Living in a Castle and Traveling Abroad Pt II
Okay, tonight my friends and I sat down for several hours and did a lot of talking and planning. In the end, we basically penciled out our entire trip for the semester. Of course, nothing's for sure until actual reservations are made and dates may flucuate by a day or so, but I'm pretty sure this will end up being our destinations for each weekend. Which is definitely a relief because even if it's not acutal reservations, I do prefer to plan ahead rather than play it by ear.
So once again, it's possible these plans may change for whatever reason, but this is what it looks like right now:
January 24-27: Brussels and Bruges. This is definitely for sure since we've already made reservations. We were originally going to go to Barcelona this weekend, but some of us have required makeup class on Friday, so it's just easier for us meet up and whatever in Belgium. Plus, it might be better anyway to stay a little closer to our little home our very first weekend of traveling. So, the plan is two nights in Brussels and one night in Bruges. A lot of hostels were already booked, so our large group at to split up at different locations, which works out okay. I was originally going to stay with a distant cousin and her husband just outside of Brussels, but they'll be in Barcelona this weekend, and I'm afraid it doesn't look like it'll work out at all (they're very busy too). Oh well...you can't do it all.
February 1-3: Amsterdam. Though we actually haven't decided if we're leaving on the 31st or the 1st. But we're definitely doing Amsterdam this weekend...reservations will probably be made within the next few days. We should also arrive back in Well to watch some of the Carnaval festivities. My first Carnaval...hurray!
February 7-10: Barcelona. And finally we go to Spain. Okay, this country wasn't at the top of my list, but it certainly does look like it'll be a lot of fun. :)
February 14-19: London. This is our first required excursion...basically equivelent to being in class. So, even if I had time to visit people then, I wouldn't be allowed to. Anyways, we'll have some great opportunities going as a group.
February 19-21: Paris. I would like to see if others would be willing to extend that to the 22nd because that just doesn't seem like enough time visit such a wonderful city. We'll see...we might just have to run through everything. Unfortunately, we cannot see everything, but I hope I will come back to Paris some day in the future and spend a whole week there.
February 21-24: Berlin. Quite honestly, I would rather spend the whole week in Paris, but this is seriously my only opportunity to visit Germany because unfortunately my time is so crammed together. And of course I need to see Germany...though I wouldn't mind spending a day less in Berlin for an extra day in Paris. We've discussed taking an overnight train back to Well, which would mean we'd actually leave on the 23rd (in the evening, of course). But then again, an overnight train would decrease the chance of spending longer in Paris...
February 28-March 2: Prague. I was sad when they cancelled the required excursion to Prague, so I'm really excited that I can still go and visit this beautiful city. :)
March 6-9: Copenhagen. My friends are planning to go to Switzerland then, which I'm not interested in, so I figured this would be my first opportunity to travel alone. So Rune, I mentioned March would be the most likely month I could come visit, and it now looks like it'll be this weekend I'm available. So do tell me now if this works for you or not (if not, I'll switch the Copenhagen and Helsinki trips). Anyways, I hope a month and a half warning is good enough. :)
March 13-16: Ireland. I'm not sure where in Ireland, but I'm guessing most likely Dublin. Someone told us that for some reason the Irish are celebrating St. Patrick's Day on the 15th instead of the 17th this year (not sure why). I don't know if this is actually true, but I'm hoping it is because what a party that would be!
March 20-24: Florence. For the first time ever, we're getting Easter Monday off, so we going to a place where there's a lot to see. Too bad we can't see all the cities in Italy; I'd love to go to Rome too...but once again, we can't do it all. One of my friends is actually planning to go to England on the 20th then meet us in Florence afterwards. He's planning to go to the Stonehenge for the Spring Equinox (he's pagan, so I think it'll be a very exciting experience for him).
March 28-April 2: Dubrovnik. Our required excursion to Croatia. Not actually a preferred place to visit, but I hear it's beautiful so hopefully I'll enjoy it. :)
April 2-6: Greece. Omg, I actually get to go to Greece! And for four days! I didn't think it would happen, but this is one of the advantages of visiting Croatia since it's so close. One of my friends has already been to Greece; she's not particularly interested about visiting Athens, but of course we have to go for at least one day. Afterwards, we'll go somewhere else in the country, maybe in the islands.
April 10-13: Helsinki. My friends plan to go to either Vienna or Portugal then. And again, I'm interested in neither. I think this will be the best time to visit Finland, but of course I'm mainly going to meet you Finnish Downers...so guys, please tell me if this weekend works for you or not. I look forward to visiting. :)
April 17-21: Unknown. I recently found out we have final exams these days, so sadly I cannot go for any weekend excursions then. However, I cannot be having an exam every day, so I'm sure I'm going to have an opportunity at some point to do at least a day trip. I probably would go somewhere in the Netherlands like Venlo, Nijmegen, or Maastricht....though I could also possibly visit somewhere in Germany as long as it wasn't too far and I could travel there easily.
April 23-25: London. This is our last excursion before the group heads back to Boston. Of course, I'm staying behind.
April 25-27: Oxford. I'm pretty certain now this will be the weekend I'll be going to Oxford. I've vaguely discussed this with Jay, so I better email him about it again (hmm...it's late; I'll do it tomorrow). It'll be a weekend where I can meet BDers and visit a very important Tolkien location. Should be lots of fun.
April 28-May 8: London. While I'd love to go to other places like Scotland, I'm going to have a huge load of luggage to carry, so after Oxford I better stay put in London. Of course I'm going to be seeing a lot of London, so I'll probably take day trips outside of the city too. If any of you British Downers live nearby and are interested in meeting up, feel free to contact me. I'm certainly going to have plenty of time. :)
And on May 8, I leave on something like an 11 hour flight (if I counted right) to LAX, then onto Boise.
As you can see, my semester is pretty jam packed with traveling. And on top of that, I have to do schoolwork! Yeah, I'm a little freaked out, but I think I'll be able to handle it.
I should also mention that if there's anyone who lives somewhat near Well and wants to visit for a few hours, you're definitely welcome during the week. It'd have to work around my class schedule, but I'd manage...particularly on a Tuesday when I don't have class until 4:30. I'm sort of doubtful anyone would care to visit since it'd be for such a short time and Well's such a small little town (though pretty) anyway, but I thought I'd at least offer...
And so... it's extremely late and still rainy here in Well. I still need to do some reading before I go to bed, so I better go now...
So once again, it's possible these plans may change for whatever reason, but this is what it looks like right now:
January 24-27: Brussels and Bruges. This is definitely for sure since we've already made reservations. We were originally going to go to Barcelona this weekend, but some of us have required makeup class on Friday, so it's just easier for us meet up and whatever in Belgium. Plus, it might be better anyway to stay a little closer to our little home our very first weekend of traveling. So, the plan is two nights in Brussels and one night in Bruges. A lot of hostels were already booked, so our large group at to split up at different locations, which works out okay. I was originally going to stay with a distant cousin and her husband just outside of Brussels, but they'll be in Barcelona this weekend, and I'm afraid it doesn't look like it'll work out at all (they're very busy too). Oh well...you can't do it all.
February 1-3: Amsterdam. Though we actually haven't decided if we're leaving on the 31st or the 1st. But we're definitely doing Amsterdam this weekend...reservations will probably be made within the next few days. We should also arrive back in Well to watch some of the Carnaval festivities. My first Carnaval...hurray!
February 7-10: Barcelona. And finally we go to Spain. Okay, this country wasn't at the top of my list, but it certainly does look like it'll be a lot of fun. :)
February 14-19: London. This is our first required excursion...basically equivelent to being in class. So, even if I had time to visit people then, I wouldn't be allowed to. Anyways, we'll have some great opportunities going as a group.
February 19-21: Paris. I would like to see if others would be willing to extend that to the 22nd because that just doesn't seem like enough time visit such a wonderful city. We'll see...we might just have to run through everything. Unfortunately, we cannot see everything, but I hope I will come back to Paris some day in the future and spend a whole week there.
February 21-24: Berlin. Quite honestly, I would rather spend the whole week in Paris, but this is seriously my only opportunity to visit Germany because unfortunately my time is so crammed together. And of course I need to see Germany...though I wouldn't mind spending a day less in Berlin for an extra day in Paris. We've discussed taking an overnight train back to Well, which would mean we'd actually leave on the 23rd (in the evening, of course). But then again, an overnight train would decrease the chance of spending longer in Paris...
February 28-March 2: Prague. I was sad when they cancelled the required excursion to Prague, so I'm really excited that I can still go and visit this beautiful city. :)
March 6-9: Copenhagen. My friends are planning to go to Switzerland then, which I'm not interested in, so I figured this would be my first opportunity to travel alone. So Rune, I mentioned March would be the most likely month I could come visit, and it now looks like it'll be this weekend I'm available. So do tell me now if this works for you or not (if not, I'll switch the Copenhagen and Helsinki trips). Anyways, I hope a month and a half warning is good enough. :)
March 13-16: Ireland. I'm not sure where in Ireland, but I'm guessing most likely Dublin. Someone told us that for some reason the Irish are celebrating St. Patrick's Day on the 15th instead of the 17th this year (not sure why). I don't know if this is actually true, but I'm hoping it is because what a party that would be!
March 20-24: Florence. For the first time ever, we're getting Easter Monday off, so we going to a place where there's a lot to see. Too bad we can't see all the cities in Italy; I'd love to go to Rome too...but once again, we can't do it all. One of my friends is actually planning to go to England on the 20th then meet us in Florence afterwards. He's planning to go to the Stonehenge for the Spring Equinox (he's pagan, so I think it'll be a very exciting experience for him).
March 28-April 2: Dubrovnik. Our required excursion to Croatia. Not actually a preferred place to visit, but I hear it's beautiful so hopefully I'll enjoy it. :)
April 2-6: Greece. Omg, I actually get to go to Greece! And for four days! I didn't think it would happen, but this is one of the advantages of visiting Croatia since it's so close. One of my friends has already been to Greece; she's not particularly interested about visiting Athens, but of course we have to go for at least one day. Afterwards, we'll go somewhere else in the country, maybe in the islands.
April 10-13: Helsinki. My friends plan to go to either Vienna or Portugal then. And again, I'm interested in neither. I think this will be the best time to visit Finland, but of course I'm mainly going to meet you Finnish Downers...so guys, please tell me if this weekend works for you or not. I look forward to visiting. :)
April 17-21: Unknown. I recently found out we have final exams these days, so sadly I cannot go for any weekend excursions then. However, I cannot be having an exam every day, so I'm sure I'm going to have an opportunity at some point to do at least a day trip. I probably would go somewhere in the Netherlands like Venlo, Nijmegen, or Maastricht....though I could also possibly visit somewhere in Germany as long as it wasn't too far and I could travel there easily.
April 23-25: London. This is our last excursion before the group heads back to Boston. Of course, I'm staying behind.
April 25-27: Oxford. I'm pretty certain now this will be the weekend I'll be going to Oxford. I've vaguely discussed this with Jay, so I better email him about it again (hmm...it's late; I'll do it tomorrow). It'll be a weekend where I can meet BDers and visit a very important Tolkien location. Should be lots of fun.
April 28-May 8: London. While I'd love to go to other places like Scotland, I'm going to have a huge load of luggage to carry, so after Oxford I better stay put in London. Of course I'm going to be seeing a lot of London, so I'll probably take day trips outside of the city too. If any of you British Downers live nearby and are interested in meeting up, feel free to contact me. I'm certainly going to have plenty of time. :)
And on May 8, I leave on something like an 11 hour flight (if I counted right) to LAX, then onto Boise.
As you can see, my semester is pretty jam packed with traveling. And on top of that, I have to do schoolwork! Yeah, I'm a little freaked out, but I think I'll be able to handle it.
I should also mention that if there's anyone who lives somewhat near Well and wants to visit for a few hours, you're definitely welcome during the week. It'd have to work around my class schedule, but I'd manage...particularly on a Tuesday when I don't have class until 4:30. I'm sort of doubtful anyone would care to visit since it'd be for such a short time and Well's such a small little town (though pretty) anyway, but I thought I'd at least offer...
And so... it's extremely late and still rainy here in Well. I still need to do some reading before I go to bed, so I better go now...