Munich, Germany – December 19-21, 2017
What a shock to leave the sunny, 18-degree Celsius Lisbon and to arrive at the snowy, sub-zero Munich airport. After a 20-minute walk from
the main railway station to our hotel – it looked so much closer on the map – we unpacked our bags and headed to Augustiner-Bräu brewery for a late evening dinner and a pint. The next day, donned in our packable autumn jackets and newly purchased scarves and tuques, we walked along the festive stalls of Christkindlmarket, the oldest recorded Christmas market in Germany. Munching on a few roasted chestnuts as we gazed from stall to stall, we were quickly swept into the spirit of the Holidays. And, as we know, Holidays are incomplete without spirits! So we strolled to a Glühwein stall to enjoy a cup of the hot mulled wine. While the Glühwein did warm our bellies and produced a nice red glow on our cheeks, our toes were still frozen and 
complaining. Lunch at the Schneider Bräuhaus would remedy that! After lunch and a pint, we meandered our way back to the hotel for a much needed nap. Fully rested and ready for more exploration, we headed east to check out the Tollwood Winterfestival. Packed into these fair-like grounds with hundreds of people, we passed the drinking halls, the crafty and foodie stalls – the hip and über-hip – and the delicious smells reminding us – oh, those demanding bellies – we were hungry. Heading to another bräuhaus (because… why not?), we were very disappointed to find a full house – oh, yeah! College winter break. We wandered for a bit and stumbled upon “Marais Soir”, a cozy French bistro with great food and service. Feeling that we packed the full spirit of the Holidays and Bavaria – and a little French bonus – in less than 36 hours, we headed back to the hotel to nestle all snug in our bed. The next day, we boarded our train bound for Vienna. Passing through Salzburg and its Bavarian alpine scenery, we said goodbye to our short-lived winter journey.
2017 in review
From September 1 to December 22, we travelled to 13 countries within Europe and North Africa:
- boarded 9 flights
- rode on 7 trains and 3 buses (intercity & international)
- hired 3 long-distance taxis
- rented 2 cars
- crossed from one continent to another in 1 ferry
- and trekked 75km in 4 days
Travelling within a set budget, we sought out mid-range accommodation, and often decided our next destination based on the lowest cost of travel. During those 97 days, we spent:
- On average, $86.24 CAD per night in 21 accommodations, with the cheapest at $50.93/night in Sarajevo and the most expensive at $160.00/night in Munich.
- An average of $70 CAD per person in flights, rail, buses, ferries and car rentals to over 25 destinations.
In total we t
ravelled 20, 366 Km, crossing the Balkans and circumnavigating the Mediterranean Sea. We visited countless monuments – although we did attempt to keep track of the UNESCO Heritage Sites – dipped our toes in the Aegean and the Adriatic, climbed mountains, walked in deserts, explored cities, and discovered delicious foods. We also had visits from wonderful friends who came to meet us along our travels and met up with friends who live far from home. Through all of our travels we met wonderful, genuine individuals that made these experiences so much more memorable. Thank you all.
We are fortunate and feel very grateful that we have the opportunity to live this long-time dream. As we travel from place to place, we are also grateful to friends and family who support and share this experience with us. With you along, we are very excited to place our next pin to the map. We’ve said goodbye to 2017, Europe and North Africa. Now we say hello to 2018 and Southeast Asia.
Happy New Year!