Trans-European Hitch-Hike
Summer 2016
In 2016 I had the intentions of hiking the newly popularized and undeveloped long distance hiking trail called the Sultan’s Trail that spanned from Istanbul to Vienna with 1600 miles of undeveloped hiking in the mountains and country roads of Eastern Europe and Turkey. However, I got food poisoning and lost my phone which led to some significant delays and anxiety about completing the hike in the style that I hoped.
So, I decided to stick my thumb up from Istanbul and and travel throughout Europe with a bunch of rock climbing gear and a whole lot of STOKE. I ended up guiding rock climbing trips, being a farm hand, learning the syrillic alphabet, living in a van, rock climbing in amazing remote areas, and developing friendships that would last a lifetime.
I was just 19 at the beginning of this solo trip. It was instrumental in my growth as an individual. I immersed myself into so many rich cultures and activities and found myself in many diverse scenarios that helped drive the foundation of who I wanted to be as a person. Feeling enriched with so many unforgettable memories, I found myself wanting to enrich the lives of those around me and I still hold this sentiment very close to my heart.
Boats at a port in Durres, Albania
Haircut - after I met the French Boys - the clippers actual ran out of battery and I had a half-shaven head for a week or so :)
Golden Hour on the Ferry
Frenchy Boys posing
Sunset in Albania
Ice cream stop!
We were invited into a local bar in the foothills of Albania. Drank some beer, played some cards, on the house!
Racking up! - Montenegro
Crawfish King Kenzo
Camille shooting the shot
The Vito could not make it up the hill so we unloaded all of our gear from it to make it lighter. And a fellow Montenegrin man with a tractor pulled us out.
Chalked up
Lunch
View of the Vito from atop the Crag - Montenegro
A friendly hopper perched on Camille's hand
Pernilla night journaling
Skateboarding in the streets of Split, Croatia with my mini keyboard piano
Jammin!
Paul and I
Jumping off of Tuna Observation ladders in Lukovo, Croatia
DWS in Pula, Croatia
Daily arm wrestle with Kenzo
Finding directions
Writing rap lyrics in Bled, Slovenia
The French Boys and the Vito
Camille could not find his lighter
Busking for some noodles in Ljubljana
Spray Cans in Bulgaria
Totem in Bulgaria
Crag pup
Jammin in Prohodna
The God's Eyes Cave in Prohodna Bulgaria
Jan, doing his thing
Mixing up some concrete for renovation efforts
Post-renovation crew enjoying some classic stick bread prepared by Jan
Doing some work on the chimney of the Bulgarian Alpine Hut on the side of a limestone crag!
Lunch Break for the renovation crew
Streets of Istanbul
View of the Bulgarian Alpine Club Hut
Nuri Billur
Cherry's from Grandpa/ma's orchard
Old school village style stove with Turkish Tea Kettle
Slugs gone wild
Road toward the Crimson Moutains
Aladaglar campsite
Grandpa's Grapefruits
Antique shop in Kadikoy
View from the hostel
Sneaky guy
Ferry boarding location on the Bosporus
Gizmo!