Top Experiences on My First Backpacking Trip
The five most memorable experiences I had on my first backpacking trip.
The first solo trip you take is the one you will surely never forget. Discover the top 5 experiences I had on my first trip back in 2017.
My first solo trip was nothing short of amazing, and I had the absolute best time. It was also the kick-off to a journey I never saw coming. I had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people and see some of Europe's most famous cities and sights in 8 different countries! The moments and experiences while being in these places and seeing these things are what made my trip so memorable. How you feel when you live your dreams for the first time is a feeling I can't describe.
These five things are reminders of 5 times when everything was almost perfect.
Seeing the Northern Lights; Iceland
I'm not one to make bucket lists, only plans and to-do lists. However, the Northern Lights are an exception. This has been at the top of my travel dreams for as long as I can remember. The first time I saw the lights were on my way into Iceland. From the plane, you could see the green lights dancing up and down out the window. I knew at that second I was in for an amazing time. Seeing the lights from the ground was even more beautiful. You could see all the colors light up the whole sky. A huge “thank you” is also dedicated to the sweet Icelandic woman who gave me her window seat for a first-class view.
There are a lot of tour groups in Iceland, most out of Reykjavik, that offer nighttime bus tours to chase the Northern Lights. This will cost you a pretty penny on something you may or may not even see. I opted to rent a car for the week, so I had my way of transportation to see the lights myself. For four nights, my new friends and I would drive about 45 minutes outside Reykjavik to Thingvellir National Park. This gave the best views as there were no lights from the city or anywhere other than the sky. I was lucky to see the lights every night I chased them.
St. Patrick's Day in Budapest; Hungary
There is a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow, as long as that rainbow ends in Budapest. My grandfather was from Ireland, so I always love getting all dressed up in green and celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Budapest is one of my favorite cities in all of Europe, so putting both of them together was a great match. For the whole weekend, the chain bridge uniting Buda and Pest lit up the sky in all green. On Saturday, the streets were filled with bagpipe players and green leprechaun hats. I remember having the biggest smile on my face and being so excited. My friend and I even ended up IN the St. Patrick's Day parade that day, ending in the downtown Irish pub where we listened to live music and enjoyed the holiday like a local.
Tip: This was the first of many holiday parades I have now been a part of. If you have the chance to celebrate holidays in foreign lands, take full advantage and celebrate for the full experience.
4/20 in Amsterdam; Netherlands
Spending 4/20 in Amsterdam was an all-time dream come true for me. Even though I only got to experience the city for two days, I did exactly what I wanted to do and had the best time. A friend of mine ended up being here this weekend, so we got to spend the final days of our trips together. I was bouncing around from coffee shop to coffee shop, trying all kinds of different foods, adventuring through the canals, and ending the day exploring and laughing around the famous red light district. This being one of my last days on my trip made the farewell to Europe a whole lot sweeter.
Tip: If you ever have the chance to experience psychedelics in Amsterdam, be sure to visit the Van Gogh Museum; it’ll change your life.
Auschwitz; Poland
The main reason I went to Poland was to see Auschwitz and for the fact, it was the cheapest flight into mainland Europe. Standing in the concentration camps in Auschwitz will give you an eerie feeling, a hard-to-explain feeling. The housing, the gas chambers, the streets, all of it was just cold. What really got me, though, was the piles of shoes, glasses, suitcases, and hair, all the things I take for granted daily, it huge piles that were taken away upon arrival. It’s something you just have to see.
While I’m not very emotional, I still think about Auschwitz a lot. This is something I would recommend everyone to visit at least once in their lifetime.
Auschwitz camps 1 and 2 have free entry to all visitors. Shuttle buses are available for transportation between camps and on-site street food carts. Dozens of tour groups go to Auschwitz at a reasonable price. However, the cheapest route is to find a private minibus; my ticket was only $6.
Visiting my Uncle Wolfgang; Germany
It's a blessing to have family that lives in other countries. I first met my Uncle Wolfgang on this trip and spent a week with him in North Eastern, rural Germany. It was one of the best but most challenging weeks of my life. We couldn’t communicate well; my German is awful, and his English wasn’t much better.
We still had the best time together, though. In a small village in Germany, it was weird to have everyone already know you because of who your family is. Everyone in town has a lot of respect for my uncles, Wolfgang and Mike. This felt like being home for a little while, even though I was thousands of miles away.
Do you know the old classic stories written by the Grimm Brothers and Fairytale Lane? This real-life world was right around the corner from my uncle's home. I saw castles and villages these fairytales were inspired by. A world I never would known ever even existed; I got to experience with someone really special.
While my travel journey has lasted well beyond the time frame of this trip, my first adventure helped shape my perspective and prepare me for a never-ending trip around the world. Keep an eye out for more of my upcoming posts. Each of these destinations has more than just one story. I'll break each country down with tips and tricks to broaden your mind!