Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Last Blog of the Trip!


This is it folks.  It's been one heck of a trip.  I recommend traveling abroad to anyone just to open up your eyes/mind.  It's a big world, might as well check it out! :)

Day 56 Marseilles, France > Lyon, France > Nancy, France

Today my plan was to hitchhike from Marseilles, France to wherever north.  I was leaning towards either Paris, Germany, or try to get to Amsterdam.  I received a ride after only waiting about 5 minutes just outside of Marseilles, France from a French dude and his two kids.  He was a nice guy who took me to Lyon which was about 4 hours straight north.  It was funny listening to his 2 kids basically saying "Are we there yet?" in French over and over again.  Reminds me how much "fun" kids can be on a long road trip.

He dropped me off at a truck stop right outside Lyon where he had to go see his family.  I waited at the stop for about an hour then a Dutch trucker stopped for me.  Here is how the conversation went.

Me: "Where you heading to?"
Trucker: "Luxembourg"
Me: "Alright cool."

In Europe there is a 10 hour drive time limit in a day for a trucker.  It might be the same in the States, I'm not sure.  So we drove 2 hours then stopped outside of Nancy, France.  His final destination was actually about an hour outside Amsterdam.  So I figured what the heck I'll just ride it out.  I slept in the bunk bed of his truck that night.

 
 
Day 57 Nancy, France > Luxembourg > Germany > Leiden, Netherlands
 
We woke up at 4 AM and hit the road for Holland.  This truck driver has lived a pretty amazing life. He has travel all over the world, but he enjoys South East Asia the most.  He is fluent in English, Dutch, and Indonesian.  Also he paid for my meals and give me free beers!
 
 
12 hours later we reached the Netherlands after passing through the rest of France, Luxembourg, and Germany.  There were great Fall views along the way.
 
 
 
The truck driver dropped me off at a truck stop an hour away from Amsterdam.  About 3 hours later of waiting I received a ride from a nice lady who dropped me off at a nearby train station.  I met a dude (I'll call him Jay) two months ago at a Hostel in Istanbul who I reconnected with and said I could stay at his place in Leiden if I wanted to.  So I took the train and made it to his place that night. 
 
Jay is one of the most interesting people I have ever met.  He only travels by hitchhiking, and has done some 40 + trips around the Eastern hemisphere.  He has a plan of hitchhiking to South America by working on a cargo ship and in return gets a free trip.  I stayed a night at his place then headed 20 minutes away in Amsterdam the next day.  Thanks for the hospitality dude! 
 
All in all in the matter of 3 days I hitchhiked from Barcelona to Amsterdam.  Which was about 2000 Km (1200 miles). 
 
Day 58 Leiden, Netherlands > Amsterdam, Netherlands
 
Amsterdam is the craziest city I have ever been in.  Stop aside Vegas, New York City, Miami, Barcelona, Istanbul etc.  I have never seen a city with a more free and open society.  Which can be good and bad. :) The "Red Light District" is insane.  I wouldn't suggest bringing your kids here. :)  One night in this area was enough for me.  It's too crazy!
 
 
 
 
There is more to Amsterdam than all the partying and craziness.  It has more bicycles on the streets than cars.  It also has several canals similar to the look of Venice.
 
 
 
 
 
 
I have two days left then fly home!  Peace out Europe, thanks to all the great people and new friends I have met! 
 
What am I going to do next?  I still want to pursue a Rescue Swimmer job.  Since I wasn't able to get an opportunity with the Air Force (still had a great experience though), Coast Guard is what I'm thinking for the next option.  This trip has just motivated me even more to go for it.  If I don't get the opportunity then maybe firefighter.  Or I just start the next journey... "Crushing Asia"!  Thanks for joining on the ride. Travel!!!
 
 
 
 
   






No comments:

Post a Comment