![\"Elina](\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Elina-Hot-Wine.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhere did you travel to on this trip?<\/h3>\n
I traveled to Vienna, Krakow, and Budapest.<\/p>\n
What inspired you to choose those places?<\/h3>\n
I came up with Vienna, Prague, and Budapest, but since I\u2019d already been to Prague, a coworker recommended I see Krakow. She\u2019s actually from there, so she was really helpful in planning that part of the trip. I LOVED Krakow, no regrets for taking her recommendation!<\/p>\n For example, during the last few days of my trip, I stayed in a 4-6 person hostel room, but no one else checked in! I had this whole big room with empty bunk beds all to myself. It was kind of awesome, but also a little lonely. I really had to push myself more out of my comfort zone to make friends when I was out, since I didn\u2019t have that built in social network at the hostel.<\/p>\n The travelers that I did meet, though, were often ones who had been long term traveling for months. I was truly inspired by their boldness to do that, and I had some really unforgettable conversations with them.<\/p>\n Most importantly, though, Budapest was the place where I met another woman solo traveler around the same age as me. We really formed a special bond, having deep conversations about travel and our outlook on life. I couldn\u2019t be happier to meet someone who shared the exact same thoughts about travel, life, and so on as I do. We talked about things that only travel lovers can really understand. Meeting her was such a great experience!<\/p>\n I think it\u2019s common for travelers to want to move fast so we can see as much as possible, but it detracts from the overall experience to be so rushed. There\u2019s really a lot of value in traveling more slowly.<\/p>\n When you do things alone, it gives you room to really enjoy whatever it is that you\u2019re doing\u2014whether it\u2019s eating, walking, or sightseeing\u2014without having to worry about anyone else. FREEDOM! And most importantly, I know that I\u2019m not forever alone. Any awkwardness that I do experience is just temporary. Practice makes everything perfect, and that includes learning to enjoy your own company!<\/p>\n So I\u2019m super excited, and I get inside the cruise ship, and what do I find? This activity was actually geared towards couples, and I\u2019m the only person here all by myself. I ended up being seated at a long table with three other couples. Being the 7th<\/sup> wheel with a bunch of strangers was one of the most awkward experiences I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n Everyone on this cruise had someone to talk to except for me, so I felt a bit out of place. I decided to just drink my wine and journal about the experience in the moment\u2014I couldn\u2019t stop laughing about this unexpected situation! After about a half hour, I decided to go to the boat\u2019s upper level where it was open to take photos of the Parliament building and the Chain Bridge. It was freezing cold, but the view was magnificent!<\/p>\n<\/a>After my first Europe trip, I loved my experience so much that I just wanted to go back! I wanted to spend the Christmas season in another country, so I did some research on the prettiest European cities to visit in December.<\/p>\nHow did your second solo trip compare to your first?<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Compared to my first solo trip, my second trip felt a bit more solitary at times. I didn\u2019t meet as many backpackers this time around, and had more days where I was really traveling solo. I think that was because I was traveling during the low season and the cold weather, there just weren\u2019t as many travelers out and about to meet.<\/p>\nWhich city was your favorite, and why?<\/h3>\n
<\/a>My favorite city was Budapest! I had the lowest expectations for this place, but I was completely amazed by the grand architecture of the Chain Bridge and the Parliament. Plus, the night life was much more exciting for people my age than in the other cities.<\/p>\nIf you could re-do this trip, would you do anything differently?<\/h3>\n
<\/a>I would definitely spend more time in one city and fully experience it and everything it has to offer. On this trip, I had to constantly move on a tight schedule since I was exploring three different countries in just a week! I do not recommend this, and I learned my lesson!<\/p>\nWhat is the biggest change\/difference you felt on your second trip compared to your first one?<\/h3>\n
<\/a>I was definitely more fearless, self-confident, and self-reliant on my second solo trip. Since I\u2019d already gone on one trip by myself before, I knew I could do it again, and I really embraced the new challenges I came up against. This time, it was really proof to myself that I don\u2019t always need a \u201csomebody\u201d to do what I love, and that new confidence is freaking empowering!<\/p>\nDo you ever feel awkward doing things alone?<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Unless it\u2019s an extreme case where I\u2019m around just couples\u2014nope! Not anymore. At first, eating alone at a restaurant was hard. I felt like people were watching and judging me. But after you\u2019ve done it a few times, you learn not to care about what people think.<\/p>\nCan you share one of the most unforgettable stories from your trip?<\/h3>\n
<\/a>My last day in Budapest, I wanted to make it memorable so I booked a wine tasting cruise along the Danube River. I thought to myself, what a nice way to end my day in my favorite city, huh? Have some wine and get a spectacular view of the city from the water. Perfect!<\/p>\n<\/a>To make things even MORE awkward, a camera man came to our table to take romantic pictures of each of the couples. When he got to me, he actually asked me if I was waiting for my partner. It took all of my courage to say no, I was there by myself.<\/p>\n