I don’t think I will ever get tired of traveling. Besides seeing some amazing sights, and living through some truly incredible experiences, it’s the people I’ve met along the way that has made traveling so magical.

Take my most recent trip to Europe during which I ran with bulls in Pamplona, Spain; partied in the streets of Barcelona when Spain won the UEFA Euro Cup; raved at the largest electronic dance music festival in the world in Belgium; climbed the Acropolis in Athens; rode a motor scooter through the mountain gorges of Crete and lounged on some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Europe. All of which were once-in-a-lifetime, bucket list experiences, but what made them truly magical and unforgettable are the people I was able to share them with.People like Jesse and Lewis from the UK who ran with the bulls with me. Lee from Australia who was doing the run at the tender age of 73, celebrating the 50th anni-versary of first time he did it in 1974.

I also met Corinna from Toronto, who is the wonderful director of the campground I stayed at while in Pamplona and who also organizes the Kaleidoscope Gathering pagan festival every year near Eganville.

At the Tomorrowland EDM festival in Boom, Belgium, I was joined by my friend Kamil from Basel, Switzerland, who I first met at the Tomorrowland festival two years ago and again last year.

Every year at the festival I become part of a new Tomorrowland family. This year, I got to meet Kamil’s girlfriend Regina and her friends Fiona, Christina and Maggi from Germany, along with Aneta, Agata, Damian and Bartek, who are all from Poland, and Amr who is from Poland by way of Egypt.

Mike and his wife Aileen, who are origin-ally from Fort McMurray, Alberta, but now live in Hamburg, were also there as were Ryan and Alexia from Edmonton. It was a big group and we really did become one big extended family.

After Tomorrowland, I went to Crete to visit my friend Anthony who I first met at the Bonita Escondida hostel in Puerto Escondido, Mexico last February.

But before I got to Crete, I had an overnight layover in Copenhagen where an airport customer service agent named Catarina helped me retrieve my fanny pack which I had mistakenly left on the flight from Amsterdam. Not only did she retrieve my fanny pack, but she personally delivered it to the gate the next morning as I was about to board the plane to Athens.

In Athens, I stayed at the Baloo Hostel where I met Leslie from Sonoma County, California. Leslie is 67 years young and was traveling solo through Europe for two months after attending her son’s wedding in Italy. During her journey she was staying in hostels for the first time since her 20s and was enjoying every minute of it as she got to meet young people from around the world, myself included.

I also met Mahila from Sydney, Australia in Athens, who is an incredible singer, and Jakob, 26, from Sweden who purchased a 36-foot sailboat in the Azores and sailed solo to the Canary Islands and the Caribbean after learning how to sail by watching YouTube videos. Then I met Dan from New Zealand by way of Melbourne, Australia, and Max from Denmark who I would run into again a week later in a hostel in Heraklion on Crete.

After two days in Athens, I went to Crete to met up with Anthony who’s originally from South Africa, but now runs an ATV excursion business in Platanias, which is about 20 minutes west of Chania.

As fortune would have it, Anthony’s mother Krystallo was visiting from South Africa at the same time along with his sister Stephanie and Stephanie’s husband Lloyd.

I also got to meet Anthony’s friend Jenni who is originally from Finland and is a total sweet heart. Jenni helps Anthony run the ATV excursion business, which is called Beach Bums, along with his friends Adrian, Nicholas and Jonathan.

While staying at the hostel in Chania, I also met Sly, who is another Aussie, and fellow EDM fan.

From Crete I was supposed to go back to Amsterdam, but fate once again intervened when I forgot my laptop on the bus from Chania to Heraklion. After a sleepless night and a great deal of panic, I managed to get it back thanks to Kosta, who is the station manager at the bus station in Heraklion.

And this is why I fully believe everything happens for a reason. As a result of losing my MacBook, I had to reschedule my flight to Amsterdam which gave me two days in Heraklion. Fortunately, I managed to find a bed at the last minute at the hostel which is where I met Valentin from Paris, who is a fellow admirer of sunsets, and the totally amazing and wonderful Anna from Hamburg. I can’t say enough about Anna. We bonded immediately and over the course of the next 24 hours became like father and daughter.

I also met Philo at the hostel who is also from Germany, and William, who is originally from Oregon and is currently serving in the U.S. military near Nuremburg.

I ended my trip by spending a few days in Amsterdam to see my adopted Dutch daughter, Bente, and her childhood friend and former roommate Saar, who I jokingly call “Scooter Girl” because I once let her take me around Rotterdam on the back of a motor scooter even though she didn’t have a license.

Everyone of the acquaintances I have mentioned would not have been possible without my desire to travel and to stay in hostels. Not only is it cheaper than staying in a hotel, but you end up meeting mostly young people from all over the world which makes you feel young as well. As the saying goes – old souls, young hearts.

To have these interactions and to make these connections is an absolute blessing for which I am eternally grateful.

(If you wish to comment on this or any other View Point column please write to Fred Sherwin at fsherwin@orleansstar.ca)