Seventeen Countries in 26 Weeks
- Karen Michaels
- Nov 15, 2024
- 3 min read
I have been home for just about a month now, making a tour of the Midwest to catch up with family and friends after a long adventure that covered a lot of ground. The grand adventure took me to 17 countries (11 new) and 40 cities (33 new), more than 35,000 miles on 16 flights, 9 ferries, 11 trains and 4 cross-country busses.
I had a long bucket list and a lot of questions when I started this in April. To be honest, I am not sure either list has gotten shorter, they may be even longer now! I visited amazing places, met incredible people and had some serious alone time to listen to my head and heart.
As I press pause on the adventure and have a bit of time to reflect, I can't help but smile with a bit of amazement that I did it. About this time last year, I recognized that I was a bit stuck. I wasn't at all sure what I wanted to do but it wasn't that job and it wasn't that place. I needed to reset and boy do you reset when you are in a different country, with new languages and money and traditions, alone. You learn what you like to do, what you fear you can't do, what you can do and what (and who) you miss the most.
As I make the home tour, people ask some of the same questions:
What was your favorite place?
Impossible to say. It would be like saying who is your favorite kid-and we don't have favorites! I tell you that Scotland made it to the top five and Greece remains at the top of the list. I will always love warm, beach places more than cold, rainy ones. However, northern Europe is a beautiful part of the world that I hope to explore more.
Here is a little beauty from every country.
What did you miss the most?
My people! My girls, family and friends. I had lots of phone and video calls while gone but nothing compares to the big bear hugs at home. I also missed a few of my favorite foods and conveniences--pizza from Fixture, large bathrooms, big and less scary elevators, knowing how to use appliances without Google translate and friendly chats at the checkout/bar with someone who can understand you.
Weren't you lonely?
Sometimes. Alone doesn't always mean lonely. It gave me time to think, to read, to reflect. The language barrier was more difficult to manage in some countries but I met a lot of amazing people- other travelers, hosts and volunteers that I can now call friends- and I had friends and family to visit with.
How did you do it? This one almost always comes with I wish I had the $$ to do it.
I won't share how much all this cost, but I will say about the same as it would have cost me to live in Milwaukee for the same amount of time. It wasn't a five-star vacation. I was a pet-sitter, a volunteer and a frugal nomad trying to learn more about the culture of the places I visited and not just being a tourist.
Did you eat your way through all the countries?
Absolutely! I ate and drank my way through it all. And, I didn't gain a pound, actually lost them. I walked a lot-wish I had thought to wear a step counter!! And, the food there is just different. It is cleaner with less preservatives. I couldn't even find a Diet Coke most of the time. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of preservatives to be found (mostly American imports) but so many more fresh options in markets and restaurants.
And, the most often asked question...what now? Are you home for a while?
Good question. I am not sure what the future holds yet. Remember my list of big questions didn't get smaller. For now, I am home to spend the holidays with the kids, family and friends.
I will figure it out. Because, one thing I learned on this grand adventure, I don't have to be stuck. Life is too short to sit back and watch. If I can dream it. I can do it.
Much love to all who followed along. Cheers to our next adventures!!
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