From Germany to Austria to Hungary and now to Romania!

Hello everyone. I'm still on the road and doing fine. My grand trip through Europe is almost over and I am excited to return and meet you all again. Please call me or write me and we can arrange something.

See you soon!

Schweiz and now Deutchland

The last few weeks have been very exciting. I'd love to tell everyone about it but it feels like this blog isn't visited enough. If you feel differently, let me know and I'll spend the time to fill you in. Instead, I'll leave you with this photo:

Where Am I Now?

Hello peeps,

Its amazing how manz places I've seen in such a short amount of time. Let me fill you in:

From Brussels I made my way down to Paris. There I used couchsurfing.com to find a host for the week. I stayed about 5 days and had a wonderful time. Paris is absolutely beautiful and there is much to see and do. I went up in the Eiffel Tower and saw the Mona Lisa. How many iconic travel destinations is that? I also got to mix and mingle with Parisians and met some cool people. I hit the city with another traveler from Mexico City. He had a camera so watch for pictures soon!

From Paris I caught a ride with a really nice couple to the city of Lyon in southern France. There is a hill/mountain overlooking the whole city and that is where the youth hostel is. Wow what a view! The city has a amazing old section that is a UNESCO World Herritage site. Also interesting was the middle eastern/north african influence of the city.

From Lyon I took my time in arriving to the city of Geneve, Switzerland. It is a very pleasant city with nice people. From here I'll travel to the interior of the country.

Theres only a few weeks left of the trip and I'm excited to get back and see you all.

Until then!

Justin

San Sebastian Pics!!!

WHOOOAAAHH Big Update!

No, no, no, I haven't abandoned you. In fact, I've been doing loads of cool things (funny how that coincides with internet use...) Heres a quick rundown:

*Spent a great week in Betagne, France with some great people :)
* Was met with great hospitality in La Fleche, France!
*Now I'm here in Amsterdam

More info on the way.

Justin

P.S. if you're following this...show me some love.

French France

In just two days I managed to travel all the way from the French border in the south to the North coast of Bretagne. All for free! It has been raining almost the entire time but that hasnt kept me from having a great time. Ive met a ton of really generous and interesting individuals who have shared themselves with me and helped me along the way.

So don't stay home because you're scared that someone will attack you. Expect that people will be kind and prepare in case they're not. Then, when someone is generous, pass on that mentality to someone else and keep the torch lit.

Well, thats all for now. Expect some amazing photos soon.

Justin

Los Pirineos!!!

Enrique de Alagon

Let me share with you a special experience:

Some way or another I found myself in a small village by the name of Alagon. I had just toured the museum and was walking the streets to the train station when I noticed a man tending his garden.

I said hello and I could tell by his response that he was a kind man. A conversation followed until I watched my train go by. He said no worries, that he would have me over for lunch until the next train came.

I met all of Enrique´s family and ate until I could no more. His kindness was astounding and had a big impact on me. I will cherish our time together forever!

España!!!

I´m finally here on the Iberian Peninsula! For years I´ve wanted to come to Spain and now its a dream come true.


BUT things weren´t so dreamy from the start. Upon arriving in Madrid in the middle of the night, the city was dark and cold. I felt like everyone was looking at me and my bag with disgust. Even worse, I was alone with no idea where anyone was. I hadn´t done any research at all. This was such a low moment for me.


I WANTED SO BAD TO SEE MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY BACK HOME. IF YOURE READING THIS, MUCH LOVE!!!!


Needless to say, I survived the day and found a youth hostel that would be my salvation. That night I was watching the UEFA Champions League final and feeling recovery.

Even better, a good friend would be sharing my bunk that night. Warren is an open minded british expat who invited me to his home in Valencia. I´ve been staying here for 3 days now and been going to the beach everyday. Things have turned 180 degrees! I´m happy and feeling optimistic about my trip.


Here´s some photos:







WE ROCK SPEEDOS!



Franc, Me and Warren

Banana SPLIT

Hey yall,

The European extravaganza is now in its second week and a lot has been going on. Let me fill you in.

First of all, this is Justin speaking. I´ll be managing the blog from here on out. Vlad and I have decided to go our separate ways. The cause? Well, it is a combination of many things but most importantly we had different lifestyles. We were coming at this thing from different angles as much as we wanted not to admit it.

Vlad and I are 20 years old and we´re making important decisions about the world around us. It become obvious after just the first day that we were going in different directions. Its better that we are split so that we have room to explore our feelings and perspectives on life.

Vlad: best of luck to you man.

As for me, I´m headed to Mardrid, Spain in search of freedom.

Stay tuned.

Justin

Sentimentele adevarate iti hranesc sufletul

I love my grandparents and the real human feel my Romanian people send out.

Since we arrived in Romania, I have been suffering of strep throat. Fortunately, it has subdued due to the many many pills I have been taking, so after two days of being bed ridden, we were finally able to go out.

Last night, Justin and I went to spend time with my friends. They are just as I remember: amazing, loving, and awesome! Their hearts are the biggest I have seen in any person. It was good to be with them again. It was good to reminice of our childhoods and all the amazing events that we created.

Since I have moved to America, I lost a sense of who I am and where I came from but Romania is my cure. I'm slowly putting the pieces of my future together. Now, I have a direction. Have I found my true home?...


I love it here,


Vlad

Scurrrrrr....A Bumpy Landing

Loyal and dedicated followers,

From Killa City, Mo to Chi-town, IL by bus, from Chi-town to London by plane and from London to Bucharest by plane it seemed to never stop. Indeed, Vlad and I spent over 48 hours just getting to our final destination. I was so sick of sitting, airports, planes, and moving in general. I held my fists in their air as a sign of relief after crossing 8 time zones and finally landing in Romania. I was exhausted with a headache and not really sure where I was.

Let me tell you, this is not the place that I came from. Bucharest has a flavor that I've never sampled before. It has the feeling of a big, bustling city without the huge glass skyscapers. Rather, tall concrete apartment buildings with small shops on the first floor are the dominant landscape. Weaving through the city are alleys, patios, and parks. People are everywhere; driving, walking, biking, busing.

The weather has been sunny and mild. Besides enjoying the authentic meals cooked by Vlad's grandmother, I've had to the opportunity to walk around and see the city. It feels alive with movement and young people are everywhere. I definately feel like an outsider but that is to be expected. My challenge is to connect with people here and learn from them the best I can. Already several cultural revelations have become visible. Look for more in the next installment along with pictures to boot. Until then, stay classy San Diego.

Justin

My Tools for EuroSplash

Greetings Earthlings:

There's nothing like waiting until the last night to pack your things. Alas, the clutter has organized itself into a compact, portable bag on my floor. Heres the rundown:

So there are a million ways to pack a travel bag. It all depends on the users expectations. My personal mantra is simple. No really, simplicity is my mantra. I want to pack as light as possible and bring only the necessities. I'll make up for having less by using my intellect to improvise and devise new ways of accomplishing what I want.

With that said, I must admit that I was surprised when everything was laid before me. Ok, so maybe I don't feel too comfortable relying on my intellect alone. I would list all the things I brought but its a pretty long list. Besides, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

I am pleased to say, however, that the pack fits well on my back and doesn't feel heavy at all. The final weigh in is at 12 kilos or 27 pounds for you gringos out there. Not too shabby considering I'll have all the non-perishable items needed to live in a foreign continent for three months. The real test will come after those three months have passed and I reflect on the utility it provided (or didn't provide.) As they say, the road will provide everything else.

Justin

 

If you were to backpack for 3 months, what would you bring?

Hello everyone,

I have finished my backpack tonight! It was fun laying everything out on the floor and seeing all that there is. With time although, I can see my pack's contents changing. Regardless, I do take serious pride in my packing abilities. As you can see from the pictures, I managed to fit every single little widget and gizmo into my backpack. It now weighs 20 kilos. Sure enough, I'll be getting a good back workout. I am very happy to have my Dad help me with my pack. Taking it off and on would have been a lot harder without him there to lift a few pounds for me. Thanks, Dad!



Well, now the time is upon thee. I am excitedly awaiting the arrival of the departure. Just a few more hours. Good bye America and Hello Adventure!


Adios,

Vlad

The end of an adventure is the beginning of another.

Greetings,

Tonight celebrates a week before our departure to Europe. There is not much else on my mind besides the three months ahead of me. After having finished packing my backpack today and throwing it on my back, I can smell how close this trip really is. It is a week away! After months of planning and preparing, I am ready to go. What will I gain from Europe? What am I going to lose? There are many questions on my mind that are anxiously waiting to be answered.

For all who are going to be a part of our blog, welcome to an amazing story of two boys on an adventure to discover themselves and their world.


Ciao,

Vlad