This retro travel blog revisits the travel journal I kept in the summer of 1984, backpacking through Europe from Greece to Ireland, and Spain to the old USSR. I’ve included the best of my photos (taken from an old Rollei), postcards, memorabilia and cool links from today that help explain what I was looking at back then, but had no idea. I’ll also try to make this effort more educational and fill in the information gaps I missed at the time or was too young to appreciate.
Traveling on shoestring and a copy of Let’s Go: Europe, I stretched the summer of 1984 and my dollars as far as I could, squeezing every kilometer from my Eurail Pass and grinding the soles of a new pair of shoes down to nothing. My frugality at times became ridiculous. Like countless travelers before me, I caught the travel bug. I wanted this adventure to last as long as possible.
Thanks go to my grandparents, who left me a couple thousand dollars in their will, with the stipulation that I apply it toward my education. The educational value of this trip was unquestionable. It shaped my world view and provided life and survival skills that served me well in later life.
As you read, pardon the often naive first impressions of the people, places and events I encountered. And please forgive the exotic toilet paper samples, collected from the most novel restrooms I had ever visited.
The entries in italics mark my present-day commentary or reflections on the events of over 30 years ago. I’ve cleaned up the grammar here and there, but this journal reflects “young me” in 1984. I hope you enjoy!
“International Deer in the Headlights”
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PREFACE
The following passages record my journey through Europe in the spring and summer of 1984. The quality and coherence vary greatly. Spelling gets poor, grammar totally disappears at times, and chronological order is sometimes put aside for the sake of neatness (or memory lapse that picks up with major events later). Everything printed is basically the truth, at least as I interpreted it, although at times I admit to being carried away by the moment.
To comment briefly on my trip, I would have to say I cannot. The last 14 weeks have been very busy ones for me. A lot of things I’m sure I have already forgotten. But let it be said that this has been the single most educational and challenging experience of my life so far. Though a bit apprehensive when I first sat down on the flight to London back in May, I jumped into world travel alone and with no previous experience. Now I can say, I did it. I had a great time, and I did it my way.
Happy trails to you!
G.D.H. August 19, 1984
Perfect, beginning…