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Old 05-27-2008, 08:01 PM   #1
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Default Euro 08 trip + Egypt(?)

What started as me just visiting some family mutated into what now seems like a 2 month back packing trip across Europe. I graduate from University in the summer so after that anything is fair game. So far I have a rough idea of what I want do to, nothing is set in stone and I have no calendar to keep me tied down, I can basically stay as long as I can afford to. So here is what I have so far. The trip will start in mid August.

With my family:

Berlin or Vienna we will be flying to. I'm hoping Berlin because it will be easier for me to visit Vienna later on when I brake off from the family. 2 days in either city.

Random towns in Austria with family-probably will visit Salzberg-10 days

This is where the backpacking begins. When my family leaves for back home i'm on my own.

Venice-2 days

Split-1-2 days

Dubrovnik-1-2 days

Rest Day on the coast on the beach

Greece and Athens 1-3 days

Here is where it gets complicated. I haven't told anybody about this yet. I want to fly from Athens to Cairo and spend a week in Egypt. I really want to do this, is is plausible or does it seem too far fetched?
1 week in Egypt(possibly)

Ferry from Greece to Italy

South of Italy- hopefully will visit Sicily for a day

Rome and Vatican City-3 days

Pompeii- 1/2 Day

Florence and Piza- 1-2 days

Milan-1 day

Monaco- 1-2 days

Nice-1 day

Cannes-1 day

Marseilles- 1 day

Should be late September by this point. Spain is where it gets tricky as I don't know a lot about the country. I'm a euro-history major so i know a lot about the other big countries but not Spain, might spend only a few days there. This is what i'm thinking of doing.

Barcelona-1-2 days. I might spend a day just at the beach, save money plus relax.

Seville-1 day

Undecided- Lisbon 1 day

Madrid-2-3 days

Bilbao- 1/2 day( Greedy, but I want to visit only to go to guggenheim)

Pamplona- 1/2 day

Back into France

Bordeaux- 1 day

Lyon-1 day

The Home Stretch

Paris and Versailles 3-4 days

Vimy Ridge Canadian War Memorial- 1/2 day

Juno Beach- 1/2 day

London 3-4 days

Home


What do you think, too ambitious, anything I should add?
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Old 05-28-2008, 12:04 AM   #2
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You might be a little too ambitious with your Spain and Portugal plans. I would cut out Seville and Lisbon and Pamplona (not very interesting if the festival isnt going on). Instead you should plan for more time in Barcelona because its a hard town to leave, and maybe think about stopping at San Sebastian on your way to Bordeaux. Its a cool little town with a nice beach. Bilbao is a couple hour bus ride from San Sebastian making it easy to see the Guggenheim, but there isnt much else in Bilbao.
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Old 05-28-2008, 12:35 AM   #3
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Well, flying from Greece to Egypt is not the most far fetched thing in the world. You basically need to ask yourself 2 questions whenever adding something to your trip:
1) Do I have the money
2) Do I have the time
Just remember the trip you already and ask yourself whether it will suffer. If not then yeah, go for it!
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Old 05-28-2008, 12:43 AM   #4
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you aren't spending much time in each place - while I have done this before and don't mind travelling like this, you are going on a pretty long trip. 2 months, right? think of what you were doing on the 28th of march, and everything that's happened since then. now imagine if you'd changed locations 25 times since then. you would be absolutely exhausted and hardly remember any of it. I was in europe for 2 months and was staying in most places for 1-2 nights, and by the time I got to Prague (about 4 weeks in) I was so tired, I stayed there for 6 nights instead of the 3 I had planned. It was a really fun trip and I wanted to see a lot of places, but if I'd known better, I would have planned for a break like that in the middle. I know the concept of taking a break while you're on vacation sounds a little silly, but it's a necessity when backpacking.
I think the idea of Egypt is awesome and definitely something to look into (and I guess maybe it could count as your break if you stay in the one place the whole time). from the cities I know on your list, I think you could skip Milan and Nice. both pretty 'meh' cities in my opinion. (and I'm a fashion major, I'm supposed to love Milan!)
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Old 05-28-2008, 10:54 AM   #5
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I think you should really cut down your list. Your going to be moving so much that your not going to have time to enjoy anything.
I don't think your accounting for travel time either if your going to spend half a day in one place and it takes hours to get there....your better off cutting it out.
I flew from Greece to Egypt....I wouldn't consider it to be the most relaxing place but it was definitly worth seeing. We stayed at the Desert Safari Hotel/Hostel....the guys there were really nice....if you do decide to go make sure you had a placed booked and that they pick you up at the airport....its instant craziness as soon as you land. I'm not sure if your a guy or girl but as a girl if it had of been just me going alone I probably would have not gone....they just really like to hassle you...again I'm not saying don't go just read and really be prepared. The good thing was when we got back to Europe from Egypt....Europe felt like home and all the traveling jitters we had before were gone. Egypt is definitly an interesting place but a very intense one.
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Old 05-28-2008, 12:24 PM   #6
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Thanks everyone.

Maybe I should have been a bit more clear. 22/M.Canadian. Just graduated out of University. I'm currently working part time, and will quit that job when I head to Europe and after that, life begins. I really want this trip to kick the rest of my life off, because after this when I find a real job it will be harder, not impossible though, to pull off a 1-2 month trip.

The trip does seem rather ambitious but it is in no means set in stone. Somewhere during every 7-10 days will definitely be a rest day, just a day at the beach or whatever. There should be no shortage of them along the way.

Time is infinite, I was not set a day to be back, just an open ticket from Heathrow so that is not a problem. I figured once I was in Athens, that might be the closest I might ever get to Egypt ever, and I know of no one who has ever been there. I really don't want to blow the opportunity to be so close and not go there. I don't even mind swallowing a 1,000-1,250 debt. In my eyes that will be totally worth it, to do something I know no one else has done. I was in awe in Chitchen Itza when I went and I want this to be the same. I figure I will visit, Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan when i'm there. If time permits, i'd love to visit El Alamein. (remember history major).

I really want some crazy stories to come from this. Like slept in a train station, a strangers house, clubbed till 6am, and then rode the train for 5 hours. Got caught in some danger, and escaped. Does this sound weird to anyone? lol. I'm an adrenalin junkie so i don't mind.
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Old 05-28-2008, 01:59 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CC86 View Post
Greece and Athens 1-3 days

Here is where it gets complicated. I haven't told anybody about this yet. I want to fly from Athens to Cairo and spend a week in Egypt. I really want to do this, is is plausible or does it seem too far fetched?
1 week in Egypt(possibly)

Your ambition is great, young one =)

Just kidding. It's do-able, but it won't be pleasant. Last year I flew from Damascus to Madrid then directly trained it to Pamplona for Running of the Bulls 2007... while it was worth it, I would not do it again.

If you want a touch of Middle Eastern flavour while you're in Greece, I suggest going to Turkey, and hitting up Istanbul or some of the western coast. It's quite different from Europe... but its not hardcore Middle East. Most cool Middle Eastern stuff was brought down when the Turks conquered them...

Istanbul in particular is a site to see, and definitely one of my favorities cities in the world.

Turkey is also closer, and makes more geographicial sense than egypt, but still significantly different from Europe.

Good luck!
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Old 05-28-2008, 07:27 PM   #8
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GO TO EGYPT!

Mike & I went there last fall & I can't begin to describe how beautiful & amazing it is. If you're a history major it's a no-brainer. We booked a tour of all the top spots...Cairo, Luxor, Aswan & Abu-Simbel. It could be done without a tour though. Just read up before you go.

Check out Mike's webpage for his travelogue (scroll down on the left) for a quick overview. You can also check out some of my photos on my gallery page here
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Old 05-28-2008, 08:39 PM   #9
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I'm actually starting to think I should do my trip backwards, start in London, to take advantage of the weather. London im sure is nice in October, but August would be better. By that time i'll be in Egypt and Athens and Croatia at a better time as well.

I was just starting to look up tours of Egypt and the tours seem way, way more reasonable then I first thought. Most tours though charge about 250 extra to do single, I wish I could find a travel buddy. Still though, that fits in my budget, and I can stay an extra week in Egypt since most tours are about 10-12 days.

I saw Mike's trip report and it looks like you guys had a good time. I hope to replicate that, everyone will be super jealous.
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