The Scruffman in Europe

I am so glad "Scruffy" made it to Europe. I am looking forward to the next installment as I have a feeling there will be many interesting adventures ahead. Thanks for keeping us posted!

Can't wait for the next installment.

I'm following along avidly.

Okay, here we go. Seatbelts fastened.

Bookmarking to recall my own scruffy youth.

Looking forward to more...

Cant wait to read all about what he gets up to.

I wish I had done that!

How fun!

artsnletters - I just spent the last two hours reading your other two threads and bringing myself up-to-date on the Adventures of Scruffman. I hadn't planned on spending my Sunday morning this way, but your thread title caught my eye, and it was a delightful read, and I got hooked. I find myself wanting to know the Scruffman's next move, so please keep us posted. I'm sure he's going to have a great time. He sure has a lot of positive energy coming his way from the folks here at Fodors.

One question - Did Scruffman ever get all his shots (malaria, etc) taken care of before he departed on his journey?

Robyn

After all the kerfuffle about getting into England do tell us briefly what his experience of London was. Did he get to his concert?

Did he have any trouble getting through Customs?

Considering some of the weird advice and suggestions that I read, a whole hell of a lot of people would feel vindicated if they learned that he got a 'normal' haircut and bought a suit before getting on the plane.

But somehow, I think that isn't how it happened.

The Scruffman gets shpongled in England

The Scruffman landed in London on the 28th of October, wearing his full hippie regalia. Mom had provisioned him before departure with a spate of instructions and a sheaf of supporting documentation so as not to be turned back at passport control. He was to be ready, indeed eager, to show off his onward ticket to Copenhagen, his bank statement, his credit cards, his visa for India, his itinerary (produced by Mom) noting his European agenda, his plans to visit a friend in Italy, his need to be out of Turkey by the end of January to comply with Schengen regulations. He was to be clear that he was leaving in a week. He must not mention working, busking, volunteering, or any form whatsoever of productive activity. He was to state that his purpose was being a tourist and attending a concert. He was not to say he was couchsurfing, but to say he was staying in a hostel. If asked which one, he was to display a (Mom-provided) print-out of London hostels and say, “I thought I’d call around when I get into town. It’s October, how difficult can it be to find a hostel in October?”

Thus fortified, he made it through passport control successfully. His entire report: “They asked me lots of questions but thanks to you I pretty much had all the right answers.”

He had not been successful in lining up a couch for his first two nights, so he washed up on the shores of The Green Man hostel, which he reported was fine because there were a couple guys in the bar who wanted to keep buying him drinks. A couple days later he hooked up with his couchsurfing host for the duration of his stay in London, Alen. Alen is Swiss, and (as evidenced by the photo on his couchsurfing page), he has the sort of dreadlocks to which I am sure Greg aspires.

The purpose of the visit to London in the first place revolved around the concert of a group named Shpongle on Friday the 30th. If you have heard of them, you’re far ahead of me. Wikipedia describes their music as “psychedelic downtempo” or “Psybient,” and if you know what that is, you’re even farther ahead of me. Anyway, this is a duo, one half of which is a 30-something guy who plays synthesizers, and the other half of which is a 70-something guy who plays the flute. Because the senior half of the duo isn’t such a spring chicken, this concert was the kick-off of what is anticipated to be their last tour. I don’t know how Greg came to know about them, but he thinks enough of them to have bought the ticket many months ago and timed his whole trip around the concert.

And as it turned out, his host Alen and several of his friends are also big Shpongle fans and had tickets for the same concert. So he ended up going to the concert with a group. The photos he posted of the set are pretty trippy, and apparently the concert met all expectations. Through a "comical display of dance flirtation" he ended up meeting a cute Swedish girl who offered her couch if he makes it to Sweden - "probably a terrible idea" was his reaction to this, but hey, what's the point of being young if you can't take a pretty girl up on an invitation?

They attended a massive all-night Shpongle after-party, after which they all went home to crash for most of the next couple days. According to Greg, hanging with Alen and his crowd is non-stop hilarity, and he did very little sightseeing because they were running the streets having a wild and crazy time.

On Tuesday, November 3, Greg parted company with his now bosom-buddy Alen and headed to Stansted to take his easyJet flight to Denmark. And there we will pick up when I have the rest of that story.

Robyn, yes, he did get his shots and is stocked with malaria pills.

kerouac, I think you are a person who will completely understand when I say that Greg is a guy for whom it is very important to live true to himself - his dreadlocked, scruffy-bearded, thrift-store-clothed self. There's a rare honesty in that, don't you think?

Artnsletter, your threads about your son are a riot! And he sounds like a fun and great guy. And smart too, he listened to you regarding how to get enterance into England.

I have been reading this from the beginning and am so glad that you are still updating! Greg and West seem like great guys What a fantastic opportunity for them! I have a student who wants to do a similar thing and I thought it was great. Please keep writing whenver you get an update

Yes, artsnletters, I completely understand, even though I finally reached the later stage in life when it can sometimes be fun to "disguise" yourself as someone you are not. However, since dreadlocks do not grow overnight, it is a major life change whenever somebody decides that the dreadlocks days are over! May that day still be far off for Greg.

It's interesting that they did indeed stop him for lots of questions. Our concern that this would happen, for whatever reason, was well-placed, and your preparation in response appears to have been key to his success.

I would have been worried about the guys buying him drinks, but luckily you didn't know about it at the time, and clearly the drink-buyers had no bad intentions. I guess that will be a common theme - you'll be happier to hear about the adventures after the fact than during!

Loving this continuing trip report of the Scruffman's adventures. Sounds like he is having the time of his life.

artsnletters, I am loving these threads and your sense of humor. And I, too, am glad that neither of you felt the need to have The Scruffman change his appearance (but also glad that he listened to you about immigration!).

Hey there Artsnletters,

I read thru the other threads as they were occurring and I get a big kick out of all that went on to get to this point. I am bookmarking here because I cannot miss what happens to your scruffster as he floats along.

Glad to have found the next instalment! Sounds like the UK prep paid off.

This is a great thread . . . reminding one of past lives, but content to be in the current one.

Marching with the rest of Scruffy groopies, chanting: we want more! we want more!

Thumbs up for The Scruffman. Glad he made it across the pond!

I'm so glad you're updating us on his trip! It sounds like he's already had a wonderful time. And I wonder if he WILL decide to go to Sweden to meet up with the pretty girl?

Arts,

I myself just got back from London last night and tried to post to your earlier US thread from there (yes, I tried to follow as I travelled over the past 3 weeks !) but the WiFi connection was weak and the posting didn't take from my netbook. I was in England from Nov 1-9 and feel a strange sense of connection to have been in the same country and vicinity as the travelling scruffman for those few days!
Glad to hear that he is doing well and looking forward to your updates of his adventures.

M.

I too had a scruffman, well scruffboy, in Europe a few years ago. At 17 he flew into Frankfurt, hopped on a train and called home (fortunately his cell phone worked)asking for the address of his destination in France as he had left his carefully planned (by Mom) and detailed itinerary at home!
Oh yeah, the airline lost his luggage as well.

I stumbled across the US part of the story today and now I am hooked and cannot wait to hear the European stories to come!

Wondering if Greg has any idea how many of us on Fodors are following his trip? Hopefully, even if after he returns, he will read all of this.

lowcountry, I'm scared to tell him. I'm not sure whether he will appreciate my writing up his adventures for mass consumption, as he may eventually write them up himself.

You'll all buy his book when it comes out, right?

For those who are waiting, I have most of another chunk of the story, but the Scruffman tends to fall out of touch when he's busy having fun, and then is in touch again when he's ready to make another leap and wants help with logistics, but that's all he's focused on then and he doesn't give me any entertaining tidbits. (This morning there was some frantic real-time e-mailing on logistical matters, not entirely resolved yet.) I hope I'll have more in another day or so.

I am really grateful to you all for your support and your willingness to share in both my excitement and my occasional anxiety over this trip. I don't have people in my regular life who are this interested in what Greg is up to, and it's been wonderful for me to have other travel enthusiasts I can "talk" to.

artsnletters, I would definitely buy his book! If you get up the nerve to tell him, remember - we're not exactly getting a play-by-play here. I would love to hear about his trip from his perspective. And I'm glad if our listening in is giving you some support in the bargain!

I too want to know what he thinks about his adventure when he's back from it all. I'd be really interested in his take of what he experienced around the world, and how others live.
(Just got back yesterday from 3.5 weeks away mself and am starting to write my TR)

M.

Hi Artsnletters, there's a wonderful quote about, "living all the days you're alive", that I can't remember properly now. I think Greg's doing just that - imagine the stories he'll have to tell when he's an old man! I'm so enjoying being part of his invisible caravan, and your support network for the nailbiting times. I'm imagining "Scruffman couchsurfs the World" as a movie ...

The Scruffman takes Denmark by storm – oh wait, it’s “The Scruffman takes Denmark in a storm”

When the Scruffman landed in Copenhagen on November 3, it was 4:00, already dark, and snowing heavily. He didn’t have a couch for the night and couldn’t find a hostel for less than $80, so he said “F*#@ it” and bedded down in a park, I assume at least somewhere sheltered. Once again, a generous local and a bartender provided free alcohol, so at least he was feeling no pain during the long, cold night. (What is this thing about buying the Scruffman drinks??? Is it his charming personality, or is it just that Europeans in general like to buy furriners drinks???)

Now, mom was not pleased with the combo of booze and bedding down alone outside, especially in winter. I am well aware that he could get “rolled” this way. So I have sent emphatic instructions: No HWD!!! (No hoboing while drunk – his term for sleeping out.) I can only hope he will observe this rule before he lives to regret it.

(For the truly horrified, I will add that the Scruffman discovered some years ago that his tolerance for alcohol is so great that to get truly drunk he has to drink so much he makes himself truly sick, and in response he stopped trying to drink to get drunk. So he is highly unlikely to have been “passed out” drunk.)

The next day, he located a couch (perhaps someone who pitied him his night in the snow?). Unfortunately, he had picked up a cold (surprise!?), and spent the next two days sleeping while he recuperated.

He was then supposed to hook up with his next couch host outside a concert in Christiania, a counterculture neighborhood created in the 1970s by squatters on an abandoned military base. I had actually suggested Copenhagen to the Scruffman because of this neighborhood, which seemed right up his hippie alley. But in the crush outside the concert, he was unable to connect with his couch host. However, in typical Scruffman fashion, he was the recipient of kindness and generosity from strangers, and was taken under the wing of Jacob, who lives about 30 minutes out of Copenhagen, for the night.

Finally, the next day he connected with Kris, who hosted him for the next four nights. Greg described Kris as a “musician and crazy political ranter like me,” and they hit it off famously. The Scruffman’s penchant for political ranting is built on his experiences working as street fundraiser for social causes, his occupation for the 18 months immediately preceding this trip. He obviously wasn’t a ranter on the street, or it would have been very hard to be as successful as he was at it, even on the streets of San Francisco, but it did require him to become very, very knowledgeable about the details of the issues he was fundraising for. It also gave him a broad experience of people’s contrary opinions and the ability to challenge and often to overcome them. He is a very difficult person to argue with, because he is calm, incredibly logical, and will instantly make you aware of any hypocrisy. He would make a heck of a lawyer, if only he could handle the books-and-writing part of it. Maybe he’ll end up a politician?

Anyway, all was quiet until the morning of November 10, when I woke up to an e-mail saying:

Since I haven't heard back from you about Göteborg I'm just assuming theres no inexpensive trains or busses. I think I'm just going to hit the road tomorrow and see if I can't hitchhike it...just hope I don't get stranded in between! I don't think it's too far and I can probably make it in a day if I get an early start but I don't have tons of day light to work with so it'll be a challenge.”

What??? I’d heard nothing about Göteborg! It’s another place that had occurred to me as a possible destination, as I’ve heard it’s a pretty cool place, but Sweden hadn’t originally been on the itinerary so I hadn’t mentioned it. Sweden had come up before – actually, as a sop to the grandparents who ended up funding this trip, if unwillingly, because they had set up the college fund that became the trip fund. Greg’s grandparents are very widely traveled, but his grandmother had never been to Sweden and would have liked to go (at 82, it isn’t going to happen now, in addition to her refusal to fly anywhere since 9/11). But he’d been talking about Malmö, just across the Oresund from Copenhagen.

Why the sudden change in plans? Does the pretty Swedish girl from the Shpongle concert live in Göteborg? I truly have no idea.

But the idea of him hitchhiking in Sweden in winter struck near-terror in my heart. I sent an urgent e-mail back telling him to wait, wait, I was working on it. And within a few minutes I had located a $25 bus fare from Copenhagen to Göteborg for the 11th of November. I e-mailed complete instructions on how to book the fare online to save 20% off the cost of purchasing on the bus. The return e-mail admitted that this did sound “nicer” – an awfully mild description of a means of transport to Göteborg that would be warm, dry, and efficient at quite modest cost.

And an e-mail bounced back in a few minutes saying he hadn’t been able to complete the transaction online and asking me to give it a try. This required me to call the credit card company and let them know I was making a transaction from Sweden, before jumping online myself and buying his ticket without incident. I e-mailed back the info and got one of his elaborate e-mails back. Entire message: “Sweet! I’ll be in touch.”

And this morning, the 12th, I received another of those newsy e-mails:

I MADE IT!

Hey Arts -

Loving the Scruffman journey.

I'm not the least bit surprised at the "kindness of strangers" he is encountering. I remember very well the camaraderie and generosity of other young people who are living that kind of life from my young days of traveling similarly (30 years ago).

A casual conversation on a street in Vancouver turned into being invited to stay a week at the house of a group of artists. A guy I met kayaking in New Zealand gave me the address of a friend in the next town, who invited me to spend a few days with her, having never even met me. Etc., etc. So many stories, I'd have to start another thread. It's amazing the good things that can happen when you open yourself up to the world. (Although of course now that I have kids the Scruffman's age I have to admonish them that bad things can happen too (just like they can happen in a grocery store parking lot at home) so you of course have to use some judgment.) Sounds like Scruffman is doing wonderfully.

Yay Scruffman!

I cannot help but imagine the scenario of him chatting with someone somewhere, telling about his travels, and the other person saying, "Hey wait a minute, you must be The Scruffman!"

/Nonsense modus off. I thoroughly enjoy following your report of your son's adventures. It shows you respect him and his lifestyle although you don't agree with everything he does. This is the most precious gift any young adult can receive from his/her parents, which many others don't get. He listens to you - he can, because of that.

Young people traveling off season can count on much more generosity than in the middle of summer. This is probably the best time of year for this kind of trip.

What would we do without e-mail and the internet. A great stress relieving medium when you have children living overseas and they keep in touch. Then again can be a great cause of stress when you read about what they are doing.

I am really enjoying reading Greg's adventures.

hi, scruffman's mum,

I've just caught your thread for the first time.

I think I may have a scruffman in the making.

i don't know whether to laugh or cry.

watching through my fingers,

regards, ann

<<I cannot help but imagine the scenario of him chatting with someone somewhere, telling about his travels, and the other person saying, "Hey wait a minute, you must be The Scruffman!">>

quokka, let us hope this never happens! I think I will never be forgiven! You are right though that I respect his choices. I'm trying to be a ready resource so that I can try to head off trouble before it turns into something major.

kerouac: Not to mention, I think people feel sorrier for the underfunded and/or desperate during cold weather.

annhig: It's not as bad as all that. Just make sure your incipient scruffman gets lots of real-world experience while he's still home. Mine has lived on his own for several years, spent some time walking "on the wild side" while still in his hometown including time in kinda dicey urban neighborhoods, done a lot of camping including desert camping (which is both very hot and very cold), and logged tons of hours talking to people from all walks of life for years - attended a very diverse high school, and through his street work. Especially his street work. He says you have about 30 seconds to convince someone that they want to stop and talk to you - imagine the skills you develop when you spend all day getting 30 seconds to get people to stop and talk to you, plus trust you enough to give you money/credit card info. But the point of all this is, he isn't naive, he knows how to take care of himself when he needs to rough it, and he can connect very quickly with people, which I imagine is quite useful when he really needs help. That doesn't mean he isn't going to encounter disaster at some point, but I think he's less at risk than some. So encourage your scruffman-in-training to develop the skills he'll need before he embarks on such an adventure. (And don't show him these threads unless what you fear becomes inevitable!)

hi Scruffman's mum,

<<annhig: It's not as bad as all that. Just make sure your incipient scruffman gets lots of real-world experience while he's still home>>

that's not so easy in rural Cornwall. He's applying to uni but inertia is setting in, as he's on the notorious gap-year and enjoying hanging with his mates who are similarly underemployed. He's looking for a job but they are like hen's teeth. I don't want to be a nag but as the family's only gainfully employed person it's not easy.

Sorry. Vent over.

looking forwrd [ I think] to the next installment,

regards, ann

"He would make a heck of a lawyer, if only he could handle the books-and-writing part of it. Maybe he’ll end up a politician?"

Priceless!!!! LOL

Ann, that is scary! The Scruffman is very committed to self-sufficiency, albeit at a very low level. He doesn't ask me for money - hasn't since he moved out at 18, although he has accepted donations of food from time to time! This is probably the only college education he's going to get, as despite his intelligence he doesn't get on with school (learning disabilities), and he's viewing this as his education. Beats me what he'll do with it, but he isn't a mooch, even off his mom. (I was a single parent for 15 of his 18 years at home, and he appreciates that that was a big challenge for me financially. He knows I'm not in a position to let him loaf at home.)

The job situation sucks everywhere. Truly an awful time. Hence not such a bad time to be a Scruffman on the road. I hope it will be better when he gets home.

Best of luck to you and your scruffster.

Arts,

You and him are an incredible team !

M.

Enjoying the saga. Sounds like you continue to play a critical role in his travels. He is so lucky to have you for back-up.

I have a nephew graduating from college next month who plans on taking a year to travel the world. I can't decide whether or not to send him this link. I'm not even his mother and the thought of it makes me very anxious. Oh, the couch surfing thing....

Hello artsnletters. About fifteen years ago a young fellow, family member did as your son is doing. We would get a collect phone call from time to time but no day to day communications, well except for some postcards. At the time we wished we heard more often from him but I have to say after he returned home and shared his adventures it was probably a good thing that we didn't. We would have been a nervous wreck! And he too couched surfed although I don't remember that term being used at the time. Anyway, he made it home safe and sound and broke of course. Our young scuffyman and yours sound so similar. Our fellow has sinced gotten his university degree, married, bought a house and is now a father. How they change over the years. Best wishes to you along with admiration for how you are handling this, and wishes that your son has a wonderful time thoughout his journey.

This evening I accidentally stumbled across the 3 threads and couldn't stop reading. It's reinvigorated my memory of college years in the early 1960's.

What a different world now. Then: only means of communicating was phone (too expensive) and mail. Most of my and friends' parents wouldn't hear from any of us except once every few months ... and most of what we wrote were short .... and highly self-censored.

One half of Shpongle is in his 70's eh? ... Hmmm ... memories and thoughts percolating ... I wonder if my wife would be as accepting of an elder-exploration as are you of your son's exploration. (Ooops ... I just remembered how uncomfortable it can be sleeping in the rain)

I quickly learned to get a spot under the overpasses in Vondelpark in Amsterdam, even when the night seemed clear.

I just stumbled across these threads as well,and haven't been able to stop reading, despite a pressing deadline.

Thanks so much for such an entertaining read. It brings back memories for me as well. I also took off on an open-ended trip at 21. I set off to Europe via Asia with only the first flight to Singapore organised. I think I was on a budget like $10 a day, seems inconceivable now. The trip taught me so much!

Scruffman--what a great name--sounds like a delightful young man. I think I was probably scruffgirl at that point--my mother did despair and I did grow out of it, well almost...

It really is great to hear from those of you who've done something like this, or know someone who has. I envy my boy this trip, although really I only wish I had wanted to do it, back in the day. I wanted the trip, but not this kind of a trip. In the end it didn't matter, I married young and we bought a house and that was that. I'm glad he's sowing some wild oats while they are easy to sow.

Susan7, how long ago was that? I think the Scruffman's budget is about $20 a day plus transportation costs. He certainly made it across the US on that or less.

And I too am sitting here, drumming my fingers, impatiently waiting for word from the Scruffman. I know where he has been and where he is right now, but little else about the last 10 days or so. I'm hoping he will find time to send me a little of his story soon so I can share some more with you.

I'm sure you can hear the collective sound of all our fingers drumming as we too wait patiently