The 7th annual awards of TimeHeroes – the largest Bulgarian online platform for volunteering initiatives and opportunities – were given on April 18. The ceremony began about 7 pm with the musical performance of Ninio, who played the guitar and sang his song ‘Give Me Freedom’. Some words of welcome and thankfulness by a representative of the organizers followed. The honorary jury of 7 experts in different areas were also introduced to the audience. From all the platform initiatives in 2023, 181 were chosen to compete and 15 of them received awards – a framed certificate and a statuette of recycled paper in the shape of a hand with ‘The Heroes 2023’ written on the palm with tactile letters and numbers. The winners were announced by various public figures such as local government representatives, business people, TV and radio speakers, volunteers, etc.

One of the awards – for Original Approach – was given to Dima Nasteva, who managed the project for the first two accessible comic books for the blind in Bulgaria – ‘Rusalii’ and ‘Wicky’s Travel’ by Maya Bocheva. The project was implemented in 2023 with financial support from the Socially Engaged Arts programme of the National Culture Fund.

A couple of days later, on April 20 and 21, a workshop for the adaptation of more stories in pictures took place in the National Library for the Blind. This year’s project slogan is ‘Touch a hero, find yourself’. Volunteers from last year were present again and some new ones joined them to form small teams with visually impaired participants. As a result, the story for a new comic book was drafted with ideas for the environment, heroes, villains, their superpowers and the reason why they have a conflict coming from all. The project’s team hope to ensure the publication of the story, thus providing the first Bulgarian comic book in collaboration with blind authors. By the end of September 2024, 10 more adapted comic books are expected to be available in Braille and audio for the visually impaired community in Bulgaria. More information about this and other project initiatives of the team can be found on the Facebook page Artessible – a combination of the words art and accessible.

I’m so happy I came to Belgium: I now have the opportunity to discover and see with my own eyes what a different country and culture is like!

During these first months I got to know the office staff and assisted them in their daily tasks. I have also helped them empty the old volunteer apartment and move into the new one, carrying and assembling furniture and setting the apartment up for myself and the incoming volunteers. In February I participated in the organization of the first 2024 edition of the Dinners in the Dark, during which I helped with setting up the dishes and serving the participants.

In January I have also started taking French classes at La Baraka, and my French is improving a lot day after day!

Over these months I have already made many friends among the locals, and I have participated to an event organised by an LGBTQI+ collective in Liège.

These have been months of discovery and learning for me, and I can’t wait for the many activities that I am going to take part to in spring. Stay tuned for updates!

In his blog, Ivan Karastoyanov, ideator of the project, gives us a rundown of how it went, the impact it had and the plans for its future.

‘Komiksilnitsa’ is a non-existing word, a neologism, so to say, a combination of the Bulgarian words for ‘comic book’ and ‘workshop’. It’s a word that came to my mind while thinking of a catchy title for our project proposal. It is a project, implemented with financial support from the Socially Engaged Arts programme of the National Culture Fund with the aim to provide access for visually impaired people in Bulgaria to works of visual arts, and more specifically the genre of comics books, the art of telling stories in pictures. It’s a good practice I discovered online back in 2015 and, unfortunately, I haven’t got the opportunity to implement until now.

In February 2023, we had a 2-day weekend workshop on comics books in the National Library for the Blind, located next to one of the squares in the center of Sofia. We began with an ice-breaker activity, lead by a visually impaired psychotherapist following the practices of Viktor Frankl. About 17 sighted volunteers and 3 visually impaired participants were present. Everyone got to present themselves through the eyes of someone else they chose – a parent, a husband/wife, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a child, a colleague at work or even a dog/cat. It was an activity that brought the group a lot of fun. Then we had a discussion on the history and genre of the comics books, the major US publishing companies and their rivalry through the years. It was lead by Georgi Arsov, chairperson of the NGO, implementing the project, musician, actor, playwright and comics book and board game fan. He challenged the group to come up with a new comics book character, a hero with super powers, trying to change the situation in Bulgaria.

The afternoon session was with Nikola Raykov, a vary popular Bulgarian children’s book writer, board game developer and musical theater playwright from Stara Zagora, the fifth largest city in Bulgaria, located in the central Southern region of the country. He spoke a lot about best practices in choosing the right words and word order to convey a particular concept or idea in the best possible way for a specific audience. His pieces of advice were of great value for the volunteers.

On Sunday, we had Maya Bocheva, author of two Bulgarian comic books, who spoke about the art of drawing a comics story and writing the script for it, of hidden symbols and many other interesting things and answered all the questions the volunteers had on different aspects of her two stories. Practical work on adapting the first comics book, ‘Rusalii’, began in the afternoon. Volunteers were divided into groups of four participants and a visually impaired person joined each of the four groups. Every volunteer had one page of the comic book to describe panel by panel and the blind or partially sighted person asked questions to make the descriptions clearer and easier to understand. Maya Bocheva and Nikola Raykov were circling around the groups and giving ideas, explanations and pieces of advice on how the additional descriptions to be improved.

As a result, at the end of the 2-day weekend workshop a draft version of the first adapted comic book was produced. All the sighted volunteers received a certificate for their work. Some of them expressed their willingness to continue working on describing the second comic book, ‘Wicky’s Travel’. The 64-page story was divided into equal portions and distributed to those volunteers to work on them. When they were ready, they had online or face to face meetings and discussions with a person with severe sight loss to improve the draft texts.

The work on producing the draft descriptions of the panels was completed by the end of May. Then, the editing work began. It turned out there was a great difference in the length, style and correctness of the descriptions. So, the comics books author Maya Bocheva had to make certain changes or wright entirely new descriptions for some of the panels and they had to be edited once again after that. It was a somewhat tiresome and time consuming work. However, it was very necessary. Some additional editing was done in the process of preparation for Braille printing and still some more, while having the texts read by actors in a professional recording studio.

Svetlana Smoleva, a voice over movie actress with thirty years of experience, a dozen actors from Sofia University theatre laboratory and several sighted and visually impaired volunteers joined forces for two weekends in July to produce the audio version of the first two Bulgarian comic books, accessible for the blind community in the country. Two hundred DVDs were recorded and distributed for free in educational, rehabilitation and cultural centers for the blind in Bulgaria as well as 7 Braille copies or 31 volumes altogether. This was done from July to September 2023. The adapted comics books were presented during an event in the National Library for the Blind in the end of September.

The project and its results were brought to the attention of the general public with interviews in ’24 hours’, a daily national newspaper, the Bulgarian National Radio and the national Darik radio and many online publications. Perhaps this helped for our new project proposal for at least five more adapted comics books to be approved for financial support from the National Culture Fund in November 2023. Work on it will begin in February this year, and our small team do hope that one day we’ll have a comics book written by a blind person, and foreign accessible comics books translated into Bulgarian as well as the Bulgarian ones translated into English, so that we can have a cultural exchange and many more accessible stories in pictures for everyone in the EU. We are also going to work on adapting two short movies and a theatre play with additional description for the blind this year. In case any organization within the VIEWS network is interested in such initiatives, do not hesitate to get in touch, so we could discuss EU project partnership and funding opportunities.

Until then, have a wonderful and fulfilling 2024 year!

In September our volunteer, Anna Czaman, was in Budapest to attend the Strategic Partnership for Inclusion (SPI) Harvesting Conference 2023, an event that gathered experienced and future Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps volunteers, as well as youth workers from organisations interested in implementing inclusive practices in their European mobility programmes. In her blog, Anna shares her experience at the conference, whose focus was to assess the impact of these practices and collect ideas from volunteers and experts working on inclusion and diversity in the EU Youth Programmes.

From 19 to 22 September 2023, Budapest, Hungary buzzed with the
Harvesting Conference, a melting pot of ideas, connections, and good vibes.
The first evening was all about breaking the ice. It was clear right away that the
group was all about inclusion and embracing new perspectives.

The next day, participants had the chance to chat with representatives from various
organizations in smaller groups, firing off questions about their practices.
Day two was a dose of personal inspiration. The panel session kicked things off,
with individuals sharing their passions and all the things they love and believe in,
such as sustainability, inclusion, and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC)
program. Then, it was back to small groups for more intimate discussions, from
gender equality, solidarity projects, inclusion and diversity to language animation,
and everything in between.

Beyond the talks, this event was the place to be for making connections and
building friendships that’ll last.
The European Youth Center in Budapest was the perfect backdrop. It catered to
everyone’s accommodation needs, making sure everyone felt right at home. The
organizers were like your supportive sidekicks, always there when you needed a
hand.

Looking back, Harvesting Conference 2023 proved that when you bring passionate
minds together, the possibilities are endless. It painted a picture of an inclusive,
bright future where ideas flow freely.

Translated by Konstantin Pchelinski

My room floor is cool, of 12 square metres,

And, humpback and mute, supports firmly my bed;

Above, through the window, the rising dawn scatters

Gold o’er the azure sky. But what of that?

What of that, outside, the dew brightly glistens

With drops like small coins all silver and clean,

All flowers are dressed up in colourful laces,

And trees boast their crowns all emerald-green?

What of that women have taken much care

To make their lips ruby-red, with lipstick,

And neatly to comb their reddish-brown hair,

Each hoping to touch her beloved man unique?

When I wake, with my eye-lids half-open, again

Dense fog does veil my eyes thoroughly.

I don’t let my soul cry hotly with pain

For that it this beauty will fail to see.

I surely remember the three questions’ answer

The French pilot’s book full of wisdom imposes

Revealing the truth very simple and clear:

‘Each visible beauty’s but pollen of roses.’

Should I need things, each in various colours,

Now that a rose grows in bloom in my mind,

And, in my head, I’ve a hangar of rockets

All ready to fly to stars and dreams bright?

I don’t think the long workday full of vain matters

Would ease me with sympathy and love for me too.

I leave the protecting-me edge of my mattress,

Inspired by thinking of what I must do.

My cheerful smile reveals my elation.

It’s my kept-up trademark, my medal hard-won

That shows that I, though blind, to Exhaustion,

Will never surrender but fight on and on.

This poetic work was awarded 1st prize in the 14th edition of Sighted Hearts annual competition in poetry broadcast on Hristo Botev Programme of the Bulgarian National Radio on 29 May 2023.

After making sure we had everything we needed, we set out for Valencia in Spain by train, our first destination. After a long journey of numerous connections involving countries like Germany, Belgium and France, we finally arrived in Valencia, tired but in high spirits. Let me mention a few interesting facts about Valencia before going into the details of what we did there. Valencia is a popular tourist destination with a vibrant nightlife, colorful cuisine, beaches and rich cultural heritage. The city’s name is of Latin origin and actually means “valour” or “bravery”. I will also add that the region is famous for oranges and rice, which are reflected in its traditional dishes.

Our days in Valencia passed with sightseeing, touring the famous squares of the city, trying its traditional cuisine, and enjoying its vibrant night life in tapas bars. We also participated in a free walking tour with a local guide to get to know the city better. During our three days of stay, we extensively tasted the Valencian cuisine, which included delicacies like paella and horchata. We particularly enjoyed the orange juice made from Valencian oranges, which can only be found in the area. We even claim that we have never tasted sweeter orange juice than the one we tried in Valencia. Ceyda was particularly impressed and enthusiastic, so much so that she managed to get a glass of orange juice for free.

Our next stop was Madrid. In Madrid, we spent most of our time bar hopping, where we indulged in the city’s famous sangria and tapas culture. We visited several bars and tried different types of sangria, each with their own unique twist on the classic recipe. Along with the sangria, we also tried a variety of tapas dishes such as tortilla española (Spanish omelet). One of the highlights of Madrid was munching on churros at a well-known place, where we enjoyed the traditional Spanish doughnut-like pastry that were crispy on the outside and warm and fluffy on the inside, accompanied by a rich and decadent chocolate dipping sauce. It was a short but amazing experience that allowed us to immerse ourselves in Madrid’s culture and food scene.

Perhaps it was fitting that the best highlight of our time in Spain came last and we found ourselves in Barcelona, but with one tiny problem. We had not reserved accommodation and we were without a place to stay for our first night. We spent nearly the whole time of our Madrid to Barcelona train ride to find a roof for our heads with no success. Only upon arriving in Barcelona were we able to secure a place, but it came with a catch. The last minute AirBNB room we found was located in a coastal town 50 minutes away from the Barcelona city center where we had hoped to stay. Luckily, it wasn’t all bad and this mishap presented us with an opportunity to stray off the beaten path to explore a town with a sandy beach less frequented by tourists. It ended up being a memorable experience, as well as a nice chance for us to prepare for the next few days in Barcelona’s crowded streets.

When we finally arrived in Barcelona, we found that it lived up to the hype. Despite the scorching summer sun, we began with a tour of the historic part of the city, where we strolled through the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter, taking in the historic architecture and lively atmosphere. We also got to swim in Bogatell, a local beach with fine, soft sand, and clear waters. On a previous trip to Paris, we had had some unfortunate experiences, so we had decided to skip visiting complex museums or architectural structures while planning this trip. However, we made an exception for the Sagrada Familia, the famous basilica designed by architect Antoni Gaudi. What had piqued our interest and ultimately changed our minds about visiting here was the fact that they offered a mobile app with a downloadable audio guide that taught us about the history of the church and its ongoing construction.

Expecting disappointment, we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the sight and someone met us at the entrance to assign us a staff member who regularly checked in on us and guided us through the complex as we listened to the audio guide. The audio guide consisted of several sections, each about a different part of the structure, and at the end of each section, we had the chance to touch-examine the elements mentioned in the audio guide thanks to the sighted guide given to us in the beginning. The same staff member also helped us navigate the place and go from point to point. Perhaps the cherry on top was a small, fully accessible museum where we could get more information about the architecture and touch three-D replicas of different parts of the structure with Braille text to accompany. We devoured everything about this place and left happy, having finally experienced a good example of accessible sightseeing.

The next half of our trip took us to Italy in a way we had never anticipated. As the term “interrail” suggests, we had initially planned to only use trains, but with a last-minute change of plan, we instead booked a ferry from Barcelona to Rome. Up until that point, we had never traveled by ship and were unsure of what to expect. We went to a freaking port for the first time in our lives and boarded the vessel. During boarding, we heard someone saying “allora” with a melodic Italian and we knew then that we were truly on our way to Italy. After 22 hours of open seas, we landed in a suburb of Rome and reached our accommodation at midnight following a somewhat stressful episode catching the last train to the city center.

By the time we were there, Rome was already on vacation mode due to a religious holiday, and many attractions were closed. Despite this, we had plenty to do. In a new city, we often try to find vibrant neighborhoods where young crowds like students hang out. In Valencia, for example, we spent most of our time in russafa, a hipster and alternative neighborhood. We had also planned to attend a festival in Gracia, another alternative neighborhood in Barcelona, but we were too early and missed it by a few days. Similarly, we found such a place in Rome as well and headed to Trastevere on our first day there.

Trastevere is a lively pedestrian neighborhood in Rome with narrow cobblestone streets and countless spots for food and nightlife. We had our first Italian pizza and gelato here in a tiny corner and can’t wait to go back for more. Although the neighborhood can be packed with tourists in summer, it is still easy to walk from one end to the other as the area is partially closed to cars. One nice thing about Trastevere is that people you encounter here can be really friendly and outgoing. We were once stopped by a tourist couple who were sitting on the pavement eating pizza and they offered us strangers a slice.

We continued exploring Rome with a tour of the Pantheon, a former Roman temple. Uplifted by our visit to Sagrada Familia, we thought Pantheon would also be smoothed sailing but alas, it wasn’t the case. Believing it would be better to have a guide, we joined a guided group tour with 10 or 15 other people but we left feeling disappointed. For one thing, the tour was rushed with little time for us to get a tactile feeling of the place. Additionally, the tour guide wasn’t engaging enough and just repeated dry facts which could easily be found online. It was still interesting to breathe the atmosphere of the place, but we recommend you visit sights like this with a local friend or on a private tour to get better results.

We are both foodies and a natural consequence of this was the pursuit of the best pizza which took us to Naples after Rome. Our only plan for Naples was to eat the best pizza, so we immediately set out to find a spot. To reach the restaurant, we had to use the metro but it was built so deep underground that we felt we were descending to Dante’s Ninth Circle of Hell. By the time we got there, it had already been late and what met us at the spot was a long line of tens of people waiting to be served pizza. We were dismayed by the size of the crowd and thought we had no chance to eat there. Indeed, soon we were told by the restaurant that they were closing for the day and we wouldn’t be served. Not wanting to give up, we gave a last shot and asked for a takeout instead which they said yes. Thus did we have the best Neapolitan pizza of our life, on a creaking table outside overlooking one of the bustling streets of old town, eating right from the cardboard.

One thing Naples taught us was the perils of prioritizing our stomach. We were so fixated on finding the perfect pizza that we left finding a place to stay until the last minute and suffered as a result. Despite checking all available modes and places of accommodation online, we couldn’t find an affordable option and had to resort to calling hotels one by one to check for availability. Although we were fortunate enough to find a room at 1 AM, it was unfortunate that the hotel was located 10 kilometers away from the main attractions. Well, you live and you learn.

With our stomachs full, we continued making our way through Italy and arrived next in Bologna. Bologna is a city known for its many arches and porticos, which line the streets and provide shelter from the sun. Even if you have no vision, you still notice the difference when walking because of the enclosed space over your head and its echo. Another notable feature about Bologna is that it is home to the oldest university in Europe, the University of Bologna which makes the town a great spot for student life. In addition to enjoying the best gelato in Bologna, we used it as a base to travel to Ancona and return.

Our day trip to Ancona was special and unique because of the Museo Omero, a tactile museum where you can find real-size, three-D copies of classical sculptures and architectural models. We went to Ancona specifically to visit this museum  and did not regret it. The museum was the idea of two blind travelers who had become so exasperated by the “Do not touch” signs found in every single museum that they decided to create a museum in which everything could be touched. The entrance is free of charge and you even get a guide as long as you call them in advance and request one.

In our opinion, the tactile experience we got out of this place is unmatched. Upon arrival, we were welcomed by our guide who gave us a three-hour tour of the most notable pieces which included the famous David by Michelangelo, sculptures of Greek and Roman deities , and 3D models of important structures in Italy like Pantheon and Duomo. We were able to touch exact replicas of all these works and feel every detail that could be picked by hand. For example, we learned what ancient Greeks meant with the concept of the classically ideal body by examining the copies of relevant works and explored the bulky body of David as in the original. As you may remember, we had previously visited the Pantheon but were left unsatisfied. This museum rectified that issue by providing a small-scale 3D copy to help us better understand the structure’s shape.

To top it off, there were even two-dimensional replicas of artworks such as paintings that you could explore by touch and gain an understanding of. It’s worth mentioning that the museum showcased works not only from the classical era but also from contemporary artists and sculptors. We had three hours of fun and enjoyed every second with a lot to explore, but unfortunately, our time was not enough to see all the available works. However, we were not disappointed and are looking forward to returning to this museum for more. Lastly, at the end of our tour, we revised our opinion about museums and realized that we would definitely enjoy them more if they were more accessible.

After the museum visit, we continued on our way and arrived in Florence, the last city before our mini vacation by an Italian lake. During our only day in Florence, we started off with a visit of the Piazza del Duomo and stood before the impressive Duomo, but we were too lazy to climb up the 463 steps to get at the top. Next, we headed to the Piazza del Signorio, where we saw the replica of the famous statue of David. The original statue used to be in this piazza, but it is now on display at the Galleria dell ‘Accademia. Another highlight of Florence was a stroll to the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge of Florence lined with shops selling jewelry and other souvenirs. Before concluding the evening, we stopped by here to listen to street music being played by local musicians in the middle of the bridge.

I saved the best part of our trip, a mini lakeside vacation, for last. Near the end of our interrail journey, we were in need of relaxation and saw it as an opportunity to fulfill our dream of swimming in an Italian lake. From the start, we didn’t want to go to the popular lakes as they tend to be crowded, so after researching online, we chose Lake Bolsena, a volcanic lake located a few hours from Rome. Another reason for choosing this lake was a conveniently located bed and breakfast nearby, just 150 meters from one of the lake’s beaches. Although the lake wasn’t far from Rome, it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere and we had to take a train and bus to get there.

The journey was uneventful until the bus ride that would take us to Lako Hostel. We hopped on a train to a small town called Viterbo, where we changed to a bus. As soon as we got on the bus, we knew that we had a problem because the bus driver seemed a bit freaked out by the fact that there were two blind tourists on his bus that he couldn’t communicate with. We tried to put him at ease by telling him that we knew where we were going, but it didn’t help. A few hundred meters before our destination, he stopped the bus and got out to seek help as we later learned. When he came back, there were a few people with him who introduced themselves as police.

It turns out that the driver went to the police to ask them what to do with us as he didn’t speak English and couldn’t communicate. Thankfully, one of the police officers spoke a little English, which allowed us to prevent a bigger incident. We explained that we were not lost and were actually on our way to a hostel nearby. In fact, if the driver hadn’t stopped for police aid on the way, we would have got off at the next stop and reached at our accommodation without any issue. Nonetheless, the police were kind enough to offer us a ride for the remaining distance and this was the story of why we took the last 300 meters to the hostel inside a police car and arrived there like VIP.

The staff at the hostel were extremely helpful and went out of their way to accommodate us. For example, the receptionist came to the beach with us on our first day and showed us around, pointing out where to find beach umbrellas, food, and suitable spots to set up camp and leave our belongings before going in the lake. Speaking of the lake, swimming in Lake Bolsena exceeded our expectations. The water was clean and the ground had more sand than stones. The beach had soft sand, even if it was not as pleasant as Mediterranean beaches. On a whim, we even tried swimming in the lake at 6 in the morning on our last day, but the waves and strong wind were too much and the water was too cold to stay in for more than a few minutes, so we had to leave.

I explained in a previous article how we swam in the lake and found our way back with the help of some tips and tech tools. If you haven’t read it yet, you can check it out for more tips on how a blind person can swim in oceans or lakes with minimal assistance. Using those tips and tools, we had three wonderful days at the lake without any significant issues. The location of the hostel also contributed to our success as it was only 150 meters from the beach.

When discussing the recipe for success, it’s worth mentioning the helpful and kind people we encountered, especially in small towns. Our journey was made smoother by their help at every step. For example, when we arrived at the Viterbo train station, the stationmaster personally greeted us and drove us to the bus stop, twice, due to a change in the weekend schedule. There was even a guy who offered to take us on a boat tour of Lake Bolsena. But the most memorable act of kindness came from the receptionist at Lako Hostel. She arranged for her parents to drive us back to the train station and even saved us from taking the same buss at 6 in the morning. Her parents even insisted on buying us breakfast before sending us off as if driving us for 35 minutes to the train station had not been enough kindness.

With this lake vacation, we brought our trip to a great conclusion and returned home after a 24-hour journey that involved nine train connections, using Swiss chocolate as fuel. Along the way, we met wonderful people and created unforgettable memories, fully enjoying every second of the trip. Of course, there were challenges and frustrations at times, but they pale in comparison to the amount of fun we had. We believe that anyone who has the means should try interrailing, and we hope that our experience as two blind people traveling alone can serve as proof that anyone can do it. We do not claim to be expert travelers, but we have gained many experiences from this trip and would be happy to share our advice with anyone who needs it. For any questions, please reach us at fardem35@gmail.com or cydpala@gmail.com. See you on our next trip!

I don’t know about you but every once in a while, I get this itch to travel, just leave everything behind and take my white cane with me and go somewhere. Sometimes I have a specific destination in my mind, sometimes I don’t. But this time the itch for travel culminated for me and my partner in a more than three-week long interrail trip that spanned over ten cities across four countries.

After such a long trip, what is left to you is loads of memories and stories that would never be forgotten and continuously retold. From missed trains and delicious pizzas to encounters with police in small towns of Italy, I have a lot to share and the purpose of this article is to make you a part of our journey by recounting our experiences that we hope can inspire you or at the minimum entertain you. While we’re at it, I will also mention tips and tricks while traveling as blind as well as accessibility related and mainstream tools that we made use of in order to plan and implement our trip.

Before starting, perhaps first it would be best to explain the concept of interrail. The Interrail Pass is a train ticket that allows you to travel on almost all trains in Europe. With it, you get access to 40 railway and ferry companies in 33 European countries. Sounds like a traveler’s dream, right? Other than a few catches, we can confirm that it is so. Except in France, Italy and Spain where you need to purchase an additional seat reservation for high-speed trains for a small fee, you can board all the trains that are part of the interrail network without paying a penny once you’ve bought the interrail pass.

We have known interrail for quite a long time and had been giving it a serious thought for this summer. We were especially restless and hungry for adventure After long-lasting covid lockdowns that had confined us in our homes for more than a year. Opportunity strikes when you’re least expecting it and this time was no exception. While we were going at it in our lives, my partner found out that all the interrail passes had been heavily discounted for the fiftieth anniversary of the program and it was a now or never moment to purchase a pass and embark upon adventure.

However, there was a problem. We had virtually no time to think about and decide because there were only a handful of hours before the discount ended. We had to act fast and oh boy fast we were. Even though we’d had no intention of going on an interrail trip this summer, we made our mind over a night and bought the pass which paved the ground for an epic and thrilling adventure.

As with any long trips, we needed to make some preparations and settle on how to carry our luggage. We have favored backpacks for a long time for the convenience and versatility that they offer. Carrying backpacks, what you lose in terms of volume you gain in terms of peace of mind. So, backpack it would be and three weeks of road and countless train rides showed us that we’d made the right call by not opting for bulky suitcases and instead choosing backpacks. For reference, I used a 40 liter and my partner used a 55-liter backpack. We both think we got the right size, so go figure.

For checking train itineraries and planning our journey, we used the official mobile apps of country specific train companies in conjunction with the official mobile app of Interrail called “Rail Planner”, the accessibility of which is mediocre at best. It requires a lot of juggling but with enough effort and sweat, you can do almost everything on the app without any major issues. I can say that we used the Rail Planner app more than any other because of its ability to show all the train connections across different train companies in one place.

Also, Rail Planner is the only platform where you can make seat reservations when needed. Talking of seat reservations, I would like to open a parenthesis here to correct a possible misconception that people often have about interrail. The fact that you purchase the interrail pass doesn’t mean that you can take any trains for free. For example, it is compulsory in France, Italy and Spain to make seat reservations for each connection of high-speed trains and prices for one seat vary between 5 Euros to 30 Euros but in average it costs 10 Euros.

This is one of the first disadvantages of interrail and not only the soul catch. There is also a quota for pass holders, meaning that there is a limited number of seats allocated to Interrail passengers and it works on a first come first served basis. In short, if you want to take high speed trains which require you to make seat reservations, it would be wise to do some planning in advance.

I think I have given you enough food for thought and I will continue to talk about my experiences in the next article of the series, which will be published in the next issue of the VIEWS newsletter. We covered the general introduction part and in next month’s article, I will go into more details and touch upon the specifics like arranging accommodation, finding directions, communication, accessible swimming and the tools to deal with all these issues.