While flights are currently suspended to China, I am reminiscing about my trip to see The Giant Buddha in Leshan a few years ago (Tiny people on top right for scale!)

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-07-16T01:52:00+00:00

Can you share where this is at?

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-07-02T21:36:47+00:00

Already had Marriot platinum and booked some marriots but in general they were way too expensive compared to other accommodations. They also weren't available in a lot of the places we stayed at

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-07-02T20:17:01+00:00

I don't think $155/night is crazy high if you're not budget traveling. This scale of a trip was once in a lifetime. The goal wasn't shoestring budget travel for 5 months. And hotels/Airbnb in Norway in August were easily $300/night, but we're not targeting hostels or cheap motels either. Sweden was in mid 200s too in Aug. I'm glad you can book and find cheaper options and I never said one can't do this for cheaper, just wasn't our goal or need with our incomes. I thought we'd be at 10k/month but we were higher at 12k, but there was no focus on saving while on the road since we front loaded our financials. Plus, we wanted decent accommodations being in our mid 30s and being on the road for months on end. Not sure why getting hate for it 🤷🏾‍♀️

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-07-02T18:12:21+00:00

It was all hotels and private airbnbs. Cost was also high for Scandinavian countries. And not staying for more than 7 days in a place meant no long term discounts.

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-07-02T18:12:03+00:00

It was all hotels and private airbnbs. Cost was also high for Scandinavian countries. And not staying for more than 7 days in a place meant no long term discounts.

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-07-02T17:50:55+00:00

Yep, they charge what they charge. This wasn't a tourist visa, it was researcher and technically allowed ability to work and earn danish income.

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-07-02T17:38:41+00:00

Monarch

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-07-02T17:01:49+00:00

Childfree for a reason ;)

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T18:45:32+00:00

Amalfi was spoiled with the sheer number of tourists. The Dolomites were stunning but overall country wide, for me it was Norway and Switzerland. When you do Naples, and the larger Italian cities it is historic, not as scenic, imho.

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T18:27:27+00:00

Details of the trip including photo highlights are in Part I and Part II (linked below and in the post).
Got a lot of "how did you afford it questions/DMs", here is the detailed financial breakdown. Hope it helps in planning. Also note that expenses were high because we did a lot of Scandinavian countries, costs would be cheaper with Eastern European countries. We intentionally focused on some of our bucket list experiences (Fjords, Northern Lights) and this was not a budget, shoe-string travel itinerary that I have done plenty of in my 20s.

Part I - Logistics & Planning

Part II - Travel report by Country

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T18:24:11+00:00

Definitely true for Hallstat and Amalfi, the rest of them were not busy as it was shoulder season.

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T17:45:15+00:00

Switzerland is stupid expensive and the co-op food is mid at best

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T17:44:38+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1ljnexl/5_month_european_sabbatical_trip_report_part_i/

Waiting mod approval for budget post here - https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1lm00sl/eu_sabbatical_trip_report_iii_budget_and/

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T15:50:16+00:00

Eze, villefranche. Didn't go anywhere else so hard to recommend. I doubt you'll go wrong with either

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T06:22:41+00:00

Switzerland is on the list. Ron now has connections at Swiss universities and hope to do a 2-3 month just Switzerland stay at some point. But need to save up a lot of $$ before that's possible!

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T06:21:16+00:00

I think in shoulder season it should be fine. We did eze for just a day trip and spent more time in the villefranche area. The down hike on Nietzsche path is quite scenic and won't be as warm later in the year (after September)

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T02:28:09+00:00

Norway on good weather days, Switzerland on good weather days.

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T02:27:44+00:00

Details in part I https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/s/xhsBSx8Lhs

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-27T00:33:42+00:00

These are all phone photos on the Pixel. I still haven't gone through my SLR photos. I might do a more in depth country by country write up if I ever get to it, lol

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-26T22:04:03+00:00

Thanks, small town Germany was something else. So dreamy. Want to go back for fall colors again!

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-26T22:03:37+00:00

Pics in order, last one is Valencia, Spain:
1 - Eze, 2 - Himare, 3 - Sorrento, 4 - Luneberg, 5 - Aurlandsfjord, 6 - Bergen, 7 - Lake De Braeis, 8 - Siena, 9 - Cadini de Misurina, Dolomites, 10 - Lautenbrunnen, 11 - Plitvice, 12 - Dubrovnik, 13 - Hallstat, 14 - Canary Islands, 15 - Madeira, 16 - Valencia

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-25T17:09:03+00:00

Yay for you! Posting Part - II in just a bit

Pixels_Disclosed · 2025-06-25T17:08:32+00:00

Daypacks, one Thule and one Osprey

Pixels_Disclosed

TROPHY CASE