Firstly, it takes hours of planning to pull this off. I spent around 5-6 hrs just looking for different combinations of flight/bus routes to reach there. I found flight to Nice, France for 15⏠and return from Marseille, France for 9âŹ, both super close to Monaco (I live in Bratislava). I decided to stay in Nice and travel to Monaco from there since it's cheaper that way (and only 20 mins by bus)!
Second step doesn't require any planning, just luck and a bit of courage, since here you have to make friends or talk to strangers. Courage for me specially, because since I was a kid I had been a very quiet and closed person, and didn't know much how to talk to people. The trick I learned through lot of practice and experience is that you have to be genuinely interested in other people's stories, instead of talking about yours, and not to be arrogant about your achievements. I still get chills when I have to approach someone, so it's an ongoing development. There are lot of travel communities where you can talk to people and locals, sometimes you can build up conversations in museums, touristic spots, clubs, etc, and if you are lucky enough you will find some people who are your type and you develop long lasting bonds!
I didn't have any plans on how I will go to Monaco or live on 31st night ( I didn't book any place, I thought I will go there and see, maybe I will find some cheap party or just return to Nice somehow after fireworks). Each party there costed minimum 700 euros to enter, hostels around 150⏠! I met this awesome girl, Debbi, in Nice, and we talked and became friends very fast, since she also love adventures. She lives on a boat, and does part time job at Nice airport to support her sailing dreams. This year she plans to do Eurotrip by sailing and next world tour by sailing! Pretty cool, right!! She had planned to go to Monaco with her friend and invited me after knowing me. Sailing is wayyy different than luxury cruises, it takes lot of work. I helped her with sailing, cleaning the boat, management etc, since I didn't want to be a freeloader and I learned a lot about sailing too! She said I am the best dressed crew she ever had, and she has invited me for the sailing world tour too someday!
Debbi had some friends in Monaco, who she had invited for New Years eve in Monte Carlo on her boat. I spent 2 days, 1 night, on boat, had amazing homemade French food, met locals, saw fireworks from the boat, visited a billionaire's club (almost ordered 500⏠per glass wine, but my friend saved me). All in all, it was fun, best way to start the new decade!
Plan a bit, be flexible, and be open to experiences and people. And if you are lucky enough, things will work out, and if not, you will have an awesome story to share! As they say, Fortune favors the Bold ;)
Wishing you all a very happy new year and decade full of success, happiness, and adventures đď¸đâľ
Bonus video: They have an amazing custom at Monte Carlo docks that at New years eve midnight, when the fireworks are going on, all the ships and boats blow their horns at their loudest! Plus, if you have a personal bugle, you can blow it until you drop!
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You can check out more pics from my Monaco trip here.
