Tibi and Che went for a long European journey last year. They found that all the inconvenience, desperation and unexpected troubles happened during the trip were lessons to reflect upon.
1. Expect the unexpected. Be prepared always.
It's true that it is risky to travel. When you put yourself in danger or maybe things don't work out as planned, you put yourself at risk. On their trip to Nice, France, they thought they could catch the bus to Austria, but unfortunately, it was fully booked and they had to book a rude for the next scheduled departure on Sunday. Therefore, they had to stay two nights in an expensive city. They didn't have that much money to spend for another two nights’ accommodation, so they had to sleep in the temporary bus terminal on their last night and in the bushes in Monaco. It’s a good thing they brought their sleeping bags. The same thing happened when they went to Paris. They were supposed to leave on the late departure however, it was fully booked again, and they could only book for a 5 a.m. departure and they would arrive there at 12 midnight. Paris is another expensive city. “100 Euro for one night only, no way!!! “Tibi said. They had to stay outside the metro station until the sun shines all over the place.
2. Prayer is your only weapon to be safe. Pray unceasingly.
In Paris, they both felt fear for their safety. All they could do is to pray that wherever their trip leads them, it would be in safe place. Prayer saved them too while they were traveling to Paris from Hamburg. They encountered delays during the trip and it was good for them, so they could buy food and water. Only when you are out of your comfort zone ,you rely on prayers. When they were in Sweden, they had trouble booking back to Germany on the date schedule because they didn't know that they had to book the next departure from Copenhagen. Things got messed up and there was no internet shop where they could print the ticket. Thank God... the Sony Center agent allowed Tibi to print it out. I call it a miracle.
3. Enjoy the Adventure. Don't let the fear stop you.
Don't let your prior knowledge and fear stop you from enjoying the city. It was during this outbreak – rally and all the protest, that they decided to go to Greece. They were wondering whether to go there or not. However, they didn't let their fear overcome their joyous escapade. They still flew out despite the bad news they had heard. They had no regrets upon going there. In fact, they enjoyed Athens' Parthenon, temples and all the free museums. Moreover, they enjoyed Greece so much because of the crisis, and everything was cheaper. Even a beautiful hotel cost only 10 euro and food was very cheap as well. They also enjoyed Thessaloniki's bay walk and cruising. Though they could see the stress in the city, it didn't really affect the tourism.
4. Know the new city. Take the free chances.
Don't miss getting to know the city even if you are on a budget. Take initiative in knowing the city, and not just taking pictures. Like Tibi and Che, they joined free tours that took them to important tourist locations and historical places in the city. They got free tours in most European Cities like Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Sweden, and Serbia. For the rest, they did their own research. However, they missed going on a free tour in Budapest. It was there where the greatest mistake that ever happened took place. They bought 3 stops tickets instead of a one -way. When they got off, they were charged to pay fines of 8,000 Forint. This made them feel so down. They had realized the importance not only of knowing the city's history but also policies in transportation, governance and culture.
Therefore, bad things will teach you lessons to keep with you forever. Even though we always remember bad memories more than good ones, at least like Tibi and we did, we learn something from them. Lessons are all around us if only we can recognize them for what they are. Always remember, good happenings give memories and bad memories give learning experience.
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