This winter, I traveled to Budapest with a friend. I was excited when we set off, but I never imagined that this trip would affect me so emotionally.
During our stay in Budapest, we stayed in a mixed-gender hostel. My friend had booked it. I thought there wouldn’t be many people in our room, but when we entered, it turned out there were two girls and five other guys. At that moment, I felt uneasy. Sharing a room with strangers in a foreign country was really challenging for me on the first night. I even had trouble sleeping.
But the next day, things slowly started to change. On the second night, we found ourselves chatting with everyone—where they were from, which countries they had visited, why they were traveling… Everyone was sharing their stories. The tension from that first night turned into a warm atmosphere. That moment made me realize: as you get to know people, your fears shrink.
Another detail that made me happy at the hostel was a very sweet orange female cat. The owner was one of the hostel staff. She told me that if I wanted to pet the cat, I should call her by name and use a brush. I did just that. A few seconds later, the cat came over and let me pet her. It was a small moment, but very meaningful to me. On those cold winter days, it gave me an unexpected warmth.
While exploring Budapest, I noticed a place I had seen on TikTok a week earlier: a fairground! Right next to it was a huge ice rink and a historic building. While my friend and I were visiting museums, I realized that the place I most wanted to visit was right across the street. After walking through the Christmas market, I ran there alone. I couldn’t believe my eyes: the rides were thrilling and so much fun. They were expensive, but totally worth experiencing. I tried almost everything, but my favorite was the “Crazy Dance.” I spun around in circles for what felt like hours—it was hilarious and exhilarating at the same time. Right after, I indulged in my weakness: dessert. A chocolate waffle with bananas and strawberries… it felt like a dream.
Later, we traveled to Vienna using BlaBlaCar. The journey itself was an experience. Sharing a car with strangers, chatting along the way, and making new friends reminded me how joyful it is to be on the road.
In Vienna, we stayed in a surprisingly nice and affordable hotel. It had breakfast, but it was very expensive, so we bought our own food from the market right across the street. At first, we laughed, saying, “Wow, are we really staying in a place like this?” It was cheap, comfortable, and practical. That moment made me realize how valuable small flexibility and practical solutions are when traveling.
And of course, it was snowing in Vienna. The streets were pure white, the buildings shining… I felt the peace of being in the city and leaving all struggles behind. It was like being in a movie scene.