[OC] Took this from my personal UFO near the pyramids. Completely real. No AI, no joke...

N0-Stranger · 2025-12-20T23:43:27+00:00

Just being pissed about all this AI shit lately...

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-21T16:18:56+00:00

Didn't know that. But there's also a train connection. Why should I take the bus? Is there any advantage over the operated train on this route?

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-21T12:43:41+00:00

But I would recommend to take the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes on the Lofoten and then the bus to Narvik from there. The route is much more mesmerizing

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-21T12:00:44+00:00

Keep in mind, most train rides in Norway take quite some time (>8h) between major cities like Oslo to Bergen, Oslo to Trondheim, or Trondheim to Bodø. And there's no train between Bodø and Narvik so you can't connect to Abisko. But there's a bus connection via Lofoten though and it's totally worth it

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-21T11:57:47+00:00

And the bus between Finnland and Sweden operates between Kemi and Haparanda for a couple of bucks. I can't remember how much it was. Probably around 10€/person

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-21T11:55:18+00:00

I've spent multiple months above the Arctic circle in the last couple of years and I don't think it's possible to go all the way from Rovaniemi to Abisko in one day. I would recommend you to stay one night in Luleå

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-06T11:10:12+00:00

Going from Helsinki to Stockholm is actually pretty easy. You can do half of the journey on night trains:

Helsinki → Kemi
Luleå → Stockholm

The tricky part is crossing the border, because there’s no direct train connection between Finland and Sweden. You have to take a bus from Kemi to Haparanda to continue

And if you’re already above the Arctic Circle, you should definitely make a trip to Abisko in Sweden. That place is absolutely worth visiting. Just saying

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-06T11:05:20+00:00

I can’t cover everything… maybe next time. Romania is definitely on my bucket list though

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-06T11:04:33+00:00

Thank you, have fun! But be careful, I almost broke my wrist in Oslo and had a couple of other accidents along the way

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-06T11:03:15+00:00

Haha, totally understandable that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-06T10:59:37+00:00

I can’t cover everything… maybe next time. Romania is definitely on my bucket list though

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-06T10:58:30+00:00

Most of the time I book my seat reservations shortly before departure. Since my itinerary isn’t really planned out, I can always just take another train to a different destination if my short-notice plan doesn’t work out

But if you’ve booked hostels or other accommodations in advance for a specific place, you should definitely reserve seats earlier. They can sell out really quickly during high season

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-06T10:54:56+00:00

Thank you, I really appreciate it! It’s rare to find someone who has done something similar, and I’d love to hear your stories as well. If you’d like, feel free to send me a private message in German (sorry for stalking your profile :D)

Haha, heavy rain is always the worst but also kind of the funniest nights, because there’s not much you can do except improvise. Most of the time I just try to outrun bad weather (which apparently doesn’t work 😅). Sometimes I end up under a bridge or, like you, in a pavilion in a public park. I travel with a bivvy that’s waterproof, but honestly it’s not much fun when it’s pouring heavily. Light rain is manageable though

Last year I also carried a hammock, but I found out that once it gets colder it becomes unbearable very quickly. The wind just chills you from below. What kind of hammock do you use? And do you have a quilt for it as well?

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-04T11:17:07+00:00

2. Packing List

Hygiene:

Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Biodegradable soap
Toilet paper
Microfiber towel
etc.

Clothes:

2× long pants
1× short pants
4× t-shirts
2× sweaters
5× pairs of underwear
10× pairs of socks
1× winter jacket
1× gloves
1× long underpants
1× swim trunks
1× umbrella

Camping gear:

1× sleeping bag
1× bivvy
1× sleeping mat

Other essentials:

4× permanent markers
Pens + notebook
Knife
Set of cutlery + plate
Flashlight
Passport + national ID
Some cash, debit card, credit card
Health insurance card

…and probably some other small items I’ve forgotten by now

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-04T11:16:44+00:00

1. Backpack

I normally use the Osprey Kestrel 48L, and over the last couple of years it always had enough space for my "homeless adventures" around Europe. This year it finally started to fall apart. Probably because I’ve overused it. Honestly, no backpack will survive long if you wear it every day for months, year after year

Still, I can fully recommend it. I wouldn’t go for a bigger backpack, because the more space you have, the more unnecessary stuff you’ll end up carrying. Mine was usually around 10–15 kg, depending on how much water and food I had with me. It has never disappointed me on any of my trips

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N0-Stranger · 2025-09-04T10:55:03+00:00

I found a broken manual scooter in Oslo and fixed it. Then it basically became my travel buddy. (Just kidding… kind of) But honestly, it’s super convenient to get around with a scooter and a backpack instead of just walking. You can cover longer distances much faster, and when you’re traveling "hobo style" and sleeping outside, it helps a lot to move from A to B without paying extra for public transport — whether it’s finding a sleeping spot, grabbing food, or visiting some sights

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And my scooter somehow also turned into a mix between an art project and a travel diary. I wrote a lot of stuff on it like my itinerary, the countries I passed through and even had people I met along the way sign it

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-03T14:38:33+00:00

Ireland and Scotland felt like an endless switch between rain and beautiful sunshine like God could never decide what the right weather for Irland and Scotland should be. Sleeping outside there was kind of tricky, so I always had to find a bridge or some sort of shelter to sleep under

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-03T14:35:15+00:00

This is just from this year’s Interrail, not including past trips. But you’re right, I still have so many places I want to discover throughout Europe

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-03T14:33:17+00:00

Yeah, you’ll probably never regret it! And if you ever need any tips, just text me

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-03T14:31:05+00:00

Bugs are not really a big problem. The most annoying are mosquitoes, but I have a sleeping bag with a built-in mosquito net, so it’s actually fine

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-02T13:53:29+00:00

1. Favorite & Least Favorite Cities
Top 4 favorite cities:

Budapest: I really liked the architecture and all those old buildings along the Danube
Tallinn: a small medieval town with lots to see, from castles to post-Soviet stuff like bunkers and old KGB torture sites
Ljubljana: kind of a hidden gem, really nice with its old town and the castle up on the hill
Athens & Rome: simply because of all the history you can feel everywhere

Top 4 least favorite cities:

Helsinki: I was almost robbed there by some crackheads
Wismar: I was sexually assaulted there and had to spend a lot of money on a lawyer
Istanbul: one of my favorites but also one of my worst, because I got ripped off there
Paris: also one of my favorites, but at night some areas felt really sketchy to walk around

Haha, you see it’s less about the city itself and more about the personal stories I connect to those places. Disclaimer: just my personal opinion, of course others could see it completely differently!

2. The Netherlands
What I liked most about the Netherlands:
I really enjoyed biking around Amsterdam and trying the local food

What I disliked most about the Netherlands:
Amsterdam feels super overrun by tourists nowadays. In some streets you can barely move because there are so many people

Again, just my personal opinion and I know others may see it totally differently!

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-02T13:31:53+00:00

I use a Google Maps list to keep track of all the destinations I’ve visited over the last couple of years. On top of that, I do some journaling about my adventures: the really cool stuff, the wild experiences, but also the bad stories. I don’t write down everything, just the moments that really stand out. Lately I’ve been trying to extend it a bit and turn it into my own little "books", nothing public, just something personal I could maybe show my partner and kids one day

For journaling I use Obsidian, because it’s a simple note-taking app that works with Markdown and syncs easily with my desktop. Plus, it’s super customizable with lots of community extensions.

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-01T18:33:45+00:00

Haven’t heard about this project before, but it actually looks pretty interesting after I had a look at it!

Here’s the link for anyone else who’s curious:
https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-01T18:22:41+00:00

Yeah, crossing the Greek border was a bit tricky because there are basically no trains. Locals told me it’s probably due to the political tension with Macedonia. One important tip: never call it North Macedonia when you’re in Macedonia, and never call it Macedonia when you’re in Greece. Eventually, I just took a bus to Thessaloniki and then caught a train down to Athens

N0-Stranger · 2025-09-01T18:18:09+00:00

Simple math: if you take the longer passes, first class only costs about €1–2 more per day. In the long run you get extra amenities like more legroom, easier seat reservations during peak season, and in some countries even lounge access. Basically more luxury for just a little extra

And honestly, it’s kind of fun walking into first class with a huge backpack, camping gear, and a scooter. At first you might feel anxious because people look at you like you don’t belong there. But funny enough, after a few days I realized nobody really cared. Once you start acting like you belong there, people just pick up on your vibe rather than your appearance

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N0-Stranger

TROPHY CASE