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.