Howdy all!
I decided about a week ago that I'm gonna live a dream this summer that I've passed up, foolishly, once before and may not have another chance to jump on.
I'm 25 and in culinary school here in the states, and my school does a 2.5 month internship on the Amalfi Coast every summer for qualified students. I hope to do this in 2006.
In prep for that, and since one of my friends will be in Italy doing the internship this summer, I've decided to backpack across Western Europe, beginning in the end of May. This will be a solo trip, but I'm open to meeting up with other TPunks around the continent. But since I'm flying solo, I can hit a lotta or a little stuff depending.
My plan is to Air Hitch into Dublin, spend about 4 days or so there, hop a flight into Paris, and Eurail it from there.
I would like to hit the following cities/regions over 60 days.
Normandy
Amsterdam (duh!)
Burgundy
Bordeaux
Barcelona
Rome
Florence
Naples
Amalfi coast
Corfu and the other Greek party isles
Venice
Maranello (Ferrari!)
Prague
Munich (BMW!)
Stuttgart (Porsche!)
Berlin
Ingolstadt (Audi)
Wolfsburg (VW)
Frankfurt
I'd like to hit all of those places, and fly home to Maryland out of Frankfurt. Fortunately I live 10 minutes from BWI, an hour+ from Dulles and about an hour from Reagan-National.
I have family in Italy and Ireland I want to meet up with, so the time spent in Dublin may get extended, and the time in Amalfi as well. I'd like to spend a week in Greece sunning and partying.
The real questions:
1. Anyone Air Hitch? $150 for a ticket to Dublin from IAD (Dulles) is pretty fucking impressive. I understand the constraints and having to be VERY flexible. But I'd like some hard answers on it.
2. Any specific hostels recomended in any of the areas/cities I've mentioned?
3. Eurail Pass- which one?!?!
4. Pack suggestions: I think the Eagle Creek packs I've seen look about right, but I want something I can stuff my camelbak into and hike if necessary. If worse comes to worse, I'm not adverse to sleeping outside in the woods. I plan on wearing my trusty Merrel hiking boots, but bringing some Tevas for the beach, etc.
5. Hitch hiking- anyone here do it? suggestions on that?
6. Which Greek party islands should I go to/avoid?
7. How much in terms of cover am i looking to pay to get into some of the clubs in the larger cities if I am so inclined?
8. I've budgeted $3000 for the two months. This does not include Eurail, plane tickets, or expenses prior to leaving (pack, supplies, etc) Sound right? Thats $3000 split between $1K in travelers checks, and ATM/Debit Visa. I will be bringing an addtl Visa CC to have as an emergency.
9. Anyone ever bring an iPod or CD player with them? I'd love to bring my iPod with me to keep me occupied, and I don't mind packing the transformer for it to charge, or an aux battery pack. Do hostels have plugs in the rooms typically to juice up?
10. Can I transport bottles of wine with me from Bordeaux/Burgundy for later? as in across country lines? Same with shipping some Absinthe home from Prague, or traveling with it in my bag...
11. Can i purchase weed in Amsterdam to take back to the hostel for private consumption? I wouldn't be bringing it across country lines. I know better.
12. Traveler's insurance worth it?
13. Memberships other than ISIC an HI that I should pursue?
That hits most of the major ?s i have, thanks folks!
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