I spent $11,000 on a 3-day whirlwind trip to Europe. It was magical, but I'd never do it again.

In November, I flew to Paris, spent one night in a budget hotel, and the next on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which took me from Paris to Venice in about 30 hours.

Once I got to Venice, I boarded another sleeper train and woke up in Vienna. As soon as I arrived, I headed to the airport to fly home.

It was exhausting, amazing, and went by in a flash.

To get to Europe, I flew from New York City to Paris. It was a 7.5-hour, red-eye flight.

Although I got some sleep in economy, I arrived in Paris the next day feeling tired and sore from sitting on the flight.

But luckily, I had one day to rest before my trip on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

I arrived in Paris the day before my ride on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express so that even if my flight was delayed, I'd have plenty of time to catch my train.

I also wanted some time to recuperate after my flight. I tend to get motion sickness while flying, and longer-haul journeys typically leave me feeling unwell for a day or so.

Since I knew I'd be arriving in Paris in the morning before check-in time, I booked my hotel for two nights (including the night before I needed the room), that way I could go straight to bed when I got there.

I needed it more than I expected. Before my trip, I imagined spending some time resting before exploring. But I ended up feeling queasy and falling asleep at intervals until the next morning when it was time to board the train.

Luckily, I had gotten enough rest before the most exciting part of my trip: the luxury train ride of my dreams.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express felt magical. I spent the 30-hour trip exploring the lavish, vintage train carriages (the train is made up of cars from the iconic Orient Express) and enjoying fine dining and epic views of the Swiss Alps and Italian countryside from the comfort of my historic cabin.

It was a unique experience, and I know I'll never forget it.

Since I love train travel, I wanted to squeeze in at least two overnight trips during my time in Europe. So about an hour after I arrived in Venice on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, I boarded a Nightjet sleeper train where I had a private cabin.

Although the room was comfortable, after spending the night on one of the most luxurious trains in the world, it was harder for me to appreciate an ordinary cabin. In hindsight, I probably should have booked my trip on the regular sleeper train before the luxury one.

But, at the same time, I was so exhausted at this point in the trip that I was able to sleep for six hours — a rarity for me while in transit.

On my way to the airport, I couldn't help but think that my luxury-trip budget kept me from being able to explore Paris, Venice, and Vienna. And spending a third of my trip bedridden was a bummer.

But I don't regret it. The Venice Simplon-Orient Express was the star of the trip, and I had such an amazing time that I wouldn't take it back.

However, this trip taught me that three days in Europe ultimately isn't a fulfilling trip for me.

Now that I've taken my dream train ride, I'll prioritize my rest and time to explore destinations during my future travels.