Europe!

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post! It was definitely the most difficult decision I've had to make in awhile, and after thinking about it endlessly, I've decided that I'm going to stay at my current job. I want to move to Europe next year, so I guess some things just have to be sacrificed to make that happen. Of course, even with my decision made, I'm still disappointed that I don't get to wear a cute uniform, and have my summer resemble a Britney Spears music video...

...however, I'm in the process of planning out a EUROTRIP in June! I have a bunch of friends I'm excited to see there, and no summer will ever escape me without some exciting adventures!

nytimes.com

So far the countries I've planned are France, Germany and Switzerland... and possibly Denmark, Austria, Norway and Italy.

If anyone has been to/live in these countries feel free to post your thoughts below! My exams are also finally coming to an end, so expect regular blog updates starting next week!

Book review: Bryson's Swiss jokes aren't so funny

Neither Here Nor There is a travel memoir by Bill Bryson about his travels throughout Europe. Bryson, for those who may not be familiar, is the author of multiple non-fiction books, and is well-known for his travel memoirs about Europe, Australia, Great Britain and the US.

Having previously read In a Sunburned Country and thoroughly enjoyed it, I had high hopes for Neither Here Nor There. 

While I did enjoy the first chapter about his journey up to Hammerfest, Norway to see the Northern Lights, I ended up finding the book too predictable after the first few chapters.


The plot for each city goes like this: gets off train, checks into hotel, walks around city centre, [insert cultural jokes here], gets hungry, eats dinner, goes to sleep, and then repeats the same experience in a different city the next day

Having gone to over 20 cities, it gets a bit depressing after awhile. I found it surprising how he never made an effort to meet any locals or other travelers throughout the whole trip, but rather, seem satisfied being in ignorant bliss of his surroundings and passed his time by making jokes, particularly aimed toward the Swiss.

Examples:

Q: What do you call a gathering of boring people in Switzerland?
A: Zurich

How do Travelers Cope with "Real Life"?

(photo from AviationAlberta)

The hardest part I find about traveling is returning home. At first it can be a great feeling seeing friends and family you haven't seen in ages, sleeping on an actual bed, hot showers....but then that dreaded feeling of familiarity starts creeping up, followed by every travelers' worst fear - the restlessness of boredom.

Suddenly, it seems lame that everyone around you grew up in the same place, with the same boring accent. You don't understand why these people seem to favour their dreadful 9-5 job, and find all their daily excitement from materialistic pursuits, such as purchasing a new purse or laptop. After all, wasn't it Thoreau who once said, "It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly"? 

Top 10 Best Travel Movies

There's nothing like the wonderful world of cinema to inspire us to travel. Below are my picks for the the top 10 best travel movies of all time. Feel free to list any that are not included!

10. The Beach (2010 - Thailand)

While this movie can be a bit cliche amongst travelers, it's hard to compile a list of travel movies without a mention of The Beach. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Guillaume Canet and Tilda Swinton, it tells the story of a young backpacker in Thailand and his discovery of a secret island. For anyone who has been to SE Asia, I'm sure you've seen it a million times.

9. Into the Wild (2007 - USA)

This is an amazing movie about a young man (Emilie Hirsch) and his rejection of the materialism and conventions of everyday life, as he sets off to embark on his journey of reaching Alaska. While this is definitely not a "feel good" movie as it ends off on a depressing note, I feel like this captures our most basic human desire for travel - freedom.