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YouTube Vlog: 2 weeks in Europe | We visited 8 countries!

In the early stages of planning our European get-a-way, we were debating the cost effectiveness of Eurail. Countless hours spent reading articles, researching trends and watching TikToks. Of course we ended up purchasing the global pass and it was a well worth package.

Often we had missed a train while another was running late or boarded the wrong one entirely. Generating an e-ticket on the fly was very convenient.

Having the pass allowed us to experience 8 countries with resiliency in our schedules. It is actually easier to travel with children than you may realize which is why we will be taking our next Eurail vacation with the newest family member that is arriving next week. 

Please watch our vlog, the link is at the beginning and closing of this comment, thank you.

*This form will not let me embed a YouTube video*

YouTube Vlog: 2 weeks in Europe | We visited 8 countries!

Just over a year ago, I couldn’t have imagined myself navigating public transport, let alone traveling solo through tens of towns and cities, and across 7 countries. As someone who struggles with anxiety and used to find even local buses overwhelming, my Eurail journey became nothing short of life changing.

What began as a spontaneous idea after my original summer plans fell apart, turned into a four-week adventure that reshaped my attitude towards life.

📍 France – Belgium – Netherlands – Germany – Denmark – Sweden – Norway (and back again)

When I first arrived in Paris, exhausted from a full day of travel, I quickly bonded with a group of fellow hostel guests, strangers to me and to one another, who persuaded me to join them in exploring the city’s nightlife and going dancing. That night set the tone for the rest of my trip. Though fast paced, exhausting and full of uncertainty, it was also exhilarating and full of joy.

Over the course of my trip, I learned to read train schedules, navigate platforms, and trust myself in ways I never had before. I found freedom, independence, and the confidence to speak with strangers from all over the world.

The whole trip was unplanned, booked day by day hostels reserved an hour before arrival, trains caught with minutes to spare. And yet, somehow, everything kept falling into place. I felt so lucky, like the world was opening up just for me. Even when trains were cancelled or delayed, there was always a solution and when I was struggling, kindness always found me.

Highlights still play in my mind :

🎷 A jazz concert in Paris that turned into a rave in the basement

✨ Watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle just before my trip came to an end

🎶 Piano music echoing through Lille station

🌈 Rainbows in Røros, Paris, even when I returned home — like the journey had come full circle

Each city was magical in it's own way. 

I reconnected with people I had met along the way too!

I visited a free music festival in Brussels, went couch surfing in Hamburg, and visited innumerable museums and landmarks.

I also appreciated sunsets in every sky;

In Belgium, I got the chance to stay with my best friend in her family home and I met her twin sister and mother for the first time

In Rotterdam, I met my father and mother’s best friends and visited the river where my father once rowed as a child.

In Groningen, I learned about my family history and got to know family that I had never met before. They also took me to visit a seal sanctuary!

And in Røros, I stayed in a World Heritage Site home that felt like a museum, saw the Northern Lights and reindeer, learned about Sami culture and made lifelong friends at the DiscoverEU meetup, many of whom I continued traveling with across Scandinavia.

I wasn't just experiencing cities, I felt as though I was steadily becoming more connected to the wider world, gaining knowledge and developing relationships.

What stays with me most are the people I met along the way: the 12 year old Belgian boy who sprinted with me to find water before my train left; the staff who allowed me and my friend to travel by boat for free; people who stopped to give me directions when I was lost; the stranger who offered me a place to store my bags; sharing food and cooking in my hostel in Stockholm with friends after a long day of exploring museums;

The host for our couch surfing who made us a meal when we arrived to his house exhausted; the countless conversations at hostel breakfast tables and in every train carriage

I spoke people from around the world, from Iran to Australia and learned just how generous, open, and kind people can be.

As a biology student, I was also in awe of the quickly changing landscapes the lakes, rivers, forests, and animals I saw along the way.

It feels as though I had ten different trips in one, and these few photos and anecdotes are just scratching the surface on the extent of my adventures!

This journey didn’t just teach me how to travel. It taught me that life isn’t so scary. That I can find little adventures everywhere, around every corner. That people are kind. That some memories really do feel like magic.

I'd love the chance to relive it all, and to share this story with others who may be where I once was: anxious, uncertain, and afraid to step into the world. This trip changed me. Maybe sharing it could help someone else take their first step too.

It wasn’t just a holiday. It was a turning point. I learned to trust myself, to trust others, and to embrace the unknown. 

If I were to win another trip, I would take my siblings with me because I realise how little I and they have seen of the world. I would love to give them the same opportunity that I had to explore at such a young age, as well as gain the same confidence and skills that I was able to.

📍 France – Belgium – Netherlands – Germany – Denmark – Sweden – Norway (and back again)

🗺️ 13 cities | 7 countries

🎥 I’d be honoured to be part of the documentary and inspire the next generation of Eurailers

At only twenty years old, I found myself and I ~found myself~ on the Eurail.

Desperate to be anywhere I wasn’t...

(And a big Before Sunrise fan)

As an ambitious young college hustler, I saved up my deep fried Applebee’s hostess fortune…

And made some f***ing dreams come true.

Laying by a canal, I couldn’t fathom how Amsterdam + Albuquerque could exist in the same universe.

Waiting on the night train in Serbia, I met a surprisingly kind mercenary -

(with a name so wild you’ll just have to choose me to find out)

Discovering that Budapest smells like bread in the mornings…

These travels and the lifelong friends made along the way have shaped the course of my life.

And another chance to do this would be so life changing, again. 

My second trip to Europe I got to plan on my own. It was for my husband’s birthday, and I “kidnapped him to “Fantasyland.” I worked it out with his boss for him to have the time off of work, and a week before I his birthday, I showed up at his work, and whisked him off to a secret destination. He thought I was taking him to Los Angeles for the weekend, until we didn’t leave LAX, and instead boarded a plane for Amsterdam! It was great fun surprising him. We stayed in Amsterdam, took the night train to Munich, stayed in a castle on the Rhine, spent a day at Rothenburg, drove the Autobahn, went to Neuschwanstein, and got lost more times than I care to admit to. It was a fantastic10 days! Though it wasn’t exactly a highlight, something silly turned out to be one of the best things that happened to us on the trip. Never having been on a real train before, taking the night train sounded like an adventure. We had a private sleeping compartment with a bathroom. As we’d flown all night, and spent the day in Amsterdam, I was ready for a shower and bed that night. The bathroom was small, and the sink was thin. When brushing my teeth, I was quite close to the mirror. Not quite having my “train” legs yet, I was very wobbly, and as the train made turn, I found myself (in slow motion) getting closer and closer to the mirror, until my forehead bumped it. Of course it only took a couple of seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. I immediately started laughing at myself, rubbing my forehead with my free hand. My husband heard the thump and asked if I was alright. Being extremely jetlagged, and amused, I couldn’t stop laughing. Not even knowing what I was laughing at when I came out of the bathroom, he started laughing too, because I just could not stop. Finally when I could breath again, I told him what happened, and he starting laughing again, which made me start laughing again, and we did this the whole trip. When I’d excuse myself to use the Ladies Room, he’d smile and say, “don’t bump your head,” and we’d both burst out laughing. I’m sure people thought we were crazy, but it was a fun inside joke, and the best memento  that we brought it home with us. 

It was an amazing trip! I’m taking my family to Germany this December to the Christmas Markets for my 60th birthday. Hoping to go again in better weather to be able to show them more of the countryside.

This winter, I set off on a Eurail adventure that I will never forget. Over the course of a month, I traveled through Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, and Hungary—all by train. What made it truly special was not just the breathtaking scenery or the seamless train journeys, but the personal milestone I’ll carry with me forever: I got engaged during this trip.

Traveling by train made the journey feel alive. Instead of rushing through airports, I was able to sit by the window and watch Europe unfold—snow-dusted villages in Germany, storybook castles in the Czech Republic, endless rolling countryside in Hungary, and the sparkling Adriatic coastline of Croatia. Each ride felt like part of the adventure, not just a way to get from one place to another.

Some highlights stand out vividly in my memory:

Germany – Standing in awe at the Neuschwanstein Castle and exploring Munich’s rich culture.

Netherlands – Wandering the canals of Amsterdam and embracing the cozy winter atmosphere.

Poland & Czech Republic – Walking through Krakow’s historic old town and marveling at the fairytale charm of Prague.

Croatia – Exploring Split and Dubrovnik, where the sea meets ancient stone walls.

Italy – Living a dream in Venice and Rome, where history and romance go hand in hand.

Slovenia – Discovering Ljubljana and the magical Postojna Caves.

Hungary – Ending the journey in Budapest, where the city lights sparkled across the Danube.

But the most unforgettable moment was deeply personal—my partner proposed to me on this journey. To say "yes" while traveling through some of Europe’s most magical destinations made this trip truly transformative. Every train ride became more than a journey; it became a celebration of love, adventure, and shared dreams.

This experience is one I want to share with others, especially with my fiancé, as we dream of future journeys together. Traveling Europe by train showed us not only the beauty of the continent but also the joy of slowing down, connecting, and truly experiencing each place we visited.

My Eurail trip wasn’t just about seeing new countries—it was about creating memories that will last a lifetime. And because of Eurail, my love story now includes the magic of train rides thr

ough Europe.