Chris: "Usually when you travel most restaurants have three things that are their claim to fame. Food, alcohol and a dessert. You definitely want to seek those things on the menu. They're almost never bad."
P.A.R.C. Mag: Throughout your many travel locations what was your favorite place? Can you describe what you liked most about it?
Angela: "So for me, I have two favorite cities, Bucharest and Paris. Bucharest is also known as little Paris. They have beautiful architecture with their own art atrium. There was an architect that designed a lot of the buildings in Paris also many of the buildings in Bucharest. There was a unique feel about the two cities. I also had fallen in love with Paris."
P.A.R.C. Mag: Did either of you experience homesickness? At what point in your trip did that occur? Was it a different experience for you both?
Chris: "After about half of a year we kind of mutually realized by talking to each other that maybe it's time to start winding this down. I think during the holidays there's a second that you get on the plane knowing that you're going to go away for a while, so there's always that pervasive feeling that I'm going away and I'm going to be missing someone or something. I missed my family and friends especially around the holidays, things Angie and I enjoyed like, a place we liked to eat or a movie theater. Sometimes you miss strange things like I could not stop wanting Chinese food." (Chuckles)
Angela: "I missed having a home base. Someplace that I go to and just be able to relax. With the lifestyle that we lived we were always in someplace different or someplace strange, you're always on the go. I think we really got homesick and the sixth or seventh month emerge right towards the end where we were getting really homesick."
P.A.R.C. Mag: Why did you curtail your one year travel?
Angela: "Originally, we were going to go overseas for one year but we shortened it to eight months because we were homesick."
Chris: "There were a number of factors. At a 380 day period, you could travel in the Schengen parts of Europe like Italy, Germany etc. (Schengen are European countries with border agreements). With Western European countries, you can travel within 90 days out of an 180 day period. What that means is if you just wanted to stay in Italy for a year you would have to figure out how to get an Italian Visa before you leave, or acquire an extended stay etc. If we really wanted to stay for a year we would have to constantly travel every three months or so out of the zone and spend time in any of the Eastern European countries close by.
P.A.R.C. Mag: What would you say to anyone that wants to live the nomadic lifestyle and backpack abroad? Can you tell them what to expect? How would they prepare or what would they have to do to plan a trip of such magnitude?
Angela: "I've heard a lot of things from different people that would say that the people in Paris are rude, or some may tell me to be careful of traveling in other countries, it can be scary etc. We never encountered that and each place was another learning experience. We realize that people are just people everywhere you go. They are not as scary as some may believe. Try not to listen to the naysayers go out there and do it, experience it for yourself."
Chris: "Google translate is an amazing tool to use to communicate with the locals. Saving is always a good idea. You need to be able to absorb problems as they come along and you need a financial buffer. Depending on the way you travel there a lot of websites to talk about traveling, hostels and using just a few dollars a day. Don't pay more than you need to for anything. Look for a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. That way you're not spending any extra money to buy the services that you would. For example, if you go to the café and it cost €12 you just charge it to your credit card in the exchange rate is automatically calculated. Also, a Charles Schwab checking account has no ATM fees worldwide."