I had the chance to speak with a colleague who recently covered 9 different countries in 15 days, definitely an impressive feat. I couldn't help but ask, "Did you feel like it was a bit much in that time?" He responded with, "well, if it wasn't for my guide I definitely wouldn't have made it". He went on to tell me about his guide and driver. The guys who took them everywhere and the ones would get them back to their hostel after partying till 4am. The ones that woke them up at 6am to go whitewater rafting, or skiing, or whatever else the activity was for that day. The ones who stowed them away in the travel van before they got arrested one night. I was a little jealous. "So you just partied to oblivion and these two kept you alive and moving huh?", I asked. He looked at me, a grin spreading across his face, "Pretty much yeah, that's how it went down." In addition to my thoughts of how brilliant that was, another thought popped into my head, what if my friend never had the magical travel fairy with him? How would things have turned out. Would they have been as glorious? "I find your lack of faith disturbing..." ![]() Sorry Darth..... I just don't buy it, the "balls to the wall" method is not the way to go (you should know with the whole Sith lord thing). Before you suffocate me through the screen I'll explain. While my friend did have a wicked time during his 15 days of debauchery and alcohol induced haze that method will not work without the key component, the travel fairy who was with them. And no, he wasn't full of it, there's a real service that does set up these guided itineraries, enter (exhibit A). For all of you party animals out there, your welcome. For all those party animals who don't plan on having a babysitter, you should get one. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer, believe me, I'm still in my twenties, I like the crazy times. Let this entry be some things to consider if you decide to "do it all" on your own. Since you have planned your trip there have been dozens of things running through your head and you can hardly wait. You have scoped out every bar in every citiy, saw the landmarks, and pulled pictures of the beautiful country side. You have your EUR, rupees, pounds ready and you even remembered to bring a jacket, nothing can stop you now! Upon arrival to the airport everything is going smooth, you board the plane and by god your off. During your 18hr flight you get some sleep and have your caffeine pills in reserve as you have planned for this. Finally you arrive, its off the tarmac and into a taxi/ coach/ etc. You can't get into the hostel to throw your things down fast enough and its off to the bars. Before you know it your 6 shots deep in foreign bliss and you've reached world traveler status. Can anyone say, Badass? Then you wake up in the morning...... and by morning I mean 1:30pm. Turns out some guys from Slovakia, well the hostel manager thinks it was Slovakia checked into your room in the middle of the night. In your haste you had forgotten to take your extra cash, cards, and passport/id and throw em in that little safe by your bunk. Your friend is still trying to get the vomit off his Eurobag but don't worry...... "it didn't seep through man", so his clothes are good and he even still has his plane tickets. You know, the tickets for the 10:30 flight to Germany. Turns out you never set that pesky alarm because your phone died searching for signal on that 18hr flight. But wait a minute its 1:30pm and you don't even have a passport anymore. Dammit, this is your first country! and you didn't even get to see the Colosseum. Ok, that may have been a colorful example of situations I have and have not ever been in. In any case, here are a few tips to keep yourself from self destructing to early.
Parting Thoughts Follow these steps and you will be bound to succeed, or at a very minimum get a little farther before you end up on a collision course to ultimate catastrophe. I'm proud to still consider myself young and relatively "stupid" in the sense of (having fun with little or no regard for the long term consequences of my actions). Responsible is good, but eventually it means, getting closer to death or subconsciously preparing your coffin. Older people have already locked themselves into the chains of society with houses, kids, and a ton of bills and they realize that. I will be too, but I aint there yet so enjoy it while you can. Just take these precautions, keep yourself in one piece, and look as good as this guy.
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