Hi there, JFC-ers!

Budget airline Wizz Air have made themselves the talk of European travel this week, after introducing a new all-you-can-fly subscription on their flights. Well, kind of.

After paying €599 for a subscription, you'll still have to pay €10 every time you book a seat. And that seat can only be booked up to 72 hours in advance. Essentially, planners, this one is not for you!

On the flip side, the Wizz network stretches far and wide, thanks to the expansion of its Abu Dhabi hub. So, if you can imagine hopping on a couple of short-notice trips to the Maldives or Kyrgyzstan each year, then maybe it's worth it. 

Head over to our Instagram to hear Josh from our social media team explain more. 

Happy travels,

As you read this, I’m already making my way to Tirana by public transport. The last week in particular has involved a lot of prep for my adventure, of course — re-reading all the packing lessons we learnt last year, last-minute trips to buy handwashing detergent, and dreaming up a list of delicious treats I hope to eat and drink during the next fortnight. 

On that note — please reply to this email with any must-try Balkan foods you can recommend! We may pass through Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro or even North Macedonia on the way to Albania, so all tips are welcome. I can still taste the iced Nutella latte and giant salmon bagel I scarfed down on our way to the Nikola Tesla museum in Belgrade last year, but it was hardly the most traditional of combos. This year I hope to do better!

I’m certainly not the only one who intends to taste their way across Europe, either. A couple of months ago, I caught up with JFC-er and fellow 2023 racer, Aarash, to hear about his memories of last year’s race and his hopes for this year. 

Tell The Detour readers a bit about yourself, and what it is you love about travel. 

My name is Aarash, and I'm a student studying in London at the moment. I took part in last year's race during my year off, and it was probably the best way for me to wrap up my summer before starting studying again. I'd done a fair bit of solo travelling within Europe already and (as a bit of a train nerd!) thought that the race would be a lot of fun without even looking into it too much. 

The amount of cultural diversity I can experience while seeing beautiful sights and trying new foods everywhere is what really draws me to travel. I also love the social side of travelling, meeting and exchanging stories with other travellers; my experience in 2023 was great as I met 2 other racers en route to Istanbul and was able to become good friends with them both (Sam and Sue), and I continued my travels back from Istanbul with them.

Are you a JFC member? If so, have you travelled anywhere because of JFC?

I've been subscribed to the JFC newsletter for more than a year now — that’s how I heard about the race. Although I've not had the time or money to use one of your flight tips quite yet, I'm staying optimistic!

What made you want to take part in the Trans-European Race in 2023?

I love visiting new locations and the race was perfect for it. I've never been to so many cities in such a short time and been able to stop by the biggest landmarks and grab a local meal or 2 before my transfer. It was fast-paced, exciting and enjoyable with good weather and great views.

Did you have a certain strategy for racing to Istanbul? How did that play out?

Initially my race plan was to make as much ground as I could during the day before crashing in a hostel and to rinse and repeat. However, after my first night in France, I noticed that the front of the pack wasn't stopping to sleep, and I'd have to change my plan. After a night in Strasbourg, I switched to using night trains/coaches to sleep on and that seemed to work. It made the whole experience feel much more like an actual race and meant I was taking routes and stopping in cities that I wouldn't have normally.

Which stop(s) along your route did you like most? Any recommendations for spots that JFC-ers shouldn’t miss?

My #1 recommendation to visit would be Plovdiv in Bulgaria. James from Lupine set this city as a checkpoint after he'd visited years before, and it really did show Bulgaria's beauty.

I caught a train from Sofia to Plovdiv, which took me though the mountainous countryside — one of my favourite train journeys to date — before I ended up in Plovdiv train station with a 15-minute walk to the old town, where the real beauty was. Fountains, Roman architecture and insane views with delicious food. I've got plans to head back there on my return from Albania this year.

Spotlight on: Plovdiv

Plovdiv was a favourite among the JFC team racers, too. We loved the almost Mediterranean vibe of the pedestrianised Old Town, complete with Roman stadium and amphitheatre! Late-night karaoke sessions are (supposedly) optional, but we highly recommend!

What made you decide to do it all again this year? And do you think you’ll take part in the 2025 race from Tallinn to Barcelona or 2026’s Japan edition?

After such a fun experience in 2023 and getting to see things I'd never seen before, it was a no-brainer to reapply for the 2024 race.

I'd most definitely be interested in the other planned races, too! I'd been wondering how Lupine would incorporate the Iberian Peninsula, and switching the start point sounds exciting, as does the Japanese race. I will have to see how my schedules with uni work around it but, being half Japanese myself, I'd be very intrigued!

Aside from the race, what has been your favourite travel experience/destination so far? What under-visited places would you recommend to our readers, and why?

My favourite experience travelling so far has probably been the return from Istanbul in 2023. I spent a week in Istanbul with the people I had met in the race before saying my farewells and catching the train to Bucharest with Sue (one of the people I'd met on the race).

From there we went to Brașov, followed by Budapest, where we parted ways. Despite this not being the craziest journey, it was incredibly fun to spend it with someone I'd just met and had very similar objectives to.

From there I went on to Vienna before getting a night train to Amsterdam, where I had friends fly in to meet me. With a little bit of general planning and an Interrail pass, the amount of improv that can be pulled off is really fun. And after the race, staying in a city an extra day or getting a night train across the continent doesn't seem too outlandish.

Do you have any final words of wisdom you'd like to share with your fellow Detour readers and Lupine Racers?

For those planning on taking part this year, I'd make sure to bring cash for Eastern Europe, as many of the countries/bus companies are still cash based. And also make sure that you have a SIM that will give you coverage in all the countries you may have to go to—crossing the Bulgarian/Turkish border and having to make my way to the blue mosque by just asking people and using the intermittent Wi-Fi in random stations was fun, but I also wouldn't choose to do it again!

Thanks so much for chatting to me, Aarash. Good luck with this year's race!