Europe Trip Update 19: What have I learned from the trip...Part 1

Wow it took me more than 3 months to document my Europe journey. So I hope you guys enjoy them and perhaps help you a little on your plan journey there. So here I will highlights some of my learning and tips from the trips and hope you guys learn something too.So here we go...

1. Planning - First thing that I learned is about planning. Yap, it takes a lot of hours to do research and to plan what/where/when/ (well I left out who/whom) and how to connect them all together so I can have smooth journey. So my trusted guide would be TripAdvisor and Cari Forum. I gather a lot of tips from them for example, one of the forumer told me about Cotswold, and I research it and I plan to go there. Other than planning for all the transportation and not to mention the total cost. I even plan of how to save space in my luggage by wearing those t-shirts and things that I don't want to rid off. Yet, I know in the photos I wore the same jackets again and again but underneath, different shirts ok. So, I just left those shirts in the hotel to save up the space. Yeah with one big luggage and one plastic bag after 18 days, it is not so bad, right?

2. Faith in Humanity - Yep, the trip has showed me that people is nice and there are a lot of them. I'm so lucky that I met a lot of nice people, for example guys who still help you to carry your big luggage to the stair and even I saw one of the day help to bring stroller down for one of the mother. They still care, for example, one of the aunty asked me if I was lost and point me to the right direction when I was in Fussen. When I was with Kelana Convoy, people are looking out for each other and we feel sad when one of us have been left behind. One of the Madinah nurses lost her money and things as it was stole from her tent and we do have donation so that she can enjoy the rest of the vacation days. So, I do like people more now and like to see the goodness in them in the first place.

3. Understanding the culture - So, Europe is different than the world I live in. One of course, punctuality, wow they are punctual. So that is why I was left by my train to Fussen and I just late by 2 minutes, I guess. Another thing is, they let people to cross and would stop the car to let you cross, when you hesitate, should I cross or not. In my country, well not so much, you rarely get the the car to stop, you just sometime have to run to cross, yep, I did that. So, now I try to give time people to cross. Another thing would be, as I live in the world that expose to both American and English language, sometimes you just confuse. For example, when I left my jacket in the train so, I try to buy one and I asked the staff whether I can buy sweater, and she was like what? Then I remember one of One Direction video explaining the meaning of some British words and one of them is jumper, so I said I'm looking for a jumper and she showed me the way. Oh by the way, they also say love to everybody for example, "Do you need anything, love", so it doesn't mean he loves you haha..

4. Expect the unexpected - Even though you have plan perfectly, but sometimes, you need to be prepared for unexpected thing happen such missing train or getting lost in the middle of nowhere or your tent cover has pulled off during strong wind, so rather than cursing yourself, you just need to embrace it and try to find the solution for the problem. Another example would be, yeah you bring all the snacks and instant mee and porridge and hoping to save some money but in the end, you just left in in the hotel, not because you need to save space in the luggage, but because you just feel sick to eat them and you wanted to eat something hot and meaty. You you just buy the meal without thinking the budget, because you just want to eat something hot. I still remember the hot kebab at the Paddington, it is delicious.

5. Sometimes, it just not about you - So, you save your money and would like to enjoy the vacation of your life. You want to do the things you want to do, the one that you have plan years before. But when you in group, you have to give and take. Yeah, sometimes, you really want to go to the place you have been dreaming off, but you just keep stopping because you friends want to take photos, and even ask you to take photo of them so what you want to do, just sulk there and ruining the vacation mood for everyone? You also need to think it is their vacation too and just try to enjoy with them. I remember, I separated from my group and hanging out with this girl, and she asked me to take photo of her because there just two of us. We were in Paris at that time, and I really don't want to go in LV boutique because I just feel, it is to expensive but she just push it and we went in, so she decided not anything so we when to Lafayette Galaries and she just bought a lot of perfumes and I just feel the glimpse of being somebody who has a lot of money, it is an experience for me as they treat us nicely and even got some perfume sample. So in the end, you have great time.

So, I think I give you the first half, and another half later. Perhaps you also can share with me some of your learning from your vacation. So, see you soon!