It looks like I will be hitting the road again. I have been itching to travel lately, and I am so happy that finally Anokhi’s and my trip in April is finally starting to take shape. After sending emails back and forth with various embassies, we have narrowed down our list of travel destinations. We will now be heading to Turkey, Greece, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.
Why did we choose these five in particular? We didn’t have much flexibilty due to visa restrictions. My heart was set on going to Romania and Bulgaria but after corresponding with these embassies, it is clear that they don’t accept Schengen visas and their own visa processes are tedious.
It is Anokhi’s dream to visit Greece on her trip to Europe, especially with all its beautiful ruins and landscapes. I am interested in it for those reasons, but moreso because it is a country in the midst of a crisis and a social revolution. It is an exciting yet frightening time for Greece and its people. I would like to have the opportunity witness this point in history. As a journalist, I can’t help but be curious about what is happening there, especially due to the intense media coverage here in France.
Turkey has been one of my top destinations for several years. I love Turkish people. I have had many good friends who are Turkish during my studies in Vancouver. Turkey seems like such an interesting fusion of cultures. With Middle Eastern, European, and Asian influences, it’s hard to think of a country that more encompasses such a wide variety of cultures. Not to mention that I love turkish sweets, Turkey was a no-brainer for this trip.
I had no idea Slovenia even existed until my first backpacking trip to Europe when I was 18. I met two Slovenes on the train from Munich to Amsterdam, and they were two of the coolest people I have ever met. They told me about Slovenia, and Ljubljana, its capital city. When I returned from my trip, I googled photos of Slovenia and it looks drop dead gorgeous. My plan was originally to visit the city on my trip in December, but timing wise, it didn’t work out. I am determined to make it to Ljubljana on this trip.
Croatia is another stunning country in Europe. Lately, I have been craving beach destinations and with its long pristine coastline dotted with small islands, Croatia is perfect. I am still not too sure why it isn’t yet part of the European Union, but this has protected it from mass tourism in a sense. Croatia also has alot of history with Italy, so as an Italian, I would like to visit from a historical perspective.
Originally, we had planned to start in Greece. Then we would head to Turkey and travel overland by bus through Bulgaria and Romania to Croatia. Now, we had to find a flight to somehow avoid these two countries. We were lucky enough to find a cheap flight from Thessaloniki, Greece to Budapest, Hungary. Since the first train to Slovenia is the next morning, we will have one day in Budapest, adding Hungary to our list. So far this is our itinerary: Istanbul, Thessaloniki, Budapest, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split and Zadar. I am really getting excited for my next adventure!
