My best friend always repeated to
me that traveling with a backpack, no plan and no hot shower is not my thing.
It’s true that I’d rather prefer a beach and the sea with a full board included
to sweating in sneakers when climbing a mountain with 20kg backpack in +30°
summer day with no proper bathroom and sunburnt face.
However, it was Christmas Eve,
11.30 in the evening, when I was speaking with my Ukrainian friend who’d just
got her visa and was determined to see snow for NY somewhere in Europe. 30 mins later we decided to meet in Munich next day and go to Portugal by hitchhiking with almost
no money, and even worse – no plan. And this is how my 2-week adventure
started. Challenging, awesome and full of surprises.
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| Porto, Portugal |
Surprise 1. Italian trains.
It’s crazy. ‘Trenitalia’ offers
all kinds of trains: regional ‘slow’ trains that take you on short distances,
more expensive IC trains and luxurious Frencciarossa trains that will bring you from Rome to Naples in 70 mins. Knowing a guy who managed
to cover all Italy
for free, we decided to try our luck as well.
On first 2 connections Bozen – Verona and Verona – Milan our tickets were
never checked, and we successfully saved 30 euros each. Our next shot Milan – Genova was not that ‘smooth and easy’: controllers
were not moved by our ‘We’re from Ukraine’, ‘Esta guerra in Ucrania’
and ‘Bella ciao’ song, and kicked our asses out of the train. Twice. Still, we
managed to reach the city by 3 trains and no expenses.
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| Christmas Milan |
But when the doors of
Frencciarossa train closed after me, I got really scared: controllers are
everywhere, no stops between 2 big cities and worst part ever: you’ll not be
kicked out, you’ll be taken away your documents…and don’t want to imagine what
is next. It ended up with a lot of stress, stories to explain the absence of a
ticket, and in total – 280 euros saved. Only on trains. Only in Italy.
Still, I think I would prefer hitchhiking to this madness at least in the next
several months.
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| Florence Duomo |
Surprise 2. French hitchhiking
We did hitchhiking in Germany, France
and Spain.
But French experience is something I can’t but mention: 900 km from Nice to San Sebastian in 1 day, 9
cars and max. waiting time – 5-6 mins.
A guy with a kid stopped, a guy
with 3 kids stopped, people who took another way to bring us closer to our
destination. We were once left on the highway, stopped by the police and
successfully let free, had to speak English, Ann – Spanish with Italian words,
use gestures and our charm. And it worked!
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| San Sebstian reached! |
Surprise 3. Monegasque chick
The first thing you notice upon
arrival in this paradise of luxury is the smell of good perfume at the exit of
the railway station! Not McDonald’s, not sweat, not socks but perfume! The
streets are full of Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini cars, orange trees are
planted along the roads and public elevators! take you down from the top of the
mountain to the yacht harbor. My friend and I just asked for the way to Prince Albert Palace
and got the invitation to see Monaco
from the window of the car going 100 km/h on curved roads of it.
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| Morozova and Monaco |
Monaco is amazingly rich. Here is
the tunnel where sports cars can reach up to 300 km/h during Monte-Carlo
Gran-prix race. Here is a famous casino right in the centre where mostly Russian,
French and Swiss billionaires squander their money. Here is a Christmas market:
no souvenirs, gluhwine and sausages. Come on, this is Monaco: a red carpet,
pavilions of YSL, Lanvin, McQueen and champagne served in crystal glasses
instead of hot wine in paper cups.
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| Monaco view from the top |
Yes, it’s not the country of the
poor. Moneqasques consider French living in Nice –bagmen, can afford buying a
small flat in Monaco
for at least 2 mln. euros, and support their ‘poor’ with 2,5 mln. flats given
by the state. I haven’t seen homeless Moneqasques, but may assume that these
are people wearing Louboutin shoes from the last collection, having only 1 pair
of Gucci glasses and collecting from the streets ha! champagne bottles
decorated with Swarovski crystals. Monaco, indeed, you’re amazing!
Surprise 4. Naples, Italy.
If you’re tired of amazing
architecture of Florence, Monaqasque chick, views
from Cabo Da Roca or fashionable Milan, welcome
to Naples! To
the world of garbage bins on the main streets, labyrinths of ‘Spanish
quarters’, 3 people riding one moped and trash-mud-dust-ruins everywhere. It
really amazed me, even more than Milan and Pisa altogether.
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| No doubt, the true Naples |
If they have a historic building
in the centre, it will be under construction for ages. If you go to smaller
streets, you’ll see women yelling at each other from two opposite houses,
you’ll be scared to walk and get a bucket of dirty water on your head, or hit
by a bike, or get lost between a pile of trash…and a pile of trash. They have a
20-people line near every street-food bar, weird metro, 1 castle to be proud of
(people, have you see real castles in your life? Go to Lithuania instead!), and the statue
of Jesus Christ which reminds death in a hood.
Naples,
Naples! Ah,
yeah, there will be a guy to park your car for 3 euros on the pavement (if you
first manage to get to the place) and locals who comment all landmarks smth.
like: ‘This is an old statue’, ‘Of whom?’ , ‘Who knows?’ Thanks, Captain
Obviousity. The one thing you can be sure of – Naples will not let you stay indifferent!
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| Naples local, this time showing me Pompeii: 'This is Pompeii, you know, this old city...' |
It’s not the whole story, of
course. There were much more surprises, emotions, people and stories, and all
you need for this is to buy a one-way ticket and be open for adventures!
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| To be continued... |
Kisses and hugs, Juliya.
