Tag: Lithuania

Embrace all experiences

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This week marks my last in Lithuania and I have yet to discuss any of my adventures here. My days have been incredibly busy as we tour various areas after work- visiting churches, museums and castles (oh and spending the weekends in other countries or on the coast). It has been a whirlwind of activity to say the least. Today I will attempt to start a small series of posts of my travel thus far within Lithuania.

I can’t quite explain what I expected upon arrival, but it was not this. It could have been due to exhaustion from prior travels, it could have been thousands of other reasons, but I arrived and was shocked. I allowed myself to be swallowed by all my doubts, worries and vivid imagination once I was at the dorm. The common rooms were stark and the dull paint glared down while you attempted to get the only wifi access available. The showers were deep within the basement (luckily there was a toilet in our room). Promptly at midnight all lights in the entire building go out. So, that night I went to bed exhausted and consumed with a nervous energy.

20140728-140615-50775502.jpgMy bedroom in the dorm.

20140728-140616-50776509.jpgThe common room.

Experience is just that – you live, you learn and you try new things. It was the following morning after my arrival that I decided to push out all the negative thoughts and embrace this experience fully. I was determined to have the most enjoyable time in Lithuania and have easily managed it. My dorm has since become home and I find myself missing it when traveling on weekends. Lithuania is a beautiful country and filled with incredibly kind people. It is funny how negative thoughts can quickly influence you, but better yet is to recognize it and be able to push them all away.

I am thankful for being able to be in this country and to be exposed to their culture and way of life. I think it is one of my favorite aspects of traveling, that every experience leaves you with new knowledge of not only the land and people, but gives you a deeper understanding of your true self.

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20140728-143040-52240799.jpgVienybės Square in Kaunas

20140728-143500-52500864.jpgMain street in the beautiful Kaunas

20140728-143556-52556482.jpgKaunas Castle – first mentioned in print in 1361

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20140728-144030-52830580.jpg“Together we love Kaunas”

So long, May…

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I feel that May has just quickly slipped by and is receding quickly into the ever withdrawing past.  It could be due to 19 days of inadequate sleep that preceded finals, or perhaps Connor’s short trip home which always goes by too quickly.  Regardless, it has been too long since my last post!

As I am adjusting to my summer lifestyle filled with work and my small adventures around Colorado (read: actually having time to enjoy life).  It has been so wonderful that I have been able to enjoy hiking with my favorite pup, Tioga.  I have even had time to climb outside even though the intense rain, hail and tornado warnings did put up quite the fight!

View from the top, enjoying a day of summer in Boulder, CO

View from the top, enjoying a day of summer in Boulder, CO

Tioga overlooking Boulder

Tioga overlooking Boulder

Things are quickly falling into place with my travels to Lithuania.  I have all flights reserved throughout Europe and have allotted a few weeks without plans to create some spontaneous adventure.  Due to the high cost of travel (and extensive time) to fly straight into Kaunas from Denver- I picked the cheapest European destination for flights (based on the Kayak Explore website I mentioned in a prior post).  Not only will I get to Europe on a less expensive flight, I also get to experience a new country.  I will jet-setting to Copenhagen, Denmark at the end of June and after a few days will meet up with my parents in London.  From London, we will be on the standard European tour of visiting Paris and Amsterdam.  Although I have been to all three of those places in the past, one cannot possibly have seen all that those cities offer in just short trips.  It is from Amsterdam that I embark on my venture to Kaunas, Lithuania!

I must say, I am not above staying in hostels.  I actually find them to be quite lovely, you just need to do your research prior to arriving.  (Connor and I made that mistake once in Puerto Natales out of pure desperation).  Hostels are the perfect way to meet other travelers and exchange stories, ideas and advice (ideal for the solo traveler, like me).

There are a few sites that I have used in the past for booking hostel reservations.  Hostel World and Hostel Bookers both are excellent.  They give reviews, pictures and locations of the hostels and only require a small downpayment for reservations.  Many people envision hostels with rooms filled to the brim with bunk beds (and in some cases that is extremely accurate), however many hostels allow you to select private rooms with private baths (and have even proved to be nicer than some hotels I have stayed in).

Backpacking prep in our hostel, Yagenhouse

Backpack prep in our hostel, Yagenhouse

Besides booking hostels, my to-do list is quite extensive and mostly filled with items to bring along.  I am hoping for a miracle however, as I just sent my backpack in for repairs on Monday and they quoted their return time to be 3-6 weeks.  Here’s to hoping I have it back before I leave!

If anyone has any suggestions of where to go and what to see, I would love to hear it!