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Saturday, August 13, 2011
Blog Blocked
Its true, I have been blog blocked. I myself was duped for awhile, convinced that both blogs were one. Rather than compete, I am allowing this blog to be cannabalized. Please visit our new home at http://kaitandalliadventures.blogspot.com/. Thank you for your support. I will miss your views but I will look for your visits at our new home.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Transportation
I am in charge of transportation and most of it is booked already, but it hasn't been easy. With the trip there are two main prongs of transportation; getting to and from Europe and traveling within Europe.
Getting to and from Europe:
Months of watching airline prices it looked like were going to pay around $600 to get Spain and $800 to get home from Turkey. Until my friend Selma alerted me to a deal, through bookingbuddy.com, for $800 round trip flight from Philadelphia to Madrid on Lufthansa. I then booked $5 Megabus tickets from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and back and a $300 flight from Istanbul to Madrid. I saved us each $300 and we're going to Europe!
Getting around Europe:
I have done a lot of frustrating and tedious research on this topic.
The issue: Do you go for a package deal or try to find individual modes of transportation.
The answer: Research a little for yourself, but typically the package will be better. If you are already buying a package, like the Eurail bundles, it is cheaper to upgrade to more days/ countries than trying to arrange your own transportation for side trips.
Cautionary Tale: I planned our trip and before ordering the tickets I sent an email to Eurail with a few questions and our basic outline. Turns out the ferry we were going to take from Barcelona, Spain to Civitavechhia, Greece was not covered in the Eurail package. So I went back to the drawing board, researched some more and found that it would be cheaper to go from a 3 country pass to a 4 country pass and travel through France, than buy a ferry ticket. The take home note is do your research before you go.
Tips:
1. Generally map out destinations and dates.
2. Determine what Eurail package works best for you.
3. Download the Eurail timetable and railway map.
4. On the Eurail website, check each individual country to find out which trains on the timetable are covered by your pass
5. Check times and days the trains travel. Print a copy of the page and highlight the trains you plan on taking.
6. Reserve seats if you are able to.
I am not finished yet, the Eurail does not travel to Turkey, therefore I have had to make my own plans, but given the hostility between Turkey and Greece, it has proved to be rigorous test of my will. We still have not booked transportation but I am slowly working on it. I will keep you updated.
I wonder how Kait is doing booking accommodations?
Getting to and from Europe:
Months of watching airline prices it looked like were going to pay around $600 to get Spain and $800 to get home from Turkey. Until my friend Selma alerted me to a deal, through bookingbuddy.com, for $800 round trip flight from Philadelphia to Madrid on Lufthansa. I then booked $5 Megabus tickets from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and back and a $300 flight from Istanbul to Madrid. I saved us each $300 and we're going to Europe!
Getting around Europe:
I have done a lot of frustrating and tedious research on this topic.
The issue: Do you go for a package deal or try to find individual modes of transportation.
The answer: Research a little for yourself, but typically the package will be better. If you are already buying a package, like the Eurail bundles, it is cheaper to upgrade to more days/ countries than trying to arrange your own transportation for side trips.
Cautionary Tale: I planned our trip and before ordering the tickets I sent an email to Eurail with a few questions and our basic outline. Turns out the ferry we were going to take from Barcelona, Spain to Civitavechhia, Greece was not covered in the Eurail package. So I went back to the drawing board, researched some more and found that it would be cheaper to go from a 3 country pass to a 4 country pass and travel through France, than buy a ferry ticket. The take home note is do your research before you go.
Tips:
1. Generally map out destinations and dates.
2. Determine what Eurail package works best for you.
3. Download the Eurail timetable and railway map.
4. On the Eurail website, check each individual country to find out which trains on the timetable are covered by your pass
5. Check times and days the trains travel. Print a copy of the page and highlight the trains you plan on taking.
6. Reserve seats if you are able to.
I am not finished yet, the Eurail does not travel to Turkey, therefore I have had to make my own plans, but given the hostility between Turkey and Greece, it has proved to be rigorous test of my will. We still have not booked transportation but I am slowly working on it. I will keep you updated.
I wonder how Kait is doing booking accommodations?
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Time to Cement in the Plans
A lot has gone on since the last post, Kaitlin is now quitting her job and able to travel the full three weeks, we decided on dates, August 18th to September 10th, and we bought plane tickets and Eurail tickets.
Here is the basic trip outline... I could not figure out how to neatly include arrows, but you get the picture.![]()
Here is the basic trip outline... I could not figure out how to neatly include arrows, but you get the picture.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Hola, Buon giorno, Merhaba
Preparing for this trip is taking a lot out of me and my very precious free time. I am what you could consider an overplanner. While I am not marking out every destination spot and restaurant on our trip- we are trying to be "care free"- I am just generally over doing. Take a look for yourself, this is a facebook post from a few weeks ago...
The closer it gets the more excited and anxious I become. Five months to go!
The closer it gets the more excited and anxious I become. Five months to go!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Starting at the Beginning: August 2010
The Conception
Carpe Diem! Embrace two decades of friendship and throw caution to wind. Recently I have wanted to visit Turkey, what a better excuse than for an anniversary with my best friend. It is time to let my hair down and loosen the purse strings. Call up my best friend and share the idea; Spain, Italy and Turkey it is; of course Kaitlin is on board, has she ever been known to turn down an adventure.
The Idea
Spend a month traveling along the coastline of the Mediterranean in a carefree fashion indistinguishable from the locals.
The Reality
Kaitlin's over booked, chaotic life only affords her a two week break from reality. That leaves us with only two short weeks to travel from Madrid to Barcelona to Rome and make a pit stop in Venice at which point Kaitlin returns to the States and I continue my journey onto Istanbul.
Carpe Diem! Embrace two decades of friendship and throw caution to wind. Recently I have wanted to visit Turkey, what a better excuse than for an anniversary with my best friend. It is time to let my hair down and loosen the purse strings. Call up my best friend and share the idea; Spain, Italy and Turkey it is; of course Kaitlin is on board, has she ever been known to turn down an adventure.
The Idea
Spend a month traveling along the coastline of the Mediterranean in a carefree fashion indistinguishable from the locals.
The Reality
Kaitlin's over booked, chaotic life only affords her a two week break from reality. That leaves us with only two short weeks to travel from Madrid to Barcelona to Rome and make a pit stop in Venice at which point Kaitlin returns to the States and I continue my journey onto Istanbul.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Welcome to my blog, come on in and stay a while.
Time is ticking away and in a few short months I will be on my way to the Mediterranean with my best friend in tow. After a 20 year friendship we have decided to rekindle the "honeymoon phase" with a trip overseas. Feel free to join us on an adventure to experience new cultures, cuisines and plenty of exploration.
Please feel free to comment and let me know how I can improve my blog. Thanks!
Please feel free to comment and let me know how I can improve my blog. Thanks!
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Now you are all caught up!
<3 Kait and Alli!
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