Whenever we tell someone that we’ve been traveling through Europe for five months, invariable one of the first questions asked is “Where have you been?” I say it’s one of the first questions because it is usually either preceded or followed by “Wow! How are you able to do that?” which is of course a much bigger question and one that warrants a whole other post.
Since we are now moving into our sixth month in Europe, and because I don’t always play by the rules and post in chronological order, I figured it was a good time to answer the where have you been question. It’s also a great way for me to get the creative juices flowing by sorting through all of the memories, piles of notes and photos of the past few months. Sort of a spring cleaning!
However, as I still have great stories to tell of these adventures I decided to answer the question with a photo essay. Let these images of Europe speak for themselves.
Month 1, Sept/October: Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Greece
Our first month was a bit of a whirlwind of travel visiting five major cities in five different countries plus numerous side trips along the way. Oh and also attending our first TBEX (Travel Bloggers Exchange) conference and all of the learning, fun and press trips that go along with that.
Click here for more of Meteora
Month 2, November/December: Turkey & Romania
Month number two was a time to regain our balance and get out of the Schengen Zone. We were blessed to have wonderful friends host us in Istanbul which gave us a perfect home base to work, exercise and of course explore. We managed to squeeze in a week long venture to other parts of Turkey and we also chose a stop in at Romania as it one of the cheap places to travel in Europe.
Click here for more on Turkey
Click here for more on our Cappadocia experience
Month 3, December/January: Great Britain
For our third month we were so happy to be able to spend time with family and friends, especially Christmas and NYE! We also had two fabulous house sits which gave us some time to work and play house with the bonus of lovely furry companions of the feline persuasion.
Month 4, February/March: France
After a brief stop in Paris we spent a full five weeks house sitting on a small farm in the Midi-Pyrenees of France. Although the weather was less than perfect (it’s Europe in winter after all) we absolutely loved being country folk for a while. We settled into a comfortable routine of simple living where our days consisted of caring for the chickens, dog and cat, working, cooking, watching movies and occasionally venturing out to the market. When the sun did shine we jumped at the chance to explore the surrounding towns and sites.
Click here for more on our trip to Paris
Click here for more on our house sit in France
So what’s next?
Month 5, 6, 7, March/April/May/June: Italy, Croatia, Spain, Portugal, UK
It’s actually pretty much planned out already although we’re always open to change. Our rough sketch is to meet family in Italy, spend a month working and exploring Croatia, attend another TBEX in Spain, then meet friends and family for a two week journey through Spain and Portugal. After all of that excitement we hope to head back to the UK for a five week “Balanced Adventure” (which we’re not quite ready to share.)
Which brings us to the conclusion of our European adventure and likely back home to the Pacific Northwest for the summer. After that? Who knows?
Born in England, Sarah developed her wanderlust at a young age as she traveled around Europe with her parents. As a young adult she spent every penny she could on experiences as opposed to possessions. Eventually she found a way to earn a living doing what she loved: traveling, writing and capturing images of the wondrous world we live in. When not on the go Sarah enjoys time in her “sometimes home” of Vancouver.