10 things that surprised me in a walk with a backpack around Europe

I was surprised that I could pack it easier than ever before, even though it was the longest journey I had

I chose the biggest backpack I have-32-liter-on a two-week trip around Europe.

Before leaving, I practiced packing the smallest number of things twice to make sure that everything would fit.

I started with equipment to work: laptop, cameras, lenses and notebooks. Then I packed the necessary things: chargers, cosmetics and snacks.

I put two polo shirts, one t-shirt, one long-sleeved T-shirt, three pairs of pants, a sweater, a jacket, a dress and two light jackets in a special clothing bag.

Although I missed the greater variety of clothes, I was surprised that I had everything I needed, as a rule.

I did not foresee how exhausting the movement would be, especially by night trains and planes

Traveling to many places in one trip, I discovered that the journey itself can be tiring.

I started with a night flight from New York to Berlin. Then I traveled by night trains to Vienna and Venice, dividing the sleeping cabins with other passengers.

I flew to Berlin so tired that I couldn't fully use the first day in Europe

Initially, I thought that night journeys are the best way to travel around Europe – to be able to visit during the day.

But sleeping on planes and trains among strangers turned out to be difficult. I did not foresee how little I would sleep and I came to a more tired place than I expected.

One sleepless night on the train meant that at 7 am I was desperately looking for a hotel in Vienna

Upon I arrived in Vienna, I planned to visit until 3pm, when I was to check in at the hotel.

But when I got out of the train, my body demanded rest, so I had to find a place to sleep quickly.

I did not expect that I would have to improvise so much, but thanks to that I improved my skills to make quick decisions

Before leaving, I planned everything: accommodation, train journeys, places to visit – to avoid problems.

But plans do not always work. I had to make quick decisions, like in Vienna, when I walked from hotel to hotel until in the third I was able to book a room. I felt great relief.

My journey was full of such situations, and their solving gave me more confidence as a traveler.

I also thought that I would visit from morning to evening, but I understood that time to rest was equally important

During short visits, it is easy to plan every hour for sightseeing, forgetting about rest. But without him the journey was not so pleasant.

When I was rested, I could appreciate the places where I was – their architecture and atmosphere.

Sleep also helped me listen to the needs of my body – from hydration to food.

Is the backpack really more convenient than the cabin suitcase?

Wearing a backpack for a long time caused muscle pain. I was not used to its weight and size. In crowded places I forgot that the backpack makes me a third larger than usual.

At such moments I thought that maybe a suitcase would be a better choice. Although larger, after a whole day with a backpack it seemed easier to pull.

I did not expect that I would use the iPad every day

On the way to the next places I read guides downloaded to the iPad, which helped me plan time and built excitement before the next adventures.

I also downloaded several episodes of my favorite series that I watched before bedtime.

I thought that traveling in October – at the end of the summer season – I would avoid crowds. I was wrong

In the summer of 2022, it seemed that everyone on Instagram was in Europe. That is why I planned a trip to October to avoid the summit of the tourist season.

But throughout the whole journey I had to stand on my fingers to see the monuments above the heads of the crowd.

From Rome to Zurich – I traveled places that I didn't expect to be so crowded.

Europe is less crowded in September and October than in summer, but in the autumn of 2022 traveling out of season became fashionable.

To my surprise, some of the most beautiful moments of travel took place in quiet towns

Visiting Berlin and Zurich, I stopped in small towns away by an hour by train from the center.

I only expected a place to sleep, and in the meantime they turned out to be hidden pearls.

My small hotel in Germany was in a quiet town with charming cobbled streets

When I visited Berlin, I stopped at a hotel in Neustrelitz.

He was a 20 -minute walk from the railway station, and daily walks through the town were relaxing. I met a few backpackers there, mainly local residents.

At the end of my trip I spent two nights in the village among the Hills of Switzerland, where during a spontaneous journey I saw a beautiful sunset. This small village was the most beautiful point of the whole trip

Roggwil, a small village near Zurich, I liked it more than almost every other place in Europe that I visited.

I couldn't stop thinking that I would never see her if it wasn't for a specific Airbnb, just a two -minute walk away from the railway station.

After crowded cities, I particularly appreciated the silence and slower pace of life in the suburbs, photographing landscapes in less frequented corners of Europe.

I also thought that visiting so many new places in a short time would make them blend in my memory, but each city left clear memories

I visited six cities and two small towns in just 14 days, so I thought that after the trip my memories would start to mix.

But I will never forget how vivid Berlin seemed – with green corners, dramatic murals and street artists – or how gardens in Vienna and fairy -tale architecture made me feel like a queen.

The channels in Venice reminded me of a book with fairy tales, and Zurich streets delighted with a wonderful mountain background.

Ultimately, I was surprised how much I developed during this journey – both as a person and a travel companion

I spent the first week, traveling solo, and a friend joined me in the second week, we visited Italy and Switzerland together. Thanks to this I appreciated traveling with someone.

During lonely days I faced more discomfort than ever before. I also learned more about myself than I expected.

When my travel companion joined, sharing new experiences helped me discover and solve problems in a new way – as a team.

Although it was not an ideal adventure like from a postcard, traveling with a backpack around Europe made me realize that it is impossible to plan every second – and maybe that's good

Next time I will give up expectations and plan to be surprised.

The article is a translation from the American edition of Business Insider