Afterwards, we went to a local bar where we drank liters and liters and liters of beer, shared embarrassing stories, and generally had a fantastic time.

After our first meal (which, randomly, was in some goth bar with pictures of the Cure and Freddy Mercury all over the walls), we were approached by a young man on the street who asked if we were looking for accommodation. (I think the backpacks, the map, and the confused looks gave us away.)

We knew we needed to get vaccinated for all sorts of things. We just didn't have the foggiest idea how to go about it, or how much it would cost.

I keep imagining how this feeling is only going to grow and grow over the next few months. It gets stronger with every travel blog I read and every day dream I have.

If we told anyone about our trip before putting a lot of work into making it really happen, they’d never believe we were genuinely serious. So we decided not to even mention it by name, not even to each other.