Sit on a Train for 12 Hours

You haven't traveled in Europe until you've taken a train somewhere. You REALLY haven't traveled Europe until you take a train ride for 12 hours. Well, 15 hours total.

Part of the IGE program includes a travel excursion to some unusual place in Europe. How unusual? Ever heard of Sarajevo, Bosnia? If you answered yes, you're probably thinking "That's where they held a winter Olympics in the 1980's" or "That's where the Arch-Duke of Austria was shot to start WWI" or "That's the city that was under siege in the 1990's" or "That's where Hillary Clinton was attacked by snipers... oh, wait."*

Anyway, IGE took the whole group on a trip to Sarajevo, Bosnia. More on the city later. This entry is focused on the train ride.

Take a 12 hour train ride. I know it sounds brutal, but it really isn't that bad. You have lots of time to catch up on sleep, talk to people, read, and listen to music. Besides, taking a train to Bosnia is an adventure in itself.

First of all, you get lots of Passport stamps. Yes, this does mean having to deal with the often less than friendly border control people, but it's totally worth it to get the stamps. Really... European passport stamps are pretty rare today because the EU allows you to go from country to country without giving you a stamp. So, if you're having a stamp withdraw, go to Bosnia. I think I got 4 each way.

Also, only on a train through Croatia and Bosnia just simply disconnect the last car and still let the back door work. This means that you can open the back door and have access to the tracks the train just traveled on. It's like being in a Wild West movie.

*IGE accepts all people, regardless of their political affiliation.