Portland, Oregon —

On our walking adventures in Europe, the most commonly asked question we hear is “How in the world did you ever find this place!?” This may pertain to a restaurant, a spectacular out of the way viewpoint or a country chapel with perfectly restored Renaissance frescoes. And the answer is, “by Vagabonding.”

I recently uncovered my old copy of “Vagabonding in Europe and North Africa” by Ed Buryn and it hit home that just about all of my travels in life were crafted by this book. I don’t know if it is just because I was a student at the time with a new continent under my feet and three months with nothing to do but Mr. Buryn’s book read to me like the Stone Tablets did to Moses. Despite all the great tips and information encountered here (not to mention classic language of the time; “Dig it. Groove on the vibe!”), the basic philosophy requires but a brief paragraph.

Here we go. When traveling, have a plan. Do a lot of research. And, be prepared to throw out the plan.

Let yourself be guided by what inspires you. If a must see destination is a disappointment, don’t dwell on it, move on. If a tiny unknown village somewhere in France seems like paradise, settle in. Talk to the locals. Listen to the locals!

I stopped in Paris once on my way to Vienna. I was invited out with friends and spent the evening talking with a fascinating woman who had served with the Red Cross in Sicily when General Patton slapped that soldier with his glove. Two days latter, I was in Sicily. I didn’t learn a thing about World War II on that trip but my meals in Sicily taught me that Italy had a lot more to offer than just spaghetti and pizza. This seems obvious now but my culinary scope was pretty narrow back then. In hindsight, that trip, that food and those gracious southern Italians played a significant role in my choosing Italy as a place to live.

Off to Vienna, settled in Italy. Dig it.