kawaii*kimmy

WHAT!?! I’m letting go of all the ‘what ifs’, the ‘I can’ts’, and ‘but I have toos’, to finally do something I’ve been dreaming about since middle school. Backpacking has been an adventure I’ve wanted to partake, and now that I’m in a voided zone of my life I figure now is the best time to accomplish it.

WHEN!?! This time roughly next year, that being June of 2009. As to how long, until the end of September; unless of course something happens and the trip is shortened.

WHERE!?! Europe’s high season.

WHY!?! Like I said, I’m in a voided zone. I’m a twenty year old girl still not at all sure as to what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Having graduated high school with honours and merit grades, its not that I can’t get into a post-secondary institution, it’s the fact that I don’t want to go into something, blow thousands of dollars only to find out halfway through that this is something I don’t actually want. Plus, like hello, I spent twelve years of my life in school already, why on earth do I want to go back so soon?



Questions ::
.1. What do you think of my itinerary?
I know I’m going at the busiest time of year, and I’m prepared for that. My itinerary is done up in the order for which I will be travelling, now is there possibly a better sort of combination for going about my travels or does it look half decent? Keeping in mind that as this is going to be major culture shock, I’d much rather start in the UK and Ireland due to the fact I’ll probably be more comfortable.

.2. What are your Hostel suggestions?
For the places I'm stay, can you suggest anything decent? I know that a lot of things can change within a year, so what one person says in a review could be the complete opposite of what another says. Also, if there are suggestions that aren’t necessarily within the city but outside of it, let me know anyway!




Note ::
Compared to my last itinerary post, I’ve left major travelling in Western Europe out as I figured I’d do that for 2011. More of France, Spain and the ‘forgotten’ Portugal is reserved for 2010 cause my cousin will be out of school and would like to go. There are a few places which I’m only staying a few days because I’m not sure if I want to add them to something else, the single days are pretty much bunk travel days.

Itinerary;; Europe 2009

++------------++

June 3/June 4 :: depart Edmonton, Canada/arrive London, England

June 4 to June 7 :: London, England

June 8 to June 10 :: Edinburgh, Scotland

June 11 to June 13 :: Inverness, Scotland

June 14 to June 16 :: Glasgow, Scotland

June 17 :: Chester, England

Morning of June 18, head from Chester to Holyhead, Wales to catch a ferry over to Dublin. Estimated sea time is two hours.

June 18 to June 21 :: Dublin, Ireland

June 22 to June 24 :: Galaway, Ireland

June 25 to June 27 :: Cork, Ireland

June 28 :: Wexford


Morning of June 29, head into Rosslare to catch a ferry over to Pembroke. Estimated time of sea time is four hours. Then make way for Cardiff.


June 29 to August 1 :: Cardiff, Wales

August 2 to August 4 :: Bath, England


Morning of August 5, make way to Portsmouth. Catch night cruise over to Caen. Estimated sea time is eight hours.


August 6 to August 10 :: Paris, France

August 11 to August 12 :: Bordeaux, France

August 13 to August 17 :: Madrid, Spain

August 18 to August 20 :: Barcelona, Spain

August 21 to August 22 :: Marseille, France

August 23 to August 24 :: Lyon, France

August 25 to August 27:: Interlaken , Switzerland

August 28 to August 30 :: Zurich, Switzerland

August 31 to September 1 :: Venice, Italy

September 2 to September 3 :: Milan

September 4 to September 5 :: Florence

September 6 to September 9 :: Rome


September 10, be in Bari in the morning to catch cruise over to Patra, Greece. Seventeen hour ferry ride.


September 11 to September 13 :: Nafplio, Greece

September 14 to September 16 :: Athens

September 17 :: Meteora and Kalambaka

September 18 and September 19 :: Thessaloniki

September 20 to September 22 :: Sofia, Bulgaria

September 23 to September 25 :: Bucharest, Romania


Night of the 25, take night train over to Hungary


September 26 to September 28 :: Budapest, Hungary

September 29 to October 5 :: ?? Austria

October 6 to October 8 :: Munich, Germany

October 9 to October 11 :: Prague, Czech Republic

October 12 to October 14 :: Berlin, Germany

October 15 to October 17 :: Hamburg, Germany

October 18 to October 20 :: Frankfurt, Germany

October 21 to October 23 :: The Netherlands

October 24 to October 26 :: Belgium

Have to be in London for the 29 to catch flight back home.

__________________


Europe 2009 ::Whirlwind

• Britain, Ireland, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Canadian Bacon

although you've probably already been welcomed to the boards, I'll do it again: WELCOME TO THE BOARDS!!!!


Quite an ambitious schedule you got there.. it looks good and makes geographical sense.

The only thing I would say is that maybe you should consider giving some cities more time... for instance, I see you have 2 days for barcelona... anyone whose been there will tell you, you need at least 3-4 days to really get a flavour for the city.

Remember, most travel, more money and more exhaustion... it may be best to drop like 3-4 cities and just add an extra day to the big ones.

Also, with a trip as long as yours, you might want to build in some flexibility... I think by the time you reach athens, you'll be so tired you'll just want to sit down and chill for a few days! And if you're in athens... I would say hit up some of the greek islands... they are just beautiful!

Another thing to think about is to orient your schedule around really cool-ass fesitvals that are taking place... like running of the bulls in pamplona... which is a crazy ass time.

For hostels, the best site I found is www.hostelz.com - they have a good review system. In Athens I stayed at Pella Inn... it was a nice view, close to acropolis, although a tad expensive.

__________________
Vincent: "So what you gonna do?"
Jules: "Well, basically, I'm just gonna walk the earth."
Vincent: "What you mean 'walk the earth'?"
Jules: "You know, like Kane in 'Kung Fu'...go places...meet people...get in adventures."

Trips (only counting recreational travel):
FIRST TRIP (2005): FIRST EUROTRIP EVER! UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland
SECOND TRIP (2007): First Solo Trip! Greece, Turkey, Syria, Spain
2008: China (Beijing, Shanghai, Yangshuo) ...right before the Olympics!
2009: Japan & HK, Southern Spain
[size=1]2010: All over Lebanon, Ibiza (Spain), Oktoberfest (Germany), Thailand.
2011: India (Goa), Jordan, Jerusalem, San Sebastian (Spain), Amsterdam (again), London, Driving from Vancouver to L.A. (stopping in Portland, Seattle, San Fran and all the little stops), Montpellier (France), Geneva and Lausanne (Switzerland)

"Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it."

kawaii*kimmy

Thanks Canadian, I’m glad to be part of the boards!

Giving cities more time is definitely something I can do, as I just realized my dating is miss like a full bloody freaking month! I’m also capable of dropping a few cities like you have suggested. Because I’m thinking of dropping Spain all together as I’ll be there the following year with my cousin – save for Pamplona, if I can swing it I will be there for that bull running!

And thanks for the site link, haven’t checked that one out yet.

__________________


Europe 2009 ::Whirlwind

• Britain, Ireland, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.