A young woman describes her ‘dream trip’ to Albania, Italy and Greece as ‘chaotic’ and ‘traumatic’.
Sydney’s Anna Shatilova admitted she was mentally unprepared as a solo traveler as she recapitulated her first month in Europe.
The young woman listed the “chaotic AF things that changed her brain chemistry” as she traveled through Albania and landed in Italy.
The first photo shows an overcrowded minibus in Albania, filled with young travelers.
The second shows a very unimpressed Anna standing over a dingy squat toilet, which cost her two euros or $3.30 to use.
Anna had to pay the equivalent of $3.30 AUD to use this toilet
And in the third show she showed her bunk bed in Hvar.
“Literally two beds stacked on top of each other,” she wrote over a photo of the mismatched legs.
“I was too scared to move and I was on the top bunk, imagine how the man below me felt,” she said.
The young woman showed pictures of mosquito bites and of a mysterious bug bite that caused her leg to swell up at night “the size of a balloon.”
In the post, she also shared a few more photos from horror bus rides, which she called “truly traumatic experiences.” One showed a driver on the phone elbowing the bus through a tunnel, while another involved a bus driving down the highway with its door open.
She also complained about the lack of air conditioning on buses and shared a photo of her sweating through her clothes.
“That’s why they keep the door open, because there’s no air conditioning,” one woman responded to the post.
She was also traumatized by the state of bus transport in the Balkans
And she agreed. “Yes, the driver said “nice breeze.”
Despite the negative message, the young woman said she would not have experienced the first month of her solo travel adventure in any other way.
“Best month of my life, to many more months of chaotic travel adventures,” she said.
The grim slideshow also showed some questionable accommodation in Italy and Greece – in a hostel she had to share a couple’s room because they were overbooked.
She was also disturbed to discover that the female-only hostel she had booked in Corfu was run by an old man.
After a few difficult years, Anna bought a one-way ticket to Europe and plans to travel for twelve months
In another photo, her friend opted to use a hair tie around her bun so it didn’t fall apart while she ate.
Most of the people who commented on the video encouraged the young woman to keep traveling, despite some awkward moments.
“I have also traveled and I love that you had those experiences. Your mind is open and changed for the better. Keep exploring,” one woman said.
“The real Balkan experience,” said Anther.
Others criticized her.
“You get what you pay for,” someone said.
“Sounds absolutely miserable,” said another.
“These videos make me not want to go to Europe,” a third man chimed in.
Anna said that despite the chaos, she would go back to the Balkans “in a heartbeat”.
“The Balkans were as traumatic as they were incredible,” she said.