Last-minute holiday shoppers in Brussels.
Traveling abroad can have its difficult moments, as I found out the first time I spent Christmas away from home….in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The Kiwis weren't big on public holiday displays, and celebrating Christmas day in a Queenstown hostel when you're feeling anti-social doesn't help.
As my second Christmas of the 'round the world trip approached, I made it a point to be out of Egypt, and in a major European city.
I picked Brussels because I'd never been there, and it was the cheapest flight from Cairo.
I shopped for warm clothing, and dived into the warm waffles and fries, and stocked up on rich chocolates.
The evenings were dedicated to sampling the Belgian nightlife with a great group of American guys and Brazilian girls I met in the hostel.
- Europe Revisited
- Christmas Eve in Brussels
- The Christmas Day Pub Crawl (hint: we ended up at an absinthe bar)
But all things being equal, I still prefer to spend Christmas with family.
Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.
Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:
- G Adventures for small group tours.
- World Nomads for travel insurance.
- Hostelworld for booking hostels.
- Rail Europe for train passes.
Janice
Monday 28th of June 2010
For me nothing would beat the way how the Filipinos celebrate Christmas, you should try Filipino Christmas I'm sure you'll never forget the experience especially in Cebu Island.
Unexpected Traveller
Friday 25th of June 2010
Ah yes, Christmas in some place which is not home just is not the same is it? Mind you, the different cultures and attitudes can be refreshing and interesting in their own right too ... and sometimes a quirky take on something you're familiar with can make all the difference: