- Gabriel Escobar traveled to 13 countries in Europe after graduating from college.
- The 22-year-old decided what to do in Europe based on suggestions from internet users.
- His wildest “side quest” was a shrimp fishing adventure with strangers in Norway.
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This essay as told is based on a conversation with Gabriel Escobar22 year old actor and social media content creator. It has been edited for length and clarity.
This summer, I traveled to 13 countries in Europe. Eight were planned and five were not.
I graduated from college in May. I didn't know where I wanted to go, what job I wanted or where I wanted to live, so I thought I'd go see lots of places. That sparked the whole backpack idea.
I purchased a flight to Copenhagen and scheduled my return flight for three months later – the maximum length of time I could stay in the Schengen zone without a visa.
Three days before my flight, I was sitting in a cafe. I took out a piece of paper, scribbled a random map of Europe on the back, and made a rough timeline.
This is how I understood the first month of my trip.
Shrimp on a stranger's boat in the Norwegian fjords
On this trip, I want to do something different and create a community of people who I can ask for recommendations.
So for every place I went, I would post on my Instagram and TikTok, asking people for advice on where to go.
Right off the bat, crowdsourcing my itinerary gave me so many new ideas. It also led to many of the coolest things I did on my trip that I otherwise would have never heard of.
One of my craziest adventures – which I now call my “side quests” on social media – took place during my last days in Oslo.
I received a direct message from a shrimp company, Færder Sjømat, asking if I wanted to join them on a shrimp boat.
And I responded and said, “Hey, I'd love to do that.”
The night before the shrimping trip, I slept below deck of the boat in a small bunk. And at 3:30 in the morning, while it was still dark, we left.
We traveled up the fjord for about two hours to the fishing spot and then, around 6am, we set sail on the trawler for the day.
Behind the boat, a large net was collecting shrimp as we sailed. The crew hauled in the net when it was full.
In the meantime, I spent a lot of time talking with the father-daughter duo who ran the business, and they told me about their jobs and their lives.
Once the net was raised, they put me to work. I helped sort through the 275 pounds of shrimp and separate them from the squid, small fish, and anything else that was torn off.
The shrimp are cooked on board. We then grabbed a big bowl and sat at the front of the boat, where I discovered traditional Norwegian summer dishes: toast with mayonnaise, shrimp and lemon.
It was just me and the two of them on the little boat, so it was really personal. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment and has become one of my favorite adventures.
Other side quests
Escobar went behind the scenes with Norwegian band Stavangerkameratene during a trip to Oslo. Gabe Escobar
Another crazy adventure was when I went on tour with Stavangerkameratene, a Norwegian band, in central Norway. I spent a full 24 hours with the band and hung out with them backstage.
All of my side quests were amazing, but there were times when even I felt a little nervous.
One day I was on a farm and this woman and her husband approached me and asked if I wanted to see their horses.
During this side quest, I realized that getting into a car with two complete strangers might not be the best idea.
Some Things They Don't Tell You About Solo Travel
Escobar hiking in Europe. Gabe Escobar
One thing people don't tell you about solo travel is how lonely it can feel. The loneliness was exhausting at times, because I was trying to find things to fill my schedule, mainly because I didn't have anyone with me to spend time with.
Sometimes I would sit on the steps of a building, no matter what city I was in, because I didn't want to go back to my hostel room with 10 strangers inside.
Another challenge is that when you travel alone, you are entirely responsible for taking care of yourself. At times during the trip I felt sleep deprived, sick and hungry.
So my advice is this: if you are traveling alone, slow down and learn to take care of yourself and your health on the road.