I board the train knowing that today would be a very busy and tiring day, but one I am eagerly anticipating. Today I will walk, or attempt to walk the Cinque Terre trail. The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. "The Five Lands" is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the national park. The entire area is around eight miles long, while the average distance between neighboring villages is two miles. I arrive from the train in Riomaggiore. My first task was to find my hostel. I follow the instructions and I go up this long hilly street. I have my large backpack on my back at this time, and this ... read more

I awake and anxiously board the train to Bayeux. This is the meeting point for the D-Day tour I booked, and I was so excited I could hardly stand myself. On the train, I met two other gentlemen, a father and son, that were also going to do the experience. Their tour was not until the next day, and we had good conversation concering what we may see. Upon arrival, I had to make my way to my meeting point. I had directions on about how to get there, but I was still a little unclear. Off I go. I found my first marker which was a sign that points to a specific hotel. I make the turn, and I am in the town of Bayeux. Now I had to find the meeting point.I walked around ... read more

I depart Atlanta not knowing what to expect from this new experience. I am excited, but a little nervous and anxious about this trip. I have a tight itinerary, and one missed train can mess everything up. I try not to think about this, as once I start my travels, I have noone to depend on but myself. The flight to Barcelona was smooth and uneventful, and upon arrival, I was starting to get excited. I knew I would not have the currency issues I have had in the past, for I purchased a little currency before I left home just in case of an ATM issue or anything else. I clear customs, and off I go. I did use the ATM, and I had no issues. I ask some airport workers how to get to ... read more

I awake from my overnight train, and I am Prague. This city was under communism for over 40 years and seldom visited by tourists until 1989. Then the Velvet Revolution of 17th November 1989 changed that (now commemorated as a Czech Republic public holiday) and today Prague is one of the most popular destinations in Europe. It is no exaggeration to call Prague one of the most attractive places on earth. I noticed this right away as I was walking to my hostel. My directions to my hostel were pretty clear, and I made it without any problem. I could not check in due to the time, so I decided to take a walking tour. I felt this would give me the best opportunity to see Prague from the eyes of an expert. Lucky for me, ... read more

I arrive in Berlin and luckily my directions to my hostel were pretty good. I found it without much of a problem, and when I checked into my room, I found out that it was four Americans and one Canadian in with me. I got up the next morning with a full agenda. I went to take the free walking tour, and I am glad I did. We met at the Brandenburg Gate, and the tour guides name was David. He was a Brit who had moved to Berlin. He was very knowledgeable about Berlin and the history. We went to the Jewish Memorial first, and we walked through these amazing concrete columns. The walking ground was not level, so the walls got higher and lower. This was a pretty awesome sight and feeling for the ... read more