Boldly Go Solo

When’s the last time you heard someone say, "I’m flying off to Liechtenstein tomorrow?" Probably not recently.  What Holly Leber loved about her solo trip around Europe in December was that she could hop to places she might not have crossed an ocean to see. It was easy because she was already in Europe, on a journalism internship in Brussels.

Originally, her boyfriend was supposed to join her. When that fell through, she took off on her own.

To Bratislava (Slovakia). Budapest (Hungary).  Ljubljana (Slovenia). Neuchatel (Switzerland). Salzburg (Austria). Vienna (Austria). Zagreb (Croatia). And, yes, Liechtenstein, the city of Vaduz. "I would get on a plane to go to Spain or Italy," she said. "Probably not to Slovakia. But I loved it."

She also loved traveling on her own. She didn’t have to answer to someone else. Or wait for anyone. She packed light and was able to get around easily.

She’s not a huge fan of tourist activities. She didn’t scour "Let’s Go" books for museums, churches and cathedrals to visit. Instead, she walked the streets and squares taking random photographs, of side streets and landmarks and people shopping for fruit.

She traveled in December and had a chance to visit Christmas markets. At every stop, she bought a gift for her sister. She also communicated with her family via email.

With just a smattering of words in Dutch, French and German in her arsenal she didn’t talk much to those around her. And even those words didn’t help much in Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

But she was content. Despite not striking up conversations
or friendships in the places she went. She had her iPod,
her camera and her thoughts. In Ljubljana she stayed in a
prison-turned-hostel, sleeping quite soundly. "It was probably the most
secure place I was in."

And she kept moving, snapping photos, walking and eating. Hopping
around to eight cities in 12 days didn’t allow for a feeling of
isolation. "I didn’t have time to become lonely or wistful." Just enough time to build great memories.

Photos: Holly Leber
1. Chain Bridge. Budapest, Hungary.
2. Side streets. Bratislava, Slovakia.
3. Prison hostel. Ljubljana, Slovenia.
3. The "16 going on 17" gazebo from "The Sound of Music." Salzburg, Austria.