​Today marks two weeks since I embarked on this crazy adventure. In some ways it feels like I’ve been on the road for months, but at the same time I feel like I JUST got here. I don’t think I’ll be happy to leave in a month… but let’s see what the next 4 weeks has in store for me! So far, it’s been a really interesting trip. I’ve never spent this much time so alone in a foreign land, but I’m absolutely soaking in every single moment.

​I spent the first week in England, splitting my time between 3 different cities. They were all extremely different from each other, but I liked all of them. The first was Brighton, which was a place I’d wanted to go to for years. I spent a perfect evening on the pier there, and I really couldn’t have asked for a better start to my trip! The next city was the big one: London! I stayed in a hostel really close to Tower Bridge and got to see the sunset pour over the London skyline every day. After a few days in the capital, I took the train north- to Milton Keynes- to visit my aunt and uncle. I'd heard a lot of mixed reviews about Milton Keynes from various people, but I really liked it. I think I got a little lucky on the weather front though, because it stayed dry throughout the weekend I was there. There's also something I really enjoy about a small town in Europe, and the quaintness of it. It reminded me a little of my host-family's town in Denmark too, Aars. I miss that place! 
After a great first week in England, I took a flight to Porto. Oh Porto, what a city! As soon as I saw the lush landscape of Portugal through my airplane window, I felt a rush of excitement course through me. Unbeknownst to me, THIS was had been I had been waiting for. After all, this was the first town I would truly be alone; in London I had the safety of my aunt and uncle being a stone throw's away if I needed them. Here, I was going to have to fend completely for myself. And with that thrill of independence, the first thing I did after dropping my bags off in my (super nice) hostel was: getting an ice cream cone. Twenty-two years old, and there's still something so exciting about ice cream in a cone.
I practically ran around the streets of Porto that first day, feeling particularly free now that I was in a city warm enough to wear a t-shirt and shorts worry-freely, and high on the energy the city was pulsing with. Everyone around me seemed to be taking it in too, the cobblestones were covered with retired couples holding hands and looking as in love with each other as they must have been when they first got married. There were street performers and magicians, school kids singing songs in costumes and talented artists selling their work. The air was humid and sweet- the lingering aromas of the pastel de natas and port wine hung in the air like candy. I even called my parents to show them how gorgeous it all was, and they immediately  said I was glowing- but that may have just been the sweat from the steep hills I was running up and down. 
After that first adrenaline-induced day, the rest of my days went a bit slower. The hills were tiring me out faster than I'd have liked, and the heat made it hard to be outside for too long, especially around mid-day. The most troublesome thing, though, were the crowds. Every street was packed full, and this was still during the off-season! I couldn't imagine being there when it was actually at capacity. Porto isn't a very large town, and it felt like there were barely any locals, just a million tourists. I still managed to see the sights, though, including the famous wall from the Igreja do Carlo, the Luis I Bridge, Porto Sao Bento, Torre de Clerigos, and much more! 
That's it from me for now, stay tuned for the in-depth city blogs! I hope to write much more about each place, but I can't promise anything as this whole backpacking thing is slightly more tiring than I expected! Ciao meus amigos! 
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I’m finally doing it. I’ve booked my flights, made my reservations, and it’s happening. I’m going backpacking around Europe! I’m going by myself, for 6 weeks- which some people think is too long, and some people think it’s too short, but I think it’s going to be perfect. There are so many firsts here: my first international trip alone, first time BACKPACKING, first time being away from home for so long, and my first time travelling for this long all at once.  The only time I’ve travelled for this long has been our family trips to India, but since those are just going from one home to another, it’s not really comparable. I’m beyond excited-  I’ve been wanting to do this for as long as I can remember, but I’m also deeply scared. There are a plethora of things that could go wrong: I could get sick, injured, robbed, and even worse. It’s hard not to think of the extreme worst case scenario when the departure date is approaching. But oh my god, I know this trip is going to be amazing. I have so many places to see, foods to try, and new cultures to explore! And I can’t wait to share everything I encounter with you all!
​I will be going to England, Portugal, Spain, and France; all in 48 days. I’ll be spending the majority of my time in Portugal, including the islands which I’m really excited about! If you’d like to follow along my adventure, you’ll find regular updates on this blog, as well as on my instagram (@kashishadventures) and my TikTok (@kitkatkash)! I’ll also be posting YouTube videos at some point, but I’ll post an update on this page once that happens. Here’s the channel link if you’d like to subscribe: https://youtube.com/@kashishadventures134 
If you’d like to support me, you can purchase some postcards from my shop, or choose the “buy me a coffee” option. ♥️