Vuong Dong, an international student in France, recounted his experience traveling across Europe by bus. He had been planning the trip for 2 years and officially set off in January 2022, while the Covid-19 pandemic was still raging.

Responding to Travellive, Vuong Dong expressed his excitement when recalling the time he traveled around Europe. He found it hard to believe that he had discovered 15 countries by bus alone. Vuong Dong is studying for a master's degree in tourism in France. Currently, he is living and working in the hexagonal country.

"This is an indescribable feeling of joy and pride because I have completed the trip, mixed with a bit of sadness because I miss the days of wandering here and there," Vuong Dong shared.

It is known that Vuong Dong had this idea 2 years ago, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, he could only carry it out this year. Unable to wait any longer, in January 2022, Vuong Dong decided to travel to the first country while the epidemic situation was still complicated. He made a detailed plan and budgeted during the days when Europe was locked down.

Below is Wang Dong's itinerary with illustrations. Itinerary: Paris (France) - Brussels (Belgium) - Amsterdam (Netherlands) - Berlin (Germany) - Vilnius (Lithuania) - Riga (Latvia) - Tallinn (Estonia) - Warsaw (Poland) - Prague (Czech Republic) - Bratislava (Slovakia) - Budapest (Hungary) - Ljubjana (Slovenia) - Venice (Italy) - Zurich (Switzerland) - Madrid (Spain) - Lisbon (Portugal) - Paris (France).

The means of transport that Vuong Dong uses is entirely Flixbus. This is a cheap service and has a system connecting to many European countries. At the same time, he can stay overnight on the bus, helping him save money on accommodation. Besides, sitting on the bus helps Vuong Dong see the whole of Europe. Sipping a cup of coffee and looking out the window, watching the beautiful European scenery change through each country before his eyes is an unforgettable experience.

Traveling continuously on the bus for 15 countries like that is inevitable to be tired and exhausted. Vuong Dong plans to stay a little longer after going through 2 countries, in the 3rd country he will rest and regain strength for the next stages. In places like Poland and Hungary, the cost is quite cheap and the food is delicious, Dong will stay longer. As for some small cities with few places to play, he only needs to go for 2 days and 1 night, for example, Bratislava in Slovakia or Ljubljana in Slovenia...

"I researched the route quite carefully to get as close as possible and visit as many places as possible. If any place is too far away, I don't need to go there at all. I don't pay too much attention to going to all the places. Wandering around and admiring the streets is also quite interesting, discovering many small, pretty, peaceful streets with few tourists, a different breath of fresh air in the heart of the bustling city," Vuong Dong replied to Travellive.

After going through 15 European countries, Vuong Dong realized that each place has its own interesting and attractive points. Dong likes the feeling of immersing himself in the snow under the freezing cold of -6 degrees Celsius while walking in the snow-covered city of Tallinn, Estonia. He wandered in the poetic city of Venice, Italy or strolled the sunny seaside city of Lisbon, Portugal. Besides the above 3 cities, if he had the chance to return, Vuong Dong would definitely choose to go to Budapest, Hungary because the city is beautiful, the prices are very cheap, and the food is delicious.

Regarding culinary experiences, in each city, Vuong Dong will stop by a restaurant to eat a certain specialty dish. However, most restaurants in Western Europe are expensive, so he has to consider a lot when choosing a dish. On the other hand, many Eastern European countries are more affordable and affordable. Typically, Warsaw in Poland and Budapest in Hungary, the food is both delicious and cheap. Where it is expensive, Dong spends about 18-20 euros in Western Europe, while in Eastern European countries it is sometimes only 10 euros. In particular, to save money, Vuong Dong often buys fresh food at the supermarket and prepares it himself.

"I usually book hostels or homestays on Booking. I find the cheapest ones that are very clean and close to bus stations," said Vuong Dong.

During the trip, Vuong Dong only used the bus, the rest of the time he walked completely to explore every corner. Therefore, Dong had to prepare the most compact luggage possible, all the items were packed in a backpack. He learned how to arrange luggage in a minimalist and effective way through clips on YouTube.

In particular, Vuong Dong shared that tourists should bring a small folding backpack in the main backpack. When arriving, Dong will leave his belongings at the hostel and only bring important items in the second folding backpack. In addition, to be able to travel for 5-6 weeks and travel an average of about 20km/day, Vuong Dong must exercise and practice jogging every day before leaving.

"I also download offline maps in case there is no 4G. The app I am using is called Here," said Vuong Dong.

Starting the trip when the Covid-19 epidemic situation was complicated, Vuong Dong had to consider many aspects. Fortunately, he had received 3 Pfizer shots and January was also the time when many countries began to open up. However, Vuong Dong always followed and updated news related to vaccination, PCR testing... for each country almost every day to change the schedule accordingly.

When he travels, he always wears a mask, keeps his distance, washes his hands frequently and limits his conversations. For Wang Dong, testing positive for Covid-19 and being quarantined means his trip will be shelved. Many hostels and homestays in Europe have it clearly in their terms and conditions that they will cancel reservations if a guest tests positive for Covid-19.

"Usually, when you have received all three doses of the vaccine, you will be allowed to board the bus, but when I remember in Switzerland, I saw a group of foreign friends being refused to board the bus to Germany even though they had received all three doses of the vaccine but because they lacked a negative Covid-19 test certificate," Vuong Dong shared about the difficulties of traveling during the epidemic season.

Traveling during the pandemic allowed Vuong Dong to see the cities he passed through from a very different perspective. Two weeks before departure, Dong heard that the Netherlands would be locked down. Although he felt confused, he still decided to follow the original schedule. When he arrived in the land of windmills, he saw a gentle, beautiful and peaceful Amsterdam, not as noisy and bustling as usual.

"There were quite a few tourists like me walking around the city. It was quite an interesting experience for me personally," Dong commented.

After finishing the trip, Vuong Dong felt that he had learned many new things. He connected with many new relationships, heard many interesting stories from wonderful friends, and had many new experiences. Vuong Dong felt more confident because he had stepped out of his comfort zone and dared to challenge himself.

When asked about the next trip that Vuong Dong is planning in the near future, he revealed that the 15-country bus trip is just a preparation for another more special journey. Currently, Vuong Dong still wants to keep his upcoming plans a secret.