In 1995 and 1996 my parents travelschooled my brother and I for a year. Together, as a family, we made our way across Europe. At times we used Eurail passes, rented a car, or took buses and ferries. Throughout it all, we recorded the journey on a small tape video camera. I recently re-visited the old tapes, 8 in total, and was struck by an odd thought; why not upload them and share them. While they differ significantly from most normal travel content, my imagination was captured by the recent Norwegian slow travel videos and how people were using them as ambient background entertainment. So, perhaps these will be of interest to those of you who want to explore what it was like as we learned and explored our way through a Europe that pre-dates the European Union, the Euro, and the widespread adoption of modern Hostel culture and the internet.
For those wondering what the realities of family travel with kids might be, or just want to see mid-90s Europe, these videos will also hopefully be of interest. You can view the full playlist here.
September to October
October to November
November
December
January to March
May
May to June
June to July
I hope you found these interesting. Did they catch your attention or trigger observations? Have questions about the trip or its impact on me? Post a comment below and let me know!