A Letter From My European 'Volcation' Commentator Jonathan Kirby had timed his toiletries to run out just in time for the end of his European vacation. A week later, he's had to restock, couch-hop and wade through his mounting credit card debt. Though the Icelandic volcanic ash has turned him into a perpetual traveler, he says the transformation has been more adventure than toil.

A Letter From My European 'Volcation'

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ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

Time now for your letters. We asked you to write to us if you knew anyone stranded because of the volcanic ash.

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

Of if you were stranded. Adriana Alterman(ph) is a college student in Bristol, England. She went to Budapest for spring break.

SIEGEL: After numerous flights home were cancelled, Alterman and fellow travelers decided to take a bus in order to avoid missing their exams.

BLOCK: She writes: Eventually we found an emergency bus departing from Budapest Airport to London Luton Airport. The bus ride took 32 hours, crossed five countries and we almost missed our connection on the Eurotunnel to cross the English Channel. She ends with: It's nice to be home, but next time I'm buying Mother Nature insurance.

SIEGEL: Good luck with that, Adriana.

BLOCK: A very frustrated Jesse Casada(ph) is stuck in England and he writes that he's been spending his time listening to NPR. Nothing wrong with that. And on the phone fighting to get his departure city changed from Heathrow to Madrid.

SIEGEL: Hassan(ph)writes this: European airlines are paying to accommodate stranded passengers and their home governments are going to extraordinary lengths to get people home. Yet, our government has not done a single thing to help us. Hassan is trying to get to his home in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

BLOCK: And, finally, this note from American John Kirby(ph), who's on his first European vacation. Kirby was supposed to return home nearly a week ago and writes that he's trying to budget his money by eating street food and crashing on friends' couches. He says: I look at the news feeds every day and think, at least I'm not sleeping at the airport. But then again, it kind of looks like camping with a greater likelihood of Cinnabon.

(Soundbite of laughter)

SIEGEL: Well, we hope you make it home soon, Mr. Kirby.

BLOCK: And thank you for all of your emails. We love hearing from you just about as much as we love the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls in an airport food court.

SIEGEL: So, go to NPR.org, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Contact Us.

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