Fresh out of the University of California, San Diego in late June 1998, I was ready for an adventure. My friends Brian, Rachel, and I initiated that summer by embarking on our own "Grand Tour" of Western Europe. We established our home base in Röthenbach an der Pegnitz, a quiet town right outside Nürnberg, Germany, before setting off to see the continent.
Back then, we did not have the digital luxuries we rely on today. Google had only just launched, so planning a trip meant spreading out physical maps and thumbing through dog-eared travel guidebooks by hand. Despite the analog challenges, we successfully plotted a nearly 10,000 kilometer journey across two distinct segments through Western Europe. This specific trip sparked my lifelong love affair with traveling. The images you see here were captured on a Samsung 35mm compact camera with a zoom lens. I had the rolls developed and scanned them myself years later. That camera is now considered a classic, and for a 30 year-old piece of plastic and glass, the photos still hold up surprisingly well.
"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries." — Aldous Huxley
Southern Germany
After spending a few days acclimating with our dear friends (Brian's cousins), we packed our loaner vehicle, an Opel Kadett, with camping gear and hit the road. Our friends were planning to sell the Opel eventually, but they graciously allowed us to drive it all over Europe first, complete with their camping equipment stowed in a jetpack cargo carrier on the roof. We traveled light, needed very little, and had an absolute blast.
The rolling green fields of Bavaria seemed to stretch on forever. Every few miles we would spot another small town, inevitably centered around a church steeple. Religion was a major force in Bavaria then, just as it is now. It influenced everything from the mandatory religious studies in school to the strict shop hours. Although I am a devout atheist, I still found the pervasive cultural influence fascinating from a purely curious standpoint.
Driving on the Autobahn was an experience in itself. The legendary tales you hear about there being "no speed limit" are not entirely true. In the stretches between towns with nothing but horizon for miles, sure, the speed limit does not apply. However, as soon as you approach a town of any size or a major city, the limits definitely kick in, usually dropping to between 60 and 120 kilometers per hour. In the summer of 1998, the Autobahn was mostly open road, though we did occasionally run into the dreaded Stau, or traffic jams.
France hosted the World Cup, or Weltmeisterschaft, in 1998, and the energy spilled over the borders. I vividly remember Croatian fans celebrating their team's victory against Germany in Munich, driving around town waving the checkered Croatian flag and honking their horns wildly. Europeans take their football seriously, and the Croatian fans living in Germany were certainly no exception.
In Munich, we camped right in the heart of town along the Isar River. In those days, countries still used their own currencies as the Euro was a few years away. I remember the daily ritual of carrying a handful of Deutschmark coins to the shower block in the morning to buy hot water. You received exactly two minutes of heat per Deutschmark before it switched back to freezing cold. The trick was timing it just right so you were not caught mid-shampoo when the hot water ran out.
Großglockner Hochalpenstraße and Salzubrg, Austria
Our first major leg took us south from Nürnberg, through the stunning Großglockner Hochalpenstraße and into Austria. The views were magnificent, and even in the height of summer, snow still clung to the mountain peaks. Yet, down in the valley during the day, it was warm enough to walk outside in shorts and a t-shirt. I was completely mesmerized by the contrast.
"The hills are alive with the sound of music..."
I had grown up watching The Sound of Music and seeing the scenes filmed in Salzburg, Austria. Seeing it in person, however, was a completely different experience. At that time, the massive crowds had not yet fully invaded Europe during the summers, so you could still stroll the city in relative peace. Even major attractions like the Mirabell Gardens had minimal tourists. Salzburg was amazing, and it is definitely on my list of places to revisit.
Florence and Venice
The Italians have a wonderful phrase, il dolce far niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing. The Florentines and Venetians practice it well. After crossing over into Italy from Austria, we stayed at Camping Fusina Venezia, situated just across the lagoon from Venice. Taking the ferry into Venice proper was incredibly easy. I really enjoyed wandering the labyrinthine streets of La Serenissima, and the city holds a special place in my heart. I have been back a few times since, and while a lot has changed, much remains exactly as I remembered it.
From Venice, we drove across Tuscany and settled into the Michelangiolo Camping in the hills high above Florence. The views were spectacular, and it was just a short half-mile walk down into the city center. Florence is awe-inspiring for a first-time visitor, offering sweeping views of the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, and the terracotta expanse of a major Tuscan city.
One evening, we found a small trattoria tucked away from the main tourist thoroughfare. We ordered pizza and beer. It was a thin, Napolitano-style pizza, unlike anything I had previously eaten, which was mostly Pizza Hut and the occasional Domino's. Authentic Italian pizza is something you never forget. We have access to better food back home now, but nothing truly beats eating a fresh slice of pizza in Italy.
London, Paris, and Berlin
We returned to Röthenbach to rest, catch up with friends again, and plan the next stage of our trip. This leg would see us visiting three major European capitals: London, Paris, and Berlin. Driving up towards Calais, France, we camped on a very windy beach before heading into the Chunnel towards England. Emerging in Folkestone, just southwest of Dover, we headed towards London. We got lost in many roundabouts and nearly killed ourselves entering one in the wrong direction, but we eventually made it safe and sound.
Arriving in London, we camped in Abbey Wood and took the train into the city. Abbey Wood may not get a lot of love from locals, but the campground was spectacular. We saw foxes and deer right from our tent, though the mornings were bitingly cold for someone used to Southern California weather. Taking the train in each day, we explored as much of London as we could as first-timers. The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, St. James's Park, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and more. You name it, we saw it. It was hectic, but I am glad we did it, as it gave me ideas on what I want to concentrate on in the future.
I did take a brief pause to enjoy a few hours sipping coffee at a Costa overlooking Trafalgar Square. That time allowed me to relax and reflect on all the new experiences I had seen. It is often hard to reflect in the moment as you are busy navigating the immediate challenges ahead of you, and often it is hard to really appreciate what you are experiencing. Having a moment or two of quiet time finally allowed for that.
"A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life." — Thomas Jefferson
Next up was Paris. We went back through the Chunnel and started our drive towards Paris, where we camped in the Bois de Boulogne. The campground was located just outside the 16th arrondissement and was quite convenient to the metro and the rest of the city. We explored most of the city center and enjoyed a significant amount of French food and wine. Little did I know that I would be spending a significant chunk of my time living in Paris a little over a decade later, so this proved to be excellent practice
Thirty minutes by train from Paris is Versailles, where the famed Château de Versailles of Louis XIV serves as the main attraction. This would not be my last time there, but the extravagance of the château itself is hard to describe if you have never been. Ornate marble columns, oversized paintings, gold leaf, tall ceilings with frescoes overhead, and vast manicured gardens were everywhere. To think that someone actually lived here, even a king, was unimaginable to me. It is worth visiting for sure, but you can certainly see why everyday French citizens were not happy about these excesses.
After Paris, we headed northeast towards the German capital of Berlin. We actually ended up camping just outside of the city in Potsdam. Yes, that Potsdam, where the historic agreement was signed in August 1945 by the victorious Allies. We mostly stayed near the city center in Berlin and saw fragments of the Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and many other sights of note. Berlin is a city that I will visit again, as I have not been back since that first visit and I know a lot has changed.
The trip ended back where we started in Röthenbach. I had some time to wind down, reflect, and think about what I had learned and seen. It was also the beginning of another chapter in my life as I was now leaving university and having to do this "adulting" thing for real. Still, nearly 30 years later, I think fondly of that first big, long trip to Europe and feel blessed that I had the opportunity to do so. The adventure begins!
Looking Forward
As I prepare for my own retirement in the next few years, trips like these serve as a prototype for the future. They are "beta tests" for a lifestyle of exploration. That first European trip taught me that while financial independence provides the means to travel, it is the curiosity and willingness to embrace the culture that provides the value.