store on the corner. (Finding out later this was the high end fashion and expensive shops place) It was beautiful and huge but only sold coffee. I felt under dressed. I asked the attendee for directions to a hostel. He didn't speak English and so I moved on.
I walked and absorbed the culture not worrying and thanking God for being in such a different place, and being safe. I found a place. After a hostel did not answer the door I ended up staying in a not so cheap hotel. It was worth it, free croissants, ham, cheese and juice for breakfast. I had a lot of questions and the receptionist would answer every single one of them.
After Paris I flew to Glasgow for my brothers wedding. I landed in Glasgow at 2300. I needed sleep. I took the bus to the city and walked. I saw a lit up hotel with a familiar name. My brother recommended I stay there around his wedding date a couple of months ago. I went in; it was not $30 like it used to be. They happily wrote down directions for a hostel and pointed in the general direction.
I asked if there was a Daniel Aylward staying at the hotel. They said "There isn't but there is an Ian Aylward." In shock I asked them to make sure. They confirmed it. I thought they were in another country for a couple more days. He rang them, waking them up and letting me in to sleep in their room. I slept in the warmth of their not so large double bed.
I did sort myself out and I did find a hostel every night of my trip besides two. (One I slept in a room with no heater in Edinburgh on the ground frozen. The other in Barcelona airport) Great experiences. The wedding was amazing. I could write an article for each day of my trip. Something appeared everyday that was different and left me in awe of life.
Europe on the go
I flew to Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, drove to Venice via Salzburg, and drove to Bergamo. Trained to Como, Milan, Rome then Back to Paris. The language barrier in Madrid was a problem. I found one person who ended up walking me to a hostel that only spoke Spanish and got me a room and a discount. So blessed! We spent three days there.
Barcelona felt like home. (Gold Coast) It was chilled, friendly, sunny and spaced out. I stayed there for five days. Favourite hostel and cheapest hostel I went to. My brother rang me and said to come to Munich so we could drive to Venice together. I went to the airport booked the closest ticket the next morning, slept in the airport for 10 hours and flew away.
I got no response from texting my brother. I got off the plane. Found on a map where he was staying, bought a train ticket and jumped on the train. I looked at my phone and I had one text from my brother saying he was waiting at the pick-up point in a silver car. I ran off the train, got told I couldn't get a refund but I went to another person and got one. Found my brother and we were off. The drive was beautiful. Snowy mountains, small towns and churches, fast cars and delicious German snacks.
Parking in Venice, it took three hours to find the place my brother booked. The place was a maze of alleyways. We found ourselves going in circles and reaching dead ends. It was great! We shared a double bed which made accommodation cheap. We had an overly large oven baked pizzas for dinner. Best pizza I had in Italy. Venice was something special. It was something different than anywhere I have seen or probably will ever see.
We drove to Bergamo where my brother flew off and I was stuck by myself again. It was foggy and no one spoke English. Eventually I found a hostel and met two guys who ran a shoe making factories in Morocco. We talked all night.
I made my way to Como the next morning. This place was absolutely breathtaking. I will have a house there one day. I can't describe it so just Google "Lake Como". The hostels were shut till March and the cheapest room was 60 Euros. I considered sleeping near the street if it wasn't too cold. Problem was I could see the Alps so it was cold. I went into a hotel and conversed with the guy at reception for a good two hours. He advised I just take the train to Milan. So I did.
Italy
I trained to Milan. After getting off I searched for wireless which proved unlucky. All I knew was the name of the hostel I was planning to go to. I had one person sit next to me and tell me everything about Milan which proved quite useful during the time I as there. I started walking outside and decided to ask a young guy. He looked it up for me and gave me exact directions. So helpful!
I made so many friends in that hostel. Two guys I hung out with for two days I found out were pretty big in their industry. One was a performer and the other a song writer for some well known people on the radio. People come and go in hostels. Sometimes you make a good friendship and the next day they would have flown off.
After Milan I went to Rome. I was recommended a hostel there from people I met in Milan. The hostel was amazing. The bottom of it as a bar and everyone drank. Absolutely everyone....except me. This made good conversation. Things like "Why don't you? But it's so cheap! It makes things more fun!" would always arise. I smartly responded and I left some people questioning themselves about pointlessly drinking. I don't think it's bad and I never said it was bad but I personally don't drink because I don't agree to what it could do to me and I shouldn't need a substance to make me have fun or relax. Homeless people drank wine because it was 2 Euros a bottle. Cheaper than water. Why wouldn't you drink?
The landmarks in Rome were overwhelming. Every day I visited the Colosseum. I loved it. Everything there was old, there were ruins everywhere. There were also homeless people everywhere.
Around about way to Paris
After 5 days in Rome I took a 15 hour train ride back to Paris. 6 beds cramped into one room. One guy spoke English and the rest just stared at me. By the end of it they were happy and we shook hands and went our separate ways into Paris.
This time I researched and found there was a hostel in Paris. This hostel was huge! My room was filled with Brazilians whom I spent most of the time with even though only two out of the five spoke English. We made great friends. And I found people that I met in Rome in the same hostel without even knowing.
Each location was amazing. I wouldn't trade any day in. Some days I went without talking to anyone because I was around no English speakers. But it was good and it made me more observant and self sufficient. I Loved it.
God led me the whole way. I ran into people from hostels I was staying in alleys, in metros, in museums. It was absolutely amazing that in such a giant city I would come across these same people. Normally they were people I didn't get around to talking to in the hostel. This established conversations about travel, life and religion which then sparked friendships that weren't there before.
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself....1 John 5 verse 10
Stephen Aylward lives on the Gold Coast working catch-as-catch-can in the video and audio industry and serving Christian youth outreach through this industry.
Stephen Alyward's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/stephen-aylward.html