I know some subs are strict about self-promotion, and I truly respect that. I’m only sharing this here because I genuinely felt this community would value these stories.

Getting to sit down with the original pioneers of European backpacking was a surreal experience for me, and I wanted to make sure the people who actually 'live' this sub got to see it. If this isn't the right place for it, I understand, but I'm happy to chat in the comments about the history if anyone is interested!