The unapologetic introvert: I had to leave the U.S. to stop pretending to be an extrovert

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Me too in 1979 with just a pair of jeans and a backpack.

13 weeks: Scotland, England, France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland.

Traveled alone. Forced myself to be social at Youth Hostels.

Skittles, I did all that including air fare for less than $2,000. I paid $3 to $5 a night for the hostels. Either breakfast was free at the hostel (you got coffee and a roll in exchange for sweeping the floor, etc.) or I'd make a peanut butter sandwich (I bought a loaf of bread and a jar.) I only paid for a modest, even spartan, dinner. I was carrying around water bottles in France before it became popular here. I simply didn't spend my money like an average 22 year old. I had to need something to justify the expense.

I had enough money at the end of my trip to buy a Jager suit which unfortunately for me I grew out of a long time ago.