Kevin Fitzpatrick

Europe & Eurail Traveler

When did you go on your Europe trip?
June-August 2001
How old were you when you took this trip?
33
Including your air ticket and other expenses (incl. air ticket, rail passes, etc.), about how much did your trip cost?
$2000
Nationality
Ireland
Where do you live now?
Buffalo, New York, USA
Did you buy a rail pass?
Yes
What pass(es) did you buy?
Eurail one month 1st class
Occupation

Before your trip: physician
Now: physician

How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
Not at all. I had changed jobs and took the time between finishing one and starting the next.

What is the route you took/places you visited?
France-Netherlands-Belgium-Switzerland-Italy-France-Luxembourg

Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
Had the time.

What did your family, friends, co-workers, etc. think of your trip? Were they supportive of you? What is their opinion of your traveling and railing around Europe?
Everyone was supportive. Some were a bit jealous I think.
Out of all your experiences traveling around Europe, what was the:
- Best Moment
  Sitting on a bridge in Paris.
- Worst Moment
  A bad hotel in Venice.
- Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
  Contacting a friend in Luxembourg.
- Biggest surprise?
  How friendly Parisians are.
Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
Vivian, a Russian who had moved to Amsterdam and was early in the three-year process of converting from male to female. A character who is difficult to forget.

How much planning and preparing did you do?
Planning is for tourists

What was your favorite piece of gear?
Lonely Planet guide.

What did you bring, that in hindsight you could've left at home?
Guide book published by Eurail.

How did your trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
Reaffirmed my notion of similarities among people. Each country had unique personalities; however, there was a similar human thread through each.

If you had to sum up your trip in one sentence, what would it be?
A leisurely trip, without agenda from cities to mountains to beaches and back.

Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another trip to Europe?
Yes. I'll return, for a shorter time, this summer.

Why do you think people should take longer trips like this? Why not just take a regular old one- or two-week vacation instead?
Packaged tours are too insulated. It consists of people from a similar culture, similar background and similar language travelling together. Visiting countries on these tours is like visiting the zoo. You are conveniently removed from interacting with the natives and in too comfortable a setting. There is little challenge to grow as a person. Although, the price is sometimes hard to beat.

What is the most valuable thing you learned?
A great hostel in Switzerland, the Backpackers Villa in Interlaken. Ask for the Jungfrau room.

What is the biggest myth that people have about traveling Europe by rail?
Don't know any myths.

Why do you like to travel?
The different people you meet.

What is your advice for people planning their own Europe trip?
Get a guide book and go. Just enjoy.

What is a tip about Eurailing you would have, that would help other travelers who are using train travel in Europe?
First, be safe, always be aware of your surroundings. Also, check the prices of some of the 1st class tickets, often they are not much more expensive, particularly if you are travelling with others.

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