Fourteen hour train/bus rides are even better than ten hour ones

I am both pleased and sorry to announce that nothing crazy happened today.

I got on a bus in Venice (9:40 am) and went three hours to Villach where I immediately got on a train and went to Vienna. I shared a cabin with a guy from Vienna, and he was really nice. For most of the ride we both had our iPod earbuds in and he was singing in German which was annoying, but the last part of the four hour train ride we spent talking. He told me about Vienna and how it is called Vienna because of the wind. It's lovely in the summer but miserable in the winter. He learned i was from SLC and asked about Mormons. I told him I was one and he asked if I was on some sort of pilgrimage. Haha. I told him no and that the boys he sees are on missions. He said he's never want to go on a mission. It was a funny mormon comvo. He was amazed that I was going for two months with one backpack. He asked me three times if I had other luggage elsewhere. He complimented my bravery and admired my sense of adventure. He made me once again proud to be doing what I'm doing as the past little while I have felt a little down in the dumps.

I had scheduled a workaway in Vienna but for some reason I was not feeling good/excited about it and decided to cancel it, see Prague, and move on stay a few extra days with the family I have lined up in France.

So, I had an hour "layover" in Vienna where I ate dinner at the station and then I got on a train to Prague. Five more hours. During the day, the bus and train rides fly by. The views are amazing, especially in Austria, and I am entertained. But at night the window is black. I downloaded some Learn French podcasts on iTunes and have been listening to those, trying to refresh my memory of the language. Of all the languages I have been/will be exposed to, French is the one I am most familiar with because I took a few years of classes during junior high. I hope that I can have some basic conversations with visitors at the bed and breakfast I will be working at in France instead of just learning please, thank you, and "I only speak English" like I did with German and Italian.

I read Unbroken and the BOM and dozed off for a while, but mostly I just did some thinking. Once upon a time, I made a list of my pet peeves and once I started I couldn't stop. It was terrible. I kept finding new things that bothered me. So, I instead started making a list of things I love and just like the pet peeves list, I couldn't stop. But this was positive and made me so grateful for quite literally every little thing I had. (You can find those lists on my personal blog...link on the left) So...I kinda did that same thing today to help get me back on track, enjoying myself, my surroundings, and everything I am experiencing.

Here are a few thoughts from my lists:

Bad things about traveling alone in Europe for two months:

Spending money...lots of it, secondhand smoke, being the only person in a room full of dozens in people thinking in English, living out of a backpack, staring at maps, silence amidst so much noise, no one to hug, no one to trust, no one in this entire continent knows or cares where I am, no one to call for help, one pair of shoes, missing my blanket, paying up to €1,50 to pee, holey socks, always having to wear flip flops in the shower, and only getting soap/TP half the time.

Good things about traveling Europe alone for two months:

Bruges, Belgium...nuff said, the Colosseum at sunset, the Swiss Alps, Swiss and Belgian chocolate, multilingual people, cobblestone streets, decorative doors and shutters, window boxes with flowers, bikes with baskets, clothes hanging out to dry, bridges, bridges, bridges, Florentine Art, canals, lying in bed reflecting on the most surreal day ever, every new thing I see becoming "the most beautiful thing i've ever seen," my nerdy magnet collection, street musicians, Italian food, blog followers, encouragement from home, checking things off my bucket list, realizing my love for my simple life, languages, once in a lifetime opportunities, being amazed that i have done all this without a car or cell phone, learning life lessons I'd never learn anywhere else, gaining self confidence amidst so much fear and insecurity, getting stronger, seeing the world, just wandering, living life, being awesome!!

Needless to say, the positives far outweigh the negatives. These lists are abridged and basic. The things I have learned are much deeper than all that. I'm changed forever and for the better.

Even without the view, time flew on the last train. I was in Prague before I knew it and after re reading my guidebook during the ride I got really excited for the next day three days. Guys, I had a dream about Rick Steves the other day. He emailed me, thanking me for using his guides ever so faithfully, and offering to take me on a trip. We became traveling nomads together in a non romantic way. Hahaha. I woke up laughing.

Anywayyyy...I got to my hostel (11:30 pm) and facetimed with ma famille (I listened to French all day), and now I'm off to bed!! Terezin Concentration camp tomorrow :D

Hostel common room

Hahaha!

I miss all three of those creatures SO much!

Those are feet sticking up

Holey socks...stupid big toes

Le bus

My nephew never fails to get me laughing

Wenceslas Square upon arrival...11:30 pm

I can't get enough of the Alps