5 Lessons from My 21-Day Europe Trip

Happy Friday,

I’m writing this from Brussels airport. I’m waiting for my flight back to Manila.

I had a speaking engagement in Paris, then I spent the rest of the days vacationing and having fun in Switzerland, France (Paris), Luxembourg, Belgium (Brussels), Germany (Cologne), and the Netherlands. What a beautiful adventure!

Today, I’d like to share some of my key learnings and discoveries from traveling solo in Europe for 21 days.

1. When you know how to connect with yourself, you know how to connect with the rest of the world.

I traveled solo and for most of the tours I joined, everyone came in pairs or with their respective families. I was the only solo tourist in about 90% of the tours I joined. But I never felt alone and lonely. I felt so connected with everyone else. When you connect with yourself, you can be in a foreign land where no one knows you and you don’t know anyone but you can still feel at home.

This was a big contrast with how I felt before. I could be in the midst of a crowd but I still felt alone.

When I learned how to connect with myself especially with my inner child, I felt at home anywhere because I always have me with me. Hehe.

2. God is so loving, sweet, and dependable. He always sends help.

I cannot count the number of times God sent help during my tour. I felt His presence in a tangible way.

Let me share a few instances:

- When I got lost in Switzerland, two random strangers walked me to my train stop on two different occasions.

- When I rode the wrong bus in Luxembourg and I ended up outside the city that looked like an abandoned faraway province and there was no one there except me, I prayed to God to send help. Out of nowhere, a woman walked towards my direction. I asked how to get back to the city and she gave me directions. She said, “I’m taking the same bus.” Wow!

- When I fell asleep in a train from Germany to Belgium, a fellow passenger woke me up. Time was 11:30PM. When I woke up, there was no one else in the train and within the vicinity except me and that kind woman. I didn’t know how long she had to wake me up. Maybe she even had to remove my earphones so I can hear her. I thanked her, got my luggage, and when I stepped out of the train, I didn’t see her anymore. My wild imagination wondered, “Could she be a real angel sent by God to make sure I make it to my destination?”

I cried out of gratitude that night. Goosebumps.

- A kind gentleman who was my seatmate in the train from Germany to somewhere near Amsterdam offered to put up my heavy 30-kg luggage in the compartment above. When he was about to get off, he said, “I’ll get your luggage and put it beside you in case you can’t find someone to help you get it when you arrive in Amsterdam.” How thoughtful, right? He was cute, too. Hehe.

- A day before my flight, a Filipina I met in a seminar a few years ago who is now based in the Netherlands said she cleared her afternoon schedule so she can accompany me and tour me around. She walked me to “This is Holland” attraction place, accompanied me to the RT PCR center, and treated me to Japanese eat-all-you can. By the way, if she didn’t ask about my flight, we wouldn’t have discovered that what I thought was a connecting flight from Amsterdam to Brussels was actually a train ride. We had to adjust my train ticket so the schedule won’t be too tight. Thanks, Ms. Myra!

- Another friend has been messaging me and telling me about the need to have RT PCR test until I finally “got” the message. Hehe. She was so patient with me. Thanks, Rhea!

- My brother March messaged me and volunteered to arrange for someone to pick me up from Manila airport when I arrive.

Directions, logistics, and admin are my waterloo. I’m so chill even if I didn’t know where I was going and I’m such a napper, too! God knows my weaknesses and He sends help even before I knew I need help.

3. When you’re in your flow, you flow!

For my 21-day Europe trip, I just wanted to pamper myself and have fun. I didn’t intend to be productive. I hardly even worked. I think I only touched my laptop twice.

But I ended up being so productive!

We did 20 vlogs, 5 music videos, more than 12 write ups, made new connections, etc. It didn’t feel like work.

Everything was fun!

By the way, my videographer and I did 5 music videos in Amsterdam in one day!!! I did a vlog re the making of these music videos. Will share soon!

4. You got this!

Despite my lack of skills with directions and logistics, my 21-day Europe trip was DIY. DIY! OMG!

Thanks to Jill and Law for helping me which country to go first, then next, then next. Other than that, I booked everything myself — plane tickets, inter country train tickets, hotels, tours, etc.

This was the first time I created an itinerary for my trip. It was so much FUN!!!

I created two vlogs on what apps you need to install as well as the 9 things you need to bring with you if you want to travel around Europe. Will share it with you soon thru my Sha Nacino TV YouTube channel.

5. Delayed gratification works.

For this trip, I didn’t skimp on anything. This was not a budget travel. My main goal was to PAMPER myself responsibly. “Pamper” is my word for 2022.

I can now do this because I have been practicing delayed gratitifcation. For years, I’ve been investing in my personal growth, managing my finances well, and building a great team and systems for my business so it can run even while I’m traveling. It took me years to invest in all these.

Recently, I also hired a really competent marketing consultant who helps me with my B2C marketing. That’s why even while I’m having fun letting my inner child play in foreign countries, our marketing for our next masterclass is ongoing. (If you want to check out that Masterclass, here’s the link: https://seminarphilippines.lpages.co/speak-effectively-2022/

I am grateful I now have a certain level of time and financial freedom to live my life the way I want to, not the way the society dictates.

More stories to come soon!!!

Hope this inspired you!

My trust and dependence in God soared during this trip. I also got to know myself much better. I know my strengths, weaknesses, what brings me joy, what makes me feel sad and insecure, and what makes me feel fully alive. I’m loving who I am discovering.

Do you plan to travel solo anytime soon,

First name / :)?

Here’s wishing you do things that make you fully alive!

Cheers,

Sha

P.S. My first vlog from my Europe trip is now up on YouTube. If you want some entertainment and a feel of Disneyland Paris, you can watch it here

P.P.S. I’m so grateful I discovered my purpose. My Europe travel was work and play intertwined. Play is work and work is play.

Investing in your personal growth always pays off! Thanks for being part of our #TuesDate community!