BRUSSELS It was a one and half hour train ride to Brussels from Paris on the Thaly's train. I finally used my first travel day of my 15-day Eurorail pass good for first-class seating and first-class it was indeed. Comfy seating complete with a complimentary meal, drinks, and wi-fi on board. I was in heaven. Were my train accommodations on the rest of my backpacking trip going to be this nice? So far nothing has come as close, but the train systems in Europe are great in general so I really can't complain. I arrived in Brussels in the the early evening still thinking about Paris, but glad to know that I wasn't leaving the French language behind as the southern part of Belgium is French speaking. I'll get more into that in a second. At ... read more

DAY 2 I got up early to get a head start on my first full day in Paris. I joined the Regard family downstairs for breakfast, finally meeting Daniel, Lucile's father. I was treated to a crispy chocolate croissant and fresh brewed coffee. On my way out Lucile accompanied me into the city taking me to see the famous Catholic Catherdral, Notre Dame. Another gorgeous church in Paris. We made our way inside to marvel at the French gothic architecture, but were limited to the perimeter not to disturb the service taking place at the same time. It felt odd and a bit rude snapping photos and gawking during worship. After Notre Dame, Lucile escorted me to the Catacombs and went on her way to school to get some studying done. The Catacombs is a ... read more

DAY 3The Swiss girls went on their way to enjoy the rest of their holiday. I headed off for more sightseeing on an absolutely gorgeous clear day. I guess I was quite lucky as the weather is typically otherwise during this time of year. My first stop was to the Parliament & Big Ben for a more upclose view, Westminster Abbey next door, then my last stop at Buckingham Palace and the impressive changing of the guards. Make sure you watch the video in my playlist. After a long day of walking I was pooped and starving. On my way back to Shah's I decided to make dinner for us. My first thought was to bust out my mad filipino skills and make chicken adobo, but by the time I got back to Camden, the Asian ... read more

Okay -- so before I entertain you with my London blog, I decided to go into more detail about Couchsurfing since most of you are unfamiliar with the concept and I'm going to reference it quite frequently from this point forward. Up to now, I've kept the concept pretty vague as its a bit detailed to explain and not easy to grasp first-hand, but I'm opening up in sharing what Couchsurfing is all about in hopes that you'll gain a full understanding, and maybe an appreciation of it, as it is the foundation of my travels and experiences throughout Europe. First, let me familiarize you with some abbreviations I will use often. So PAY ATTENTION people! CS = Couchsurfing CSer = Couchsurfer As a couchsurfer, you participate in one or more of the following ways: Host- ... read more

Okay, I know I've broken it down to most of you, but for those who need run down, here it is: WHAT AM I DOING? I'm backpacking through Western Europe. WHY? Time to stop working and start living life. HOW LONG WILL YOU BE OUT THERE? October 7th - December 15 WHAT COUNTRIES ARE YOU TRAVELING TO? * UNITED KINGDOM - London * FRANCE - Paris * BELGIUM - Brussels * NETHERLANDS - Amsterdam * GERMANY - Oberhausen, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich * SWITZERLAND - Interlaken * ITALY - Lake Como, Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence, Rome, Naples, Sorrento * SPAIN - Barcelona, Madrid The above is a rough itinerary. I'll go where the wind takes me. WHERE WILL YOU STAY? For the most part, I will be couchsurfing. Couchsurfing? Yes, that's right. Crashing on people's couches. If ... read more