An Epic Odyssey - Final Thoughts

6,716 photographs, 101 days, 18 countries, 3 continents, too many languages and good hostels, plenty of great memories.

This was the trip of a lifetime and the consequences definitely confirmed that. Thankfully I've now got a job to go back to starting in September to start rebuilding my bank account.

It was certainly worth it and it’ll never be repeated again - age amongst other things will prevent a repeat of such an epic trip.?

This was the most epic trip of my life and will remain so as it is clear that I’m too old for this – I should have known from the moment I saw that I was only eligible for tickets at erwachsene prices.

But if life was all about money, all of us would be sat on our bums watching for our bank accounts bulge. After all, what is a man who gains everything but loses his soul?

This trip has certainly changed my life; mind, soul and spirit. I’ve learnt a lot of things:

1. Food in Malaysia is infinitely superior to Singapore.

2. Food in Penang is infinitely superior to Kuala Lumpur.

3. Once you arrive at Frankfurt airport, head towards and past the city limits.

4. Switzerland can be cheap if you always go to Migros.

5. You can eat very well for little in Italy.

6. Always reserve beforehand your tickets to the museums and art galleries in Italy.

7. Most things don’t make sense in Italy when it comes to law and order.

8. Not much happens in Europe on a Sunday.

9. Austrians can make a log and pick-axe into the best drinking game ever.

10. You must go to the Upper Belvedere gallery in Vienna.

11. Your Eurail Global Pass will not work in Poland.

12. Be mindful of Polish train conductors – especially the grumpy ones.

13. The train system in Eastern Europe is 20 years behind the rest of the world.

14. Poland is the best country in Europe that no one knows about.

15. Football is still the same no matter what language the commentary is in.

16. Spend a bit more zloty on a good bottle of vodka in Poland.

17. The favourite word for buildings covered in scaffolding in Europe: restoration.

18. Don’t think you can conquer Prague’s nightlife – you will fail miserably.

19. You sort of have to pay to use everything in Prague, including getting your bagpack on the tram.

20. Nevertheless, Prague is still one of the greatest cities in Europe.

21. The Sound of Music tour is actually worth doing if you don’t have a car to drive around in Salzburg.

22. If you still want your countrymen to pay through the nose for groceries, don’t adopt the Euro unless you’re German.

23. Forget Hofbrauhaus – tourist trap.

24. The only nude people at nude beaches are wrinkly, middle-aged men.

25. Germans are actually very nice people. Trust me.

26. Spend your last night as a single person in Hamburg.

27. You can actually load a bullet train onto a boat bound for Denmark.

28. Everyone rides a bicycle in Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

29. Heineken is still dreadful even in its own country.

30. Dutch is surprisingly similar to English.

31. No one drinks Stella Artois in Belgium.

32. Step aside Germans and Czechs, Belgians make the best beer in the world.

33. Catching the train between Brussels and Paris can be expensive so take that in mind.

34. Museums and art galleries are bigger than you think.

35. Watch out for those wanting to tie your hand as you go up to Sacre Coer.

36. All the good things in this world are indeed free in Spain.

37. The Portuguese don’t have a clue on how to run passport control at a major airport.

38. London is still the greatest city in Europe, much as Berlin and Moscow have closed the gap.

39. Great Britain has surpassed Australia for sporting muscle.

40. British pies are the best in the world.

41. If there was heaven for mammon, America is it.

42. JetBlue is the best airline in America.

43. It is actually not that difficult to get game tickets to Fenway Park.

44. Always buy your hotdogs outside ballparks.

45. New York City is indeed the greatest city in the world.

46. Americans are actually pretty cool.

47. There is such a thing as a good hamburger.

48. United Airlines is 20 years behind the rest of the world.

49. San Francisco is always cold.

50. Squirrels are aplenty at Yosemite Park so take photos sparingly.

And...

51. Like Chinese and Indians, Australians are all over the world especially from Melbourne..

Anyway, time to hand out the gongs.

Favourite museum/art gallery –

The Met in New York (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) has everything. And I mean everything!!! Rembrandts, Monets, Warhols, armour, Stradivarius violins, Delft pottery, etc. You name it, the Met has it.

Special mention goes to - the Upper Belvedere in Vienna is not very big but for quality, it is definitely number one and an absolute must-see for Impressionist fans.

Favourite religious building –

Duomo di Siena is definitely the most beautiful church in Europe in my opinion and possibly the world. The outside facade and nave are stunning but the real star is the Piccolomini Library with its beautiful frescoes.

Special mention goes to – The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges has quite a beautiful main altar and is a worthy home of the phial with Jesus’ blood.

City of surprises –

When people talk of Spain, the capital city, Madrid is often eclipsed by Barcelona, Sevilla and Granada. But Spain’s capital deserves to be mentioned as one of Europe’s great capital cities. Madrid has a very regal air about it and very much encapsulates the nation within its streets – whether its tapas, football, bullfighting, religion, etc. Madrid also has some excellent museums and art galleries – the Prado is a world class gallery led by star artist, Francisco Goya – as well as some beautiful parks and of course, a sumptuous royal palace. Madrid may not quite be as fun as Barcelona or Sevilla but you definitely won’t be bored in Spain’s Mile Zero.

Special mention goes to – New York. This city is not dangerous at all. In fact, I felt much safer in New York than I did in Paris, Rome or Barcelona. The huge presence by the famous NYPD probably helps and they’re pretty nice too, always happy to help a lost traveller. But more on the Big Apple later.

Moment of the trip –

Not really a highlight this, but walking around the grounds of the former Auschwitz I and Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps is an experience that will forever stay with anyone. The full horror of the dark side of humanity is clear to see to everyone who walks through the former barracks and ovens where the Nazis sentenced thousands of their “unwanted” people to death. The images of the shoes, luggage, spectacles and hair will never be forgotten. It may be fair to say that once you see Auschwitz, you’ve pretty much seen every concentration camp built by the Nazis; surely the horror cannot be worse than at the largest concentration camp ever built by the Third Reich.

A positive highlight? Pretty much doing the hostel rounds in Europe. I am pleased to say that I did not stay at one bad hostel in Europe. The point of contention was really the atmosphere of the place and even then, all the hostels excelled there. There were so many cool people I met throughout the continent whether they were Australian or another Australian.

Favourite city in Euroland -

(Limited to continental Europe as otherwise London would just romp away with the gong here)

Berlin – a no-brainer. Where do you start with Berlin? It is definitely the most interesting and energetic city in Europe right now – Europe’s answer to Shanghai. Berlin has been on the Red Bull since that wall fell in 1989 as it aims to solidify its status as Germany’s Capital City. It’s not just the city’s blockbuster history that captures the imagination, but the museums, flea markets, the culture, cuisine, bars and even the city’s local trains - the city’s train system which had opened in 1902 was also divided like everything else by the Berlin Wall. No other city in Europe other than London has the ability to consume your time and yet leave you still yearning for more.

Special mention goes to – More people are now aware of Poland’s jewel in the crown, Krakow, but the city is still very much a backpacker secret – and is a glimpse of Prague 20 years ago. The city’s visitors are mainly Poles or Australians and Brits looking to conquer the city’s awesome nightlife and enjoy the benefits of a weak zloty. Even backpackers on a tight budget like myself can live like kings in Krakow especially when you can get beer from the supermarket for less than a euro. And there is plenty to see inside and outside Krakow – the city is the nearest to the infamous Auschwitz camps but the horror of the Nazi regime is evident in the old Jewish district of Kazimierz and the former ghetto in Podgorze.



Favourite city in America –

New York City. Where else can you find Pulitzer Prize winning musicals, good Asian food, hot dog and falafel stands at every corner with the aroma floating through the grid streets, beautiful parks and gardens big or small amidst all those high rises, world class universities, museums and art galleries, and pretty much all of the decision makers of today’s world? And yes they even have two very good baseball and football (American) teams that most people love to hate.

All life begins, thrives and ends in New York, a city where dreams are truly made. And they can be made relatively safely. Yes, it feels like there are more foreigners and tourists in New York but as I eluded to earlier, the big Apple feels far safer than a lot of European cities. If a city had a soul, New York’s soul would be buzzing like the bands that busk in New York’s much eclectic subways every night. And even after the most recent adversity of 9/11, like its fellow great cities across the Atlantic, London and Berlin, New York has managed to rebuild itself and become an even better place. Like London and Berlin, New York is also enjoying another wave of regeneration, Lower Manhattan is New York’s answer to Potsdamer Platz and New Pudong.

New York City. The greatest city in America. Quite possibly the greatest city in the world.



Favourite Food -

In Asia – Assam laksa from Island Glades in Penang or wan-tan mee from the cafe I grew up with in Kuala Lumpur. Mind you, it’s a bit difficult to have bad food in Malaysia or Singapore.

In Europe – I love Italy and Spain for the simplicity and purity of its cuisine – pizza and pasta has always tasted best in its home country and Spain’s tapas are such wonderful delights for so little. The best meal I had was in Germany though – pork knuckle dribbled in sauce at the beer hall in Munich. Absolutely delightful and not too expensive either – you can really eat a lot in Germany for not a lot. Another good place was Bar Clemen’s in Barcelona’s colourful Mercato La Bouqeria – very good grill with steaks and blood sausages. You can get a great lunch right here for not much.

In America – The last time I was in America, Mexican food was pretty much the only thing I had. This time it was burgers and Asian food. However, since I have already been to Asia, I’d have to select a burger place as my favourite food place in America and the best burger place in America in my opinion is Mr Bartley’s Burger Cottage just across the road from Harvard University’s grounds. It’s obviously catering for Harvard’s students but America’s next lawmakers and doctors will not starve as they study for their degrees. I must mention hot dogs though and of course, who else would it be other than Grays Papaya, the legendary hot dog chain in New York that according to my mum was Chandler Bing’s favourite hot dog place.

Favourite Beer -

In Asia – a bit limited here given how expensive beer is in Southeast Asia, but Tiger has always been a favourite brew of mine. Quite an under-rated beer actually and good with Singapore and Malaysia’s hawker food.

In Europe – There were some awesome Trappist beers from Belgium but Quadrupel Straffe Hendrik takes my vote. Pilsner Urquell and both Augustiner Brau (Salzburg and Munich) were also quite taken quite fondly – Pilsner Urquell turned out to be the best cure for a mid-trip tummy bug. And they may cost less than a euro at the supermarket, but Polish beers are actually really really good – shame they don’t cost the same when they cross over the Oder.

In America – America is not all Millers, Budweisers and Coors – thank God! In fact, America is actually pretty good when it comes to microbreweries and Thirsty Bear Brewery in San Francisco produces some pretty good microbrews. However, Samuel Adams is not a bad mass-produced beer too.

Favourite Pub –

Cafe ‘t Brugs Beertje – 6 pages of just beers in a cafe tucked away from the main thoroughfare of touristy Bruges. No fancy bits in this very traditional cafe – just lots of good Belgian beers. And no Call Me Maybe – only classical music can be heard through the stereo system here.

Next time places –

Not too many now as I’ve done the places that I wanted to do on my last trip but of course, there are always places I want to see next time –

1. Granada - Free tapas that are bigger than Madrid according to my veterinarian friend from Australia, Floss. And there's the Alhambra. Spain's unfriendly attitude towards my Eurail pass meant day trips were going to be difficult and Granada is a 3 hour train ride from most places. Next time.

2. Dubrovnik - Couldn't quite fit Croatia in this time much as I'd like to. But there's always.. Next time.

3. Aix-en-Provence - France didn't get as much attention as Italy, Spain and Poland this trip and I had to pick east or west. With the Tour de France in the Pyrenees, I had to skip beautiful Provence sadly. Next time.

4. Cinque Terre - I've been to Italy twice and have been to nearby Genoa but haven't still haven't quite made it to this absolutely stunning corner of Italy. It is a bit of a journey but getting there will be worth the journey next time.

5. The Algrave - I only just managed to fit in Portugal at the end of my trip and really had to cram in Lisbon in 2 days. The Algarve and the south of Portugal is absolutely beautiful I hear with awesome beaches and palaces. Next time.

What I’ll miss from the rest of the world –

1. Cheap and decent Malaysian food

2. The shopping malls of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore

3. Italian prosciutto (very expensive in New Zealand)

4. Decent Turkish food

5. Being able to buy alcohol in Europe so liberally

6. All those Rembrandts and Monets

7. Being able to ride your bike without a helmet

8. An actual passenger train system in Western Europe (no we don’t have one in New Zealand)

9. Berlin’s local train system

10. The sausage stalls on Wenceslas Square

11. Party hostels

12. Wienerschnitzel sammel (better than KFC)

13. Saturn (the electronics store)

14. Sacher torte (and other cakes originally from the old Austro-Hungarian Empire including that Hungarian Pastry Shop on Amsterdam Ave)

15. Northern Europe’s sunsets that last till 11pm

16. Pilsner Urquell and Carlsberg on tap

17. Beer halls and gardens

18. Nightlife in Krakow, Lisbon and Prague

19. Dutch cheese

20. Belgian chocolates

21. Cheap Belgian beers with 10% plus alcohol

22. Polish beer and vodka (in Poland)

23. Polish humour

24. How cheap everything is in Poland

25. Football at a reasonable hour

26. Art, art and more of it – Venice and Paris

27. The passion in France behind road cycling

28. Europe’s blasé stance on smoking

29. Europe’s open air markets

30. Free walking tour guides

31. Free tapas with your drinks in Madrid & Granada

32. Lilywhites

33. British pies

34. H&M, Zara, Uniqlo

35. Selfridges

36. Ikea

37. Being able to watch cable inflight on JetBlue

38. Dunkin Donuts

39. Huge hamburgers with fries in America

40. American coffee for 3 quarters

41. New York’s subway

42. Saks Fifth Avenue

43. Hot dog and falafel stands at every corner in New York

44. Grays Papaya

45. Decent Mexican food

46. ESPN as it should be – even with those advertisements

47. Baseball

48. Squirrels (no we don’t have squirrels in New Zealand)

49. Bears

And finally...

50. The thrill of being in a new place be it a new country, new city or new region.

The defining place of this trip?

Drum roll please........

New York City. Where else? Yes, Florence, Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sevilla, Lisbon, London, Washington and San Francisco all left their impressions on me but the Big Apple is one big fruit to finish - excuse the pun. In fact, it is the fruit of life. If you tire of New York, you're tired of life. Even the much hated Yankees can make an impression along with the theatres, big stores & office buildings, and the Subway.

I knew NYC was always going to be the main, the entree (yes that's what Americans call the main course), prima platti and secondo platti of this trip. It sure delivered.

So that was my trip. Never to be repeated. This will always be the trip of a lifetime, the epic odyssey.