Summary Video

I promised a summary video of my trip - see http://vimeo.com/18645092

It feels weird to be back in the states - not writing about my daily encounters. I plan to continue the blog journal during my Antarctica journey in late February. Until then - keep the faith.

Final Thoughts - Make it Count

This year has been really, really incredible for me. I was able to fulfill a dream that I didn't think would ever become reality. I learned a ton along the way. I am so very thankful to all those who helped me and shared in my experiences. There's been some good times, some bad times, and some scary times. These have all added to the overall significance.

In addition to the obvious - setting out to see new places and explore the history of Europe - I went on this trip to "get back to the basics". Way too often, I'm guilty of being laser-focused and not appreciating the little things in life. This trip has brought many of these things to new light. It might be as simple as an evening sunset or a conversation with a friend - it's all relevant.

I'm very happy that I kept this blog account throughout my journey. I was a little unsure at first - hanging myself out there. But, it's been excellent. It's been a way to express myself that I would otherwise not have had. I'm still uncertain where my future path will take me. One thing I know - I want to give back in some way. I'm truly lucky. I've been very fortunate throughout my life. Positive things have been the result of great people who've inspired me each day.

So, to wrap up my blog - I wanted to hit on a phrase that I never used once throughout my entire trip. Maybe it was inspired by Leonardo DiCaprio in "Titanic" or perhaps it had roots in Tom Hanks final words in the movie "Saving Private Ryan". Or - maybe it's just what I believe. I'm not sure.

No matter where you live, what career you've chosen, or what talents you possess --- everyday, extend your personal limits to a place that makes you feel a little uncomfortable. That's how we grow. Be thankful for what you have and use those abilities in the best way possible. Quite simply: "MAKE IT COUNT".

Thanks for sharing in this journey with me.

Best of the Best

I wanted to include a page to recognize the very best highlights of the trip. A few of those are listed below:

A.) FAVORITE COUNTRY
1.) Germany
2) United Kingdom
3) France
4) Ireland
5) Switzerland
6) Italy
7) Spain
8) Austria
9) Greece
10) Norway
11) Iceland
12) Israel

Second Tier: Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Sweden, Vatican City

Third Tier: Finland, Hungary, Litchenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Peru, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey

Fourth Tier: Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine

B.) FAVORITE CITY
1.) Paris
2) Prague
3) Rome
4) London
5) Munich
6) Berlin
7) Istanbul
8) Barcelona
9) Edinburgh
10) Jerusalem



C.) BEST PARTY
1) Ocktoberfest - Munich, Germany
2) St. Patrick's Day - Dublin, Ireland
3) Running of the Bulls - Pamplona, Spain



D.) BEST SPORTING EVENT
1) British Open - St. Andrews, Scotland
2) Wimbledon, London, England
3) Tour de France - France



E.) BEST MARATHON
1) Machu Picchu
2) Athens - 2,500 Anniversary
3) Iceland



F.) BEST DAY TOUR
1.) Berlin City Tour
2.) Auschwitz Concentration Camp - Poland
3) Vatican City
4) Giants Causeway - Northern Ireland


G.) BEST BOAT RIDE
1.) Norwegian fjords
2) Greek Isles
3.) Rhine River Valley

H.) MOST UNIQUE 1-DAY EXPERIENCE
1.) Pyramids of Giza
2.) Beaches of Normandy
3.) Highland Games - Scotland

I.) COOLEST EVENT TO HAPPEN UPON
1.) St. Jordi Day - Barcelona
2.) Paul McCartney Concert - Hyde Park
3.) Feria Festival - Seville, Spain

J.) BEST MOUNTAIN
1.) Jungfrau, Switzerland
2.) Zermatt, Switzerland
3.) Chamonix, France

K.) BEST CHURCH
1.) St. Peter's Basilica - Rome
2.) Notre Dame - Paris
3.) St. Mark's Basilica - Venice

L.) BEST RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
1.) Walking the Via Delorosa (Stations of the Cross) - Jerusalem
2.) Seeing the Pope - Vatican City
3) Lourdes, France
4.) Passion Play - Oberammeragau
5.) Road to Santiago de Compostela - Spain

M.) BEST MUSEUM
1.) Anne Frank - Amsterdam
2) Picasso - Barcelona
3.) World War II Museum - Caen, France

N.) BEST PEOPLE
1.) Irish
2) German
3) Danish/Swedish

O.) MOST BIZARRE
1.) Obese gentleman's house in Scotland
2.) Straggler in Bulgaria
3) Cab ride in Athens

Trip Summary

I did this at the 1/3 point of the trip, and decided to hold off until the end to summarize things one last time. Here goes:



Days on the Trip ---- 284



Continents ---- 5 (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America)



Countries ----- 45 (Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Litchenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Vatican City)



Nights Stayed in each Country ------

United Kingdom - 37 (London-23, Edinburgh-5, Belfast-2, Cardiff-2, Carnoustie-1, Glascow -1, Inverness-1, Portree-1, Windemere-1)



Germany - 30 (Baden-Baden-8, Munich-7, Berlin-4, Frankfurt-4, Schrobenhausen-4, Oberammeragau-2, Hamburg-1)



Italy - 25 (Rome-6, Florence-5, Venice-3, Milan-3, Sorrento-2, Assisi-2, Parma-1, Ravenna-1, Torino-1, Verona-1)



France - 23 (Paris-11, Annecy-3, Nice-3, Caen-2, Biarritz-1, Bordeaux-1, LaRochelle-1, Lourdes-1)



USA - 22 (Bloomsdale-13, St. Louis-5, Raleigh-3, Chicago-1)



Ireland - 18 (Dublin-8, Galway-3, Cork-2, Killarney-2, Ballycroy-1, Castlebar-1, Limerick-1)



Spain - 16 (Barcelona-5, Madrid-4, Granada-1, Leon-1, Pamplona-1, Salamanca-1, San Sebastian-1, Santiago-1, Seville-1)



Switzerland - 11 (Geneva-5, Interlaken-3, Zurich-3)



Greece - 10 (Athens-8, Kalambaka-1, Santorini-1)



Peru - 10 (Cusco-5, Machu Picchu-2, Lima-1, Uramba-1, Yucay-1)



Norway - 9 (Oslo-5, Lavik-2, Voss-2)



Sweden - 7 (Stockholm-5, Alingsas-2)



Denmark - 6 (Copenhagen-6)



Russia - 6 (Moscow-3, St. Petersburg-3)



Austria - 5 (Vienna-3, Innsbruck-1, Salzburg-1)



Finland - 5 (Helsinki-5)



Turkey - 5 (Istanbul-5)



Iceland - 4 (Reykjavik-4)



Portugal - 4 (Lisbon-2, Faro-1, Porto-1)



Czech Republic - 3 (Prague-3)



Egypt - 3 (Cairo-3)



Israel - 3 (Jerusalem-2, Tel Aviv-1)



Netherlands - 3 (Amsterdam-3)



Poland - 3 (Warsaw-2, Krakow-1)



Romania - 3 (Bucharest-2, Suceava-1)



Belgium - 2 (Brussels-2)



Croatia - 2 (Dubrovnik-1, Zagreb-1)



Montenegro - 2 (Bar-2)



Bulgaria -1 (Sofia-1)



Canada -1 (Toronto-1)



Hungary - 1 (Budapest-1)



Lithuania -1 (Vilinius-1)



Serbia -1 (Belgrade-1)



Slovenia - 1 (Ljubljana-1)



Ukraine- 1 (Chernivtsi-1)





Number of different locations stayed --- 152 times I changed places



Average Cost of Hotel Stay ---- $76.53

Day #284 - London to USA (Last Day)

Thursday, December 23rd

Gentlemen (women), welcome to the final day of my journey. You are the Top 1 Percent of all faithful blog followers, the ELITE, the "Best of the Best", I think in a way - we've made each other better this year.

It's 2:45am. I'm sitting here in my hotel room in London - frantically finishing up some final things before my 5:30am departure to Heathrow. It was long ago determined that I would not sleep tonight. That's OK - I think that just about every trip I made back to the states on this journey - I did not sleep prior to departure (my sick night in Istanbul, my sick night in Paris, the night I came home to see my dad, and now tonight).

Well, I'm going to be posting 3 more pages with some summary items. But, maybe you can tell with my words, this is a pretty weird feeling for me right now. This year has been incredible. It's been special. I'm so lucky to have great family and friends. I don't know - but I really feel like this journey has exceeded my expectations. I hope I can take with me some things I've learned and apply them to my everyday life. Thank you for sharing this with me.

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Alright - to bring it home, the #1 country on my list, "O'zapft is!" - (the keg is tapped) ------ GERMANY

Israel (#12)
Iceland (#11)
Norway (#10)
Greece (#9)
Austria (#8)
Spain (#7)
Italy (#6)
Switzerland (#5)
Ireland (#4)
France (#3)
United Kingdom (#2)
Germany (#1)


GERMANY (#1)
Well, I spent 30 days in this country - 1 month. It must be clear in what I have written, because many people have emailed me today stating that they felt Germany would be my #1 selection from the very beginning. That's good.

I spent 8 days in Baden-Baden - the Black Forest area. This is a smaller community - but an incredibly peaceful location. I never felt better in any particular town than here. I spent 7 nights in Munich. I saw the Christmas markets and particpated in the Ocktoberfest celebration. I spent 4 nights in Berlin. It's here, standing over Hitler's Bunker and looking out over the remnants of the Berlin Wall, that I asked myself: "Am I really here?". I spent 4 nights in Frankfurt. I did day trips to Heidelberg and Cologne - and did a boat ride on the Rhine River. This day may have sealed the #1 selection. Sitting out on the deck of this boat, with a tall adult frosty beverage, talking with the local Germans, who spoke better English than I did. Then I spent 4 nights in some smaller towns - Schrobenhausen, Regensburg, Bamberg ---- incredible areas to visit. What about the passion play in Oberammeragau. Special. The town itself is reason enough to make a visit. And finally, a night in Hamburg, where I saw arguably the best sunset of my trip.

And with all that said --- the main reason I picked Germany is because I felt the best here. It was right. People speak English, people are organized, they are calculated. They enjoy a beer, but are not scared of working. It's home to the Mercedes ---- and Ocktoberfest. It has incredible history -- World War II -- it started and ended here. It has natural beauty -- the Black Forest, the Rhine River Valley, and the Alps. Basically, when I looked at my requirements for obtaining the best - this place met each and every one.

With admiration and respect --- I'm proud to list GERMANY as my #1 country on my Gap Year 2010.

Day #283 - London, England

Last hotel - Jesmond Dene - near Kings Cross Station

The London Underground - the Tube

Entrance into St. Pancreas Station

Wednesday, December 22nd

Well, for all practical purposes, this is my final day in Europe during my journey. It doesn't seem real. It started in Paris and will end in London.

I'm staying up by the Kings Cross/St. Pancreas Train Station. If things would have worked out a little better yesterday, I would have done some site-seeing today. But, I just had too much to do. I spent the better part of the day just shoring up things for my return.

I spent time at the Post Office, at the barbershop, at a few souvenir shops, and different Wi-Fi accessible cafes.

It's now approaching 7pm on Wednesday night. (If I was in STL right now - I'd be preparing for the big MU-IL Braggin-Rights basketball game) I have a taxi set for pickup at 5:30am tomorrow morning to bring me to Heathrow Airport. I feel really inspired right now. I have some people to Thank for the next few hours --- it might well bring me to my early morning departure.

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So, it comes down to the Final 2 countries. Who to pick? Albania and Serbia are both on the board. So are Bulgaria and Latvia. But-- it's not them. What about Vatican City or San Marino? Both excellent spots, but I couldn't spend a week there (1 of my requirements). Hmmm - Czech Republic and Sweden are awesome. Belgium and Denmark are great as well. These 4 are in my next best 10. If I've been true to myself and provided accurate descriptions this year -- you should already know the final 2. Would it surprise you that the final 2 countries both speak English very well -- it shouldn't. Comfort. Peace. If I had to live outside the US in Europe, I would only want to live in 1 of these 2 countries.

"Get on with it". Well, I'm currently sitting in my #2 country. Coming in tonight as my #2 most favorite country on my Gap Year 2010 is ........... UNITED KINGDOM

Israel (#12)

Iceland (#11)

Norway (#10)

Greece (#9)

Austria (#8)

Spain (#7)

Italy (#6)

Switzerland (#5)

Ireland (#4)

France (#3)

United Kingdom (#2)

UNITED KINGDOM (#2)

To be honest, this pick would have surprised me before entering my journey. I would have anticipated maybe Italy or Spain in this position. But, I kept an open-mind throughout. And, the UK stood out for me. So many things to see and do. I'll be looking at this later, but I've probably spent over a month in this country alone. It's like a country made up of 4 smaller ones: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.

England --- It starts with London. This is a Top 5 city for me. I really enjoyed my stay here. Endless things to do. Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Eye, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Picadilly Circus, River Thames, Wimbledon -- you could spend 2 weeks in London proper before you adequately saw everything. Then, the day trip possibilities from London are immense. One of my favorite spots: Oxford University and Blenheim Palace. You have Cambridge, the White Cliffs of Dover, Stonehenge, Bath, Shakepeare's Place in Stratford Upon Avon, Southhampton, the Lake District, Windsor Castle, and Warwick Castle.

Scotland -- This was my favorite. This area secured the #2 position. Going to the home of golf at St. Andrews and then golfing at Carnoustie and Turnberry - unreal. Edinburgh is a fantastic city. Then there's Inverness, Loch Ness, Aberdeen, Glascow. I spent a unique day at the Highland Games in a small town in western Scotland. What about my day in the Isle of Skye. I most definitely would like to return to Scotland at some point. I didn't even do any hiking - and Scotland is known for this.

Wales and Northern Ireland --- both interesting areas. I spent limited time in each, but both were neat places that offer more than most countries.

Adding up the sum of the parts --- the United Kingdom comes in as my #2 most favorite country.

Day #282 - Paris to London, England

Waiting to board the ship from Calais to Dover

People anxiously watching the Departure Boards at the Nord Train Station in Paris

Tuesday, December 21st

So, today was just as challenging as expected. The good thing however -- it ended with me arriving in London, England at 12 midnight. At that point, nothing else mattered -- the day was a success.

I got up and went over to the Nord Train station in Paris. I had a 2:30pm train to Calais, France booked - but I was fully expecting this to either be delayed or cancelled. My goal was to find backup. Well, it didn't take long for me to realize that the travel situation in Europe is serious. It's definitely real, and it's definitely not to be underestimated. This was clear from the faces of the thousands of people in the train station - a look of panic, anxiety, and desperation.

When I spoke with the lady last evening concerning trains to London, she didn't speak English well, and I didn't understand what she was trying to tell me. Today I get it. Due to snow issues in both England and France, there's been many delays to the Eurostar train connecting the ciites of Paris and London. Because of the delays, the tickets are completely booked for 7 days. The train lines are operational - but no spots are available.

The only 2 countries in which trains go directly to England from the mainland are: France and Belgium. I learned that this was not an option for me. I then checked into buses. Nothing. Long range bus options in France are not great to begin with, but they were completely booked as well. OK - deep breaths. There's 5 ways to get from Paris to London: car, train, bus, boat, or plane. Well, 2 of the 5 were eliminated as options (train & bus). I decided that the car option would be the absolute last thing I do. I wanted no part of driving in snow (on the wrong side of the road in England) to make this happen. Therefore, I had to look into 1) Boat or 2) Plane.

I did find a plane that would have gotten me into Southampon at 10pm. I could then take the train to London. It was pricey however - $400. So, my plan to take the train to Calais, then a boat across the English Channel to the White Cliffs of Dover, and then a train to London ----- this HAD to work. I had called the boat operator via Skype. I spoke with a guy from England. He told me that the ferries were currently only half full and the trains in England were running - just on delays. At that point, nothing else I could really due but cross my fingers. I sat around the train station waiting for my 2:30pm departure.

Luckily, the train to Calais went off on time. Just about everybody on this train was trying to get to London or other parts of the UK. We arrived into Calais, then took a bus into town. The crowds were massive, people were panicky. "Were the ferries to Dover going to be full?" Once into town, we had to get another bus to the port of Calais. Swarms of people were trying to make this happen. At this point of the game, I am lucky I had the ability to move quickly. I was taking no prisoners and negotiating around people to find the front of the line. We boarded the next bus to the port. All great - the boat leaves at 6:15pm. I buy a ticket - $50. Ouch - but it could be worse. We board the boat. We sit there. We sit longer. Announcement: "We have technical issues - more information to follow". We sit longer. 2 hours have passed. We should have already been in Dover. Announcement: "We have issues that cannot be repaired on this boat - everyone must deboard and a new boat is on the way". Not so good. We all stampeded onto the next boat and left the Port of Calais around 9:30pm. (over 3 hours delayed)

We arrived into Dover 1-1/2 hours later. A nice benefit, however, the time in England is 1 hour earlier than France. So, instead of being 11pm, it was only 10pm. I again hightailed it around many people to get to the first bus to Dover train station. Here, I was able to purchase a ticket into London for $40. I took the 10:44pm train to London and arrived at midnight.

I had no hotel, so I found a cafe open at the St. Pancreas International train station. I found a place within walking distance. I got there, and dumped my gear in my room about 12:45am. Whewww!!!!

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OK - the Top 3 countries. Coming in as my #3 favorite country on my Gap year 2010 is............................................................... FRANCE

Israel (#12)

Iceland (#11)

Norway (#10)

Greece (#9)

Austria (#8)

Spain (#7)

Italy (#6)

Switzerland (#5)

Ireland (#4)

France (#3)

FRANCE (#3)

Well, the reason I placed France in this position is simply due to the overall magnitude of 'Things To Do" in this country. France is not listed as the #1 most visited country in the world on most lists (with the USA being a very distant second place) by accident. It all starts with Paris. My favorite city in Europe. The Eiffel Tower, the Lourve, Notre Dame, Sacre-Coeur, Champs-Elysees, the Seine River, Invalides, the Bastille, the Republica - it goes on and on. Probably the main reason I like Paris so much, it's a great city to walk around. Endless things to see and a great atmosphere for doing such.

If the only attraction in France was just Paris, however, it may not have even made my Top 10. Circling the country clockwise starting at the 3-o'clock position -- you have the Alps. Awesome. Chamonix and Annecy were a couple of my favorite places. I've also skiied in Val d'lsere. It's not a surprise that many of my favorite countries border the Alps. Next, you come to the French Riviera. Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo -- this is a great spot. The beaches may be a little rocky, but the atmosphere makes up for it. Continuing south to the French/Spanish border - you have Lourdes. This was one of the most special places for me on the whole trip. Coming up the western coastline, you have Biarritz. This is a great town with incredible beaches. Next, further north, you come to the beaches of Normandy. The history here made me ask myself: "Am I really standing on Omaha Beach?". You come around to the city of Strasbourg before entering the Alps once again.

France is also apart of my heritage. I'm still not giving up linking some of my relatives to the Lyon, France area. What about the whole interior of France - with the wine country of Burgundy (and the endless other places I didn't even get to). Coming in as my #3 selection on my most favorite country list - France.