No Juan Is An Island

They say that travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. If that’s the case, then the spring of 2017 was the moment I truly hit the jackpot. It has been years since I shouldered my backpack and set off for an 11-week odyssey across the European continent, yet the memories remain as vivid as a Polaroid developing in real-time.

This wasn’t just a vacation; it was a transition. In February 2017, I did what many dream of but few dare: I resigned from my job. With the ink barely dry on my resignation, I spent a whirlwind few weeks in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Beijing for my birthday. But the main event—the great “vacation-slash-adventure”—began when I boarded a flight from Beijing to Warsaw, Poland.

The Baltic Basecamp: Warsaw and Vilnius
Landing at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, I was greeted by a familiar face—a fellow traveler I had met three years prior on a trek in Sagada. It felt poetic to start a grand European tour with a connection made in the mountains of the Philippines. We spent days exploring the resilient streets of Warsaw and its neighboring Polish towns before I boarded a bus for Vilnius, Lithuania.

Vilnius would become my “home-base.” A dear friend offered his apartment, providing me with a sanctuary between my nomadic sprints. Having a place to leave my extra gear and return to for a home-cooked meal was a luxury that allowed me to embrace a “free itinerary.” I didn’t want to be a slave to a spreadsheet; I wanted to follow the wind.

The Central European Sprint
After a week of soaking in the Baroque beauty of Vilnius, the “spur-of-the-moment” bug bit me. I hopped a bus back through Warsaw and headed straight for Vienna, Austria.

In Vienna, the world felt small and beautifully connected. I stayed with a Filipina friend and her Austrian husband—the very same couple I had shown around my hometown of Baguio back in 2014. It was a heartwarming reversal of roles. While wandering the grand avenues of Vienna, I discovered that Bratislava, Slovakia, was less than an hour away. Naturally, I took the detour.

From there, it was off to Budapest, Hungary. I only gave myself two days there, a decision I still playfully regret. Budapest was surprisingly beautiful—the Parliament building glowing gold over the Danube is a

sight that stays with you.

From the Balkans to the Mediterranean
Next, I flew to Bucharest, Romania. This leg was a lesson in slow travel. The weather turned cold and rainy, thwarting my plans for long walks. Instead, I embraced the “CouchSurfing” spirit, staying with a local host and spending my days tucked away in cozy cafes and dusty museums.

Then came a detour I hadn’t planned: Italy. A former student insisted I visit their family in Milan. It’s funny how the best travel moments are the ones you didn’t schedule. Not only did I get to experience Milanese hospitality, but I was whisked away to the breathtaking shores of Lake Como in Lombardy—a slice of alpine paradise I would have otherwise missed.

My journey continued south to Thessaloniki, Greece. For a few days, life was simple: get a fresh haircut, wander the ruins of the second-largest Greek city, and eat my weight in kebabs and yogurt every single day.

To the East and Far North
Crossing into Istanbul, Turkey, marked a milestone. It was my first time entering a mosque and my first of what would eventually be three visits to this transcontinental city. Staying near the Blue Mosque, I met up with another CouchSurfing friend, bridging the gap between East and West over cups of strong Turkish tea.

The pace quickened. I flew to Kiev, Ukraine, for a brief but impactful visit before taking a massive geographic leap to Reykjavik, Iceland. My friend from Vilnius joined me here, and we spent a week immersed in the raw, cinematic landscapes of the North—nature walks that felt like stepping onto another planet.

The Baltic Cruise and Western Wonders
Back in Vilnius, we swapped our cold-weather gear for a four-country cruise. We bussed to Tallinn, Estonia, and boarded a ship that would take us through the followwing places:

Helsinki, Finland (my first of two visits)
Stockholm, Sweden (another first)
Back to Tallinn to get lost in its medieval Old Town.

After the high-energy cruise, I returned to Lithuania to “slow down.” I spent days cooking for my Lithuanian friends and taking quiet drives into the countryside, including a quick hop over to Latvia to see Riga, Jurmala, and Daugavpils.

The final leg of my 2017 adventure was a flight to Paris. Again, it wasn’t in the plan, but a friend’s prodding (and the allure of the Eiffel Tower) won me over. From the City of Light, I took a bus to Amsterdam to see the canals and, yes, try the infamous space cake.

I then headed to Dusseldorf, Germany, and finally Brussels, Belgium.
In Brussels, I reunited with a former student, now a doctor. Together with her husband, we toasted to the end of my trip with Belgian beer and warm waffles.

Reflections of a Wanderer
I eventually returned to Vilnius for my final few days—walking, sleeping, and reflecting. In those 11 weeks, I didn’t just see monuments; I saw the threads of my life—students, friends, and fellow travelers—woven across the map of Europe.

That 2017 trip broke me open in the best way possible. It taught me that an itinerary is just a suggestion, but a friend’s invitation is a command. It remains the most memorable chapter of my life, especially knowing it was just the first of many returns to the European continent.

Traveler’s Note: If you’re planning your own “unscripted” trip, my best advice is to leave room for the people you meet along the way. They are the ones who turn a vacation into a story.