"The best things while traveling cost $0."

I thought became clear over the last few months.

But I'd now like to append that statement. "The best things while traveling cost $0. Unless it's Taylor Swift."

That takes me to the innocuous setting of Warsaw, Poland, where I was more annoyed than anything that Taylor Swift was in town for 3 nights.

Warsaw, Poland?

No offense, but why would Taylor Swift perform in Warsaw?

It beats me, but it coincided with the dates I had planned for the city. Unfortunately, 6-bed hostel dorms were going for €150+ per night.

Again, no offense to Warsaw, but I was not paying €150 to see the city.

Luckily, my friends April and Remy were also in town and they had booked accommodation months ago. Thanks to the floor of their Airbnb, I'd get to see the city after all!

Taylor Swift Economy

While cities like Venice, Amsterdam, and Barcelona are trying to combat over-tourism, Warsaw welcomed it with open arms.

Perhaps because it was only for 3 days. But I saw bars offering discounts to people who showed proof of a ticket and city ordinances advertising to "Swifties" all the other things to do in the city.

"Do the locals think that we're part of this?" Remy asked April and I as we walked down Warsaw's busy boulevard.

"I sure hope not," I responded. "At least we're not dressed in pink, purple, and glitter."

But honestly, they probably did assume.

We largely avoided the crowds by spending time at the Warsaw riverfront and April's dad's apartment. But as we explored the old town one morning, I got a text from an old group chat.

Selling a Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket for tonight in Warsaw 🪩 ⭐️

My Negotiating Skills from Egypt Take Over

The chat, a 500-person group from my study abroad in Singapore, signaled that this girl was desperate to get rid of the ticket. How many people in that chat were currently in Warsaw?

Five? Even less?

I messaged her. I wasn't thinking about attending but I was curious what tickets were going for.

She was asking €300 for the ticket. I declined, telling her that was too much.

She never responded further and I forgot all about it. I proceeded work out by the river, watch the Olympics, and write a blog post. But just as April, Remy, and I were heading to a Polish miłkbar for dinner, she reached out again.

"Okay, I'm willing to sell it at a lower price."

Now I was really intrigued. Taylor Swift was scheduled to come on in 90 minutes so I was probably her last hope. And I am a budget backpacker, so I wasn't going to shell out for this ticket.

"€100," she proposed. I countered at €50. We ended up at €65.

I was still on the fence, but my college roommates assured me this was "good blog content" and a "target-rich environment."

Convinced.

Woah. One PayPal transfer later, I was going to see Taylor Swift in less than an hour.

A Generational Tour

I hurried to the arena. There would be no glittery outfits or I ❤️ Taylor merch. Just a plain white T-shirt and gym shorts.

But hey! Given infinite time, I probably would've worn the same outfit.

There would also be no memorizing the setlist or going with friends.

However, contrary to popular belief, I know *some* Taylor Swift songs. And the girl who sold me the ticket told me I'd be sitting with her 3 female friends.

Life could be worse.

I arrived a couple minutes after she took the stage. I didn't even know the first song anyway.

But I then proceeded to be amazed by this one person's ability to captivate and engage an audience of 50,000+ for three hours straight.

Three nights in a row! For the last 18 months to boot!

Her performance was nothing short of spectacular. Choreography, crowd work, and costume changes flowed together seamlessly, leaving little downtime and nonstop hits from almost two decades of music.

When the girl next to me, Johanna, offered me a friendship bracelet, I felt officially enshrined in the Swiftie community.

Tipping my Cap

I won't pretend like I'm Taylor's biggest fan or anything. I even told Johanna, "I'm just happy to be here!" To even say I knew 40% of the setlist would be an overstatement.

But looking around the arena, music reverberating through my skull, I couldn't help but feel amazed at what Taylor Swift had created.

Her shows have single-handedly lifted the GDPs of entire countries. People are mesmerized by her every move and think nothing of traveling halfway across the world to see her live.

Plus, the show lives up to the hype. Her songs are relatable, her performance is poetic, and Swiftie energy is infectious.

Taylor Swift is a born entertainer.

After the show, I quietly reflected on the Warsaw riverfront. My eardrums were still ringing, but I couldn't believe it all came together.

Somehow I ended up in Warsaw that auspicious weekend, I found a floor to sleep on, and a reasonably-priced ticket fell into my lap.

The best travel experiences might cost $0.

But clearly, some exceptions apply.

:)