2011-09-19 15:55:38-04
For those of you who have been following this blog for a while, you’re probably well aware of how poor of a planner I truly am. My plans are constantly changing, even at the last minute when there appears to be absolutely no chance at all that my plans could possibly change. Well, they do change. And they do change often. Such is the life of a permanent nomad.
About one month ago, I actually wrote a post called "Choosing My Next Travel Destination” in which I asked all of you, the phenomenal readers without whom this site would never exist, for advice on where I should travel to next. The response was simply awesome, with over 100 comments and emails full of interesting suggestions that included places as diverse as the Philippines, Colombia, Romania, Latvia, Georgia, India, Japan, the US and even Antarctica. And the number one suggestion, by far, was the grand continent of Africa. Readers left such positive comments, not only describing their own travel experiences, but also explaining why Africa would be such a good match for me. I must admit that every time I read one of those comments recommending that I pack my backpack and head off to Africa, the excitement grew exponentially! That’s why, in one week from now, I’m heading to Europe. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but let me explain what’s going on before you throw your tomatoes at me and boo me out of the room.
IT’S TIME FOR SOME TRAIN TRAVELRecently, I was contacted by Eurail.com, the company that offers the popular Eurail Passes that allow travelers to easily use the extensive train system in Europe. The reason they contacted me was to offer a 15-day Eurail Pass that I could use over a period of two months, not just to travel around Europe, but to also experience first-hand the benefits of using such a pass, something that I have never used on any of my previous visits to Europe. 
So naturally, I was intrigued. However, before accepting the deal, I asked Eurail if they would kindly agree to one condition that I really felt was necessary… I told them that I wanted my readers to choose the destinations I would visit. There simply was no way I could accept such a trip as this one without all of you being able to participate as much as possible. And they instantly agreed! So, now it’s go time and I really need your kind assistance… Basically, as of this very minute, I have zero plans for this trip. The itinerary I end up creating will be based solely on your recommendations and suggestions. And those recommendations and suggestions can be ANYTHING. Feel free to suggest countries, cities, towns, villages, specific sights, restaurants, bars, goat farms, antique shops, parks, bakeries (please, someone recommend a good bakery!), festivals, canoeing clubs, psychics and/or haunted cabins by a lake. Heck, I’d love to meet any specific people you can put me in touch with as well! Anything and everything goes. Of course, the only catch is that I need to travel to countries that are included in my Eurail Global Pass. Luckily, there’s 22 of them, so it shouldn’t be much of an issue. These countries are: Austria (including Liechtenstein), Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland And just for general information, the countries on that list that I have not yet visited are Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Romania and Slovenia. So when am I leaving exactly? Well, the plan is to fly out to Europe on the 25th, in just six days from now. As a result, on Thursday, September 22nd, I shall compile all of the suggestions and create my itinerary, trying to cover as many of your ideas as possible. And a few days later, I shall take off and begin the adventure…crazy, I know.
WHAT HAPPENED TO AFRICA?Valid question indeed. And for those of you ready to toss those tomatoes at my head for not traveling to Africa right now…hold on! My plan is to finally make it to Africa in December. Of course, now that you know me, you probably won’t be surprised if I end up in the Solomon Islands or Bolivia instead, but as of right now, I shall be traveling over to Africa at the end of the year. And I have all of you to thank for leaving such compelling comments the last time around that convinced me that I need to visit that continent soon. But of course, that’s still a few months away. Now it’s time for Europe. So I hope you’ll take a moment to offer your thoughts, recommendations and suggestions for my upcoming trip… Any ideas? (I thank you ever so much in advance!)  |