Getting off the train, I was on the outskirts of town. Walking down the main street, it looked like a town not yet finished loading. There was so much construction, so many buildings cracked or crumbling with boarded up doors and grimy windows. However, when I came upon the town center and touristy zone, everything was clean again. Check in was two doors down, offsite of the hostel. Up the skinny, twisting steps I found my room in Hostel Mitte. https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Hostel-Mitte/Brno/50530 Similar to in Prague, I had a little alcove pretty much to myself. With a small desk just off to the side and a trio of windows blowing in…

Fog and mist. A grey haze fell upon and drifted through the city for most of the time I was there. A night time walk through the winding roads led me to Art Hostel. https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Art-Hole-Hostel/Prague/43324 It was nice, and though my room was large, the little alcove I was tucked into was quite. There were a few people from multiple backgrounds packed in with me over the week, notably two Asian girls from Korea; South Korea. They made sure I knew it was south. Smoking is bad, and when you’re housed in a room with a bunch of other people and not being subtle about it, especially so. You’ve already…

This’ll be a long one, so put the kettle on. Getting to Krakow was simple and I got on the right train this time. As soon as I made my way down the cobblestone streets of the old town center and came upon the village square, I knew this place would be different. It was touristy and full of life. My new place https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Cracow-Hostel/Krakow/13151 was atop a restaurant, and after checking in I found my 18 beds room. By far the most I’ve seen. I was dreading the oncoming onslaught of people, but the first night the room was near empty; only two other guys, with one not returning until…

It’s finally October. I’ve been waiting to change the date in the title. Happy birthday bro. Now, I don’t consider myself an expect traveler, but I’m no amateur either. I made my first mistake this week; three in fact. #1. The train from Poznan to Wroclaw was missing. I looked and looked but couldn’t find the right number anywhere. I was there on time and the schedule was posted on the monitor, but my mode of transportation didn’t exist. I did notice a train with a different number departing to Wroclaw the same time mine was supposed to; in ten minutes. I ran through the station and grabbed a seat…

My first taste of Polish air was a face full or smoke pit. As previously mentioned, the hostel wasn’t too far from the station and though the whole road outside the building was under construction, I found it relatively easily. Polo Loco https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Poco-Loco-Hostel/Poznan/59885?dateFrom=2019-10-07&dateTo=2019-10-10&number_of_guests=2 or as I liked to call it, the crazy chicken, was on the third floor. Now by third floor I don’t mean two flights of stairs, I mean three. In Europe their ground floor is our first floor; their first floor is our second and so on. So up I went and down I flopped with my fat beast of a bag. If Germany was cheap, Poland…

So the title may be a little misleading, but I had an enjoyable week. I did nothing. Yep, pretty much nothing. I got to my hostel 3 hours early https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/36-ROOMS-Berlin-Kreuzberg/Berlin/35359 and waited for check in. Screaming kids were running around, unknown to me if they were the children of guests or staff.  I overheard the receptionist and a guest discussing an additional fee for his late checkout. It was pretty high, so I reminded myself to make sure I checked out on time. Soon enough I could drop my bag and put up my feet. The walk through Berlin was fine with a nice breeze and warm sunlight, leaving the…

When morning came, I could finally see the splendor that was the capital of Germany; Berlin. Draped in history, from hundred year old churches and cobblestone roads to remnants of the Third Reich and the fallout of post war Europe, everything came to life.  Eastener Hostel https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Eastener-Hostel/Berlin/4827 is located in the heart of the city. A few days into my time there, I decided to do the free walking tour (mostly because it was free) which started at the Brandenburg Gate. On the way, I walked passed a marching protest of some kind that trained down many blocks. I couldn’t understand what they were screaming and shouting about, but as…

For 7 nights I stayed in Hannover and in the company of my host, Azad https://www.airbnb.ca/users/show/229115028. It was more of a learning experience than an exploratory endeavor. Hannover, with one n, is the English spelling; double n’s is German. Some secondary schools in Germany rise to Grade 13, a German driver’s license cost upwards of $2000 (yes, you read that correctly) and include mandatory driver’s education. That being said, foodstuffs are incredibly cheap, trains run between and trams within cities and bicycles bearing helmetless riders are everywhere. For days I wandered around the outskirts of the city, sitting in parks and working on Acazia. Mornings and nights I stayed at…

Let. Me. Tell. You. The first few days getting to Germany were a lot more stressful than they should have been, but let me start from the beginning. Knowing my flight left from Vancouver Airport at 6:30 am, I had to take the ferry from Victoria the night before. The usual 90 minute boat ride was as usual, boring, but with the moonlights glow gently reflecting off the smooth sea’s surface, it was a pretty sight to behold (unfortunately the pictures didn’t turn out so great) Then on the bus, I guess my big backpack nearly squished this grumpy old hag’s dog. Seriously, who puts their dog in a duffle…

Neon lights from dozens of slot machines lit up the hall of the Las Vegas airport. In baggage claim, pictures danced on an Imax sized screen, advertising the local shows and shops. I claimed a taxi and headed down the street adjacent to the strip. Arriving at my hotel in no time, I checked into the Tuscany Suite & Casino and found my room past the pool in a separate building. After a quick bite, I slept off my long day of travel. The Las Vegas Writers Conference (or LVWC) was held in the hotel’s conference center, so there was no threat of getting lost or being late. Early the…