Traveling gives you perspective. It is one of my favorite things about it. You have an opportunity to see worlds very different from the one you live. It forces you to step outside of your comfort zone. It helps you to grow and change in ways that you never thought possible. It is hard to do these things when every day is the same. You get comfortable and complacent.
I know that we learned a lot during our eight months in the US and Canada and you can never be prepared for every scenario. That is the fun of it right? We’ve been in Europe for a month now and I am realizing that there are some of the things that I have remembered from my time living here before and some of the things I have learned and others I now appreciate in a way I never thought about before. Below are some of these observations I have made thus far. Let’s just say the learning curve has been very steep.
- Drinking tap water. We have not been able to drink the tap water since we were in Athens and some people said we shouldn’t have even done it there. While we were in Santorini and then for the three weeks we were in Albania we had to use bottled water for drinking, teeth brushing and washing of produce. In Albania we had to haul our groceries and seven-liter jugs of water up 167 steps, from the market to the road that lead to our third floor apt. Now you understand why we had such a gorgeous view. We have only been in Split, Croatia for three days and I cannot tell you how happy I am that we can drink the tap water!
- Toilet paper. I don’t even mind that it might now be as soft as the stuff we used to buy at home. Split is the first place that we’ve been able to flush it in over a month and I forgot what a luxury that is!
- Recycling. We have yet to be in an Air BnB that recycles. And when you’re having to use plastic bottles for your water it feels pretty crappy to throw it away.
- Smells. Now, just so you know, I am not talking about any of the cities we’ve visited. All cities have a smell, see the NYC Subway, I’m talking about just general travel funk. It happens when you’re living out of a suitcase. I brought Febreze to help with some of this and I feel like sometimes you just can’t get that super fresh smell after washing your clothes. Part of it is maybe the lack of a dryer. Some of it is the smell in the air. Some of it is Lord knows what, it’s just a thing. Having such a sensitive sniffer, as I do, it can become annoying at times.
- Laundry machines. So far, we have been smart enough to reserve Air BnBs that have a washing machine so we don’t have to go to the laundromat. The one we had in Albania was pretty straight forward, once we were able to translate the different options, thank you Google Lens, and figured out how to not have it take three hours for one load. Our machine in Split offered another course of learning that we weren’t prepared for. Did you know that in Split there is a hose on the back of the washer that needs to be put in the tub while using the machine? Neither did I! So, my first night of doing a load of laundry was spent using every towel we had in our apartment, which turns out to be four big bath towels, mopping up the flood I created on the bathroom floor! Good thing there is a drain in the floor, so I didn’t have to worry about flooding the downstairs neighbor’s apartment as well. See: steep learning curve.
- Showers, or lack thereof. In Albania we had a shower, albeit one foot square. It was also pretty straight forward. Minus the fact that you needed to turn on the water heater at least an hour before your shower, if you didn’t want it to be freezing. In Split, I am brought back to my years studying abroad and teaching in France. There is a hose that comes off the tap, but it isn’t positioned above your head, so you sit in the tub to wash. I’m not a big bath person and I feel like I want to be conscientious about my water consumption, so it is the Military way for me.
- Packing. I was very proud of myself for narrowing down my packing to one big suitcase and two smaller backpacks. We are gone for six-months, and are planning on being in many different climates, so I wanted to be prepared for anything. It has been in the 90s pretty much since we left Minnesota and I have worn about one-sixteenth of the clothes that I have brought. We’re hoping to visit South America after we are home for the holidays, so I will be doing a better job of researching what the weather will be like in each place we plan to go, so that I can do a better job of packing. My hope is to get it down to one big backpack and one small backpack. Fingers crossed.
- Making coffee. I have learned/been reminded that it is very American to have a big pot of coffee, in the morning/everyday. We had a pot in Santorini but otherwise it has been French press, stove-top espresso or Turkish coffee-which I have yet to learn how to make. What grounds to buy is also another feat. Luckily, at the copious amounts of cafes, the coffee is delicious and cheap, and I miss nuzzling a big old mug of it in the morning.
Since I last wrote we had two more weeks in Sarandë, Albania and they were lovely. We did end up taking a boat trip on the 22nd and were able to visit some of the beaches that you can only get to by boat. We visited Kakome and Krorëza beaches, and to say that the water is some of the bluest I’ve ever seen, would be an understatement. It was gorgeous. It was kind of a long day being on the boat and in the sun, but it was worth it. Then the next day, since it was our last weekend in town, we went back to Ksamil and had an incredible time. We found a different beach club than the one we visited before called 3 Ishujt Restaurant and Lounge. It had a bigger beach and a view of the three islands, one that we could practically wade to. It was fun too because they had a delicious restaurant with a view where if you spent a certain amount of money, you got the money back for what you paid for two chairs and an umbrella, so we took full advantage of that! Ksamil is beautiful and I am so thankful we made an effort to go one more time together.
We said goodbye to Sarandë on the 29th. The third and final week we were in town, we saw Albania play in the Euro Cup from the big screen TV in the port, we celebrated 10 months of travel, and our 15th wedding anniversary. What a beautiful place to do it! To celebrate we discovered a restaurant called Manxurane right at the bottom of our stairs and had a delicious meal overlooking the water with a view of the sunset. We liked it so much we went back for breakfast the next morning before we began our three and a half hour car ride to Tirana. It was bittersweet saying goodbye to all the friends that we made during our time in Sarandë. It was awesome to be able to experience a culture so different from our own and I know we will be back some day.
To get to Split we had to fly from Tirana and change planes in Vienna, Austria. It was a long day as we didn’t get to our Air Bnb until almost midnight and it all worked out! Our luggage was one of the first pieces to arrive and Split has Uber so getting from the airport to our place was a breeze. I haven’t been to Vienna since I was living in France, and I remembered a funny anecdote from when my dad and I were there. In Vienna the city name is written Wien as that is how it is spelled in Austrian. I remember the first night that we were in town we were looking for a place to eat and came across a restaurant called Wienerwald that had a big chicken on their sign. I recall us finding it funny that a restaurant with the name Wienerwald didn’t have any sausages on the menu. Then we learned that Vienna is Wien and it probably served traditional food. Learning is fun!
Sunday was our first full day in Split and we went out and discovered it. Our Air Bnb is about a 35 minute walk to old town and to be honest it feels good to be doing a bunch of walking again. Sarandë was pretty small so the most I did there was climb the stairs multiple times a day. Which is great exercise just different from walking. Most of the history of Split can be found in and around Diocletian’s Palace which was completed in 305 AD. The statues, towers, vestibule, sphinx, the cellars underneath the castle, the tiles and mosaics, all of it is truly a sight to behold. Wandering around the tiny streets of the palace is fun and getting lost is encouraged. There are so many cute shops, cafes, restaurants and squares, you could spend hours there, which we did. Split also has a beautiful port are with the grand Riva to stroll along. Yesterday Dave had to work so I went and explored Marjan Hill and climbed to the highest viewpoint on the peninsula. It was beautiful. As you know I just love the combination of mountains and water and Split does not disappoint. I’m excited to do more exploring around Old Town with Dave before we leave.
Today I am thinking about how I will miss celebrating the Fourth of July and my nephew’s 16th birthday, on Thursday with my family. My sister and brother-in-law always throw an amazing party and I know everyone will be there. And, I am very thankful for this time. Croatia has been on our list for years and it is wonderful to finally be here. Unfortunately, we’re only in Split for the week and I’m excited to see more of the country. This weekend we rented a car and will be driving to Plitvic Lakes National Park. The pictures of the waterfalls there look incredible, and I cannot wait to explore it! Then on Sunday we’ll drive to Zagreb for two weeks. We picked Zagreb because it was one of the cities that was listed as being digital nomad friendly. Google says “it offers a combination of colorful architecture, vibrant local life, lush parks and plenty of entertainment.” I can’t wait to see the cathedral and explore other amazing sights that Rick Steves has recommended. 😉
I hope that everyone is happy, safe and well wherever you are! Alison 😊
