Trans Europe by train

Over the years I took countless trains far into Southern and Eastern Europe, mostly with an Interrail ticket which was available for anybody between the age of 18 and 26. Destinations were: Greece, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.

Greek Shepard. Photo taken on my first ‘far away’ holiday without parents at 17.

The trains were great. You could open a window and stick your head out of the window until you became tired of the wind. These photographs were made during one journey to Slovenia somewhere in the 1990s and a couple of years after Slovenia became independent (1991).

Gerlachovský štít

During a journey to Czechoslovakia in 1988 with my friend Roger Overall we ended up in the High Tatras. After a few days of hiking in this compact mountain range we thought it was a good idea to hire a mountain guide and climb the highest peak: Gerlachovský štít (2,655 metres).

For two 19 year old guys with no mountaineering experience whatsoever, this was a rather challenging climb. The first confirmed ascent was only made in 1834. I remember it was a real scramble to reach the peak. The worst part was the descent. When we almost reached a village there was a steep cliff, several dozens of meters deep, with just an iron chain to hold on to. There was no turning back.

YouTube screenshot

Photo Kristian Slimak published under CC BY-SA 2.5.

It is impossible to recreate the route we took. I’m sure it was the easiest route, probably with ascent from Velická Valley and descent into Batizovská Valley.

19 year old me in the High Tatras.

View of a mountain pass we had to climb, unsecured and without any prior mountain experience. This mountains pass was a defining moment in my life. Despite having a slight fear of height, ever since I have been dreaming of mountains.